The continents are located on a layer called the "lithosphere." The lithosphere is composed of two parts: the uppermost part of the mantle, known as the "lithospheric mantle," and the Earth's crust. These two layers together form a rigid outer shell, which is broken into large tectonic plates. The continents are positioned on top of these plates, which float and move on the semi-fluid layer beneath, known as the "asthenosphere." The movement of these plates is caused by the convective currents in the asthenosphere. So, in short, the continents are sliding on the lithospheric plates, which are floating on the semi-fluid asthenosphere layer.
