Andrew,
I am by no means knowledgeable enough in subject of geology to debate the
number of continents.  The US Geological Survey and the National Geographic
Society recognize 7 continents ... the latter organization defines a
continent as ... "One of seven large continuous masses of land: Asia,
Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia
(listed in order of size)."

Below is a link to a slide presentation; Oceans vs Continents.  The lecture
illustrates 14 major and minor tectonic plates. It states that, "continents
can be thought of as rafts that ride along on tectonic plates."
http://www.eas.slu.edu/People/KKoper/EASA-193/2002/Lecture_05/sld001.htm
So if continents overlap plates; for instance, Los Angeles on the Pacific
Plate and the rest of North America on the N.American Plate, are you
defining continents as land masses that sit on separate tectonic
plates?  The idea of 9 - 14 continents seems rather radical?
Rich

At 03:03 AM 1/22/2004, you wrote:
>>Yes, and also the seven continents. Now the question begs what seven seas
>>was its creator, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, thinking of?
>
>Continents (running eastward from Alaska):
>
>North/Central America
>South America
>?Greenland
>Africa
>Eurasia
>?Madegascar
>Kerguelen Plateau
>India
>?Philippines
>?Japan
>Australia/New Guinea
>New Zealand
>Antarctica (which may comprise 2 continents)
>
>Continents are geological structures, and no, size does NOT count.