What is the mainland different from the island? Detailed analysis

The article describes how the continent differs from the island, and the island from the mainland, shows the difference between the continent and the mainland.

Ancient times

Life on our planet exists more than 3 billion years, in comparison with this period, tens of thousands of years - a very short period. Global exploration of the continents and their discovery occurred 500 years ago, but few people know that in prehistoric times all our continents were together and formed a super-matter called Pangea.

Now there are six, but how does the continent differ from the island, and the continent from the mainland? In this we will understand.

Definition

According to the generally accepted official definition, the continent is an array of the earth's crust, a significant part of which is located above the level of the World Ocean, the so-called land. And the rest is below the ocean level. Because of this last fact, the islands can also be referred to the continents, which are located at a distance close to them. Total continents 6: Eurasia, Africa, Australia, North America, South America and Antarctica. They are often mistakenly included in Greenland, but this is not so, it is a large island. How does this division take place? What is the mainland different from the island? And why Australia can be attributed to them, and Greenland is not?

The Islands

According to the dictionary, the island is a land area that is surrounded on all sides by water, whether it is a river, a lake, a sea or an ocean. It can also permanently be above the water level or rise to the surface during periods of low tide, seasonal slumps and other. If this is so, then why is not Australia an island? The thing is that part of the continents are considered islands, if the latter are within the underwater margin of the land. We figured out how the island differs from the mainland.

Types of islands

First of all it is worth mentioning about artificial, similar occupation is very fond of the inhabitants of the UAE, who can afford to spend huge sums to create in the coastal zone of bulk islands. They host expensive hotels, golf courses, helipads and other infrastructure. Also known is the international Japanese airport Kansai, built on a mound in the sea. This is done for a reason: its place is in a zone resistant to earthquakes and tsunamis, from which the Land of the Rising Sun suffers and suffered at all times.

Natural islands are divided into coral, volcanic, from bedrock and formed as a result of the activity of waves and surf. Also there are inhabited and uninhabited. The former are in relative proximity to the continents and are inhabited by indigenous residents of various tribes, or have been developed by humans relatively recently. On the other hand, people do not live because of different reasons or a great distance.

And volcanic are very dangerous because of the emission of toxic gases. But such are usually noticeable from afar: there is no vegetation and life on them.

What is the difference between the continent and the continent?

The differences here can not be found. The continent and the continent are one and the same, therefore, when talking about land, you can use both of these words.

Private island

If you have a large amount of money, it is quite realistic to buy yourself a personal island somewhere off the coast of a hot country. True, the prices are sky-high, and all the best and most convenient (for example, with sources of fresh water) have already been disassembled. But nothing can stop opening new sources of drinking water.

Peninsula

A part of the land is called a peninsula, surrounded by water, which has a natural natural connection with the mainland. For example, such as Crimea, Kamchatka and others. Now we know how the continent differs from the island.