subcontinent

Everyday

1. A subcontinent is a very large piece of land that is part of a continent but is separate in some way, by mountains, sea or history. tree →
2. "The Indian subcontinent" or just "the subcontinent" usually means South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and often the Maldives. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons it appears when learning continents and plates: the Indian subcontinent sits on its own tectonic plate that crashed into Asia and pushed up the Himalayas. In history it comes with the British Raj and the partition of India in 1947. Phrases: "the Indian subcontinent", "across the subcontinent".

Examples

• The Indian subcontinent is separated from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas. tree →
• Many languages are spoken across the subcontinent. tree →
• Cricket is very popular on the subcontinent. tree →
• Monsoon rains fall over the subcontinent each summer. tree →
• The subcontinent moved north and crashed into Asia millions of years ago. tree →
• My grandparents came to Britain from the subcontinent. tree →
• The map showed the subcontinent in orange. tree →

Note

Spelling: one word, sub + continent. When someone says "the subcontinent" in the UK, they almost always mean South Asia. It is not a continent itself: it is part of Asia.