1 of the major islands of the earth. What is the largest island in the world

Do you know how many times the most big Island Is Russia smaller than the largest island in the world? Read the post and find out.

No. 10. Ellesmere (Canada) - 196,236 km2

Ellesmere is the most north island Canada - one of the ten most big islands by area in the world. Due to the harsh climate, the population of the island 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 on 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 in terms of area is Victoria Island (Canada). The island was discovered in 1838 during the expedition of the British explorer Thomas Simpson.

In the 50s of the 20th century, there were several settlements on the island in which meteorologists lived. By the end of the 20th century, the population increased to detect the Eskimo settlers who took up fishing activities here.

No. 8. Honshu (Japan) - 227,970 km2

Honshu is the largest island 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 over 103 million people.

No. 7. United Kingdom (UK) - 229,848 km2

Great Britain ranks 7th in the list of the largest islands in the world and is the largest island among british isles and in Europe as a whole.

The beginning of the history of Great Britain is considered the period of the Roman conquest in 43 BC, but the island 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 in Southern Europe because of the glaciers that cover the territory of the island. According to archaeological finds, after 12,000 BC e. The British Isles were repopulated. Around 4000 BC e. the island was inhabited by people of the Neolithic culture.

To date, the population of the island of Great Britain is more than 61 million people, which makes 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 in the middle of the island. The island belongs to Indonesia and is part of the Malay Archipelago. It is located in a zone of frequent earthquakes and tsunamis.

To date, 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.

Approximately 73 thousand years ago, the Toba volcano exploded on the island of Sumatra. This event resulted in 1800 years of ice age and the reduction of the human population to 2000 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 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 settlement of 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 line of the ranking is occupied by the island of Madagascar. Located in the Indian Ocean east coast Africa. The island is the state of Madagascar (the capital of Antananarivo). To date, the population of the island of Madagascar is more than 24 million people.

The locals call Madagascar the red island because of the color of the soil. More than half of the animals living 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 states: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The island is located in the center of the Malay Archipelago.
Kalimantan in the 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 in Kalimantan about 40 thousand years ago. To date, 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

There are still places in New Guinea where no man has been. This place attracts researchers of flora and fauna, as they can meet the rarest species of animals and plants here. It is home to over 11,000 plant species, 600 unique bird species, over 400 amphibian species, 455 butterfly species, and about a hundred known mammal species.

New Guinea has been inhabited by humans since at least 45,000 BC. e. from Asia. More than a thousand Papuan-Melanesian tribes originated from the first settlers. The absence of large animals suitable for domestication on the island hindered 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 up to the present day. The mountainous landscape contributed to the isolation of people from each other, as a result of which a huge variety of languages ​​\u200b\u200bappeared on the island.

New Guinea was discovered by 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, this is due to the curly hair of the local natives.

To date, the population of the island of New Guinea is more than 9.5 million people.
On the territory of New Guinea, there is an ancient agricultural settlement of Kuka, showing an isolated development Agriculture over 7-10 millennia 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 ice cover (84% of the surface) and unfavorable climatic conditions most of the island is uninhabited. To date, the population of Greenland is more than 57 thousand people. The largest settlement of the island is Nuuk (Gothob).

Several thousand years before the arrival of Europeans, the Greenlandic Eskimos, who call themselves Inuit, lived on the island. The Inuit have adapted to the extreme conditions of the Arctic climate and feel quite comfortable. They have been fishing and hunting for centuries.

Of the Europeans, the Norman Gunbjorn was the first to enter the island 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 the 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 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 wholly the possession of Denmark.

The main activity of the people of Greenland is fishing. But at the end of the 20th century, reindeer and sheep breeding and oil production appeared. Tourism and air transport play an important role. More than 20,000 tourists visit Greenland every year.

The largest island in Russia (Sakhalin) is 27 times smaller than the largest island in the world (Greenland).

The largest islands of Russia:
Sakhalin - 76600 km2
Northern - 48904 km2
Southern - 33275 km2
Boiler house - 23200 km2
October Revolution - 13708 km2

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:

"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 " 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 southwest coast 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 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 inhabited by many butterflies, spiders, beetles, partridges, gulls and eiders, deer, musk oxen, lemmings, polar wolves and polar bears live. 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 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.

To explore the local fjords and see how icebergs are "born", tourists are offered on passenger ships, and for thrill-seekers there are always kayaks. All year round skiing and snowboarding, sledding and ice climbing are available in Greenland. You can see the northern lights on the island. The best time for this comes 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.

An island is a piece of land separated from other continents. There are more than half a million such land areas on planet Earth. And some may disappear, others appear. So the youngest island appeared in 1992 as a result of a volcanic ejection. But some of them are striking in their scale. In the ranking largest islands in the world 10 most impressive positions on .

196 thousand sq. km

Opens ten largest islands in the world. Its territory belongs to Canada. It is the third largest island of this state with an area of ​​just over 196 thousand square kilometers. This piece of land is located north of all the Canadian islands. Due to the harsh climatic conditions, it is sparsely populated by people (on average, the number of inhabitants is 200 people), but is of great value to archaeologists, as the remains of ancient animals are constantly found there. The land has been frozen over since the Ice Age.

217 thousand sq. km

Ninth place among most major islands on the ground takes . Like Ellesmere, Victoria belongs to the Canadian Isles. It got its name from Queen Victoria. The land area is 217 thousand square kilometers. and washed by the waters of the Arctic Ocean. The island is famous for its numerous lakes. fresh water. The surface of the entire island has practically no hills. And only two settlements are located on its territory. The population density is very low, with just over 1,700 people living in this zone.

28 thousand sq. km

Ranked eighth the largest islands located, belonging to the Japanese archipelago. It occupies an area of ​​228 thousand sq. km. The largest Japanese cities, including the capital of the state, are located on this island. The most high mountain, which is a symbol of the country - Fujiyama is also located on Honshu. The island is covered with mountains and there are many volcanoes on it, including active ones. Due to the mountainous terrain, the climate on the island is very changeable.
The territory is densely populated. According to the latest data, the population is about 100 million people. This factor puts Honshu in second place among the islands in terms of population.

230 thousand sq. km

ranked seventh on the list largest islands in the world, is also the largest among the British Isles and in Europe as a whole. Its territory occupies 230 thousand sq. km, where 63 million people live. Great Britain owns the bulk of the United Kingdom. The high population makes the UK the third largest island in the world in terms of the number of inhabitants. And it is the most densely populated region in Europe. Located on the island and the capital of the Kingdom - London. The climate is more temperate than in other lands in this natural area. This is due to the warm current of the Gulf Stream.

43 thousand sq. km

settled in the sixth position of the ranking largest islands in the world. The equator divides Summatra into two almost equal halves, so it is located in two hemispheres at once. The area of ​​the island is more than 443 thousand sq. km, where more than 50 million people live. The island belongs to Indonesia and is part of the Malay Archipelago. Sumatra is surrounded by tropical vegetation and washed by warm waters. indian ocean. It is located in a zone of frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. Sumatra has large deposits of precious metals.

500 thousand sq. km

Opens the top five largest islands. This is the most huge island Canada, whose territory exceeds 500 thousand sq. km. It is covered with numerous lakes, but only half inhabited by people. The population of the island is only about 11 thousand people. This is due to the harsh climatic conditions of the Arctic. The average annual temperature is kept at -8 degrees. Here the weather is dictated by the waters of the Arctic Ocean. Baffin Island is cut off from the mainland. The only way to reach the island is by air.

587 thousand sq. km

Next on the list the most impressive islands in terms of area - Madagascar. The island is located east of Africa, once it was part of the Hindustan peninsula. They are separated from the mainland by the Mozambique Channel. The area of ​​the site and the state of the same name Madagascar is more than 587 thousand sq. km. with a population of 20 million. Locals call Madagascar the red island (the color of the island soil) and the boar (due to the large population of wild boars). More than half of the animals living in Madagascar are not found on the mainland, and 90% of the plants are found only in this geographical area.

748 thousand sq. km

The third level of the rating largest islands in the world occupied with an area of ​​748 thousand sq. km. and with 16 million inhabitants. This island has another common name - Borneo. Kalimantan occupies the center of the Malay Archipelago and belongs to three states at once: Indonesia (most of it), Malaysia and Brunei. Borneo is washed by four seas and covered with dense tropical forests, which are considered the oldest in the world. The attraction of Borneo is the highest point in Southeast Asia - Mount Kinabalu with a height of 4 thousand meters. The island is rich in natural resources, in particular diamonds, which gave it its name. Kalimantan in the local language means diamond river.

786 thousand sq. km

- second place on the list largest islands in the world. 786 thousand sq. km. located in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and Asia. Scientists believe that the island was once part of Australia. The population is approaching the 8 million mark. New Guinea is divided between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The name of the island was given by the Portuguese. "Papua", which translates as curly, is associated with the curly hair of the local Aborigines. There are still places in New Guinea where no man has been. This place attracts researchers of flora and fauna, as they can meet here the rarest species of animals and

Greenland Population: 58 thousand | Area: 2,130,800 km²

Greenland is the largest island on earth. Its area is 2,130,800 km2. The island is washed by two oceans: the Arctic and the Atlantic. Included in the autonomous unit of Denmark - Greenland. The biggest locality called Nuuk, located in the western part of the island. The highest point in Greenland (Mount Gunbjorn) with a height of 3,383 thousand meters. Until 1921, Cape Morris Jesup was considered the closest land to the North Pole.

Population: 7.5 million | Area: 786,000 km²

New Guinea - the 2nd largest island, with an area of ​​785,753 km2, is located in the Pacific Ocean. New Guinea links Australia with Asia. In turn, the island is separated from Australia by the Torres Strait. 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.

Population: 16 million | Area: 743,330 km²

The third largest island, Kalimantan (or Malay Borneo), has an area of ​​748,168 km2. This sea island was divided between 3 states: Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. Kalimantan is located in South-East Asia in the center of the Malay Archipelago. Most of the island belongs to Indonesia and is divided into 4 provinces. The part that belongs to Malaysia, in turn, is divided into 2 states.

Madagascar Population: 20 million | Area: 587,041 km²

Next on the list of the largest islands in the world is Madagascar. This island has a tropical climate and 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 island is occupied by the state of Madagascar, whose capital is the city of Antananarivo. BUT locals call their corner of space the island of wild boars.

Population: 11 thousand | Area: 507,451 km²

We are transported to the Arctic Ocean and find there the fifth largest island, called Baffin Island. The island belongs to Canada, it is the largest of the islands of this country. The area of ​​the island is 507,451 km2. Most remain uninhabited due to poor weather conditions. The population of the island lives in the Canadian province of Nunavut with its capital Iqaluit. It is noteworthy that there are many freshwater lakes on the island, two of which are the largest, Nettilling, with an area of ​​5,542 km2, of which only 5,050 km2 is occupied by water, and Amajuak - 3,115 km2 with a water surface of 3,058 km2.

Population: 51 million | Area: 473,000 km²

The sixth largest island - Sumatra, is divided by the equator into almost identical parts, as it is located in both hemispheres of the Earth. The island is located in the west of the Malay Archipelago. It belongs to the group of large Sunda Islands, which are adjacent to small islands. Sumatra has an area of ​​443,066 km2 and belongs to Indonesia. Its coastline is slightly indented and there are coral reefs near the coast.

o.Great Britain Population: 60 million | Area: 229,848 km²

The largest island in the British Isles is Great Britain. Its area is 229,848 km2. Wales, Scotland and England - Great Britain is home to most of the entire United Kingdom. The area of ​​the entire kingdom is 244,100 km2. Length coastline the islands from south to north are 966 km, and the width is 483 km. The highest point on the island is 1344 meters.

Honshu Population: 103 million | Area: 227,962.59 km²

The largest island of the Japanese archipelago and the eighth largest in the world is the island of Honshu. Its area is 227,970 km2, which in turn is equal to 60% of the area of ​​all of Japan. It is slightly smaller than the British Isles. Honshu has a mountainous terrain, and among the mountains, in turn, there are many volcanoes. The mountains are responsible for the climatic difference in the southeast and northwest of the island. The largest mountain, which is the permanent symbol of Japan, is Fuji with a height of 3,776 meters.

Ellesmere is also an island of Canada, it is the third largest after Baffin Island and Victoria, and is also included in the list of the largest islands in the world and is in tenth place. The island is located in the north, further than all the other islands of Canada, but still belongs to the territory of the province of Nanavut and is also part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. The area of ​​the island is 196,236 km2, highest point- 2,616 m. The population of Ellesmere is extremely small, but traces of prehistoric animals were often found there.

As you know, an island is considered to be any piece of land completely surrounded by water. However, not all land that is in the water can be attributed to the islands. In addition to the latter, there are also continents and continents, the most famous of which is, of course, Australia. The total area of ​​this continent (not to be confused with the island) is approximately 7,600,000 sq. km.

The TOP 5 largest islands in the world presented below include islands whose area is noticeably inferior to Australia, but no less impressive.

The largest islands in the world: Greenland

So, the largest island of our planet, whose name literally translates as "green country", is Greenland. Located in the Atlantic and North Arctic oceans, 80% covered by eternal ice, the autonomous Danish territory has a temperate climate and a total area of ​​2,131,500 km². Known for its white nights, northern lights and local Eskimos, Greenland is also famous for its large reserves of natural resources (oil, gas). The main occupation of the 57,000 inhabitants of the island is fishing.

The largest islands in the world: New Guinea

New Guinea is the second largest island in the world. washed by the waters Pacific Ocean the island, located between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, was discovered by the Portuguese in 1526. They also gave him his original name "Papua", which means "curly" in Malay. The island owes its name to the dark-skinned natives with curly, thick hair who inhabited it at that time. Today, New Guinea is a tropical island with a total area of ​​786,000 km2 and real paradise for tourists. Despite the large number of different types plants, birds, mammals and amphibians living on the territory of the island, scientists are still discovering in New Guinea more and more new species of various representatives of the animal and flora. It is worth noting that most animals of New Guinea are not at all afraid of people, so they can be easily picked up.

The largest islands in the world: Kalimantan

It is not for nothing that Kalimantan takes an honorable third place in the TOP-5 largest islands in the world. The area of ​​this island, also known as "Borneo", is 737,000 km². Kalimantan is washed by four seas and two straits at the same time. Unlike Greenland, 80% of the entire territory of Kalimantan is covered with tropical forests. In this connection, the forest industry of the island is extremely developed and brings considerable income to the three states located on its territory. In addition to the forest, Kalimantan is also known for its large reserves of oil, gas and diamonds, which have been actively mined here for more than one century, as the name of the island clearly indicates (translated from Malay, Kalimantan means "diamond river").

The largest islands in the world: Madagascar

The fourth in our ranking is the island of Madagascar, recently known for the cartoon of the same name. The entire territory of the island (587,040 km2) is occupied by the sovereign state of the Republic of Madagascar. The island is rich in minerals, including gold and iron rocks, more than 80% of all animals living in Madagascar are exclusively representatives of the local fauna. Due to the fact that for a long time the island was inhabited by a large number of wild boars, the local natives called it "Madagascar" ("Island of Boars").

The largest islands in the world: Baffin Island

The largest island of Canada, Baffin Island, located to the west of Greenland, closes the TOP-5 of the largest islands in the world. And at the same time, the most interesting places where you need a wedding photographer for your personal event! Due to the harsh climatic conditions, despite the vast territory - 508,000 km², the population of Baffin Island is a little over 11 thousand people. The island got its name from the famous English traveler and explorer William Baffin, who was the first to describe the island in the 17th century. An interesting fact is that, despite the widespread presence of man on the other islands, the central part of Baffin Island has not yet been fully explored, which means that there are places on the island where no human has yet set foot.