Message about a large island of land. What is the largest island on earth? Great Britain is one of the largest islands in the world

over half a million. Some of them are of natural origin, others are the result of climate change, natural phenomena or human activities. Do you know the answer to the question: "What is the largest island on Earth?"

Gorgeous Greenland

Greenland is considered the largest piece of land in the middle of the oceans. Its territory is equal to 2.176 million square kilometers, which is approximately 1/8 of the whole of Russia. Almost all of the land is covered with glaciers, so Greenland is considered a sparsely populated country. It is permanently inhabited by all
15,000 people. The climatic conditions are considered severe. The thermometer graph in winter drops to -47 C. In summer, the maximum mark reaches + 10 C.

New Guinea

The island is smaller than Greenland. Its territory is 786 thousand sq. km. It lies on the route between Asia and Australia in the Pacific Ocean. Despite the small territory, two states are 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 about 10 people - a fairly low figure compared to other countries with good weather conditions for life.

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, next to the Malay Peninsula. A distinctive feature of 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 of South Africa there is an amazing reserve with unusual fauna. Madagascar occupies 587 thousand square kilometers. The island stretches for 1500 km in length, its width is only 600 km. It leads in terms of population in the category "What is the largest island in the world." There are about 20 million permanent residents here, that is, 1300 more than in Greenland.

baffin land

The island belongs to Canada. Its location is determined at the same latitude as that of Greenland. The climate is harsh and difficult conditions for life. It is for this reason that on a land plot of 507 sq. km. only 11 thousand people live.

Sumatra

In sixth position in 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, an ice age began on its territory. A huge funnel 100 m wide was formed here.

Honshu

The size of Honshu is much smaller than the other listed islands, and is only 228 thousand square kilometers. But it is considered densely populated - 103 million people live on it. Despite the high demographic level, the territories are technically developed. Honshu is a huge metropolis with over 35 million people.

What is an island? For many, these are resort areas like the Maldives, Sicily or Crete. For others, pictures from action-packed adventure films pop up before their eyes. Indeed, the islands of the world are full of secrets and mysteries, and scientists do not get tired of publishing unusual facts about these small pieces of land surrounded by water on all sides.

So the youngest island not so long ago came of age. He is 21 years old. He was born in July 92 after a volcanic eruption near the island of Bogoslov of the archipelago of the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is 400 meters long and 90 meters high.

TOP 10: the largest islands in the world

However, it is not always possible to measure an island in hundreds of meters. There are quite a few on the world map that represent entire maritime states.

Let's talk about the latter. . By tradition, let's start with the last line of the hit parade.

10th place - Ellesmere Island

10th place is occupied by the Canadian island Ellesmere. This piece of land with an area of ​​203 thousand square meters is located in the Arctic Ocean.

9th place - Victoria Island

On the 9th place is another Canadian island with a beautiful name Victoria. Its area is slightly larger than the previous one - 213 thousand square meters. It is located in the neighborhood, in the ice of the same Arctic.

8th place - the island of Great Britain

8th place rightfully given to the island Great Britain. It is located on the territory of 230 thousand square kilometers. Washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Of the unusual facts, it is worth noting that a huge number of people live on this island. More than 60 million islanders are listed on the territory of the island of Great Britain.

7th place - Honshu Island

7th place on the list is a Japanese island Honshu. It has an area of ​​just under 230,000 square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean. The largest Japanese cities are located on the island of Honshu: Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc. According to the latest data, the population on it exceeds the British one. About 100 million people.

6th place - Sumatra island

By the way, Indonesia is called the “land of a thousand islands”. Scientists have counted more than 13,500 islands on the territory of the state. 12,000 of them are uninhabited. In addition, most of these small pieces of land do not even have place names.

5th place - Baffin Island

5th place was taken by another Canadian island - baffin land. It is located on an area of ​​507 thousand square kilometers in the Arctic Ocean.

4th place - the island of Madagascar

In 4th place, the island, which became especially famous after the animated film of the same name Madagascar. It occupies just under 600,000 square kilometers in the Indian Ocean.

Ahead - the most interesting. Let's move on to the top three. Who is on the list of the three largest islands in the world?

3rd place - Kalimantan Island

3rd place goes to the island of Kalimantan or otherwise Borneo. It is also located in the Indian Ocean and belongs to three states at once: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Its area is 743 thousand square kilometers.

2nd place - the island of New Guinea

New Guinea is the silver medalist. It occupies 786 thousand square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean. By the way, from the point of view of the residential territory of a geographical object, this island could also claim the first place. Two countries have spread their possessions on this piece of land: Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

1st place - Greenland

The title of "The world's largest island" goes to an amazing country - Greenland . Its area is 2 million 131 thousand square kilometers. The island is located off the northeastern coast of America. It is separated from Canada by the Smith and Robson Straits in the northwest, the Baffin Sea and Davis Strait in the west, and the Labrador Sea in the southwest. On the north side, Greenland is washed by the Arctic Ocean, or more precisely, by the Lincoln Sea. In the northeast of the island is the Greenland Sea, in the southeast the Danish Strait. The Atlantic is on the south side.

Climate

The climate in Greenland is different: maritime, subarctic, arctic and even continental arctic. The cyclone is the most frequent guest on the island. This means that there are constantly strong winds, a sharp change in weather and precipitation.

The average temperature on the coast in winter is from -7 to -37 degrees Celsius. In the depths of the island, the conditions are completely harsh: up to -47. In summer, the temperature does not rise above +10 on the entire coast, and in the depths it remains below zero.

Flora and fauna

Plants here can only be found in places free from glaciers. Birch, willow, mountain ash, alder and even juniper are found on these meager pieces of the island. As for the animals, they are exclusively northern on the island. No surprises: polar bears, bowhead whales and seals, walruses, polar wolves and reindeer.

How could this place get a name that literally translates as "green land"?

History legends

Vikings discovered the island of Greenland. They came here in the 10th century. There are even several legends about how the name came about. Some believe that in medieval times the island had a completely different climate, warm. Blooming greens gave this name to their land. Others express an opinion about the cunning of the first settlers. Allegedly, they gave the island such a fabulous name to lie down here for people.

Since 1536, Greenland has been considered Danish territory. This was due to the fact that Norway was under the yoke of the Danes, and the countries were united into a single state. However, in 1905 Norway gained independence and claimed the island for itself. But Denmark was not going to give up Greenland without a fight. The issue was resolved through the Permanent Court of International Justice. She made a decision: to leave Greenland as a Danish colony.

The largest island in the world, Greenland, belongs to Denmark to this day. 84% of the territory is solid ice. But, despite this, there are settlements on the island. The largest is Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The city is located on the west coast. A little over 15 thousand people live in it.

The largest island on Earth is Greenland. The population of Greenland consists of the Greenland Eskimos and emigrated Norwegians, Danes. The native inhabitants of the island are called Inuit. Their main language is Greenlandic, Danish is popular among emigrants. The Inuit living in the north of the island still maintain a long tradition of building igloos.

Islands of the world

What is the largest island on earth? There are a lot of islands on our planet, but only four of them are really amazing in their size:

1. Greenland. Greenland is the largest island in Europe and the world. It is located in the northeast of North America and is washed by two oceans. Greenland is an autonomous entity subordinate to Denmark.
2. New Guinea. The main advantage of Guinea is not considered to be nature and rich fauna, but the culture of various tribes living on the island.
3. Kalimantan. The island is divided between three states.
4. Madagascar. Madagascar, an island country known throughout the world for its unique animals and rich flora. A third of the entire territory is occupied by highlands. There are many extinct volcanoes on the island, earthquakes sometimes occur.

The largest island on Earth and the first settler

Eric the Red is a simple Norwegian Viking. Despite the severity attributed to the Scandinavians, he was a docile and peaceful person. As the legend goes, Eric saw that his friend had ruined the path that ran in front of his house. For this, the Viking killed a neighbor with a shovel. The act did not go unpunished. Eric was expelled from Norway to a strange and deserted island beyond the Arctic Circle.

Eric did not want to live alone on a huge island, so he decided to attract more people here. For this, he named the island Greenland, or Greenland. As soon as Erik's term of exile came to an end, he returned to Norway and began to actively invite people to the island with him. He described Greenland to everyone as the most beautiful place on the planet.

independent republic

Until the end of the 13th century, Greenland was an independent territory, but soon the population recognized the king of Norway as their overlord. For this, the crown promised to supply the island with products and materials that the inhabitants could not obtain or produce on their own. Despite the vassalage, the island had its own orders and laws that differed from European ones.

After some time, Denmark began to claim the largest island. Territorial claims were fully justified, since not all Norwegians were able to adapt to the difficult climate, so many Danes came to the island. In 1536, Norway and Denmark united into one country, and Greenland was legally assigned to Denmark.

Greenland is the largest island in the world

The area of ​​Greenland is 2,130,800 km². Due to the large extent of the island, the climate of one part is radically different from the climate of the other. Not everywhere in Greenland is cold: in some places in the summer the temperature rises above +20 ° C, although on average it rarely exceeds 0 ° C. In winter, the temperature drops below -20 °C. Very cold winds blow near the coast, and in summer it is covered with fog.

Despite the fact that the island is called Green Land, there is nowhere to develop agriculture here. Mostly people are engaged in fishing or hunting for animals, but here they live: polar bear, arctic fox, reindeer. The island exports:

1. Cod.
2. Shrimp.
3. Salmon.

Greenland is the largest island on Earth, rich in minerals. Mined on the island:

1. Lead.
2. Tin.
3. Coal.
4. Copper.

The colorful expanses of Greenland attract tourists from all over the world. You can enjoy the amazing landscapes and beauties of the island at any time of the day. One of the most famous natural phenomena is the northern lights. It is best observed from early autumn to mid-spring.

Flora and fauna of the island

The largest island of the Earth by area has a rather meager variety of vegetation. But the animal world is impressive: it is rich and unique. The area of ​​Greenland is huge, but there is no railway on it, and the length of all highways is 150 km. For the local population, it is most convenient to use dog teams.

The largest island on Earth can hardly be called a favorable land for life, travel or exploration, but the beauty of the Arctic nature will not leave anyone indifferent. This helps to survive all the hardships of the harsh life on the island and not quite suitable conditions for recreation.

There are over 500,000 islands in the world today. They have a variety of sizes. Many of these islands are very small. Two people can fit on them, no more. However, there are those islands, the size of which is equal to the whole countries of the world. This article will focus on the largest island in the world.

Where is the largest island in the world located?

The largest island in the world is, of course, Greenland. It belongs to Denmark, but it has the right to self-government. This island is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Almost eighty percent of Greenland is covered by a gigantic glacier. Despite such unusual features of the location and relief, numerous travel companies offer a large number of attractive tours to this place. Here, all tourists are promised an unusual pastime and an unforgettable vacation in the circle of exotic nature.

This island is attractive for tourists. People come here who are not afraid of harsh climatic conditions. Almost the entire territory remains deserted due to heavy snow cover and harsh climate. Rest in this place can be really harsh. You need to be ready for this. Therefore, tourists need determination in order to withstand all the trials that will lie in wait for them while traveling around the island.

Greenland is much larger than Denmark. The territory is about fifty times larger than this state. Self-government was introduced on the island six years ago. Denmark is engaged in the military defense of this territory and resolves all political issues. The island has its own judicial system, which is guided by local laws.

Climatic features of the island of Greenland

The climate in southern and northern Greenland is very different. This is due to the fact that its territory occupies a large area. The climate varies from arctic to subarctic. Surprising is the fact that during the summer, many areas of Greenland can warm up to 21 degrees Celsius. On average, the temperature here at this time of the year does not rise above 0 degrees Celsius. In winter, the temperature averages minus 27 degrees Celsius. It is not easy for people living in the coastal zone. This is due to the fact that very strong winds blow here.

It should be noted that the name of this island literally translates as the Green Country. This is surprising, because there are practically no green areas that would contribute to the development of agriculture.

What attracts tourists to Greenland?

Tourists love the nature of this island. There are amazingly beautiful places with original landscape features. In addition, such natural phenomena that are available here are not found anywhere else in the world. In summer, the local beauty of nature can be enjoyed even at night when the sun is shining. However, because of it, it is almost impossible to admire the northern lights. That is why the best time to observe the natural phenomenon is the middle of spring.

Population of Greenland

The original inhabitants of Greenland are the Eskimos. Their national language is Greenlandic. However, the local population also speaks Danish. In the northern regions, the Eskimos still build igloos to live in. The population is not engaged in agriculture. The main industries here are fishing and hunting. Salmon, cod and other fish products are exported.

Greenland is the largest island on the planet. Greenland - "Green Land", why is this island called that? After all, almost the entire island is covered with a layer of ice, in some places it reaches one kilometer. A huge icy desert, at the edges of which, in the coastal areas of the island, lush green vegetation is located. That's why it's called "Green Land".

Who owns the island of Greenland

Unlike Antarctica, whose lands are neutral, Greenland is an autonomy of Denmark. Until 1536, the island belonged to Norway. In 1979, the Danish Parliament granted him broad autonomy. Today, the island with the capital Nuuk is an autonomy within Denmark. Not a bad addition to Denmark, autonomy the size of half of Europe.

The population of the island is 58 thousand people. Of which about 90% live on the southwest coast. Here are the largest cities of Greenland: Nuuk - the capital, Qaqortoq, Sisimiut and Maniitsok. The city of Upernavik is the northernmost city of Greenland, the air temperature here in summer does not exceed 5 degrees.

The official languages ​​of Greenland are Greenlandic and Danish. Greenlandic is a language belonging to the Eskimo-Aleut group of languages. Many here also speak English.

The bowels of the island of Greenland store many minerals. This is oil, nickel, gold and so on, but the main mineral of the island is fresh water, which is stored in the ice of Greenland.

The nature of Greenland attracts the attention of thousands of tourists. This is an ideal place for lovers of active and extreme recreation. The harsh climate of the island requires physically prepared people, there is no place for frostbites here, because the temperature in the central and northeastern regions drops to 47 - 65 degrees below zero. Impressions after dog sledding through the icy desert can be very vivid. Harnessed, of course huskies.

The northern part is considered to be a very popular place on the island. Here you can see icebergs of various shapes and sizes.

Also, the northern part is famous for the fact that there is the Greenland National Park, but it is very difficult to get here because of the geographical location and because of the ban on staying here. The park is inhabited by such animals as musk ox, polar wolves, polar bears. Arctic plants are also very diverse. The special beauty of northern Greenland is the northern lights. This uniquely beautiful natural phenomenon will bring a lot of positive impressions.

The cuisine of Greenland is very peculiar. For many Europeans, it will even seem unsuitable. The traditional food of the Greenlanders is considered to be fresh meat of marine mammals, that is, not even cooked on fire, in an oven or oven, but taken from a literally living whale, walrus or seal. If you suddenly decide to go to Greenland, then you need to stock up on the products that are familiar to us.

Greenland is the largest island on earth. This amazing and unique place requires special attention from connoisseurs of pristine nature.

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