Why is Greenland not recognized as a continent?

[Lebowsky]

Greeland is way smaller than people think. It's not even close to the size of Africa, it looks that big becuase you're basically taking a map which is a globe or sphere and laying it out flat, which distorts the landmass sizes.

Here's what Greenland looks like if you put it on an actual globe...

Thanks for the clarification. I can't believe nobody realized that before...

[Jasi]

...And some people wonder why I love Geography so much.
It can give you all types of joys.

[DeuceWallaces]

Lol this idiot understanding projections.

[JohnnySic]

Geography is awesome.

And its a little surpising how huge Africa is when you see it presented like that.

[lakers_forever]

Greeland is way smaller than people think. It's not even close to the size of Africa, it looks that big becuase you're basically taking a map which is a globe or sphere and laying it out flat, which distorts the landmass sizes.

Exactly. Because of that, every map projection has distortions.

In the mercator (used by OP), Brazil also looks freaking small when in reality it is larger than United States without Alaska and 4 times bigger than Greenland.

This site is great, it compare countries sizes (also american states), anyone you choose.

http://mapfight.appspot.com/

[lakers_forever]

OP is now like those two in "The West Wing", learning for the first time about projections with a WTF look on his face:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVX-PrBRtTY

[step_back]

that all sounds good and stuff, I was just wondering why people settled on the top of the fvking planet. Isn't it cold as balls there all the time?

Also America got the best looking women since we got any kind you could choose and mixes of em too

It's in the Northern Hemisphere. I imagine the summer season is some of the nicest weather on the planet. People think the U.K always has bad weather. If we get a good summer that means sunshine from 5am to 10pm.

[Theoo]

fk** greenland man

[Marlo_Stanfield]

It's considered a part of North America.

it belongs to denmark you retard

[Akrazotile]

Holy shit, some of yall are really trippin here.

It wasnt just the one map I posted that shows the size of Greenland, if you google it you will see ALL the maps show Greenland to be bigger than Australia and roughly the size of Africa.

Also, Wiki explicitly SAYS: "Greenland is, in terms of area, the world's largest island,[8]"


Is Australia not an island? Is Africa not an island?


If those are continents, then it makes no sense to consider Greenland to randomly be part of North America when it clearly can and does stand on its own two.


Again I ask, why is Greenland NOT a continent?


FREE GR

[boozehound]

as others have pointed out, maps are projections that do not actually reflect the reality of a spherical planet. Greenland is about 800,000 square miles. Africa is 11 million square miles.

Also, continents have a geological definition based on plate tectonics. While there is a greenland plate, it was actually part of the same N Am plate for most of geologic history.

[boozehound]

No Africa is not an island......

also, why dont you use actual measurements of size rather than a bunch of map projections.

[ForeverHeat]

[QUOTE=Akrazotile]

Holy shit, some of yall are really trippin here.

It wasnt just the one map I posted that shows the size of Greenland, if you google it you will see ALL the maps show Greenland to be bigger than Australia and roughly the size of Africa.

Also, Wiki explicitly SAYS: "Greenland is, in terms of area, the world's largest island,[8]"


Is Australia not an island? Is Africa not an island?


If those are continents, then it makes no sense to consider Greenland to randomly be part of North America when it clearly can and does stand on its own two.


Again I ask, why is Greenland NOT a continent?


FREE GR

[CeilingFan#1]

This thread

[Akrazotile]

Continental, and majestic AF