Afro-Eurasia

Afro-Eurasia [ Citation
last=Frank
first=Andre G.
author-link=Andre Gunder Frank
title=ReORIENT: Global Economy in the Asian Age
year=1998
isbn=978-0520214743
publisher=University of California Press] or less commonly AfrasiaFor example, Henry Field uses both terms in [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-7294(194807%2F09)2%3A50%3A3%3C479%3ATUOCAE%3E2.0.CO%3B2-C The University of California African Expedition: I, Egypt] . "American Anthropologist," New Series, Vol. 50, No. 3, Part 1 (Jul. - Sep., 1948), pp. 479-493.] or Eurafrasia are terms used to describe Eurasia and Africa as one continent. The constituent landmasses contain around 85% of the world population (around 5.7 billion people). [Based upon population estimates for 2007 cited in a UN report, " [http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2006/WPP2006_Highlights_rev.pdf World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision (Highlights)] ."]

Normally, it is divided at the Suez Canal into Eurasia and Africa, the former of which can be subdivided into Europe and Asia. It can be divided alternatively into Eurasia-North Africa and Subsahara for cultural and historical reasons. [Citation
last=Diamond
first=Jared
author-link=Jared Diamond
title=Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
year=1997
isbn=0-393-03891-2
publisher=Norton & Company]

The mainland of Afro-Eurasia (excluding islands such as the British Isles, Japan,Madagascar and the Malay Archipelago ) has been referred to as the World Island. (The term may have been coined by Sir Halford John Mackinder in "The Geographical Pivot of History". [See Francis P. Sempa, [http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/AD_Issues/amdipl_14/sempa_mac2.html Mackinder's World] ] )

The Old World refers to Africa, Asia, Europe, and their surrounding islands as separate landmasses.

In geological terms, Afro-Eurasia is expected to be a supercontinent when Africa collides with Europe. This is estimated to happen over 600,000 years from now, when the southern tip of Spain reaches Africa. When this happens, the Mediterranean Sea will be isolated from the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is expected to collide with Europe completely over 50 million years from now, closing the Mediterranean, and creating new, future mountain ranges (with an addition to the Alps). [ [http://www.scotese.com/future.htm Africa will collide Europe and Asia, 50 Million years from now] ]

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