Pannotia (from Greek: , "all", , "south"; meaning "all southern land"), also known as
Vendian supercontinent,
Greater Gondwana, and the
Pan-African supercontinent, was a relatively short-lived
Neoproterozoic supercontinent that formed at the end of the
Precambrian during the
Pan-African orogeny (650–500 Ma) and broke apart 560 Ma with the opening of the
Iapetus Ocean. Pannotia formed when
Laurentia was located adjacent to the two major South American cratons,
Amazonia and
Río de la Plata. The opening of the Iapetus Ocean separated Laurentia from
Baltica, Amazonia, and Río de la Plata.