There are a lot of islands on the world map. Namely, about 500 thousand. They are all completely different sizes. There are small ones that, literally, can fit a couple of people.
But there are also those that are comparable in area to entire countries. What are the largest islands in the world?
Ellesmere
Canada's Ellesmere Island is the third largest in the country (after Baffin Island and Victoria). And it is one of the ten largest islands on the planet. The area of Ellesmere is 196 thousand square kilometers. Very few people live in this territory - only 170.But on it, traces of prehistoric inhabitants were often found. Ellesmere itself is located in the north of the country, farther than the rest of the Canadian islands. However, it belongs to the province of Nanavut. Moreover, it is part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. Ellesmere is washed on all sides by the Arctic Ocean.
Victoria
Victoria occupies the ninth position in the list of the largest islands. The island is located in Canada and, of course, occupies a larger area than Ellesmere. Namely, a little more than 217 thousand square kilometers. For a more visual representation, Victoria is about 500 kilometers wide and long. Exactly 1707 people live on the island. That is, each has a fairly impressive piece of land. There are very few hills on the island, and all of them are no more than one kilometer above sea level. 
Victoria, like Ellesmere, belongs to the province of Nunavut, as well as the Northwest Territory of the Arctic Archipelago of Canada. The island boasts only two settlements - these are Holmen and Cambridge Bay. Numerous lakes are located on land, including Taha, Tahiryuak and Ferguson.
Honshu
It is the largest island in the Japanese archipelago. And it is also the eighth largest on the planet. The area of the island of Honshu is almost 228 thousand square kilometers. And in this territory (which, by the way, is not too strikingly different from Victoria Island), 103 million people settled. However, this is not surprising for Japan. By the way, Honshu occupies a little more than half of the entire country. The island has a mountainous terrain. In addition, there are quite a few volcanoes on it. The mountains dictate their weather conditions, so in the southeast and northwest the difference in climate is obvious. It is worth noting that the largest mountain and the permanent symbol of Japan is located on Honshu - this is Fuji. Its height is 3 kilometers and 776 meters.Island of Great Britain
Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles. The land area is about 230 thousand square kilometers. And 60 million people live here. 
England, Scotland, Wales - Great Britain contained most of the entire United Kingdom (its area is 244 thousand square kilometers). The highest point on the island rushed into the sky at 1344 meters.
Sumatra
The sixth largest island is called Sumatra. The equator divided it into two almost identical parts. Therefore, it turns out that the island is located in both hemispheres of the earth. Sumatra is located in the west of the Malay Archipelago, and belongs to Indonesia. Its area is 473 thousand square kilometers. Lives on the territory of 50 million people. The coastline of Sumatra is almost not dotted; near the coast you can see beautiful coral reefs.baffin land
From the equator we will be transported again to the Arctic Ocean. Here is the fifth largest island in the world. Its name is Baffin Island. This island is Canadian territory. And it is the largest of the country's islands. The area of Baffin Island is 507 thousand square kilometers. And most of the land now remains uninhabited. This happened due to unfavorable weather conditions. In total, 11 thousand people live on the island. Most people settled in the province of Nanavut. By the way, there are many freshwater lakes on Baffin Island. Two of them are impressive. These are Nettilling and Amajuak.Madagascar
The island of Madagascar is located to the east of Africa. Its area is 587 thousand square kilometers. And this allows the island to take fourth place in the list of the largest islands in the world. Lives in a paradise of 20 million people. 
They are at ease in tropical climates. The Mozambique Channel separates Madagascar from the mainland. By the way, the locals called their homeland the island of wild boars.
kalimantan
Malay Borneo or Kalimantan. It is the third largest island in the world. It is located in southeast Asia in the very center of the Malay Archipelago. The area of the island is about 743 thousand square kilometers (about 16 million people settled on it). Three states divided the land among themselves: Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. Most of Kalimantan is in the possession of Indonesia (which is divided into four provinces). But the part that belongs to Malaysia is divided into two states.New Guinea
So, the second largest island on Earth. This is New Guinea with an area of 786 thousand square kilometers. 7.5 million people found their home here. The island is located in the Pacific Ocean and is a link between Asia and Australia. New Guinea is separated from Australia only by the Torres Strait. 
The island was equally divided between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is worth noting that the Indonesian part belongs to Asia.
Greenland
Well, the largest island in the world. Greenland has a record size - 2 million 131 thousand square kilometers, but not a record population - more than 57 thousand people. And not surprisingly, most of the land is occupied by glaciers, which make it difficult for people to live on the territory.Greenland. The largest island in the world
The shores of the island are washed by two oceans: the Atlantic and the Arctic. Greenland belongs to Denmark and is an autonomous entity. The largest settlement on the island is Nuuk. It is located in the western part. Well, the highest point of Greenland, this is Mount Gunbjorn, rises to 3,383 meters. By the way, until 1921, it was believed that a cape called Morris Jesup on the island is the part of land closest to the pole.
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The largest island in the world is Greenland. This conclusion was unanimously reached by all researchers and scientists, as a result of numerous expeditions and analysis of available data. By a strange coincidence, the island of the largest area, less than half populated. The thing is that the territory of Greenland is 80 - 85% covered with 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 there is no transport system between the settlements. There are no railroad tracks or highways.
Despite the rather cold climate and the monotony of the surrounding landscape, the largest island is very popular with tourists. They come here to get vivid impressions, to see the stunningly beautiful "Northern Lights" and long "white nights".
The most common occupation of local residents is fishing, its processing and sale. This remains the main activity of the entire (almost 60,000 population). In addition to fish, the island has 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 is +10 degrees, and in winter it can be minus 45. Large reserves of oil and gas are hidden under the ice. Recently, their development has been actively engaged.
The largest island in the world belongs to Denmark and is washed by the oceans on both sides - 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 an autonomous region of 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. Another interesting fact is that the literal translation of the word Greenland is “green land”, but in fact there is practically no greenery there.
The next largest island in size rightfully occupies the Pacific New Guinea. Its popularity among tourists has won a warm climate, rich colors and rich flora and fauna. Dendrologists, ornithologists and entomologists have been studying the animals and plants of the island 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 who wanted to visit this green kingdom. Only in 1871, thanks to the efforts of the Russian scientist Miklouho-Maclay, did the attitude towards the islanders change.
It is worth bearing in mind that the inhabitants of this island are of various nationalities. Even the fact that at present the large island constantly meets tourists, tribes live in its depths that have never encountered fair-skinned people. By the way, the 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 coverage, but, unlike Greenland, these are green forests and tropics. Centennial, majestic trees adorn the entire island. This makes it possible to develop the forestry and woodworking industries. In addition, the island has serious deposits of oil and gas. 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 are quite a lot on the island. This direction made it possible to call Borneo the "diamond river".
The flora and fauna here is very diverse. It is on Kalimantan that one of the most beautiful plants grows - the black orchid.
The predominant part of the inhabitants of the island are Chinese, Malaysians and Aborigines (who live according to the customs of their ancestors). In general, residents are quite positive about tourists and show themselves to be hospitable hosts.
Madagascar is a holiday paradise
The largest tourist island is Madagascar. Its population is over 20 million people. Geographically, it is located in eastern Africa, located in the tropical zone, has a warm climate. The island is famous for its breathtaking sunsets. There are also several dozen small but very beautiful waterfalls.
Locals call their native home "boar island" or "red". 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 explorers. In the tropics of Madagascar, a rare species of spiders lives, from the webs of which various items of clothing are woven.
The inhabitants of Madagascar are engaged in hunting and fishing. Animal meat is eaten, but turtles are especially preferred. From her turtle meat, extraordinary dishes have become the pride of the local cuisine.
Baffin Island - rugged beauty
Baffin Island is the largest Canadian island in the world. A huge area, more than 500,000 square kilometers and very few people living here (about 12 thousand people). This situation is connected with the fact that the island is located in the Arctic Ocean and has a rather cold climate. You can get here only by air, and you can only engage in hunting or fishing there. There are 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 have managed to create all the necessary conditions for extreme tourism. In addition, there are 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 a historical park on its territory. It contains various household items of all tribes and peoples living in a harsh area.
Each island has a number of advantages and features. Some have a hot climate, beautiful beaches and clear ocean water, while others have amazing wildlife and rare natural phenomena. It is impossible to say which of the islands is better. All of them are big, mysterious and bewitching. The same applies to the population. On all the islands, the indigenous people have their own cultural characteristics, interesting traditions and customs.
There are about 500 thousand islands in our world. They are different in size. Today we take you to the largest islands of our world.
Greenland
Greenland is the largest island on Earth with an area of 2,130,800 km2. It is washed by the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. Greenland is located in Denmark.
In the western part of the island is the largest settlement, which is called Nuuk and Mount Gunbjorn, whose height is 3,383 thousand meters. Until 1921, Cape Morris Jesup was considered the closest land to the North Pole.
New Guinea
New Guinea, with an area of 785,753 km2, is located in the Pacific Ocean. New Guinea links Australia with Asia. New Guinea is divided almost equally between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The Indonesian part belongs to Asia. This island is the largest of all islands divided between countries.
kalimantan
The island has an area of 748,168 km2. This charming sea island is divided between 3 states: Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. Kalimantan is located in Southeast Asia at the center of the Malay Archipelago.
Madagascar
The island has a tropical climate. It is located near the east of Africa. The Mozambique Channel flows between the mainland and the island. Its dimensions are approximately 1,600 km long and 600 km wide, with a total area of 587,713 km2. The locals call the island the island of wild boars.
baffin land
The island belongs to Canada. It is the largest of the islands of this country. The area of the island is 507,451 km2. There are very bad weather conditions, so most of the island remains uninhabited.
Sumatra
The island of Sumatra is divided by the equator into almost identical parts. The island is located in the west of the Malay Archipelago. Sumatra has an area of 443,066 km2 and belongs to Indonesia.
O. Great Britain
Its area is 229,848 km2. Wales, Scotland and England - Great Britain is home to most of the entire United Kingdom.
There are hundreds of thousands of islands on our planet. They arise in the middle of rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and are surrounded on all sides by water. They could easily be compared with the continents, but the main difference between the islands is their size. All of them are much smaller than continents. What is the largest island on Earth? Where is he located?
The largest islands on earth
Some of the islands are quite tiny. For example, Pontikonisi in Greece or Visovac in Croatia do not exceed 200 meters in length. Others stretch for hundreds of kilometers, accommodating numerous cities and towns.
Islands are found in any body of water. In rivers, they most often arise from accumulations that are caused by currents. In the seas and oceans, they are formed due to volcanoes or the vital activity of corals. In addition, they may be part of the continental crust that rises above the surface of the water.
The largest island on Earth, Greenland, also has a continental origin. It covers an area of 2.130 million kilometers and is home to 56,000 people. From a geological and geographical point of view, it belongs to North America, but administratively belongs to Denmark.
Of the largest islands on the planet, Greenland is the northernmost. You can find the rest of the world record holders in the table:
New Guinea | Papua New Guinea, Indonesia |
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kalimantan | Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia |
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Madagascar | Madagascar |
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baffin land | ||
Indonesia |
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Great Britain | Great Britain |
|
"Green Country"
In Greenlandic, the name of the largest island on Earth sounds like "Kalaalit Nunaat", or "land of people." But another name has taken root in the world - Greenland, or the “green country”, which was given to him by Eirik the Red. Why the navigator called the island covered with ice green, no one knows for sure. However, there are several versions of this.
Eirik the Red is considered the discoverer of the largest island on Earth. He went there in 980 after being expelled from Norway and Iceland for committing several murders. He landed on the southwestern coast of the island, which is covered with flowering vegetation in summer. Seeing a lot of greenery on the seemingly icy land, the navigator came up with the appropriate name.
According to another version, Eirik liked the island so much that, upon returning from exile, he began to invite the Icelanders there. To be more convincing, he gave him the name Greenland. One way or another, volunteers for the development of the island were found. Under the leadership of Eirik the Red near modern Kassiarsuk they founded the first European settlement.
Greenland
The largest island on Earth is only three times smaller than Australia and almost 50 times larger than Denmark. It is located between Iceland and Canada, washed by the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.
Most of Greenland is located beyond the Arctic Circle - it is a zone of permafrost and permanent snow. Only 137 days a year there is the usual change of day and night, the rest of the time you can observe the polar night or the polar day.
It should have been called the "ice land", because 84% of the territory is covered with ice here. The non-melting cover reaches several kilometers in thickness. If it melted, then the level of the World Ocean would rise by 6-7 meters. The largest glacier is Jakobshavn. With a speed of 7 kilometers per year, it is the fastest moving in the world.
Despite the abundance of ice, Greenland is not devoid of life. The island is home to many butterflies, spiders, beetles, partridges, gulls and eiders, deer, musk oxen, lemmings, polar wolves and polar bears. The surrounding waters are home to fish, shrimps, whales, seals and walruses.
Climate
The lands of the largest island in the world are covered with vegetation only off the coast. It is very poor and is represented by dwarf trees, mosses, lichens, heather and tundra grasses. This is not surprising, because in Greenland there are arctic and subarctic types of climate. For the most part, it is severe, continental, near the coast - softer, marine.
On the coasts, the weather is very unstable, blizzards often form and winds blow, precipitation falls. The most favorable conditions are in the southwest of the island. There, average temperatures range from -7 °C in January to +10 °C in July, and fogs often occur in summer. It is coldest on the eastern and northern shores, where the temperature drops to -35 °C.
Population
Greenland is one of the few countries in the world where the majority of the population is represented by indigenous people. About 90% of the population are Eskimos (Inuit), and only 10% are Danes and other Europeans.
The ancestors of modern Greenlandic Eskimos arrived on the island around the 13th century. Prior to that, it was inhabited by peoples close to the Aleuts and Chukchi, as well as the Vikings. But for some reason they all disappeared. Perhaps due to the inability to adapt to a sharply deteriorating climate (it is assumed that in the early Middle Ages it was much warmer).
The culture of the Greenlanders is a mixture of Inuit traditions with European ones. The Eskimos still believe in spirits, and build dwellings from ice blocks, needles. Folk clothes are now considered festive. Seal skin capes have long replaced sports jackets, but many wear national shoes.
The Europeans brought writing with them by teaching the local Inuit. They built cities on the island, brought medicine, education and Christianity with them. With their arrival, some traditional Eskimo occupations disappeared, but fishing and musk ox breeding remained. Many Inuit work in industry, transportation, and the service sector.
Life in Greenland
The country covers not only the territory of the largest island of the Earth, but also the adjacent islands: Ymer, Holm, Kuhn, Claverin, Eggers and others. It gained autonomy within Denmark in 1979. After the referendum in 2009, she received even more rights and opportunities for self-government. The official language is Greenlandic, but all citizens must also learn Danish. The currency here is the Danish krone.
On the largest island of the Earth there are no railway lines, there are no roads between cities. From one point to another can be reached by airliner or ship. There are other options, such as snowmobiles or dog sleds.
All settlements on the island are located on the southern and western coasts, on a narrow strip between the eternal ice and the ocean. The largest of these is the capital Nuuk, which has a population of 16,500.
Greenland is considered the most sparsely populated country. But this does not prevent her from being one of the world leaders in suicide. Approximately every fourth inhabitant of the country makes an attempt to settle accounts with life.
Attractions
Endless ice of bizarre shapes, winding fjords and drifting icebergs. If that's not enough, don't worry, Greenland still has a lot to boast about. On the largest island of the Earth is the largest national park in the world. Its area is 970,000 km2.
Tourists are offered to explore the local fjords and see how icebergs are “born” on passenger ships, and there are always kayaks for extreme seekers. Greenland offers year-round skiing, snowboarding, sledding and ice climbing. You can see the northern lights on the island. The best time for this is in December and January, when the polar night falls on Greenland.
After enjoying all the natural beauties of the island, you should go to the city of Nuuk. In the capital, you can see typical Greenlandic architecture, visit museums, and most importantly, get to know Santa Claus himself. Here, on the shores of the cold Baffin Sea, is his home.
Every year new islands appear in the world, but the largest ones still remain in their places. Below is a list of the ten largest islands in the world by area.
Ellesmere - 196,236 km. sq.
Ellesmere is the northernmost Canadian island, with a total area of 196,236 km2. sq. It is the third largest island in Canada and the tenth largest in the world. Despite the vast territory, according to 2006 data, only 146 permanent residents live on the island, in three settlements - Gries Fjord, Alert and Eureka.
Victoria Island - 217,291 km. sq.
Victoria is the second largest island in Canada and the ninth in the world (according to various sources, it is the eighth or ninth). It is located in the Arctic Ocean and is located in the southwestern part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The island was named after Queen Victoria of England in 1839. It has a total population of 1707 people (2001).
Honshu - 227,970 km. sq.
Honshu is the largest island in Japan (approximately 60% of the entire country). Located south of Hokkaido. The population of Honshu in 2010 is about 100 million people, which makes it the second most populous island in the world (after the Indonesian island of Java).
Great Britain - 229,848 km. sq.
Great Britain is the largest of the British Isles, stretching northwest from mainland Europe. 95% of its entire territory is divided between England, Scotland and Wales, which are part of the United Kingdom. It has a population of about 63 million people and ranks third in the world in terms of population after the islands of Java and Honshu.
Sumatra - 480,848 km. sq.
Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world. It is wholly part of Indonesia. The number of inhabitants living on the island as of 2010 is more than 50 million people, which makes it the fourth island in the world in terms of population.
Baffin Island - 507,451 km. sq.
Baffin Island is an island that is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. It is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest in the world. It is home to a little over 11,000 people (as of 2007) in eight settlements, the largest of which is Iqaluit.
Madagascar - 587,713 km. sq.
Madagascar is a large island located in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa. Although Madagascar is not far from Africa, the flora and fauna of the island is unique - it contains 5% of all species of flora and fauna of the world, 80% of which exist only on this island.
Kalimantan (Borneo) - 748,168 km sq.
Kalimantan or Borneo is the third largest island in the world and the largest island in Asia. Located in the center of the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia. Divided between Indonesia (73%), Malaysia (26%) and Brunei (about 1%). The island has one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It has 19,800,000 inhabitants (as of 2010), most of whom live in coastal cities. The population density in Borneo is 26 people per square kilometer.
New Guinea - 785,753 sq. km.
New Guinea is the second largest island on earth, located in the western Pacific Ocean north of Australia. Divided approximately equally between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The current population of the island is about eleven million (2015). It has large natural reserves of oil, gold, copper and other ores.
Greenland - 2,130,800 sq. km.
Greenland is the largest island on Earth. It is located in the northeast of North America and is washed by the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is part of Denmark as an autonomous unit. The population of the island as of July 2010 is 57,600 people.
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