is israel in europe or africa?

[Sean The Owner]

like the name says...i looked up maps of both, and they both included Israel, but they showed Israel in the wrong colour for both...so ya, is it in Europe, or Africa?

[Obi-Wan-Evan]

Neither, it's in Asia

[Sean The Owner]

uhh...what?! huh...so THAT explains it...heh, i forgot about asia...thanks lol

[DesR85]

As what Obi-Wan-Evan said, Israel is part of Asia. To be more specific, West Asia (also known as the Middle East).

[CM]

Israel maybe located phyiscally in the Middle East and Asia. Politically it is considered part of Europe. Why? Because muslims do not accept the creation of Israel.

Secondly it is a cultural and political link that is made. Same system of society etc. That is why it is considered part of Europe. At the UN, Red Cross, World bank, ADB, IMF, WTO etc. Israel is considered part of Europe.

[Xandax]

<snip>
At the UN, Red Cross, World bank, ADB, IMF, WTO etc. Israel is considered part of Europe.

And in Eurovision competition

[Sean The Owner]

huh...so politically its Europe, geographically its Asia? weird, but ok, i found what i needed

[Chimaera182]

huh...so politically its Europe, geographically its Asia? weird, but ok, i found what i needed

Why is that weird? Leaning towards Europe politically isn't so odd. The Americas did/do, Russia was politically in-line with Europe for quite some time (particularly under Peter the Great). It's not so odd.

[Sean The Owner]

Why is that weird? Leaning towards Europe politically isn't so odd. The Americas did/do, Russia was politically in-line with Europe for quite some time (particularly under Peter the Great). It's not so odd.

i almost failed canadian geography, and history, and i live here...nevermind world geography or history

until i looked at the maps, i had NO idea where israel was, and some help from a friend telling me it was near egypt and lebanon, i had no idea where lebanon was, but i know where egypt is

[Morlock]

Unfortunately, while Israel is geographically in Asia and politically in Europe, it is economically supported by North America. I say, abandon the West. The East is the future.

[VonDondu]

The identity of the continents themselves is subject to much debate. For example, in Italy, the land masses known as North America and South America are considered to be one continent, but as you probably know, Americans consider them to be two separate continents. Europe and Asia are part of a single land mass known as Eurasia, and any distinction between Europe and Asia is strictly historical and cultural. We call them separate continents not because we have an incontrovertible definition of "continent" but rather because that's what we want to call them. We could call Turkey a European country if we wanted to (when the Ottoman Empire was on the decline, it was sometimes referred to as "the sick man of Europe"), but in light of its modern boundaries, the consensus says it's an Asian country. I don't think there's any consensus when it comes to Israel.

Saudi Arabia is considered part of Asia (usually called "Southwest Asia"). Africa and Asia are connected by a relatively tiny piece of land called the Isthmus of Suez, which is where the Suez Canal was dug to allow water transportation between Europe and Asia without having to go all the way around Africa. (The Panama Canal serves a similar purpose. North America and South America are connected by a relatively tiny piece of land called the Isthmus of Panama.)

Israel's location adjacent to the Arabian subcontinent puts it on land that is usually considered part of Asia (although I don't think Israel is on the same tectonic plate--someone please correct me if I'm wrong). But as CM and Xandax point out, Israel has political and athletic affiliations with European countries. However, I'm not sure that makes it a European country per se. Considering Israel to be a European country is almost as controversial as considering it to be an Asian country. If and when Israel joins the European Union (which has been under consideration for some time), that might settle the issue.

If you don't know where Israel is on the map, then it isn't really possible for you to understand the current situation in the Middle East. For example, the Sinai Peninsula has been hotly contested in recent history, but it is now controlled by Egypt. This effectively puts Egypt on two different continents--Africa and Asia. Israel's relations with its Arab neighbors are, shall we say, quite strained and somewhat precarious. Israel's geopolitical position is, needless to say, very complicated.

[Magrus]

i almost failed canadian geography, and history, and i live here...nevermind world geography or history

until i looked at the maps, i had NO idea where israel was, and some help from a friend telling me it was near egypt and lebanon, i had no idea where lebanon was, but i know where egypt is

I never thought I'd say this, but I am actually now feeling grateful for my Americanized education.

[Sean The Owner]

I never thought I'd say this, but I am actually now feeling grateful for my Americanized education.

ive talked to an american who didnt know what state she lived in, she said she had a boyfriend in a different state, and i asked which one, and she said the one 2 to the left of mine, so i asked her again which was hers and she still didnt know lol

[galraen]

The identity of the continents themselves is subject to much debate. For example, in Italy, the land masses known as North America and South America are considered to be one continent, but as you probably know, Americans consider them to be two separate continents. Europe and Asia are part of a single land mass known as Eurasia, and any distinction between Europe and Asia is strictly historical and cultural. We call them separate continents not because we have an incontrovertible definition of "continent" but rather because that's what we want to call them. We could call Turkey a European country if we wanted to (when the Ottoman Empire was on the decline, it was sometimes referred to as "the sick man of Europe"), but in light of its modern boundaries, the consensus says it's an Asian country. I don't think there's any consensus when it comes to Israel.

Saudi Arabia is considered part of Asia (usually called "Southwest Asia"). Africa and Asia are connected by a relatively tiny piece of land called the Isthmus of Suez, which is where the Suez Canal was dug to allow water transportation between Europe and Asia without having to go all the way around Africa. (The Panama Canal serves a similar purpose. North America and South America are connected by a relatively tiny piece of land called the Isthmus of Panama.)

Israel's location adjacent to the Arabian subcontinent puts it on land that is usually considered part of Asia (although I don't think Israel is on the same tectonic plate--someone please correct me if I'm wrong). But as CM and Xandax point out, Israel has political and athletic affiliations with European countries. However, I'm not sure that makes it a European country per se. Considering Israel to be a European country is almost as controversial as considering it to be an Asian country. If and when Israel joins the European Union (which has been under consideration for some time), that might settle the issue.

If you don't know where Israel is on the map, then it isn't really possible for you to understand the current situation in the Middle East. For example, the Sinai Peninsula has been hotly contested in recent history, but it is now controlled by Egypt. This effectively puts Egypt on two different continents--Africa and Asia. Israel's relations with its Arab neighbors are, shall we say, quite strained and somewhat precarious. Israel's geopolitical position is, needless to say, very complicated.

Europe and Northern Asia (essentially the old Soviet Union) are on the same tectonic plate. Israel is actually on the Arabic plate. This map shows the major tectonic plates Tectonic Plates, but there are a lot of smaller ones. Most of Turkey is on it's own small plate for example, and the UK and Ireland is actually a remnant of the North American plate that got left behind when the super continent split. Well you did ask.:laugh:

[dragon wench]

I never thought I'd say this, but I am actually now feeling grateful for my Americanized education.

Glad it's not just me who noticed that line...
Sean comes from a little hick town in Northern Ontario, you'll have to excuse him. It's not quite the Ozarks, but it's roughly along the same lines

[Chimaera182]

Regardless, his public education system failed him, like the one in the U.S. does millions of kids a year. Hell, I had to do my own research in my free time just to figure out WWI, a subject that was sorely lacking in my curriculum. Still, I want to point and laugh at Sean.

So... [points]:laugh:[/points]

[Sean The Owner]

Glad it's not just me who noticed that line...
Sean comes from a little hick town in Northern Ontario, you'll have to excuse him. It's not quite the Ozarks, but it's roughly along the same lines

how do you know where i live...? *runs away to my friends house in the nearby farm town and hides behind the cows*

[Sean The Owner]

Regardless, his public education system failed him, like the one in the U.S. does millions of kids a year. Hell, I had to do my own research in my free time just to figure out WWI, a subject that was sorely lacking in my curriculum. Still, I want to point and laugh at Sean.

So... [points]:laugh:[/points]

*takes out gun* do it again...i DARE you! ahh...screw it *pulls trigger and shoots his head off* yay! i killed him, oh ya, no one saw that

(im not actually pissed if you think i am, just making sure you guys knew that)

[Magrus]

ive talked to an american who didnt know what state she lived in, she said she had a boyfriend in a different state, and i asked which one, and she said the one 2 to the left of mine, so i asked her again which was hers and she still didnt know lol

Translation? Cali or the bible belt. One's full of plastic folks, the others full of folks that think reading anything not in the bible will let Satan in. (Well, not quite that bad, but us Yanks have to give those folks hell for what they do to us when we visit. :laugh: )

@ DW, So the folks in southern Ontario just charge ridiculous sums for us New Yorkers, and the northern's can't figure out where we live? Awesome.

[wing]

*south park voice* You killed Chimmy!