Gondwana
Proper noun
Meaning
Gondwana
A region of central India.
(geology) A southern supercontinent, formed after the break up of Pangaea before the Triassic period, including most of the landmasses which make up today's continents of the Southern Hemisphere.
Synonym: (dated) Gondwanaland
Related terms
Examples
Although generally thought to be originally part of the Gondwana southern hemisphere supercontinent, recent research suggests that it might have detached from the South East Asia margin.
By the beginning of the Jurassic, the supercontinent Pangaea had begun rifting into two landmasses, Laurasia to the north and Gondwana to the south.
By the end of the period, Gondwana was at the south pole, and early North America had collided with Europe, closing the Atlantic Ocean.
By the end of the period, Gondwana was at the south pole, early North America had collided with Europe, closing the Atlantic Ocean.
During the Silurian, Gondwana continued a slow southward drift to high southern latitudes, but there is evidence that the Silurian icecaps were less extensive than those of the late Ordovician glaciation.
Gondwana began to break up 140 million years ago (MYA); 50 MYA Australia separated from Antarctica and was relatively isolated until the collision of the Indo-Australian Plate with Asia in the Miocene era 5.3 MYA.