Terra Australis Incognita

Terra Australis Incognita, Latin for "Unknown Southern Land," was a hypothesized large landmass believed to exist in the Southern Hemisphere during the 15th to 18th centuries. European explorers and mapmakers thought such a continent balanced the landmasses of the Northern Hemisphere. Though it was never proven to exist, this idea influenced exploration and map-making efforts, leading to discoveries of Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Antarctica. Eventually, enhanced navigation and detailed mapping revealed there was no vast southern continent, but the term remains a historical reference to early geographic assumptions and the pursuit of discovery.