The threefold division of the Old World into Europe, Asia and Africa has been in use since the 6th century BCE, due to Greek geographers such as Anaximander and Hecataeus.
ðə θɹˈiːfoʊld dᵻvˈɪʒən ʌvðɪ ˈoʊld wˈɜːld ˌɪntʊ jˈʊɹɹəp, ˈeɪʒə ænd ˈæfɹɪkə hˈæzbiːn ɪn jˈuːs sˈɪns ðə sˈɪksθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi bˌiːsˌiːˈiː, dˈuː tə ɡɹˈiːk dʒɪˈɑːɡɹəfɚz sˈʌtʃ ɐz ˈænɐksˌɪmændɚɹ ænd hˈɛkɐtˌiːəs.