The island is a piece of land separated from other continents. On planet Earth, there are more than half a million such land plots. And some may disappear, others may appear. So the youngest island appeared in 1992 due to volcanic discharge. But some of them are striking in their scale. In rating the largest islands of the world 10 most impressive positions by area are presented.
10. Ellesmere | 196 thousand sq. Km
Opens the top ten the largest islands of the planet Ellesmere. 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 land area is located north of all Canadian islands. Due to harsh climatic conditions, it is not very populated by people (the average number of inhabitants is 200 people), but it is of great value to archaeologists, since the remains of ancient animals are constantly found there. The land has remained ice bound since the ice age.
9. Victoria | 217 thousand sq. Km
Ninth place among the largest islands on earth takesVictoria. Like Ellesmere, Victoria belongs to the Canadian islands. 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 many fresh water lakes. The surface of the entire island has virtually no elevations. And only two settlements are located on its territory. The population density is very low, as a little more than 1700 people live in this zone.
8. Honshu | 28 thousand sq. Km
Eighth in the ranking the largest islands settled downHonshurelating to the Japanese archipelago. It covers an area of 228 thousand square kilometers. The largest Japanese cities are located on this island, including the capital of the state. The highest mountain, which is a symbol of the country - Fuji is also located on Honshu. The island is covered with mountains and there are many volcanoes, 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.
7. United Kingdom | 230 thousand sq. Km
Great Britainranked seventh on the list the largest islands in the worldIt is also the largest among the British Isles and in Europe as a whole. Its territory occupies 230 thousand square kilometers, on which 63 million people live. Great Britain owns the bulk of the United Kingdom. The high population puts Britain in third place in the world among the islands in terms of population. And this is the most densely populated area in Europe. Located on the island and the capital of the Kingdom - London. The climate is more moderate than on other lands in this natural zone. This is due to the warm Gulf Stream.
6. Sumatra | 43 thousand sq. Km
Sumatra settled in the sixth position of the rating the largest islands of the planet. 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 square kilometers, on which more than 50 million people live. The island belongs to Indonesia and is included in the Malay archipelago. Sumatra is buried in tropical vegetation and washed by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. It is located in the area of frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. Sumatra has large deposits of precious metals.
5. Baffin's Land | 500 thousand sq. Km
Opens the top five largest islands Baffin Land. This is the largest island in Canada, the territory of which exceeds 500 thousand square kilometers. It is covered with numerous lakes, but only half inhabited by people. The size 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 around -8 degrees. Here the weather is dictated by the waters of the Arctic Ocean. Baffin's Land is cut off from the mainland. To get to the island is possible only by air.
4. Madagascar | 587 thousand sq. Km
Next on the list most impressive islands in terms of area scale - Madagascar. The island is located east of Africa, once it was part of the Hindustan Peninsula. The Mozambique Channel shares them with the mainland. The area of the site and the state of the same name Madagascar is more than 587 thousand square kilometers. with a population of 20 million. Locals call Madagascar a red island (such is the color on the island soil) and wild boar (due to the large population of wild boars). More than half of the animals living in Madagascar cannot be found on the mainland, and 90% of the plants are represented only in this geographical area.
3. Kalimantan | 748 thousand sq. Km
Third level of rating the largest islands of the world busyKalimantan with an area of 748 thousand square kilometers and with 16 million inhabitants. This island has another common name - Borneo. Kalimantan occupies the center of the Malay archipelago and immediately belongs to three states: Indonesia (most), Malaysia and Brunei. Borneo is washed by four seas and covered with dense tropical forests, which are considered the oldest in the world. Borneo attraction is the highest point of Southeast Asia - Mount Kinabalu with a height of 4 thousand meters. The island is rich in natural resources, in particular diamonds, which gave it a name. Kalimantan in the local language means a diamond river.
2. New Guinea | 786 thousand sq. Km
New Guinea - second place on the list the largest islands in the world. 786 thousand sq. Km. located in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and Asia. Scientists believe that once the island was one part with 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 local Aborigines. In New Guinea, there are still places where no one has been. This place attracts researchers of flora and fauna, since they can meet rare species of animals and plants here.
1. Greenland | 2130 thousand sq. Km
The largest island in the world in size - Greenland. Its area exceeds the area of many European countries and amounts to 2130 thousand square kilometers. Greenland is part of Denmark, and several dozen times more than the mainland of this state. The green country, as this island is also called, is washed by the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Due to weather conditions, most of it is not populated (about 57 thousand people live), and is covered with ice. The glaciers are concentrated huge reserves of fresh water. By the number of glaciers, it is second only to Antarctica. Greenland National Park is considered the northernmost and largest in the world.