It is the largest island in the country. What is the largest island in the world

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

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

Ellesmere is Canada's northernmost island and is one of the ten largest 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 in the Japanese archipelago and is the 8th largest island 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 the 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 to Southern Europe because of the glaciers that cover 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 off the east coast of 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 the isolated development of agriculture over 7-10 millennia and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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 the ice cover (84% of the surface) and adverse climatic conditions, most of the island is not inhabited. 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 the “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 the southwestern coast of the 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 the 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.

Tourists are offered to explore the local fjords and see how icebergs are “born” on passenger ships, and there are always kayaks for extreme seekers. Greenland offers year-round skiing, snowboarding, sledding and ice climbing. You can see the northern lights on the island. The best time for this is 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.

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.

The northern part is also 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.

If you have anything to add to what has been said, please leave your comments below.

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.

Every year new islands appear in the world, but the largest ones still remain in their places. Below is a list of the ten largest islands in the world by area.

Ellesmere - 196,236 km. sq.

Ellesmere is the northernmost Canadian island, with a total area of ​​196,236 km2. sq. It is the third largest island in Canada and the tenth largest in the world. Despite the vast territory, according to 2006 data, only 146 permanent residents live on the island, in three settlements - Gries Fjord, Alert and Eureka.

Victoria Island - 217,291 km. sq.

Victoria is the second largest island in Canada and the ninth in the world (according to various sources, it is the eighth or ninth). It is located in the Arctic Ocean and is located in the southwestern part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The island was named after Queen Victoria of England in 1839. It has a total population of 1707 people (2001).

Honshu - 227,970 km. sq.

Honshu is the largest island in Japan (approximately 60% of the entire country). Located south of Hokkaido. The population of Honshu in 2010 is about 100 million people, which makes it the second most populous island in the world (after the Indonesian island of Java).

Great Britain - 229,848 km. sq.

Great Britain is the largest of the British Isles, stretching northwest from mainland Europe. 95% of its entire territory is divided between England, Scotland and Wales, which are part of the United Kingdom. It has a population of about 63 million people and ranks third in the world in terms of population after the islands of Java and Honshu.

Sumatra - 480,848 km. sq.

Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world. It is wholly part of Indonesia. The number of inhabitants living on the island as of 2010 is more than 50 million people, which makes it the fourth island in the world in terms of population.

Baffin Island - 507,451 km. sq.

Baffin Island is an island that is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. It is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest in the world. It is home to a little over 11,000 people (as of 2007) in eight settlements, the largest of which is Iqaluit.

Madagascar - 587,713 km. sq.

Madagascar is a large island located in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa. Although Madagascar is not far from Africa, the flora and fauna of the island is unique - it contains 5% of all species of flora and fauna of the world, 80% of which exist only on this island.

Kalimantan (Borneo) - 748,168 km sq.

Kalimantan or Borneo is the third largest island in the world and the largest island in Asia. Located in the center of the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia. Divided between Indonesia (73%), Malaysia (26%) and Brunei (about 1%). The island has one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It has 19,800,000 inhabitants (as of 2010), most of whom live in coastal cities. The population density in Borneo is 26 people per square kilometer.

New Guinea - 785,753 sq. km.

New Guinea is the second largest island on earth, located in the western Pacific Ocean north of Australia. Divided approximately equally between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The current population of the island is about eleven million (2015). It has large natural reserves of oil, gold, copper and other ores.

Greenland - 2,130,800 sq. km.

Greenland is the largest island on earth. It is located in the northeast of North America and is washed by the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is part of Denmark as an autonomous unit. The population of the island as of July 2010 is 57,600 people.

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