Subcontinent
A
subcontinent is a large part of a
continent. There is no agreement on what constitutes a subcontinent. Generally, however, a subcontinent is split from the rest of a continent by something like a mountain range or by
tectonic plates. The phrase
the Subcontinent, used on its own in English, commonly means the
Indian subcontinent i.e.
South Asia.
In
plate tectonics, a small continental plate connected to a larger continental plate can be called a subcontinent. In this sense, the
Indian subcontinent on the
India Plate and the
Arabian subcontinent on the
Arabian Plate are recognized. The latter is not commonly called a subcontinent
geographically because of lack of a geographical border and a variety in
climate.
Europe is just a
peninsula since it is on the
Eurasian Plate.
Geographically, Europe is often described as a subcontinent of
Eurasia, a vast landmass in which Europe and
Asia are delimited by
mountain ranges and inland
seas. Similarly, the smallest continent
Australia and the largest island
Greenland are sometimes called subcontinents.
North America and
South America are sometimes considered two subcontinents of the continent of
the Americas (or America) because they are connected by an
isthmus.
Africa and Eurasia are sometimes considered to form the continent of
Africa-Eurasia for the same reason. However, the Americas and Africa-Eurasia are usually called
supercontinents, composed of continents.
 |
Indian plate also called Indian Subcontinent. Closeup of the boundary with the Eurasian, African and Arabian plates. |
The term
the Indian subcontinent is used also culturally and politically. It includes
India,
Pakistan, and
Bangladesh, and usually other
South Asian countries too. The region has wide geographical variations like
desert,
plateau,
rainforest,
mountains and a myriad of languages, races and religions.
Sometimes ((subregion)) of continents are dubbed subcontinents because their culture is so different from the rest of the continent, such as
Central America and the
Middle East.
