What was the great southern continent?

The southern continents of Australia and Antarctica were still unknown to Europeans long after parts of all the other continents had been explored. 1500 years later mapmakers were still putting this imaginary super-continent on their maps. They labelled it, in Latin, Terra Australis Incognita (Unknown Southern Land).

Why is Australia called the Great Southern Land?

In the early 1800s, British explorer Matthew Flinders popularized the naming of Australia after Terra Australis, giving his rationale that there was “no probability” of finding any significant land mass anywhere more south than Australia.

What was Australia called before Terra Australis?

Finally, in 1824, the British Admiralty agreed that the continent should be officially called Australia. The official name for the country of Australia is the Commonwealth of Australia. The original names for Australia Australia included Terra Australis, New South Wales and New Holland.

When was Australia called Terra Australis?

In 1804, the British navigator Matthew Flinders proposed the names Terra Australis or Australia for the whole continent, reserving “New Holland” for the western part of the continent. He continued to use “Australia” in his correspondence, while attempting to gather support for the term.

Is Terra Australis in Antarctica?

Antarctica. Antarctica was finally sighted in the hypothetical area of Terra Australis in 1820. The extent of Terra Australis was finally determined, also proving the Southern Hemisphere has much less land than the Northern. Terra Australis proved to consist of only two small continents: Antarctica and Australia.

Where is the southern continent?

Antarctica
Lying in the Antarctic Circle that rings the southern part of the globe, Antarctica is the fifth largest continent.

Is Australia the largest country?

Australia’s land mass Although this is just five per cent of the world’s land mass (149.45 million square kilometres), Australia is the planet’s sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil.

What did James Cook call Australia?

New South Wales
Lieutenant James Cook, captain of HMB Endeavour, claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown in 1770, naming it New South Wales.

When did James Cook disprove Terra Australis?

Second voyage of James Cook

Why is Antarctica not on the world map?

Stuck awkwardly at the bottom of the conventional world map, Antarctica is poorly served by many map projections, which distort it out of recognition. On occasion, its lack of military or geopolitical significance has provided a convenient excuse to leave it off the map entirely, as seen in the United Nations logo.

What country is north of the equator?

England
It is equal distance from the North and South Poles. England is North of the Equator. Google maps to look at countries that are North of the Equator. Australia is South of the Equator.