A continent is one of several large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, but seven areas are commonly reckoned as continents – they are (from largest in size to smallest): Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
Plate tectonics is the geological process and study of the movement, collision and division of continents, earlier known as continental drift.
The term "the Continent" (capitalized), used predominantly in the European isles, such as the British Isles, Sardinia and Sicily, means mainland Europe, although it can also mean Asia when said in Japan.