Continents Through Time — Plate Tectonics & Continental Drift Map
This interactive 3D animation shows how Earth's continents have shifted, collided, and separated over hundreds of millions of years. Use the time slider to travel back in time and watch the formation and breakup of supercontinents.
What Is Plate Tectonics?
Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle. These plates move, collide, and separate, creating mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes, and reshaping the continents over millions of years.
Pangaea and Supercontinents
About 335 million years ago, all of Earth's landmasses were joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea. Before Pangaea, there were other supercontinents like Rodinia (about 1 billion years ago) and Gondwana (a southern supercontinent that included Africa, South America, Antarctica, India, and Australia).
Continental Drift Through the Ages
Around 200 million years ago, Pangaea began to break apart. The Atlantic Ocean started forming as the Americas separated from Europe and Africa. India drifted northward and collided with Asia, creating the Himalayas. Australia separated from Antarctica and moved to its current position.
Explore More Interactive Maps
Continue exploring: see how political borders changed through 5,000 years of history, discover where dinosaur fossils were found across the globe, or explore the world's volcanoes and their eruption histories.
