Old World

The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia, and Africa (collectively known as Africa-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. The term is in distinction from the New World, meaning the Americas.

Although the interiors of Asia and Africa were not well known to Europeans at the time, their existence was known, as far as Japan and South Africa, so they are considered Old World. Australia and Antarctica are neither definitely Old World nor definitely New World, since the terms "Old World" and "New World" predate their discovery by Europeans.

See also

*Eastern Hemisphere
*Africa-Eurasia
*Eurocentrism
*New World
*Age of Exploration
*Far East