Why is Australia sometimes considered a continent, but Greenland never is? Aren’t they both large islands that could both pass as continents?

Question

Why is Australia sometimes considered a continent, but Greenland never is? Aren’t they both large islands that could both pass as continents?

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

Australia is a continent because it’s a huge landmass that stands alone and has its own unique plants, animals, and geology. Greenland, even though it’s big, is much smaller than Australia. Greenland is also attached to the North American landmass in a way that makes it part of that region, not its own separate continent. So, Australia is a continent because it’s big, separate, and unique, while Greenland is a big island that’s part of a larger area.