Mesozoic
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The continents assumed their current positions during the Cenozoic Era, particularly in the latter part known as the Neogene and Quaternary periods. This movement of the continents is part of the ongoing process of plate tectonics, where the Earth's lithospheric plates shift and collide over millions of years, leading to the arrangement of the continents as we see them today.
Mesozoic Era
Pangaea began to break apart around 200 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era. The separation process is estimated to have taken about 50-60 million years before the continents assumed their current positions.
During the Tertiary period, Earth's continents were continuing to drift apart due to plate tectonics. This movement led to the formation of new mountain ranges and the reshaping of landmasses. The configuration of the continents during this time was closer to their current positions compared to earlier periods.
The continents were once part of a supercontinent called Pangaea, which began to break apart around 200 million years ago during the process of plate tectonics. Over time, the shifting of tectonic plates caused the continents to drift to their current positions, creating the continents as we know them today.
Modern continents began to take shape around 200 million years ago during the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. This process resulted in the formation of the continents we see today, as they drifted into their current positions.