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　　A 500-year-old world map, seen here being held by a Christie's employee in April 2005, that was the first to name a newfound continent west of Europe "America", was sold for one million dollars at an auction in London (AFP)

　　A 500-year-old world map that was the first to name a newfound continent west of Europe "America" was sold for one million dollars at an auction in London.

　　Charles Frodshan, a London book and manuscript dealer, bought the map for 545,600 pounds during bidding at Christie's.

　　Christies said the map was also the first printed portrayal of the Earth as a globe, the first that distinguishes North and South America individually, and the first depiction of a Pacific Ocean, it said.

　　Printed in 1507 by the German geographer Martin Waldseemuller, the map is just one of four in existence and had been expected to fetch between 500,000 and 800,000 pounds.