Which Continent Is Known As The New World?

Did you know there are seven massive landmasses on Earth called continents? These include Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Each one has its own personality and nickname. Asia is the largest and most populous continent. Africa is often called the "Mother Continent" because of its deep history. Antarctica is the "White Continent" because it is covered in ice. Europe is known for its old cities, while Australia is the "Land Down Under". These continents are home to billions of people, diverse animals, and beautiful landscapes. For hundreds of years, humans have explored these lands to learn their secrets. But one specific part of the globe carries a very famous title: The New World. Do you know which continent it is? Here are two hints: It was given this name by European explorers who "discovered" it just a few centuries ago. It is actually composed of two major landmasses connected by a narrow strip of land. In this article, we'll take a look at the history of this name and why it is still used today.

Which Continent Is Known As The New World?

The term "New World" refers to the continents of North and South America. These two landmasses are located in the Western Hemisphere, stretching from the icy Arctic in the north to the tip of Chile in the south. European explorers like Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci gave them this name in the late 1400s. To the people living in Europe, Africa, and Asia (the "Old World"), these lands were a brand-new discovery. 

10+ Lesser-known Facts About the New World

• The Andes in South America stretch over 7,000 kilometres, making them the longest continental mountain range on Earth.
• The Amazon Rainforest produces about 20% of Earth's oxygen and is the most biodiverse place on the planet.
• North and South America were actually separate for millions of years. They only joined together about 3 million years ago via the Isthmus of Panama.
• The Atacama Desert in Chile is so dry that some parts have never recorded a drop of rain.
• Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, standing at 979 metres tall.
• North America is home to Greenland, the largest island on the planet (not a continent).
• Parts of the Canadian Shield in North America contain rocks that are over 4 billion years old, some of the oldest ever found.
• The Bay of Fundy in Canada has the world's highest tides, with the water level rising and falling by the height of a five-storey building twice a day.
• The Great Lakes in North America hold about 21% of the world's surface fresh water.
• Both continents sit on the "Ring of Fire", a massive belt of volcanoes and earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean.
• Due to plate tectonics, South America is currently moving away from Africa at a rate of about 2-3 centimetres per year.

Which Is The Newest Continent In The World?

While the seven main continents are billions of years old, scientists recently "discovered" a new continent, Zealandia (or Te Riu-a-Māui), often called the world's newest continent because it was only officially mapped and recognised by geologists in recent years. About 95% of it is submerged under the Pacific Ocean, with New Zealand and New Caledonia being its only visible parts above water.

What Continent Is Called The Old World?

The Old World refers to Africa, Asia, and Europe. These continents are grouped because they were the only parts of the world known to Europeans before Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic in 1492. These lands share a long, interconnected history of trade, culture, and conflict that dates back thousands of years, long before the "discovery" of the Americas.

Which Continent Is Called The New World?

The New World refers to the continents of North America and South America (collectively known as the Americas). European explorers used this term in the late 15th century to describe the "new" lands they encountered. While these continents were already home to millions of Indigenous people with ancient civilisations, they were entirely new and unknown to the people living in the Old World at that time.

Which Hemisphere Is Also Known As The New World?

The Western Hemisphere is the one most commonly associated with the New World. While a hemisphere is a geographical half of the Earth (the half west of the Prime Meridian), the term is often used as a synonym for the Americas. It encompasses all of North and South America, Central America and the Caribbean, separating these "newly discovered" lands from the Old World of the Eastern Hemisphere.