Cultural Difference

I was talking with some French friends the other day about a conference we are planning for December. We want to give the students involved a good picture for the world and the ways God is moving globally. As we talked I became pretty confused. They kept talking about wanting a country from every continent, but they never chose a country from North America or Australia. I thought I just didn`t understand with my poor French speaking/listening skills, but when we were talking about it later that day I got the chance to ask why they were leaving my beloved country out of this time about the world. This led to the realization that in France they learn there are only 5 continents, not 7. America, Europe, Africa, a Oceanic which includes all of Asia and the islands thus including Australia, and Antartica.
This makes me wonder if it is America or France that is trying to be unique this time. America made their own measuring system, maybe France made their own way to look at the world. I will have to start asking some people from some other places in europe.