Is Australia a big island? If so why?

Question

Isn't Australia an island and a continent? I think so but for my class I have to find out proof that it is a big island and a continent. I tried the internet but I couldn't find anything. Help me please.

Answer 1

Hey,

Australia is the 6th largest country in the world and one huge island with an area of just over 7.7 million km.

It is in a way part of the continent Australiasia, or Oceania, which takes into acount islands such as New Zealand.

AUstralia is considered as a continent as it sits on its own techtonic plate and has its own unique flora and flora.



Some characteristics of continents are these:

Areas of geologically stable continental crust, or cratons, tectonically independent from other continents

Biological distinctiveness, with unique animal and plant life

Cultural uniqueness

Local opinion that they are a separate continent

Obviously, the first three are scientific, and the second two are more subjective.



Check out sites such as -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Australia

http://www.countriesquest.com/oceania/australia.htm

http://www.bt-store.com/sitemap/HTML/travel_guides/desc/Sx2-2-GeoAreaID-1_au-TopicID-Geography/Geography.htm

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/31968



Hope that helps! :)

Answer 2

Australia is an Island because it is surrounded by water on all sides

It is a continent because it has a specific area

Answer 3

It's a continent because it's such a huge landmass. An island is defined as being surrounded by water, but not large enough to be considered a continent.

Answer 4

The definition of an Island is any body of land that is completely surrounded by water. Easy enough. Also, it has been defined as a continent for a long, long, time.

Answer 5

through fact faster or later there must be a distinction between a continental land mass and an island. to this element Greenland has been desperate to be the biggest island. If we don't draw the line someplace then we would might desire to call each and all of the Americas and Euro-Africa-Asia islands too. Australia is likewise not basically a splash larger than Greenland, yet larger with the help of a extensive ingredient. present day maps distort the relative sizes of landmasses the nearer you get to the poles.

Answer 6

because of the plate it sits on, it is a continent, but also an island, because it is surrounded by water on all sides. try looking up islands and continents.

Answer 7

where I went to school,Australia was considered a continent.As a continent it did'nt qualify as an island.Although completely surrounded by water.The largest island in the world is greenland

Answer 8

australia is pretty big i was watching WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE recently and there was a question. which continent is bigger? a) china ,B) europe, c) australia or d) greenland. well anyways i remember the answer being AUSTRALIA and here is a world map link



http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/world.htm

Answer 9

Yes. And so are other continents.