0
The answer depends on who you talk to.
A geographer - someone who studies Earth's surface, climate, countries, peoples, and so on - might say that continents are big and islands are small. For example, Greenland, the largest island, is only about a third as big as Australia.
On the other hand, a geologist - someone who studies the physics of Earth as a planet - might say that density accounts for the difference between continents and islands. Continents are made up of low-density rock, so they float high on Earth's molten mantle like big rafts. Ocean crust is denser, so it floats low on the mantle. Most islands are really extensions of the ocean floor - undersea volcanoes pump out dense lava that cools into ocean floor crust and sometimes piles up to poke above sea level. Greenland is ancient continental crust, but it isn't big enough to fit the geographer's definition of a continent. So geologists compromise by calling it a microcontinent.
Answer curtesy
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoa continent is a independent nation an island is just a chunk of land that is surrounded by water
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is the differnce between a continent and a island?
The difference between a continent and a island is that continents sit on their own continental lithosphere and islands do not. Greenland is the largest island and Australia is the smallest continent.
What is the diference between a continent and an island?
A continent is basically a massive island.
What is a difference between a Country and a Continent?
a continent is made up of countries
What is known as an island continent?
An island continent is an entire continent that is completely surrounded by water. Australia is an island continent.
Is alstralia a continent or an island?
Technically, a continent is an island. Nonetheless, Australia is a continent.
What is the difference between a 'continent' and 'island'?
A continent is much larger than an island.
What is the differnce between a continent and a island?
The difference between a continent and a island is that continents sit on their own continental lithosphere and islands do not. Greenland is the largest island and Australia is the smallest continent.
What are difference between Vietnam and Australia?
Vietnam is part of the Eurasian Continent; Australia is a separate continent (or a very large island).
What is the diference between a continent and an island?
A continent is basically a massive island.
How much is the time difference between Spain and Island?
The European nations of Spain and Ireland are both located along the Atlantic coast of the continent. The time difference between the two countries is 1 hour.
What is a difference between a continent and a country?
a continent is made up of countries
What is a difference between a Country and a Continent?
a continent is made up of countries
What is the difference between a continent a region and a hemisphere?
a region is a area a continent is a land mass
Is Australia a continent or is it an island?
continent not an island
What is the difference between subduction zone and a continent continent collision zone?
it is the study of making sanwhichs
What is the difference between a subduction zone and a continent continent collision zone?
it is the study of making sanwhichs
Is there a difference between an isthmus and a Tombolo?
Yes, there is a difference between an isthmus and a tombolo. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses, while a tombolo is a deposition landform that connects an island to the mainland by a sandy bridge. In essence, an isthmus links two separate landmasses, whereas a tombolo connects an island to a mainland.
