Australia - is it an island or not?

[samuel23]

If an island is a land mass completely surrounded by water, why isn't Australia the largest island in the world?
What makes it a continent not an island?

[JustSia]

Continuing with the continent confusion, some actually consider Oz an island, but refer to it as a continent I suppose simply because of its size and, like I said before, there is loads of politics involved as well, me think so at least. Greenland could be a next contender.

[jno]

it's big enough to be a continent. But that doesn't necessarily stop it being an island - there's no legal limit on how big an island can be. It's sometimes called an island continent. It's just down to personal preference.

[violetblue]

I too think you can use either. But having said that, if taken to it's logical conclusion, does this mean that we can think of the North, Central and South American land mass as an island too?!!

[jno]

only since the land bridge to Russia washed away, violet

[Quizmonster]

Until the Suez Canal was dug, the entire area of Europe, Asia and Africa was a single land-mass surrounded by water. That meant it was an 'island' a lot bigger than Australia. In addition, when the Arctic seas froze over in winter, one could have walked from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Horn without - in effect - getting your feet wet!

[Octavius]

Africa-Eurasia, the super-continent, is actually one continuous landmass (and thus technically the biggest island). Generally the Suez Canal is not seen as something that divides the land mass in two.

Australia, the continent (also called Australinea) is made up of the Australian mainland, Tasmania, New Guinea, and intervening islands. Some (including the Australian tourist board) call Australia itself 'the big island'.

[Quizmonster]

How about my "dry-shod walker" point, though, O? (This is a joke, by the way.)

[mcb123]

i always thought australasia was the continent in which austrailia and new zeland are in, am i wrong?

[boobesque]

what is wrong with you people? Australia is country. it is situated in the continent of Australasia. it is the main portion of land mass in Australasia but it is not the continent itself.

[graftarian]

Unbelievable. Surely this is a troll.

[Dolly1308]

Thank you boobesque ! It is indeed Australasia that ius the continent and Australia the country . Anyone for a row around the island ? lol

[jno]

further ponderings here (including firm claims that Australasia can't be a continent):

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/People_and_Plac es/Question268670.html