
10 Largest Island Countries In The World
Rank | Country | Area (km 2) | Area (miles 2) |
1 | Indonesia | 1,904,569 | 735,358 |
2 | Madagascar | 587,041 | 226,658 |
3 | Papua New Guinea | 462,840 | 178,704 |
4 | Japan | 377,915 | 145,913 |
Country | Capital City | Area (km²) |
---|---|---|
Madagascar | Antananarivo | 587,041 |
Sri Lanka | Colombo | 65,610 |
Cuba | Havana | 109,886 |
Haiti | Port-au-Prince | 27,750 |
What country is composed of islands?
The largest island on earth is Greenland, but there are countries made up mostly, or entirely, of archipelagos—chains, clusters, or collections of islands. In some cases, like Norway and Sweden, these amount to more than 200,000 islands within the countries' borders. 1. Sweden - 267,570 Hunnebostrand, Sweden. Image credit: excalibur68/Shutterstock
What country is also an island?
The United Kingdom is also an island country comprising of the Great Britain island, part of the island of Ireland, and some other smaller islands located off the European mainland’s north-western coast. With the exception of the land border that is shared between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the UK is surrounded on all other sides by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
What country has the largest group of islands?
- Greenland is the world’s largest island.
- Three of the world’s 10 largest islands are located in northern Canada.
- New Guinea is a transcontinental island as it transcends both Asia and Oceania.
- Honshu, Japan’s main island, is the second most populated island in the world.
- Great Britain is the largest island in Europe.
Which country have many islands?
Many island countries are spread over an archipelago, as is the case with the Federated States of Micronesia and Indonesia (both of which consist of thousands of islands). Others consist of a single island, such as Barbados or Singapore , or part of an island, such as the Dominican Republic or Brunei .

Which country is known as country of islands?
Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia. It is called the land of thousand islands because it consists of over seventeen thousand islands.
Which is the largest island country?
The Largest Islands in the WorldGreenland (836,330 sq miles/2,166,086 sq km) ... New Guinea (317,150 sq miles/821,400 sq km) ... Borneo (288,869 sq miles/748,168 sq km) ... Madagascar (226,756 sq miles/587,295 sq km) ... Baffin (195,928 sq miles/507,451 sq km) ... Sumatra (171,069 sq miles/443,066 sq km)More items...
How many countries are in island?
There are 47 island countries in the world. Many island countries are small and sparsely populated, but some are large and rank among the world's most populous countries. There are island countries in every part of the world, in each of the world's oceans.
What is the smallest island country?
NauruAn area of just 21 km² makes Nauru to the world's smallest island nation. The island has a population of 10,000 people. Nauru has no official capital, the Government offices are in Yaren District.
How many islands are in India?
This is a partial list of islands of India. There are a total of 1,382 islands (including uninhabited ones) in India.
Is Japan an island country?
Japan, island country lying off the east coast of Asia. It consists of a great string of islands in a northeast-southwest arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 km) through the western North Pacific Ocean.
Is island a country?
An island country is a country that is made up of one or more islands, or land that is surrounded completely by water. Island nations are very unique because of their locations....Island Countries 2022.Country2022 PopulationMarshall Islands60,057Dominica72,344Seychelles99,426Antigua And Barbuda99,50944 more rows
Is Australia an island country?
According to Britannica, an island is a mass of land that is both “entirely surrounded by water” and also “smaller than a continent.” By that definition, Australia can't be an island because it's already a continent.
How many islands are there in the world?
There are 47 island countries in the world. Many island countries are small and sparsely populated, but some are large and rank among the world's most populous countries. There are island countries in every part of the world, in each of the world's oceans. Indonesia is the largest and most populous island country in the world.
How many islands are there in the Pacific Ocean?
Island Countries Of The Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is home to 23 island countries. These include large island countries, like Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as small countries located in Oceania. Japan.
How many people live in Japan?
Japan is the lone island country in East Asia. It has a population of roughly 126 million people, making it the second most populous island country on Earth after Indonesia. The Japanese archipelago contains 6,852 islands, the largest of which are Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa.
How many countries are there in the Atlantic Ocean?
The Atlantic Ocean includes 18 island countries. Only 3 of these countries, however, are in the Atlantic Ocean itself. These are Iceland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The other countries are situated in the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. There are 13 island countries in the Caribbean and 2 in the Mediterranean.
What is the most telling evidence of what kind of influence an island country can have on the world?
The most telling evidence of what kind of influence an island country can have on the world, however, is probably the English language , which is now sometimes known as the universal language, since it is the most popular vernacular of international communication.
Which Caribbean island is the second largest?
Haiti and the Dominican Republic to its east share the island of Hispaniola, the second largest island in the Caribbean Sea. Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago are the only Caribbean island countries with populations in the millions.
Which country has the least population in the South Pacific?
Fiji is the most populous with approximately 902,000 people. The least populous of the tiny island countries is Nauru, which has less than 11,000 inhabitants. Jason Shvili May 28 2021 in Geography.
What is an island country?
An island country or an island nation is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. As of 1996, 25.2% of all independent countries were island countries. Island nations, because of their geography, tend to be significantly more vulnerable to climate change than other nations, ...
Which countries are island countries?
Some island countries are centred on one or two major islands, such as the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand, Cuba, Bahrain, Singapore, Iceland, Malta, and Taiwan.
What is Wikipedia article?
This article is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic . Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style. (December 2019) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Why are island countries more susceptible to attack?
Island countries are more susceptible to attack by large, continental countries due to their size and dependence on sea and air lines of communication. Many island countries are also vulnerable to predation by mercenaries and other foreign invaders, although their isolation also makes them a difficult target.
Which countries share islands?
Some island countries share one or more of their islands with other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland; Haiti and the Dominican Republic; and Indonesia, which shares islands with Papua New Guinea, Brunei, East Timor, and Malaysia.
Which is the largest island nation in the Caribbean Sea?
The percentage of island countries that are democratic is higher than that of continental countries. Cuba is the largest island nation in the Caribbean Sea and in the Antilles.
Is Australia an island?
Geographically, the country of Australia is considered a continental landmass rather than an island, covering the largest landmass of the Australian continent. In the past, however, it was considered an island country for tourism purposes (among others) and is sometimes referred to as such.
What is an island?
Everybody knows what an island is, a piece of land entirely surrounded by water, it should be smaller than a continent, otherwise it would be a continent.
Which country occupies the most of Ireland?
4,635,000. 70,273. Ireland occupies most of the island of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea from the island of Great Britain in the north Atlantic Ocean. One main island, the northern part is occupied by Northern Ireland, a province of the United Kingdom.
How many islands are there in Vietnam?
Archipelago east of Vietnam, between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. More than 7,000 islands, divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
What is the largest island in PNG?
Papua New Guinea comprises of the eastern half of New Guinea and several offshore islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Largest islands of PNG besides New Guinea island are New Ireland, New Britain, Manus and Bougainville.
What is the name of the archipelago between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean?
Island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan in Northeast Asia. Four main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu (the "Home Islands") - and 6,848 smaller islands and islets.
Where is the Bikini Atoll?
Internationally probably best known is the Bikini Atoll, where the United States detonated 23 nuclear devices between 1946 and 1958 that left the island contaminated with radioactivity and uninhabitable. Micronesian island country in the southern Philippine Sea (Pacific Ocean), east of Mindanao (Philippines).
Which Caribbean island is Haiti?
Haiti occupies the western portion of Hispaniola island. One of the two countries occupying the island of Hispaniola. Hispaniola is one of the Greater Antilles islands, it is the second largest island in the Caribbean after Cuba. One of the two countries occupying the island of Hispaniola.
Where is the main island of Iceland?
The main island is located to the south of the Arctic Circle, which touches the small island of Grimsey. Iceland is Europe’s second-largest island and comprises the main island and at least 30 smaller islands. Iceland (main island) is the world’s 18th largest island, occupying 101,826 km 2.
Which is the second largest island in the world?
New Guinea is the world’s second-largest island, occupying 785,753 km 2. Indonesia claims the island’s western half, leaving Papua New Guinea with just about 365,213 km 2. Including the other smaller islands, Papua New Guinea covers about 462,840 km 2.
What are the two main islands of Cuba?
The country comprises two main islands, Cuba and Isla de la Juventud, and several other smaller islands. It occupies about 110,861 km 2, of which 104,556 km 2 are occupied by the island of Cuba (the world’s 17th largest island). 10. Iceland - 103,000 km2 (39,769 miles2) Map of Iceland.
How many islands are there in Malaysia?
Malaysia comprises over 20,000 islands including rocks, sandbanks, and islets, occupying about 329,847 km 2 total. It shares the island of Borneo (the world’s third-largest island) with Brunei and Indonesia, claiming about 26% of the island’s western portion.
How big is Indonesia?
Indonesia - 1,904,569 km2 (735,358 miles2) Map of Indonesia. Indonesia is the world’s 14th largest country by land area, covering about 1.9 million km 2. It is the largest island country by land area and straddles Southeastern Asia and Oceania.
How is Great Britain separated from Europe?
The island is separated from mainland Europe by the English Channel and the North Sea. Three constituent countries share the island of Great Britain: England (130,279 km 2 ), Wales (20,779 km 2 ), and Scotland (77,933 km 2 ). Great Britain is bordered to the west by Ireland, Europe’s third-largest island.
Where is Madagascar located?
Map of Madagascar. Madagascar is an island country off the East African coast. It consists of Madagascar, the main island and the world’s fourth-largest island and other small islands. It is the world's second-largest island country, occupying 587,041 km 2, with the main island taking up 587,040 km 2.
Which island nation has the largest population?
Most island nations have very small populations, although there are some exceptions, such as Japan. There are many island nations around the world. The largest by population is Indonesia , which has a population of over 255 million people.
Why are island nations so unique?
Island nations are very unique because of their locations. The main supply of food is fish, and these countries rely heavily on imports from continental nations. The economies of island nations are also different.
Which country has the second largest island?
The second largest island country in the world is Japan, which has a population of over 127 million. There is one additional island country with a population exceeding 100 million, and that nation is the Philippines.

Contents
Island Countries of The Atlantic Ocean
- The Atlantic Ocean includes 18 island countries. Only 3 of these countries, however, are in the Atlantic Ocean itself. These are Iceland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The other countries are situated in the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. There are 13 island countries in the Caribbean and 2 in the Mediterranean. 1. The Atlantic Ocean Proper 2. The Caribbean 3. The Me…
Island Countries of The Indian Ocean
- The Indian Ocean contains 6 island countries: The Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Madagascar, located off the west coast of Southern Africa, across the Mozambique Channel, is the largest and most populous island country in the Indian Ocean, as it has a population of more than 28.4 million people, and a total land area of 581,795 sq. km. Th…
Island Countries of The Pacific Ocean
- The Pacific Ocean is home to 23 island countries. These include large island countries, like Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as small countries located in Oceania. 1. Japan 2. Southeast Asia 3. Oceania
Overview
An island country, island state or an island nation is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. Approximately 25% of all independent countries are island countries.
Politics
Historically, island countries have been less prone to political instability than their continental counterparts. The percentage of island countries that are democratic is higher than that of continental countries.
War
Island countries have often been the basis of maritime conquest and historical rivalry between other countries. Island countries are more susceptible to attack by large, continental countries due to their size and dependence on sea and air lines of communication. Many island countries are also vulnerable to predation by mercenaries and other foreign invaders, although their isolation also makes them a difficult target.
Natural resources
Many developing small island countries rely heavily on fish for their main supply of food. Some are turning to renewable energy—such as wind power, hydropower, geothermal power and biodiesel from copra oil—to defend against potential rises in oil prices.
Geography
Some island countries are more affected than other countries by climate change, which produces problems such as reduced land use, water scarcity, and sometimes even resettlement issues. Some low-lying island countries are slowly being submerged by the rising water levels of the Pacific Ocean. Climate change also impacts island countries by causing natural disasters such as tropical cyc…
Economics
Many island countries rely heavily on imports and are greatly affected by changes in the global economy. Due to the nature of island countries their economies are often characterised by being smaller, relatively isolated from world trade and economy, more vulnerable to shipping costs, and more likely to suffer environmental damage to infrastructure; exceptions include Japan, Tai…
Composition
Island countries are typically small with low populations, although some, like Indonesia and Japan are notable exceptions.
Some island countries are centred on one or two major islands, such as the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand, Cuba, Bahrain, Singapore, Iceland, Malta, and Taiwan. Others are spread out over hundreds or thousands of smaller islands, such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Th…
See also
• Archipelagic state
• Effects of climate change on island nations
• Landlocked country
• List of Caribbean island countries by population