Science
Geologists have discovered a new continent east of Australia.
The continent covers an area of 5 million square kilometres, 94 per cent of which is under water. Thus, the new continent of Zealand is the smallest continent on Earth.
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New Zealand is at the top of this geological massif, most of which is located in the South Pacific Ocean and cannot be seen.
The discovery was presented by 11 scientists in the study “Zealand: Earth's Hidden Continent” at the Geological Society of America, and believe it deserves to be called Earth's 8th continent.
A new continent
According to the study, the land surface has all 4 components necessary for it to be recognized as a continent:
· rises above the surrounding area
· has a distinctive geology
· its area is well defined
· it has a thick solid surface layer
The scientists wrote that the discovery itself was not a sudden but rather a gradual understanding.
The term Zealand was first coined by geophysicist Bruce Luyendyk in 1995, and at the time it was believed that the massif had three of the continent's four essential components. A recent study using satellites and gravity maps has shown that Zealand is a large single territory that meets all four requirements.
According to the study, 94 per cent of Zeeland went under water, breaking away from Australia and sinking 60-85 million years ago.
The continent consists of three major parts: the northern and southern islands of New Zealand and New Caledonia in the north.
Also read: The longest place names in the world
Recognizing Zealand as a separate continent is an important step towards understanding how the Earth formed, and it may soon appear on world maps and school textbooks.
The continents of the Earth: interesting facts
There are several models of continents in the world. In Russia, Eastern Europe and Japan, it is believed that there are 6 continents: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, and Australia.
Most other countries of the world believe that there are 7 continents on Earth: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Australia.
Europe
· 2nd smallest continent
· It is home to the largest country in the world — Russia and the smallest country in the world — the Vatican
· Includes 50 countries
Asia
· The largest continent in terms of area and population
· More than 3.2 billion people live here
· Includes 55 countries
· Here is the highest peak on Earth — Everest — 8,848 m above sea level
Africa
· 2nd largest continent
· Includes 54 countries
· The Nile River in Africa is the longest in the world
· It is home to 4 of the 5 fastest land animals: cheetah, wildebeest, lion and gazelle
North America
· 3rd largest continent
· Includes 40 countries
· It is home to the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior
South America
· 4th largest continent
· Spanish is spoken in all 14 countries except Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken
· Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world (1000 m), is located here
· It is home to the longest mountain system in the world — the Andes
· Lake Titicaca in Peru is the tallest in the world.
Australia
· The smallest continent in the world represented by one country
· 18.3 million people live here
· Consists of 6 states and 2 territories
· Aboriginal people
Antarctica
· 5th largest continent
· 98% of sushi is covered with ice
· No permanent population
· The windiest and coldest place on Earth