New World facts for kids

"New World" showing the Americas and Oceania. The "Old World" is Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The New World is a name used for the Western Hemisphere. It specifically refers to the Americas. It can also refer to certain Atlantic and Pacific islands (like Bermuda) and sometimes Oceania, (Australasia). The name started in the early 16th century, shortly after America was colonized. The people of the European Middle Ages thought the world was only Europe, Asia, and Africa. These continents are called the Old World. The Americas were also referred to as the "fourth part of the world".

The continent (North and South America) was named America after Amerigo Vespucci.

Oceania, which was colonized some centuries later, is refered to as "The Newest World".

Related pages

• The Americas
• Western Hemisphere

Images for kids

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  Sebastian Münster's map of the New World, first published in 1540

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  Mundus Novus depicted on the Ostrich Egg Globe (1504)

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  The World Map by Portuguese Diogo Ribeiro (1529) labels the Americas as MUNDUS NOVUS. It traces most of South America and the east coast of North America.

See also

In Spanish: Nuevo Mundo para niños