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A craton is an ancient part of the Earth's continental crust which has been more or less stable since Precambrian times. Cratons whose ancient rocks are widely exposed at the surface, often with relatively subdued relief, are known as shields. If the ancient rocks are largely overlain by a cover of younger rocks then the 'hidden' craton may be referred to as a platform.
Contents
List of shields
List of named cratons
Listed by modern continent and Gondwana, include:
South America
Africa
Antarctic-East African Orogen
Indian Subcontinent
Antarctica
Australia
North America
Eastern Eurasia
Northern and Eastern Europe
References
List of shields and cratons Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA