
Africa-Eurasia plus associated
islands.
'Eurafrasia', 'Eurasica', 'Africa-Eurasia', or 'Afro-Eurasia' are terms used to describe
Africa and
Eurasia as one
continent. The constituent
landmasses contain around 85% of the
world population (around 5.7 billion people).
[1]
Normally, Africa and Eurasia are divided at the
Suez Canal. Eurasia is further subdivided (although more culturally than geologically) into
Europe and
Asia.
Some academics have referred to it as 'Eurafrasia' or 'Afrasia'
[2] (omitting the European
peninsula from the name), although these terms have never come into general use. In
geopolitics, the mainland of Africa-Eurasia (excluding islands such as the
British Isles,
Japan, and
Madagascar) has been referred to as the 'World Island'.
[3]
The
Old World includes Africa-Eurasia and its surrounding islands.
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Eurasia
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Asia
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Northern Asia
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Western Asia
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Central Asia
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Eastern Asia
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Southern Asia
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Southeastern Asia
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Europe
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Northern Europe
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Western Europe
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Central Europe
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Eastern Europe
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Southern Europe
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Africa
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Northern Africa
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Western Africa
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Central Africa
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Eastern Africa
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Southern Africa
In
geological terms, Africa-Eurasia will be a
supercontinent when
Africa collides with
Europe. This is estimated to happen over 600,000 years from now, when the southern tip of Spain reaches Africa. When this happens, the
Mediterranean Sea will be isolated from the
Atlantic Ocean. Africa is expected to collide with Europe completely over 50 million years from now, closing the Mediterranean, and creating new, future
mountain ranges (with an addition to the
Alps).
[4]
References
1. Based upon population estimates for 2007 cited in a UN report, ''World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision (Highlights).''
2. For example, Henry Field uses both terms in "The University of California African Expedition: I, Egypt". ''American Anthropologist,'' New Series, Vol. 50, No. 3, Part 1 (Jul. - Sep., 1948), pp. 479-493.
3. The term may have been coined by Sir Halford John Mackinder in ''The Geographical Pivot of History''. ''See'' Francis P. Sempa. Mackinder's World.
4. Africa will collide Europe and Asia, 50 Million years from now