More than 2,000 islands are in the oceans and millions worldwide. Some islands are enormous, and some are very small. A few islands are huge, and some are countries like Australia. All these islands cover climate, temperature, size, and flora. So today, we will know which are the top 10 largest islands in the world.
10. Ellesmere Island
Nation: Canada
Area: 196,236 km2
Ellesmere Island is one of the most remote places on earth, unspoiled by civilization, with no roads connecting it to the rest of the world. There are no human communities, and the only way to get to Ellesmere Island is by flying into its tiny airstrip, which is notoriously tricky to navigate. It is home to numerous animals, including caribou, polar bears, and Arctic hares.
This island is located in the Canadian Arctic and is the third largest in Canada. It’s surrounded by water on three sides and is separated by Greenland and Devon Islands. The island is a breeding ground for millions of migratory birds each year.
Ellesmere Island is also home to several archaeological sites. In addition to being the third largest island in Canada, Ellesmere is also the largest island in the Queen Elizabeth Islands. Majestic mountains dominate its landscape and are one of the most mountainous regions of the Arctic archipelago.
9. Great Britain
Nation: United Kingdom
Area: 209,331 km2
The island of Great Britain is part of the Eurasian Plate, off the north-western coast of continental Europe. Its length is around ten degrees from north to south, and its landscape is dominated by low-rolling hills in the east and high mountains in the north. Great Britain was a peninsula in the past. Still, rising sea levels separated the country from continental Europe, creating the English Channel.
Great Britain is less dramatic than the other largest islands in the world. Still, it has a spectacular landscape, with rolling hills, craggy coastlines, and quaint villages where cream teas are the most popular. Great Britain is the largest island in the United Kingdom but not the most oversized island in the world. The last largest island in the world is Ellesmere Island, home to only 146 people. Ellesmere Island is part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain system. It is the most mountainous island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
Britain’s name, “Great Britain,” comes from the Latin word for Britain, Britannia. Romans used Britannia in ancient times to distinguish the island from Brittany, now part of France. Romano-Celtic troops first settled on the island of Brittany in late Roman times. Later, Anglo-Saxons colonized the area. The English court and aristocracy spoke French for two centuries. The Normans, a descendant of Vikings, occupied the site, demanding the land of Gaul in exchange for peace.
8. Victoria Island
Nation: Canada
Area: 217,291 km2
Victoria Island is Canada’s second-largest island, occupying a total area of 217,291 square kilometers. It’s also the eighth-largest island in the world, with about 1,875 people. Its climate is harsh, with snowfall throughout the winter and temperatures in the negatives during most of the year.
The Canadian Arctic archipelago comprises countless tiny islands, but Canada’s Victoria Island is one of the largest. It’s 320 miles long and ranges from 170-370 miles wide, making it one of the largest islands in the world. There are many things to see and do on Victoria Island, and it’s worth visiting.
It is also home to Victoria Island, the 8th largest island in the world. Its area is 217,291 square kilometers, named after Queen Victoria.
7. Honshu Island
Nation: Japan
Area: 225,800 km2
Honshu is the largest and most populated of the five main islands of Japan. It is lapped by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, covering over half of the country’s land area. It is home to several famous landmarks, including Mount Fuji, Tokyo Disneyland, and the ancient city of Kyoto.
Japan’s Honshu Island is the largest in the world. It is the birthplace of the Meiji Emperor and is home to some of Japan’s oldest cities and temples. The most famous attraction on Honshu is the Tunnunik impact crater, formed by a meteorite that impacted the island 350 million years ago.
Japan’s Honshu Island is mountainous, with numerous active volcanoes, including the world’s highest peak, Mt. Fuji. It is divided from the northernmost island of Hokkaido by the Tsugaru Strait. The largest city on Honshu is Sapporo, the island’s capital.
6. Sumatra
Nation: Indonesia
Area: 443,065 km2
The island of Kalimantan is the largest in Asia. It is split between the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei and has lush tropical forests. It is home to the endangered Bornean orangutan. The island has a rich biodiversity and some of the world’s oldest rainforests.
Sumatra, also known as Sumatra, is the sixth-largest island in the world and the second-largest in Indonesia. It covers an area of 473,481 square kilometers and is only slightly smaller than New Guinea. However, the island is home to some of the world’s most endangered species, including the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros.
The island is elongated between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is separated from the Malay Peninsula by the Strait of Malacca and from Java by the Sunda Strait. The northern tip of the island borders the Andaman Islands. The southeastern coastline features the islands of Bangka and Belitung. The southern coast has the Java Sea.
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5. Baffin Island
Nation: Canada
Area: 507,451 km2
Located near the Arctic Archipelago, Baffin Island has a climate typical of the far northern reaches of the world. The daily high temperatures hover between -20degC and -33degC, and the lowest temperatures at night are just above freezing. The island receives more rainfall in the summer than in the winter, although snow is unlikely to accumulate.
The island has about 13,000 people, with an estimated population of 7,500 people living in Iqaluit, its main settlement. Three-quarters of the residents are Inuit. Located between mainland Canada and Greenland, the island originated prehistoric ice sheets, with the last ice sheets receding approximately 1,500 years ago. Visitors can explore the island’s dramatic landmarks, including fjords and glaciers.
Baffin Island has a tundra climate and is home to several species of animals, including the polar bear, tundra wolf, and arctic fox. There are also Arctic wolves, which live year-round on the island, and saddle-backed seals, which migrate to Baffin Island in the summer.
4. Madagascar
Nation: Madagascar
Area: 587 041 km2
Madagascar is the world’s fourth-largest island, with over 21 million people. The island is separated from the African coast by the Mozambique Channel, a body of water approximately 250 miles (400 km) wide. The island is divided into three main zones: a central plateau, a coastal plain, and low plateaus and plains. The island is home to over 6,000 endemic plant species. The island is also home to over 5,000 species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Because of its isolation from the African continent, Madagascar has a unique ecosystem and a remarkably diverse animal and plant life. Ninety-five percent of the island’s reptiles, plants, and mammals are endemic to the island. This is one of the most unique islands in the world, and the diversity of life there is truly awe-inspiring.
The country’s political system is highly politicized, and the media are susceptible to influence by owners. Radio is the primary news source in Madagascar, and around 10% of the population has access to the Internet.
3. Borneo
Nation: Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia
Area: 748,168 km2
Borneo is the world’s third-largest island and home to many indigenous groups. This beautiful island borders the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea, and the Philippines. The island is covered with tropical forests with relatively high rainfall. People of Borneo live off the land and raise a variety of crops. They also harvest wild plants in the woods. The climate in Borneo is tropical, and the island is not very humid throughout the year. The dry season is between March and October. Visitors can enjoy activities like watersports or relax on the beach.
While most of the population lives along the coast, the interior of Borneo is home to indigenous farming groups known as Dayaks. These people have a long history on the island, dating back to the 14th century. Today, more than 50 ethnic groups make up the Dayaks. These people originally lived as hunter-gatherers and practiced animist rituals. After the Dutch colonists arrived, many converted to Christianity.
Borneo is home to more than 15,000 species of plants and animals. There are many more that have yet to be discovered. Since 1995, more than 400 species of animals have been identified in Borneo, with more than half being brand-new to science. One of these unknown mammals is called the Bornean red carnivore. It was first photographed in 2003 by a WWF camera trap.
2. New Guinea
Nation: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
Area: 785,753 km2
New Guinea is a tropical island that is located between Asia and Australia. The island combines rainforest and tropical lowlands, which provide an ecologically diverse landscape. The central highlands feature many forests, including beech, oak, and pine. The island has diverse wildlife, including endemic birds, reptiles, and plants. New Guinea is the world’s second-largest island in the Pacific Ocean.
Much of the island’s population is subsistence farmers and grows staples such as yams, taro, bananas, and sweet potatoes. Pig farming is also common; cash crops include rubber, coffee, palm oil, tea, and timber. Internal transportation is by secondary coastal roads and riverboats.
New Guinea is home to a diversity of cultures. Its indigenous Papuan people live in the southeastern and interior parts of the island. Their societies are marked by reciprocal gift-giving, strong leadership, and various languages. More than 850 languages are spoken in New Guinea.
1. Greenland
Nation: Greenland
Area: 2,130,800 km2
Greenland is an island six times bigger than Germany. Its length is 2,650 kilometers, and its width is about one thousand kilometers. It is located south of the Arctic Circle, with summer temperatures ranging from 0deg C to 15deg C. It is surrounded by a massive ice cap that holds 9% of the earth’s water. If the ice cap melted completely, the sea level would rise six to seven meters. The island’s inhabitants are primarily Inuit and Danish.
The first people to settle on Greenland arrived around 4,000-5,000 years ago. They traveled from North America via a narrow strait at Thule. They brought six different Inuit cultures with them, and today, most of the country’s population is descended from the Thule culture. Around the 1200s AD, the Norsemen, led by Erik the Red, arrived and settled in the South of Greenland.
Today, Greenland has changed dramatically, becoming a parliamentary democracy within Denmark. It achieved Home Rule in 1979 and Self Governance in 2009. Although it is not a member of the European Union, the country maintains close ties with the EU through its commonwealth with Denmark. Its parliament is composed of 31 members.
Hope you discovered the top 10 largest islands in the world. Have you ever been to these islands? Comment down below.
NOTE: The above list is subject to change in the future. We will update it accordingly.
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