<p>&quot;Very obvious&quot; is wrong.</p>
<p>You have to look at more than just the rough shape of the land surface, first continetal crust often extends below the water line. Then you need to look at the seaflor which has the record of the actual movement.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/we1UC7Y8.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/we1UC7Y8.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Sources</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X13001349" rel="noreferrer">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X13001349</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825222001878" rel="noreferrer">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825222001878</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-17T16:48:01.343Z
2024-07-17T16:48:01.343Z
John
<p>I was looking up maps of continental drift through history and I noticed something that seemed off to me.  Madagascar seems like it very obviously must have separated from what is now southern Mozambique.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/IYaLADbW.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/IYaLADbW.jpg" alt="Madagascar and africa as puzzle pieces" /></a></p>
<p>However, every single map of continental drift that I could find shows Madagascar and India nestled far north up against Kenya  <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/20WO0gM6.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/20WO0gM6.jpg" alt="example of every drift map" /></a></p>
<p>And just incase I have to remind anyone here how big Africa is, that's a discrepancy of 1,700 miles!</p>
<p>Are drift maps just highly inaccurate, or is Madagascar and the coast of Africa's shape just a coincidence?</p>

<plate-tectonics><mapping>
Accuracy of continental drift maps?
Mark D
# Accuracy of continental drift maps?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-07-16)

I was looking up maps of continental drift through history and I noticed something that seemed off to me. Madagascar seems like it very obviously must have separated from what is now southern Mozambique.
[![Madagascar and africa as puzzle pieces](https://i.sstatic.net/IYaLADbW.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/IYaLADbW.jpg)

However, every single map of continental drift that I could find shows Madagascar and India nestled far north up against Kenya [![example of every drift map](https://i.sstatic.net/20WO0gM6.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/20WO0gM6.jpg)

And just incase I have to remind anyone here how big Africa is, that's a discrepancy of 1,700 miles!

Are drift maps just highly inaccurate, or is Madagascar and the coast of Africa's shape just a coincidence?

**Tags:** plate-tectonics, mapping


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-07-17. Score: 7

"Very obvious" is wrong.

You have to look at more than just the rough shape of the land surface, first continetal crust often extends below the water line. Then you need to look at the seaflor which has the record of the actual movement.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/we1UC7Y8.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/we1UC7Y8.jpg)

Sources

<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X13001349>

<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825222001878>


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