For the superstate in George Orwell's novel, see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Eurasia is a large landmass covering about 53,990,000 km² (or about 10.6%) of the Earth's surface. Often considered a single continent, Eurasia comprises the traditional continents of Europe and Asia, concepts which date back to classical antiquity and the borders for which are somewhat arbitrary. Eurasia, in turn, is part of the yet larger landmass of Afro-Eurasia, whereby Eurasia is joined to Africa at the Isthmus of Suez.

Eurasia has over 4.6 billion people, more than 69% of the world's human population.

History and culture

Jared Diamond, in his book Guns, Germs and Steel, credits Eurasia's dominance in world history to the east-west extent of Eurasia and its climate zones, and the availability of Eurasian animals and plants suitable for domestication. He includes North Africa in his definition of Eurasia.

The Silk Road symbolizes trade and cultural exchange linking Eurasian cultures through history and has been an increasingly popular topic. Over recent decades the idea of a greater Eurasian history has developed with the aim of investigating the genetic, cultural and linguistic relationships between European and Asian cultures of antiquity. These had long been considered distinct.

Geology

main: Laurasia Eurasia formed 325 to 375 million years ago. It formed when Siberia (once an independent continent), Kazakhstania, and Baltica (which was joined to Laurentia {now North America} to form Euramerica) joined. Chinese cratons collided with Siberia's southern coast.

Anthropology and genetics

main: Eurasian (mixed ancestry) In modern usage, the term Eurasian usually means "of or relating to Eurasia", or "a native or inhabitant of Eurasia". However, it may also refer to a person of both European and Asian parentage, especially in 'New World' countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.Fact: date=September 2007

West or Western Eurasia is a loose geographic definition used in some disciplines, such as genetics or anthropology, to refer to the region inhabited by the relatively homogenous population of West Asia, Europe and related areas, specially North Africa. The peoples of this region are often described collectively as West or Western Eurasians, sometimes to avoid the use of the possibly ambiguous or controversial term Caucasoid, of which is anyhow loose synonym.Fact: date=July 2008