What are Pangaea and Panthalassa?

Pangaea was a massive supercontinent, which was surrounded by a single ocean called Panthalassa, about 270 million years ago.

Pangaea was the last supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. It started forming about 300 million years ago during the early Permian Period and began to break apart about 200 million years ago during the early Jurassic Period.

Once it was completely formed, Pangea became one single large landmass that covered around one-third of 's surface. Much of Pangaea was in the southern hemisphere. Pangaea was surrounded by an ocean called Panthalassa that covered the rest of the planet.

Geologists believe that Pangaea began to split apart after existing for 100 million years. Over time, the separate continental landmasses drifted farther and farther apart, creating the present-day continents.