Continents are usually defined as large, continuous, discrete masses of land, ideally separated by expanses of water.
Traditionally, there are seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.
But there are just six distinct land masses because Europe and Asia lie on top of a single tectonic plate, called Eurasia.
The dividing line between the continents of Europe and Asia is usually the Ural Mountains in western Russia.
The seven-continent model is usually taught in China and most English-speaking countries.
The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is preferred by the geographic community, Russia, the former states of the USSR, and Japan.
