Australia is racing across the globe, moving north by seven centimeters annually as the world’s fastest-drifting continent.

 

Australia is racing across the globe, moving north by seven centimeters annually as the world’s fastest-drifting continent.

Australia is currently the fastest-moving continent on Earth, drifting northward at a remarkable rate of approximately seven centimeters—or about 2.7 inches—every year. This rapid journey is fueled by the relentless movement of tectonic plates deep beneath the planet’s crust. While this shift remains imperceptible to those standing on the ground, it represents a significant geological phenomenon that underscores the constant, dynamic transformation of our world.

This steady migration is more than just a scientific curiosity; it has real-world consequences for global navigation and positioning systems. Because the continent’s coordinates change over time, scientists and cartographers must periodically update global maps to ensure precision for everything from GPS technology to aviation. Australia’s constant motion serves as a powerful reminder that the Earth’s surface is never truly still, shifting the very foundations of our geography with every passing year.

source: Geoscience Australia. (2020). Australia on the Move. Australian Government.