10. Ellesmere Island, Canada, 196,236 square kilometers
With an area of 196,236 square kilometers, Ellesmere Island is the third largest island in Canada and the 10th largest island in the world. It is located in Nunavut, Canada. The entire island is dominated by majestic mountains and ice fields. It is the most mountainous region of the Arctic archipelago within the Canadian Range.
Interesting facts about Ellesmere Island
– a chain of sedimentary rocks located in the northern part of Ellesmere Island, which is over 100,000 years old.
Ellesmere Island contains remnants of the last ice age.
– At 2616 meters, Barbeau Peak is the highest point in the province of Nunavut.
– Arctic willow is the only tree species found on Ellesmere Island.
9. UK, UK, 209331 sq.
Great Britain is an island located in the northwest of the European continent. At 209,331 square kilometers, it is the largest island in Europe. Great Britain is part of the United Kingdom. It includes the autonomous regions of England, Scotland and Wales.
Interesting facts about Great Britain
– Great Britain is surrounded by 1000 islands and islets.
– Great Britain is the most densely populated region in Europe.
– Human habitation in Great Britain was started 500,000 years ago.
– The UK gets pleasant, mild temperatures throughout the year.
-London is the largest city in the UK.
8. Victoria Island, Canada, 217,291 sq.
Victoria Island is the second largest island in the Canadian Arctic archipelago. This island is 320 miles long, 350-387 miles wide, and has a total area of 217,291 square kilometers. At this size, Victoria Island is also the eighth largest island in the world. The island was discovered by Arctic explorer Thomas Simpson in 1838.
Interesting facts about the Victoria Islands
Victoria Island was named after Queen Victoria.
– As of 2006, only 1875 people live on this large island.
– The northwestern part of Victoria Island contains the 15 mile wide Tunnunik impact crater. It is said to have been formed 130 to 350 million years ago by a meteorite.
7. Honshu, Japan, 225,800 square kilometers
Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, Honshu is Japan’s largest island. Honshu Island has a lot of historical significance and is considered the mainland of Japan. This island is 800 miles long, 150 miles wide and 225,800 square kilometers in area. This is about 60% of the total size of Japan.
Interesting facts about the island of Honshu
Honshu Island is home to some important cities in Japan including Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Yokohama and Osaka.
Honshu is the second most populated island in the world after Java.
– The largest mountain in Japan, Mount Fuji, located on this island.
The island of Honshu is also home to Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa.
6. Sumatra, Indonesia, 480,848 square kilometers
Sumatra Island with an area of 480,848 sq. Km is the second largest island in Indonesia. It is also the westernmost island of the Indonesian archipelago. Sumatra is prone to powerful earthquakes and tsunamis. This is because this island is located in the subduction zone of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates. However, Sumatra is home to amazing wildlife and rich forests.
Interesting facts about the island of Sumatra
-Most of the island of Sumatra is covered with tropical forests. Unfortunately, due to resettlement and oil extraction, the island lost almost 50% of its forest between 1985 and 2007.
Several endangered species live on the island of Sumatra, including the Sumatran tiger, Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran rhinoceros and Sumatran ground cuckoo.
-Rafflesia arnodii, one of the world’s most terrifying-smelling flowers, is endemic to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo.
The island of Sumatra contains large reserves of gold and silver.
-Some of the best oil refineries and coal fields are also located on the island of Sumatra.
5. Baffin Island, Canada, 507,451 sq.
Baffin Island, located in Nunavut, is Canada’s largest island. The area of Baffin Island is almost 507,451 sq. This island in the Arctic archipelago gets very cold weather with an average annual temperature of -8 degrees Celsius. There are also many fjords and freshwater lakes.
Interesting facts about Baffin Island
– Baffin Island is named after the British explorer William Baffin.
-You can see stunning displays of the Northern Lights as most of Baffin Island lies north of the Arctic Circle.
– A large number of mammals, including polar bears, arctic wolves and lemmings, live on Baffin Island.
There are two national parks on Baffin Island – Sirmilik and Auyuittuq. These national parks are home to spectacular glaciers, majestic fjords and snowfields.
4. Madagascar, Republic of Madagascar, 587,713 square kilometers
Madagascar is an island country located on the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. With a total area of 587,713 square kilometers, it is the fourth largest island in the world. The island of Madagascar was created about 88 million years ago as a result of its separation from the Indian subcontinent. This island is home to many unique plant and animal species. Thus, Madagascar is also referred to as the “eighth continent” or “alternative world”.
Interesting facts about the island of Madagascar
– Madagascar is home to 250,000 animal species. 70% of them are not found anywhere in the world.
There are 14,000 different plant species on the island of Madagascar, and 90% of them are endemic to the island.
Ring-tailed lemurs are found only in the forests of the island of Madagascar.
– The Toliara coral reef in the southwest of Madagascar is the third largest coral system in the world.
3. Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, 748,168 sq.
The island of Borneo, located in the western Pacific Ocean, is the only island in the world that is governed by three countries – Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The main parts of the island of Borneo are Indonesian territory. Borneo occupies 748,168 sq. km and is the third largest island in the world. It is almost twice the size of Germany.
Interesting facts about the island of Borneo
– The rainforests of Borneo are over 130 million years old. This is the oldest tropical forest in the world.
These forests are also home to 15,000 plant species, 221 mammal species and 420 bird species.
-Mount Kimabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, is located on the island of Borneo.
The endangered Bornean Orangutan and Dayak fruit bats are found only in the forests of Borneo.
2. New Guinea, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, 785-753 square kilometers
The island of New Guinea in the Western Pacific Ocean is the second largest island in the world. This island is 1500 miles long, 400 miles wide and has a total area of 785-753 square kilometers. The island of New Guinea is administered by two countries: from the western side to Indonesia and from the eastern side to Papua New Guinea.
Interesting facts about New Guinea
The island of New Guinea is dominated by high mountains. At 16,503 feet, Jaya Peak is the highest point on the island of New Guinea.
Humans settled on the island of New Guinea over 40,000 years ago.
– There are large deposits of copper and gold in New Guinea.
-Most species of the beautiful bird of paradise are found in New Guinea.
1. Greenland, 2,130,800 sq.
With a total area of 2,130,800 square kilometers, Greenland is the largest island in the world. It is located between the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Greenland is an independent territory of Denmark. Over 80% of Greenland’s land is covered by ice caps and glaciers. Thus, this large island has a population of only 57,600 people.
Interesting facts about Greenland
-Greenland is an island, not a continent. Because only 57,600 people live in its vast territory of 2,130,800 square kilometers.
-Greenland is home to the second largest ice sheet in the world just behind Antarctica.
– The Ilulissat Ice Fjord in Greenland is the largest glacier outside the polar region.
– Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest and northernmost national park in the world.
– There are no roads connecting the cities of Greenland.
Sea fishing, whaling and fishing are the main source of income for the people of Greenland.
After thoughts
Australia is almost three times the size of Greenland. But instead of an island, Australia is considered a continent. Thus, Greenland is the largest island in the world. Now share your thoughts and details about the big islands in the comment section below.