Good day, dear readers of the site “I and the World”! Today we want to tell you about the islands and we will definitely highlight the largest island in the world. Even the largest of them differ from the continents in their size - they are smaller than continents and are surrounded by water on all sides. But even during high tides they are not sinkable, because... are above sea level.
We present to you the top 10 most big islands, and which is the largest and what it is called, you will find out by reading the article to the end.
In 10th place is Ellesmere - 196,236 sq. km
Snow, eternal glaciers, remains of prehistoric animals - this is how Ellesmere Island can be described. The map shows that this is the northern island of Canada with a population of only 150 people.
It was discovered by the English sailor and traveler William Baffin in the 17th century. It is difficult to live here due to the very harsh climate.
The closest Canadian city is difficult to get to – 3,578 km. Even the North Pole is much closer - 817 km, but local residents probably don’t need to go there.
Next on the list is Victoria Island - 217,290 sq. km
The English navigators were very brave, since they discovered many territories. Victoria was also discovered by the Englishman Thomas Simpson in the early 19th century and named it after his queen.
At first, only meteorologists lived here, and only towards the end of the 20th century did Eskimos begin to move here, engaging in fishing activities.
The island's area can fit, for example, the small country of Belarus.
8th place - Honshu - 227,970 sq. km
According to legend, in the old days the Gods decided to divide the ocean and cut the water with a huge sword. And when they raised the sword, 4 drops slowly fell down and formed islands. The largest turned into an island called Honshu. It’s a pity that the drops fell on seismically unstable places, because earthquakes are frequent on the island.
Famous volcano Fuji rises here. Currently, about 103 million people live on the island and they are not crowded anywhere.
This is where they are located major cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima - and all this is Japan.
7th place is occupied by Great Britain – 229,848 sq. km
Great Britain is also an island, and it is the largest in Europe.
The beginning of the history of the island is considered to be 43 BC. e. Since ancient times, the Noto people lived here, later the territory began to be populated modern people. A chain of white chalk rocks stretches along the island. They say that because white Great Britain began to be called by the Roman word Albion (white).
The territory is densely populated and more than 61 million people live here.
Sumatra is in 6th place - 471,066 sq. km
Located in one of the parts of Indonesia. The territory is crossed almost in the middle by the equator, so Sumatra is located in two hemispheres at once.
Tsunamis and earthquakes happen quite often here, but with 50 million people living here, it's not too much of a concern.
The Toba volcano exploded here 73,000 years ago, triggering an 1,800-year ice age.
The lands of Sumatra have many mineral resources: gold, nickel, tin, iron, coal, oil, but all these riches belong to Indonesia. Go on a trip to the shores of Sumatra, it’s better to fly by plane: pirates are rampant on the waters.
5th place - Baffin Island - 507,451 sq. km
And again we are in Canada! And again the English discoverer is William Baffin. In the 17th century, he was looking for a way to the shores of fabulous India. Well, before reaching my destination, I accidentally discovered the island and the nearby sea.
Everything was named after the sailor. What is good in the land of polar cold?
Of course there is a rich world of animals: deer, polar bears, polar owls, white wolves, arctic foxes. Well, there are as many as 11 thousand people! Many people do not like the polar cold and frost even in July.
In 4th place is Madagascar - 587,713 sq. km
This is both a state and an island, the shores of which are washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean and are home to more than 24 million people.
Madagascar in lately became known throughout the world from the cartoon of the same name. Look, very funny!
Scientists believe that the island broke away from Africa on one side and from India on the other, so there is very rare flora and fauna here. And different spices huge amount, for example, tsilanindimilihi pepper.
3rd place belongs to the island of Kalimantan - 748,168 sq. km
It was divided by three states at once: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. How many countries, so many preferences. Some call it Borneo, others call it Kalimantan - translated as “diamond river”, because there are a huge amount of diamonds here. Of course, this is not a private island of one of the states. They just have an influence on him.
The first people settled here about 40,000 years ago and currently the population has increased to 20 million people.
The territory is also called riverine, because the longest of the island rivers, the Kapuas River (1143 km), flows here.
Residents of one of the cities walk here every day along the equator, as if along a boulevard, because the city is located right on the equator line. Beautiful sandy beach attracts many tourists.
New Guinea takes 2nd place – 786,000 sq. km
There are few continents in the world, and although Australia is its smallest continent, it lays claim to many nearby territories. Here we go New Guinea Until the middle of the 20th century it belonged to this country, but then it still granted independence. There is still an uninhabited corner here that attracts researchers. rare specimens plants and animals.
In some places of New Guinea it has been preserved primitive life. These lands were discovered not by an Englishman, but by a navigator from Portugal in the 16th century. According to legend, he looked at the curly hair of the aborigines and called new land Papua - "curly". The current population is 9.5 million people.
And finally, 1st place – Greenland – 2,130,800 sq. km
The green island - Greenland, owned by Denmark - is the largest of the world's islands.
Why it’s green is unclear, because there’s a lot of ice around. History is silent about this. Greenland is home to about 57,000 people, but most of it is covered by glaciers and is therefore uninhabited.
Local Eskimos have been fishing since ancient times. But the first Europeans settled here in 875.
Greenland passed from Denmark to Norway several times. You ask: which country does it belong to now? Little Denmark. And if to its 43,000 sq. km add Greenland, then Denmark will be the 13th largest in the world. Now the local population is engaged not only in fishing, but also raising deer and sheep, and also extracting oil.
Tourism here is well developed - about 20,000 tourists come here every year. It is high time to recognize Greenland as a continent, because it is only three times smaller than Australia.
I would also like to tell you about the Greek island of Crete
Here legends and myths live side by side modern reality. Every year up to 4 million tourists visit these beautiful places.
And many people want to become local property owners, and the quality of these houses is excellent. They say: “Greece has everything,” but Crete also has everything - a wonderful climate, a huge number of attractions, calm beaches and, of course, shopping.
We talked about the largest and most amazing islands on the planet. The list of wonderful places can be extended, but we will stop at ten. These are picturesque corners of nature. But there is a concept - an artificial island created by man. That's what we'll talk about in the following articles. Follow our publications and recommend reading to your friends. In the meantime, we say goodbye, see you again!
Do you know how many times the largest island in Russia is smaller than the big island peace? Read the post and find out.
No. 10. Ellesmere (Canada) - 196,236 km2
Ellesmere, Canada's northernmost island, is one of the ten largest islands by area in the world. Due to the harsh climate, the island's population is about 150 people. The remains of prehistoric animals have been repeatedly found on the territory of Ellesmere. The first settlers were nomads from Siberia. In 1250, the Thule people, the ancestors of the Eskimos, settled in the territory. But by the middle of the 18th century the island became deserted. The island was discovered in 1616 by the English navigator William Baffin.
No. 9. Victoria (Canada) - 217,291 km2
In ninth place by area is Victoria Island (Canada). The island was discovered in 1838 during the expedition of British explorer Thomas Simpson. In the 50s of the 20th century, there were several settlements on the island where meteorologists lived. By the end of the 20th century, the population increased due to Eskimo settlers who took up fishing activities here.
No. 8. Honshu (Japan) - 227,970 km2
Honshu is the largest island of the Japanese archipelago and ranks 8th in the ranking of the largest islands in the world. The largest Japanese cities are located on the island of Honshu: Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc. The island is covered with many volcanoes, some of them active. The population of the island is more than 103 million people.
No. 7. Great Britain (UK) - 229,848 km2
Great Britain ranks 7th on the list of largest islands in the world and is the largest island among the British Isles and in Europe as a whole. The history of Great Britain begins with the Roman conquest in 43 BC, but the island also had an earlier history. Great Britain was inhabited by the Noto people several hundred thousand years ago. Modern man arrived in the British Isles before the start of the last ice age, but retreated to southern Europe due to the glaciers covering the island. According to archaeological finds, after 12,000 BC. e. The British Isles were repopulated. Around 4,000 BC e. the island was inhabited by people of the Neolithic culture. Today the population of the island of Great Britain is more than 61 million people, making it the most densely populated area in Europe.
No. 6. Sumatra (Indonesia) - 443,066 km2
Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world. It is located in two hemispheres at once, since the Equator passes almost through the middle of the island. The island belongs to Indonesia and is part of the Malay Archipelago. It is located in an area of frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. Today the population of the island of Sumatra is more than 50 million people. The main cities of Sumatra: Medan, Palembang, Padang. People of many nationalities live in Sumatra, about 90% profess Islam. About 73 thousand years ago, the Toba volcano exploded on the island of Sumatra. This event resulted in 1,800 years of ice age and a reduction in the human population to 2,000 people. The name of the island comes from the Sanskrit word samudra - “ocean” or “sea”.
No. 5. Baffin Island (Canada) - 507,451 km2
Baffin Island is the first largest island in Canada and the fifth largest in the world. Due to the harsh climatic conditions of the island, the population is about 11 thousand people. The largest population center on the island is Iqaluit. The first description of the island was made by William Baffin in 1616, and the island was named after him.
No. 4. Madagascar (Madagascar) - 587,713 km2
The fourth place in the ranking is occupied by the island of Madagascar. Located in the Indian Ocean eastern shore Africa. The island is home to the state of Madagascar (the capital is Antananarivo). Today the population of the island of Madagascar is more than 24 million people. Locals Madagascar is called the red island because of the color of the soil. More than half of the animals found in Madagascar cannot be found on the mainland, and 90% of the plants are endemic.
No. 3. Kalimantan (Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei) - 748,168 km2
Kalimantan or Borneo is the third largest island in the world. It is divided between 3 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The island is located in the center of the Malay Archipelago. Kalimantan on local language means diamond river. It is named so due to its rich resources, in particular a large number of diamonds. The first people settled Kalimantan about 40 thousand years ago. Today the population of the island is about 20 million people. More than 300 ethnic groups live on the island.
No. 2. New Guinea (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea) - 785,753 km2
New Guinea ranks second in the ranking. New Guinea is divided between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. There are still places in New Guinea where no man has ever been. This place attracts flora and fauna researchers, as they can find rare species of animals and plants here. More than 11 thousand plant species live here, 600 unique species birds, over 400 species of amphibians, 455 species of butterflies and about a hundred known species mammals. New Guinea has been inhabited by humans since at least 45 thousand years BC. e. from Asia. More than a thousand Papuan-Melanesian tribes descended from the first settlers. The absence of large animals suitable for domestication on the island hampered the development of agriculture and made cattle breeding impossible. This contributed to the preservation of the primitive communal system in large areas of New Guinea right up to today. The mountainous landscape contributed to the isolation of people from each other, as a result of which a huge variety of languages appeared on the island. The discoverer of New Guinea was the Portuguese Don Jorge de Menezes, who landed on the island in 1526. According to legend, he gave the island the name “Papua”, which translates as curly, due to the curly hair of the local aborigines. Today the population of the island of New Guinea is more than 9.5 million people. In the territory of New Guinea there is an ancient agricultural settlement of Kuka, showing an isolated development agriculture for 7-10 thousand years and included in the List World Heritage UNESCO.
No. 1. Greenland (Denmark) - 2,130,800 km2
The largest island in the world is Greenland. The Green Country, as this island is also called, belongs to Denmark. Due to glacial cover (84% of the surface) and unfavorable climatic conditions, most of the island is uninhabited. Today the population of Greenland is more than 57 thousand people. The largest settlement on the island is Nuuk (Gothob). Several thousand years before the arrival of Europeans, the island was inhabited by Greenlandic Eskimos, who call themselves Inuit. The Inuit have adapted to the extreme conditions of the Arctic climate and feel quite comfortable. From time immemorial they have been engaged in fishing and hunting. The first European to enter the island was the Norman Gunbjorn in 875. In 982, Erik Raudi settled on the island with several comrades, expelled from Iceland for the crimes he had committed. Later they were joined by Norwegian Vikings. In 983, the first Norman colony was founded in Greenland. After the settlement of Greenland by Europeans, the island was repeatedly passed from hand to hand. Until 1536, the island belonged to Norway, then it became part of Denmark, in accordance with the union between Denmark and Norway. In 1721, a Danish colony called Gotthob was officially established on the island. In 1814, after the dissolution of the union between Norway and Denmark, Greenland became the complete possession of Denmark. The main activity of the Greenland population is fishing. But at the end of the 20th century, reindeer and sheep breeding and oil production appeared. Tourism and air transport play a big role. More than 20 thousand tourists visit Greenland every year.
There are a great many islands on the world map. Namely, about 500 thousand. All of them are absolutely different sizes. There are small ones that can literally fit a couple of people.
But there are also those whose area is comparable 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. Ellesmere's area is 196 thousand square kilometers. Very few people live in this territory - only 170.But traces of prehistoric inhabitants were often found on it. Ellesmere itself is located in the north of the country, further than the other Canadian islands. However, it belongs to the province of Nunavut. Moreover, it is part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. Ellesmere is washed on all sides by the Arctic Ocean.
Victoria
Victoria occupies ninth position in the list of the largest islands. The island is located in Canada and, naturally, 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 in width and length. Exactly 1,707 people live on the island. That is, each person has a fairly impressive plot 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 - Holman and Cambridge Bay. On land there are numerous lakes, including Taha, Tahiryuak and Ferguson.
Honshu
This is the largest island of the Japanese archipelago. And it is the eighth largest on the planet. The area of the island of Honshu is almost 228 thousand square kilometers. And on 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 territory of the entire country. The island has a mountainous terrain. In addition, there are quite a lot of 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 - Fuji. Its height is 3 kilometers and 776 meters.UK Island
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 contains most of the entire United Kingdom (its area is 244 thousand square kilometers). The highest point on the island reached 1,344 meters into the sky.
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 earth’s hemispheres. Sumatra is located in the west of the Malay Archipelago and belongs to Indonesia. Its area is 473 thousand square kilometers. Lives in an area of 50 million people. Coastline Sumatra is almost deserted; near the coast you can see beautiful coral reefs.Baffin Island
From the equator we will be transported again to the Arctic Ocean. It is home to 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. The people mainly settled in the province of Nunavut. By the way, there are many freshwater lakes on Baffin Island. Two of them are of impressive size. These are Nettilling and Amajuaq.Madagascar
The island of Madagascar is located 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 paradise 20 million people. 
They thrive in tropical climates. Madagascar is separated from the mainland by the Mozambique Channel. By the way, local residents nicknamed their homeland the island of 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 island's area is about 743 thousand square kilometers (about 16 million people settled on it). The land was divided among three states: Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. Most of Kalimantan is under 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 homeland 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 is divided equally 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 unit. The largest settlement on the island is Nuuk. It is located in the western part. Well, the most high point Greenland, this is Mount Gunbjorn, rises to 3 thousand 383 meters. By the way, until 1921 it was believed that a cape called Morris Jesup on the island was the closest part of the land to the pole.
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- over half a million. Some of them are of 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 world's oceans. 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. In summer, the maximum mark 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 the Pacific Ocean. Despite its 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, for every square kilometer there are approximately 10 people - an indicator that is 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
Near 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 largest 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 Mount Toba on its territory, ice age. 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.
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 there is absolutely no transport system between settlements. 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 large number 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 thickness of the ice. 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 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. 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 are the most different 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 woodworking 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 flora It's very diverse 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
The largest tourist island is 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 home"boar island" or "red". Last title related to 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. The tropics of Madagascar are home to a rare species of spider, from whose web they weave various items of clothing.
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 the Arctic Ocean and has a rather 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 a historical park on its territory. 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. Some have a hot climate, beautiful beaches and clear ocean water, while others have stunning fauna 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.