Where is the largest island in the world? The largest islands on our planet by area. The world's largest island - Frozen Greenland
- over half a million. Some of them have natural origin, others are the result of climate change, natural phenomena or human activity. Do you know the answer to the question: “Which island is the largest on Earth?”
Magnificent Greenland
Greenland is considered the largest landmass in the middle of the World Ocean. Its territory is 2.176 million sq. km, which is approximately 1/8 of the entire Russia. Almost all of the land is covered with glaciers, so Greenland is considered a sparsely populated country. It is permanently inhabited by only
15,000 people. Are considered severe climatic conditions. The thermometer graph in winter drops to - 47 C. summer time the maximum level reaches + 10 C.
New Guinea
The island is smaller in size than Greenland. Its territory is 786 thousand sq. km. It lies on the route between Asia and Australia in Pacific Ocean. Despite the small territory, there are two countries located here: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The second independent entity is home to about
7.5 million people. That is, there are approximately 10 people per square kilometer - an indicator quite low compared to other countries with good weather conditions for living.
Borneo (Kalimantan)
Slightly inferior to New Guinea. The area of the island, located next to the Philippines, is 743 sq. km. However, its territory is densely populated - about 16 million people live here. Borneo is surrounded by the islands of Java and Sumatra, and the Malacca Peninsula is nearby. Distinctive feature Kalimantan is that two rivers with the same names flow through it, one of which has received the status of the longest among the islands.
Madagascar
Close to the coast South Africa There is an amazing reserve with unusual fauna. Madagascar occupies 587 thousand sq. km. The length of the island stretches for 1500 km, its width is only 600 km. It leads in population in the category "What is the most big Island in the world." There are about 20 million permanent residents here, that is, 1,300 more than in Greenland.
Baffin Island
The island belongs to Canada. Its location is determined at the same latitude as Greenland. The climate is harsh and difficult to live in. It is for this reason that on a land area of 507 sq. km. Only 11 thousand people live there.
Sumatra
In sixth position on the list of “What is the largest island in the world” is Sumatra, which belongs to Indonesia. The area of the island is
473 thousand sq. km. Geographically, the area is notable for the fact that after the eruption of the Toba volcano on its territory, the Ice Age began. A huge crater 100 m wide was formed here.
Honshu
The size of Honshu is much smaller than the other listed islands, amounting to only 228 thousand sq. km. But it is considered densely populated - 103 million people live there. Despite the high demographic level, the territories have been technically developed. Honshu is home to a huge metropolis, home to over 35 million people.
Incredible facts
It is incredibly difficult to calculate the total number of islands on our planet.
Every year new islands appear in the world, but the largest islands still remain in their places.
Here you can learn about both the world's largest islands and the largest island states ah and even the largest lake islands.
NOTE: Australia is still considered more of a continent than an island, but if you consider it an island, then it is the largest island on Earth, with an area of 7,618,493 square meters. km.1. Greenland Island
On our planet the most big island Greenland says. Its local name is Kalallit-Nunaat. The area of the island is 2,166,086 square meters. km.
Highest point: Gunbjorn (3,700 meters).
Region: Greenland.
A country: Denmark.
Facts about Greenland
* The capital of Greenland, Nuuk, is the smallest capital city in the world. Its population is only 15,105 people (as of July 2009).
* It is believed that Greenland was inhabited in prehistoric times by various Paleo-Eskimo groups. However, archaeological research suggests that the Inuit settled here around 2500 BC.
* The first Europeans arrived here in 985. They were Norwegians and Icelanders. They were called the Norwegian Greenlanders.
You can find out the most interesting things about the beautiful island of Greenland just below or by clicking HERE .
2. Island of New Guinea
Area – 785,753 sq. km.
Highest point: 4884 meters.
Population (2010): 9,500,000 people.
Countries: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea.
Facts about New Guinea
Mount Bagan - active volcano. Height 1730.
* The western part of the island of New Guinea is located on the territory of Indonesia, and its eastern part is located on the territory of the state of Papua New Guinea.
* New Guinea is the largest island divided between countries.
* It is home to 11,000 species of plants, 600 rare species of birds, more than 400 species of amphibians, more than 450 species of butterflies, and approximately 100 species of mammals.
* In ancient times, this island was connected to the Australian continent.
* New Guinea was discovered for Europe in the 16th century by Spanish and Portuguese sailors.
* The island received its name from the Spanish navigator Inigo Ortiz de Retes. When he arrived on the island in 1545, it seemed to him that the local people were very similar to the aborigines who live in African Guinea.
3. Borneo Island
Area - 748,168 sq. km.
Archipelago: Malay Archipelago.
A country: Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia.
Highest point: Mount Kinabalu, 4095 meters.
Population (2010): 19,800,000 people.
Facts about Borneo Island
* On this island grows the world's largest flower - Rafflesia, the smell of which, according to local residents, is similar to the smell of a decomposing corpse.
* In Borneo there is a tropical forest, which is already more than 130 million years old. It is home to many species of rare animals: the Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian elephant, Bornean clouded leopard and others.
4. Madagascar Island
Area - 587,713 sq. km.
A country: Madagascar.
Highest point: 2961 meters.
Population (2008): 20,042,552 people.
Facts about Madagascar
* Millions of years ago, Madagascar was part of the same land, Gondwana, and about 60 million years ago, this island was the first to separate from the mainland and thereby became the first island on our planet.
* The first people came to Madagascar about 2000 years ago.
* The first European to notice this island was the Portuguese navigator Diego Diaz. This happened at the beginning of the 16th century, and after that Madagascar became one of the most important trading points on the way to India.
*Malagasy, French and English are spoken on the island.
* Since the island is rich in iron and aluminum, it was nicknamed the Great Red Island.
* The country of Madagascar ranks first in the cultivation and export of vanilla.
5. Baffin Island
Area - 503,944 sq. km.
A country: Canada.
Region: Nunavut.
Highest point: 2147 meters.
Population (2007): 11,000 people.
Facts about Baffin Island
* Baffin Island is a very cold and virtually uninhabited place.
* Thor Peak, named after the Norse god, can be found here. It is worth noting that Thor Peak is the highest cliff on our planet.
* Baffin Island was named after the famous British explorer William Baffin, who first described the island in 1616. It is believed that Baffin is its discoverer.
* More than half of the island's territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle. For this reason, there are polar days and nights here.
6. Sumatra Island
Area - 443,066 sq. km.
A country: Indonesia.
Highest point: 3800 meters.
Population (2010): 50,600,000 people.
Facts about Sumatra
* The island is home to the Toba volcano, which is believed to have caused the last ice age. About 70,000 years ago, this volcano exploded and released thousands of cubic kilometers of ash into the air, obscuring the rays of the Sun for many years. Today, in the caldera of the Toba volcano there is a beautiful lake of the same name, and in its center there is another island - Samosir, inside of which there is also a lake - Sidokhni.
* Scientists believe that the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano on the island led to the formation of a strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java. In 1883, the volcano exploded and, together with the island on which it was located, they sank to the bottom of the sea. Today in its place there is a new mountain- Anak-Krakatoa (“Child of Krakatoa”), which grows 7 meters every year.
* Batak tribes still live on the island. Before the adoption of Christianity, these tribes were cannibals.
* The most expensive coffee in the world, Kopi Luwak, is grown here in Sumatra. The fact is that there is only one animal on the island - the kopi luwak, which loves coffee berries. Of course, he chooses only the best berries. They are not completely digested by kopi-luwak. Locals they are collected, washed and roasted to create coffee.
7. Honshu Island
Area - 225,800 sq. km.
A country: Japan.
Highest point: 3776 meters.
Population (2010): 100,000,000 people.
Facts about Honshu Island
* On the island of Honshu there is Mount Fuji - the symbol of the land of the rising sun.
* Earthquakes are common here as Honshu is located at the intersection of 3 formation plates.
* The largest Japanese cities in Japan are also located here - Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto.
8. Great Britain Island
Area - 229,957 sq. km.
Archipelago:British Isles.
A country: Great Britain.
Regions: England, Scotland, Wales.
Highest point: 1,344 meters.
Population (2011): 61,371,315 people.
Facts about Great Britain
* Great Britain is also called Albion, as it was previously known as the land of albinos. The Romans called the British Isles with the word “Britain” (lat. Britannia), which is where the name of this island came from. But they decided to add “Great” to the word “Britain” so that the country would be listed as a political unit. Today we have the island of Britain and a geopolitical unit called Great Britain.
* The Prime Meridian intersects the axis of the Greenwich Observatory located in London.
* Since the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a single state, then any person living on its territory can be called “British”, even if he is from Scotland or Northern Ireland.
9. Victoria Island
Area - 220,548 sq. km.
A country: Canada
Regions: Nunavut, Northwest Territories
Highest point: 665 meters
Population (2001): 1707 people.
Facts about Victoria Island
* Thomas Simpson was the first to discover this island in 1838. The British explorer decided to name the island in honor of the English Queen Victoria, who was also the Queen of Canada from 1867 to 1901.
* Here is the largest island within an island within an island.
10. Ellesmere Island
Area - 183,965 sq. km.
A country: Canada
Region: Nunavut.
Highest point: 2616 meters
Population (2006): 146 people.
Facts about Ellesmere Island
* Island decorated big mountains and ice fields. Ellesmere is the highest mountain part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
* The island has been shrouded in ice since the last ice age, but only 1/3 of its territory is covered by glaciers.
10 largest island states in the world
1.
Indonesia - 1,912,988 sq. km.
2. Madagascar - 587,041 sq. km.
3. Papua New Guinea - 462,840 sq. km.
4. Japan - 377,837 sq. km.
5. Philippines - 300,000 sq. km.
6. New Zealand- 270,534 sq. km.
7. UK - 242,910 sq. km.
8. Cuba - 110,860 sq. km.
9. Iceland - 103,000 sq. km.
10. Ireland - 70,273 sq. km.
10 largest volcanic islands
These islands were formed as a result of volcanic eruptions at the bottom of the sea.
1. Sumatra, Indonesia - 473,481 sq. km.
2.
Honshu, Japan - 225,800 sq. km.
3. Java, Indonesia - 138,794 sq. km.
4. Northern, New Zealand - 111,583 sq. km.
5. Luzon, Philippines – 109,965 sq. km.
6. Iceland – 103,000 sq. km.
7. Mindanao, Philippines - 97,530 sq. km.
8. Hokkaido, Japan – 78,719 sq. km.
9. New Britain, Papua New Guinea – 35,145 sq. km.
10. Halmahera, Indonesia – 18,040 sq. km.
10 largest lake islands
1. Manitoulin, Lake Huron, Canada - 2,766 sq. km.
2.
René-Levasseur, Manicouagan Reservoir, Quebec, Canada – 2,000 sq. km.
3. Olkhon, Lake Baikal, Russia - 730 sq. km.
4. Isle Royale, Lake Superior, Michigan, USA - 541 sq. km.
5. Ukerewe, Lake Victoria, Tanzania - 530 sq. km.
Islands are small areas sushi, which is found in almost every body of water, not excluding rivers. They can have different origins - there are volcanic hills that are generated due to magma released during eruptions, and there are others created from areas of land cut off from the coast.
The process of formation of new islands and their absorption by waters occurs constantly, every now and then new heights appear and old ones disappear, and this is completely normal. However, the largest objects remain unchanged. Having considered the top largest islands world, you can find out which of them are the most stable - they are all inhabited by people who are in no hurry to leave their homes.
Fifth place - Baffin Island
The exception is, perhaps, Baffin Island, which is the fifth largest island on the planet, and is located somewhat west of Greenland. The population here is no more than 11 thousand people, and the central part of the territory still remains poorly explored. The reason for this is the harsh climate that characterizes this place. The area of the island is 508 thousand sq. km, and the name was given in honor of William Baffin, the first person to describe the territories. There is simply amazing nature and fabulous views here, and besides, there are places where people have never had time to
visit.
Fourth place – Madagascar
The island of Madagascar is located near Africa, and today it is known even to children due to the cartoon about animals. On this island there is a separate state of Madagascar, which has sovereignty, and the area of \u200b\u200bthis land area, which is not of volcanic origin, is 587040 sq. km. It has its own flora and fauna, formed in conditions of isolation; the island is rich in endemic species. There are also a lot of minerals here. By the way, the name Madagascar itself is translated from the local dialect as Boar Island.
Third place - Kalimantan
Island – Kalimantan The same island is known as Borneo. Its area is 737 thousand square meters. km, which makes it the third largest in the world. This island is located at a real maritime crossroads, it is washed by 4 seas and 2 straits. It is almost completely covered with forests; up to 80 percent of the territory is impenetrable jungle. There are 3 states on the island that receive large profits from the timber industry and are primarily engaged in this business. But wood, including valuable species, is not everything; there is also oil, diamonds, and gas here, so the subsoil and natural reserves of this place are only encouraging. And its name translates as Diamond River - it speaks for itself. After all, profit here comes from recreational resource, tourists and vacationers come here.
Second place - New Guinea
Island – New Guinea New Guinea rightfully took second place, this island is divided by states: Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The Portuguese discovered the island in 1526, and before that the European world did not even think that there was such a competitor to the largest island in the world already known at that time. Papua is the first name of the island, which it received due to the curly hair of the local residents.
Papua translates to "curly". This island has an area of 786 thousand km, is a tropical paradise with an abundance of vegetation, attracting many tourists. And despite the fact that many plants, animals and insects that are unique to this area have already been found here, new discoveries are made here every year and hitherto unknown species of inhabitants are discovered. Some things simplify the work of researchers - for example, animals here are not afraid of humans, they do not need to be watched.
The largest island in the world
Island – Greenland The largest island in the world is Greenland. This island is located in northern latitudes. If we translate the name literally, we get Green Land, which is in no way consistent with appearance snowy plains and rocks. Ice covers up to 80 percent of the territory, and the island itself is washed by both the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The total area of this land is 2,131,500 square meters. km.
Why was the island called “green”? Some scientists say that this is how settlers were lured here, others point out that the climate in this Danish territory was once different. However, it doesn't matter. Today the Eskimos live here, and here you can see plenty of northern lights, plunge into the darkness of the polar night. There are also plenty of minerals on this island, mainly gas and oil. An important local industry is fishing, as there is also plenty of fish in the surrounding waters.
This is a list of the largest islands that are stable and have not changed for centuries. But who knows what this list will be in the future, because sometimes the face of the planet changes completely suddenly.
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December 28, 2013
Big Islands
There are quite a lot of different islands on our huge planet. The islands, as everyone knows, are surrounded by water on all sides. In fact, there are a lot of islands on Earth, even more than several tens of thousands.
The largest island is a planetary landform or so-called continents, continents.
They can also be located individually, as Sri Lanka is located. If the islands are located very close to each other, then they are called archipelagos. If a piece of land is small, then it is called an island.
Here are some of the largest islands:
Greenland – 2176 thousand kilometers
New Guinea – 829 thousand kilometers
Kalimantan – 734 thousand kilometers
Madagascar – 590 thousand kilometers
Baffin Island – 507 thousand kilometers
Sumatra – 435 thousand kilometers
Honshu – 230 thousand kilometers
Great Britain - 244 thousand kilometers
Victoria - 221 thousand kilometers
Ellesmere - 203 thousand kilometers
Greenland, New Guinea, Kalimantan
Greenland is the largest island on this list. It is located northeast of North America. This is already a territory that is independently governed and is part of Denmark. The length of the island is quite large - 2690 kilometers from north to south, width 1300 kilometers. The area of the entire island is 5.6 thousand square kilometers. In Greenland animal world not rich at all. Animals such as reindeer live here, polar bear, ermine, hare, lemming. It happens that very rarely even wolves can be found. The following animals are found in the water near the island of Greenland: black halibut, striped catfish, cod, flounder and several other species of fish. Shrimp can often be seen. It also happens that you can see some of the species of beluga whale, narwhal and walrus.
New Guinea is an island that is the second largest after Greenland. He is the most unique and beautiful island on Earth, there are more than 1000 indigenous languages.
This island is located in the Pacific Ocean, a little north of Australia and connects Asia and Australia. New Guinea is very large in size, which is divided between countries. This island is inhabited by 5.6 million people. All residents speak English language, and it is official. The vegetation there is very good, there are 11 thousand species, including 2,500 species of unique orchids and 1,200 trees. About 500 species of different birds, 400 amphibians, 180 mammals and 450 butterflies live here, so the animal world is quite diverse.
Kalimantan is the largest of the Sunda Islands. Its area occupies approximately 734 thousand square kilometers. Kalimantan is the most ancient island from Malay Archipelago. There are absolutely no volcanoes on this island, and little is a fold earth's crust.
Madagascar, Baffin Island, Sumatra, Honshu
Madagascar is another island that is ranked among the largest islands. The length from north to south is approximately 1600 kilometers, and from west to east 580 kilometers.
Judging by its size, it will be larger than France, Belgium, Holland and even Luxembourg. There are several other small islands near the northern part of the island.
Baffin Island - got its name in honor of the ship's navigator. Currency unit on this island - the Canadian dollar.
Sumatra is one of the largest islands in Indonesia, which is famous for its dark sand and the ruins of ancient temple complexes. The climate on this island is quite hot and humid. It has many attractions: a crocodile farm, the picturesque canals of Palembang, green mountain valleys.
Honshu is the largest island of the Japanese archipelago. The climate on this island is monsoonal, temperate in the north and subtropical in the south.
80 percent of Japan's population lives here. There are many different attractions here. This island has many natural parks that amaze with their beauty.
The largest island in the world is Greenland. All researchers and scientists unanimously came to this conclusion as a result of numerous expeditions and analysis of available data. By a strange coincidence, the island with the largest area is less than half populated. The thing is that the territory of Greenland is 80 - 85% covered eternal ice, the thickness of which reaches several kilometers. The spacious territory allows villages and cities to be located here at a significant distance. The most interesting thing is that, between settlements there is absolutely no transport system. There are no railroad tracks or highways.
Despite the rather cold climate and monotony of the surrounding landscape, the largest island is very popular among tourists. They come here to get vivid impressions, see the stunningly beautiful “northern lights” and long “white nights”.
The most common occupation of local residents is fishing, processing and selling. This remains the main activity of the entire (almost 60 thousand population). In addition to fish, on the island a large number of polar predators. There are plants that are not afraid of the cold.
Temperature fluctuations on the island are quite significant. At the height of summer it’s +10 degrees, and in winter it can be minus 45. Under the thickness of the ice they hide large reserves oil and gas. Recently, their development has been actively pursued.
The largest island in the world belongs to Denmark and is washed on both sides by the oceans - the Atlantic and the Arctic. The capital of Greenland is the city of Nuuk, which is also the largest on the island, which is also Autonomous Okrug Denmark.
It is believed that Greenland is the final point of any round the world tour. Experienced travelers say that those who have not been to Greenland have not seen anything interesting. After all, every self-respecting tourist is obliged to conquer the cold, but at the same time beautiful island. One more interesting fact It is believed that the literal translation of the word Greenland is “green land,” but in fact there is practically no greenery there.
The next largest island is rightfully occupied by the Pacific New Guinea. It has gained its popularity among tourists due to its warm climate, rich colors and rich flora and fauna. Dendrologists, ornithologists and entomologists have been studying the island's animals and plants for years. However, every year more and more new representatives of flora and fauna appear on the largest island.
New Guinea was discovered in the 16th century, but until 1871 it was practically not visited. The inhabitants of the island had a reputation as cannibals, and there were no people willing to visit this green kingdom. Only in 1871, thanks to the efforts of the Russian scientist Miklouho-Maclay, the attitude towards the islanders changed.
It is worth keeping in mind that the inhabitants of this island come from a variety of nationalities. Even though the large island is now constantly welcoming tourists, in its depths live tribes who have never encountered light-skinned people. By the way, Papuans consider white people dangerous. That is why a tourist trip can be filled with real adrenaline.
Green Kalimantan
The third largest island in the world is Kalimantan. It is also known as Borneo. Its territory also has a uniform cover, but, unlike Greenland, it is green forests and tropics. Centuries-old, majestic trees decorate the entire island. This makes it possible to develop the forestry and wood processing industries. In addition, the island has serious oil and gas deposits. All this makes a significant financial contribution to the three states between which its territory is divided. Another profitable industry here is the long-term mining of diamonds, of which there is quite a lot on the island. This direction made it possible to call Borneo the “diamond river”.
Animal and vegetable world there is a lot of variety here. It is in Kalimantan that one of the most beautiful plants grows - the black orchid.
The majority of the island's inhabitants are Chinese, Malaysians and aborigines (who live according to the customs of their ancestors). In general, residents have a fairly positive attitude towards tourists and prove themselves to be hospitable hosts.
Madagascar – a paradise for holidaymakers
Biggest tourist island- Madagascar. Its population is more than 20 million people. Geographically, it is located in eastern Africa, located in the tropical zone, and has a warm climate. The island is famous for its breathtaking sunsets. There are also several dozen small but very beautiful waterfalls here.
Local residents call their homeland “boar island” or “red island”. The last name is associated with the color of the soil. Its fauna is very diverse. Many rare exotic animals and insects live there. It is a paradise for scientists and researchers. Lives in the tropics of Madagascar rarest species spiders, from whose webs various items of clothing are woven.
Residents of Madagascar engage in hunting and fishing. Animal meat is eaten, but special preference is given to turtles. Its turtle meat produces extraordinary dishes that have become a source of pride for local cuisine.
Baffin Island - rugged beauty
The largest Canadian island in the world can be called Baffin Island. A huge area, more than 500,000 square km and very few people living here (about 12 thousand people). This situation is due to the fact that the island is located in Arctic Ocean and has a fairly cold climate. You can get here only by air, and you can only do hunting or fishing there. There are quite a lot of fresh lakes on the island, some of which are quite large.
Harsh climatic conditions do not affect the fact that the island is visited by tourists. Local residents managed to create all the necessary conditions for extreme tourism. In addition, there is a certain number of people who want to celebrate a wedding or other celebration in such unusual conditions.
This largest and coldest island in the world has historical park. It contains various household items from all tribes and peoples who lived in the harsh terrain.
Each island has a number of advantages and features. On some it is a hot climate, beautiful beaches and the purest ocean water, while on others there is stunning wildlife and rare natural phenomena. It is impossible to say which island is better. They are all large, mysterious and fascinating. The same applies to the population. On all islands, the indigenous people have their own cultural characteristics, interesting traditions and customs.