An island or isle is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water. Very small islands are called islets. It is also proper to call an emergent land feature on an atoll an islet , since an atoll is a type of island, although this convention is seldom adhered to. A key or cay is another name for a relatively small island or islet. The word island derives ultimately from the Old English word igland . It was originally spelled phonetically: iland . The letter "s" was added out of a mistaken belief that the word derived from isle (< Old French Latin insula ) + land , although no such etymological relationship existed.
There are three main types of islands: continental islands, river islands, and volcanic islands. There are also human-made or artificial islands. A grouping of related islands is called an archipelago.
Continental islands are bodies of land that lie upon the continental shelf of a continent. Examples include Greenland and Sable Island off North America, Barbados and Trinidad off South America, Sicily off Europe, Sumatra and Java off Asia, New Guinea and Tasmania off Australia.
A special type of continental island is the microcontinental island , which results when a continent is rifted . The best example is Madagascar off Africa. The Kerguelen Islands and some of the Seychelles are also examples.
Another subtype is the barrier island: an accumulation of sand on the continental shelf.
River islands occur in river deltas and in large rivers. They are caused by deposition of sediment at points in the flow where the current loses some of its carrying capacity. In essence, they are river bars, isolated in the stream. While some are ephemeral, and may disappear if the river's water volume or speed changes, others are stable and long-lived.
Volcanic islands are built by volcanoes. Mid-ocean examples are not part of any continent. One type of volcanic island is found in a volcanic island arc . These islands arise from volcanoes where the subduction of one plate under another is occurring. Examples include the Mariana Islands, the Aleutian Islands, Republic of Mauritius and most of Tonga in the Pacific Ocean. Some of the Lesser Antilles and the South Sandwich Islands are the only Atlantic Ocean examples.
Another type of volcanic island occurs where an oceanic rift reaches the surface. There are two examples: Iceland , which is the world's largest volcanic island, and Jan Maye—both are in the Atlantic.
A third type of volcanic island are those formed over volcanic hotspots. A hotspot is more or less stationary relative to the moving tectonic plate above it, so a chain of islands results as the plate drifts. Over long periods of time, this type of island is eventually eroded down and "drowned" by isostatic adjustment, becoming a seamount. Plate movement across a hot-spot produces a line of islands oriented in the direction of the plate movement. An example is the Hawaiian Islands, from Hawaii to Kure, which then extends beneath the sea surface in a more northerly direction as the Emperor Seamounts . Another chain with similar orientation is the Tuamotu Archipelago; its older, northerly trend is the Line Islands. The southernmost chain is the Austral Islands, with its northerly trending part the atolls in the nation of Tuvalu. Tristan da Cunha is an example of a hotspot volcano in the Atlantic Ocean. Another hot spot in the Atlantic is the island of Surtsey , which was formed in 1963.
An atoll is an island formed from a coral reef that has grown on an eroded and submerged volcanic island. The reef rises to the surface of the water and forms a new island. Atolls are typically ring-shaped with a central lagoon . Examples include the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Line Islands in the Pacific.
There is no standard of size which distinguishes islands from islets and continents. Many elementary school children, when first learning geographical terms such as these, correctly point out that all continents are surrounded by water too, and are thus technically islands themselves. As such, the largest island in the world is actually the super-continent of Africa-Eurasia.
Also, when defining islands as pieces of land that are completely surrounded by water, narrow bodies of water like rivers and canals are generally left out of consideration. For instance, in France the Canal du Midi connects the Garonne river to the Mediterranean Sea, thereby completing a continuous water connection from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. So technically, the land mass that includes the Iberian peninsula and the part of France that is south of the Garonne river and the Canal du Midi is completely surrounded by water. However, generally cases such as these are not considered islands. Other examples of such coast-to-coast watersystems that are not considered to cut a land mass in two are the Caledonian and Forth and Clyde canals in Scotland and the Volga-Baltic Waterway in Russia.
This also helps explain why Africa-Eurasia can be seen as one continuous landmass (and thus technically the biggest island): generally the Suez Canal (yet another example of a coast-to-coast water system) is not seen as something that divides the land mass in two.
When traveling to the islands, don't forget to sport
a pair of SeaSpecs! They help block out harmful UVA and UVB rays that can
harm your eyes and reduce tons of glare off of that crystal blue water
you'll be surfing or swimming in!
A list of Islands by name is set forth below:
A
A Nova Island, Abruka, Achill Island, Achillbeg, Adelsö, Adhelfopoulo, Æbelø, Aegina, Aegna, Ærø, Agathonisi, Agerø, Agersø, Agios Efstratios, Agios Georgios Island, Agolada Island, Agunijima, Ahtra, Akajima, Akusekijima, Aksi, Åland Islands, Albatross Island, Alcatraz Island, Alcsi-sziget, Alderney, Alegranza, Alejandro Selkirk, Allu Island, Almourol Island, Alnön, Alonissos ,Als, Alumine Vaika, Amager, Amami ?shima, Ameland, American Samoa, Ammerön, Amores Island, Amorgos , Amoroso Island, Amrum, Amsterdam Island, Anafi, Andorja, Andøy, Andros, Andros, Angoche Island, Anglesey, Anholt, Annobon , Antarctica , Antigua, Antikythera, Antiparos, Antipsara, Anuta, Anydro, Aragusuku, Aranysziget, Ardy More, Ariana Island, Arkoi, Armona Island, Arnøy, Årø, Arøya, Arran, Arranmore, Aran Islands, Aruba, Ascension Island, Ascrib , Asinara , Askø , Astakida , Astipálaia , Attavyros , Aughinish , Auhah , Australia
Austvågøy, Avernakø, Averøy , Avsa , Azenha Brava Island
B
Bacelos Island, Bacelos Pequena Island, Bågø, Bajuni Islands, Baleal Island, Bali, Baltrum, Banana Islands, Barbados, Barentsøya, Barnes Island, Barra, Barreta Island, Barro Island, Batz , Bazaruto Archipelago, Belene Island , Belle Île, Benbecula, Bere Island, Bergeggi, Berlenga Grande Island, Bermuda, Bijagos Archipelago, Bioko, Bird Island, Birkholm, Björkö, Bjørnø, Bjørnøya, Black Rock Island, Blakely Island, Bleanish Island, Blind Island, Boega Island, Bogø, Bømlo, Borðoy, Borkum, Borneo, Bornholm, Bouvetoya , Bowen Island, Bozcaada, Bra?, Brandsø, Brecqhou, Bréhat, Bremangerland, Brijuni, Brown Island, Bubiyan Island, Buchhorst, Buck Island, Bugio Island (Estremadura), Bugio Island, Buláti-sziget, Bull Island, Bulla Island, Bunce Island, Burano, Burgazada, Burhou, Büyükada
C
Cabanas Island, Cabrera, Cacela da Abóbora Island, Cacela Island, Calf of Man, Cambalhão island, Cancun, Canna, Canon Rock, Capraia, Caprera, Capri, Car Island, Cara, Carmona Island, Cascalheira Island, Catalina Island, Cayman Brac, Cebu, Center Island, Cezi Island, Chafarinas, Changbai Island, Changzhi Island, Chausey, Chergui Island, Che?minek, Chiloane Island, Chiloe, Chios, Chizumulu, Chrysi, ?iovo, Clare Island, Clark Island, Clear Island, Cleenishmeen Island, Cobra Island, Coco Island, Coll, Collanmore Island, Colonsay, Cominetto, Comino, Conejera, Cook Islands, Corfu, Corisco, Corratistune, Corsica, Cortes Island, Corvo Island, Coughran's Island, Crane Island, Cres, Crete, Crevinishaughy Island, Crozier Island, Cruninish Island, Cseke-sziget, Csepel-sziget, Cuba, Culatra Island, Cypress Island, Cyprus Island
D
Dahlak Archipelago, Dahlak Kebir, Daishan Island, Dakhin Shahbazpur, Dalkey Island, Dänholm, Danna, Dassen Island, Debre Sina, Decatur Island, Dehalak Deset, Dek Island, Delos, Denman Island, Dernish Island, Derryinch, Deserta Grande Island, Devenish, Dia, Dinas Island, Djerba, Domariba-sziget, Dønna, Donoussa, Dordrecht, Dragonera, Drejø, Drvenik, Dugi otok, Dunasziget, Dursey Island,
E
Easdale, Easter Island, Edgeøya, Egholm,Eigg, Ekerö och Munsö, Ekinlik,El Hierro, Elba, Eliza Island, Elobey, Emae, Endelave, Ermal Island, Ertholmene, Ertvågøy, Estrada Island, Euboea, Eysturoy,
F
Fænø, Faial Island, Failaka Island, False Plum Pudding Island, Falster, Fanø, Farkas-sziget, Faro Island, Fårö, Faroe Islands, Fastnet Rock, Fatuma, Favignana, Fehmarn, Fejø, Fels&*337;zátonyi-sziget, Femø, Fernando de Noronha, Ferny Island, Filfla, Fjandø, Flakstadøya, Flattop Island, Flores Island, Flores, Fodu Island, Föhr, Folegandros, Fora Island, Formentera, Formoza, Fota Island, Fournoi, Frøya, Franklin Island, Freixial Island, French Polynesia, Frösön, Fuerteventura, Fugloy, Fur,
G
Gabriola Island, Gaga Island, Gaivota Island, Galapagos Islands, Galiano Island, Galila, Gall Island, Gallinara, Galveston Island, Gavdos, Geada Island , Geronisos Island, Gerumajima, G?sia K?pa , Giannutri , Gigha, Giglio, Gimsøya, Gioura, Giudecca, Glénan islands, Glykiotissa Island,Go at Island, Gödi-sziget, Goeree-Overflakkee, South Holland, Gokceada, Goli otok, Gomera, La, Goose Island, Goree, Gotland, Gotska Sandön, Gozo, Graciosa Island, Graciosa, Gramatal Island, Gran Canaria, Granary Island , Grand Cayman, Gräsö, Gravelly Island, Great Blasket Island, Great Britain, Great Island, Greater Mount Changtu, Greater Mount Yang, Greenisland, Greenland, Greifswalder Oie, Grimsey, Gröde-Appelland, Groix, Guemes Island, Guernsey, Gurskøy, Gyaros
H
Hadseløya, Hailuoto, Hainan, Hajógyári-sziget, Haldi, Halib, Halifax Island, Hallig Habel, Hamburger Hallig, Hans Island, Hara Island, Hareidland, Harmil, Harris, Hateruma, Hatoma, Hatteras Island, Hawai‘i, Heimaey, Helgö, Helgoland, Helnæs, Henry Island, Herm, Hertsön, Hesselø, Heybeliada, Hiddensee, Hiiumaa, Hinnøya, Hisingen, Hispaniola, Hitra, Hjortø, Hobulaid, Hoëdic, Hoeksche Waard, Hokkaido, Hong Kong Island, Honshu, Hooge, Hopen, Hornby Island, Horse Island, Houat, Howakil Islands, Howakil, Hvar, Hven, Hydra,
I
Ibestadøya, Ibiza, Iceland Island, Idanha Island, Iejima, Iheyajima, IJsselmonde, Ikaria, Ikema, Île de Noirmoutier, Île de Ré, Île d'Ouessant, Île d'Yeu, Île-aux Moines, Île-d'Aix, Île-d'Arz, Lérins, Iles de Madeleines, Îles d'Hyères, Ilha de Marajó, Ilha Grande, Ilhas Cagarras, Ingarö, Inhaca Island, Inish Beg, Inish Conra, Inish Davar, Inish Divann, Inish Doney, Inish Free, Inish Lougher, Inish More, Inishbiggle, Inishbofin, Inishbofin, Inishcorkish, Inisheer, Inishkea North, Inishkea South, Inishleague, Inishlirroo, Inishlught, Inishmaan, Inishmacsaint, Inishmakill, Inishmore, Inishshark, Inishturk, Innisfallen Island, Insua Island, Iona, Ios, Irabu, Irakleia, Ireland, Ireland's Eye, Iriomote, Ischia, Ishigaki, Alborán, Island of Montreal, Islandmagee, Islands of St. Paul, Islas Cíes, Islay, Isle of Man, Isle of Whithorn, Isle of Wight, Isola di San Michele, Ist, Ithaki, I?, Izenajima,
J
Jamaica, Jan Mayen, Java, Jegindø, Jersey, Jethou, Jintang Island, Johns Island, Juan Fernández, Juist, Jura, Jüri, Juromenha island,
K
Kääriku, Kabüse, Kachelotplate, Kácsa-sziget, Kakeromajima, Kakrasaar, Kálimnos, Kållandsö, Kalsoy, Kamenka, Kapingamarangi, Kapussaar, Karmøy, Kárpathos, Karsibór, Kásos, Kastellórizo, Kati&*269;, Kauai, Kea, Kefalonia, Kelleys Island, Kelly's Island, Keri Island, Kerkenna Islands, Keros, Kerrera, Keskmine Vaika, Kessulaid, Key West, Khalki, Kihnu, Kikaigashima, Kila Island, Killygowan Island, Kimolos, Kinali, Kinaros, King's Island, Kinnausy Island, Kis-Tisza-sziget, Kita dait?, Kita Kojima, Kithnos, Kleides Islands, Klippa, Kloostrisaar, Kodakarajima, Kohama, K&*337;hidi-sziget, Kõinastu laid, Koipsi Island, Kolmenasva, Kolo?ep, Kolomtsõ, Koltur, Ko?ski Smug, Koppos Island, Kor?ula, Kordylia Islands, Kõrksaar, Kornati, Korom-sziget, Kós, Koufonisi, Kozloduy Island, Krassi, Kräsuli, Kreenholmi, Krk, Kuba-jima, Kubbar Island, Kuchinoerabushima, Kuchinoshima, Kumari Island, Kumbli, Kumejima, Kunoy, Kuper Island, Kurima, Kuroshima, Kvaløya, Kvitøya, Kyra Panagia, Kythira, Kyushu
L
Læsø, Lahesaar, Laidu, Lambasaar, Lambay Island, Lampedusa, Lampione, Lamu Island, Langeland, Langenwerder, Langeoog, Langli, Lanzarote, Lasqueti Island, Lastovo, Laurisaar, Lausma, Lavezzi Islands, Lebre Island, Lefkada, Leftus Island, Leipsoi, Leros, Lesbos, Lesser Mount Changtu, Lesser Mount Yang, Levanzo, Lewis, Leyte, Lezíria Internacional Island, Lidingö, Lido, Lihou, Liia, Likoma, Limnos, Lindau, Linosa, Lipari, Lismore, Lítla Dímun, Little Cayman, Little Skellig, Liuheng Island, Livø, Ljusterö, Llanddwyn Island, Lokrum, Lolland, Lombo Island, Lombok, Long Island, Long Island, Lopez Island, Lopud, Lo?inj, Lõuna-Malusi, Loyalty Islands, Luing, Lummi Island, Lunga, Lupa-sziget, Lusty Beg Island, Lusty More Island, Lütjehörn, Luzon, Lyø
M
Mackinac Island, Madagascar, Maddalena, La, Madeira Island, Madura, Mafia Island, Magerøya, Mageshima, Mainau Island, Majorca, Makronisos, Malta Island, Mamula, Manda Island, Mandø, Manhattan, Manilaid, Manoel Island, Marechal Island, Marettimo, Margitsziget, Marinha Nova Island, Marmara Island, Martinhal Island, Martuska-sziget, Maskali Island, Masnedø, Matadouce Island, Maui, Mauritius, Mazaki Island, Memmert, Menorca, Mercury Island, Milos, Mimami dait?, Minami Kojima, Mindanao, Minna, Minquiers and Ecréhous, Mishka Island, Miskan Island, Mitsel Fasiladas, Miyakojima, Mjältön, Mljet, Mo-do-Meio Island, Mohni, Molara, Møn, Mont Saint Michel, Monte Branco Island, Montecristo, Montserrat, Morraceira Island, Mors, Moskenesøya, Moucha Islands, Mount Ao, Mount Maji, Muck, Muhu, Mukawwar, Mull, Munasaar, Murano, Murter, Musholm, Mykines, Mykonos (Mikonos)
N
Naart Island, Nagy-Pandúr-sziget, Nahaleg, Naissaar, Nakanoshima, Nargin, Natuna Islands, Naxos,Negros,Neuwerk,Nevis,New Guinea,New Zealand, Nisida, Nísiros, Niue, Nólsoy, Noord-Beveland, Nora, Nordaustlandet, Norderney, Norderoog, Nordmarsch-Langeneß, Nordre Kvaløy, Nordstrand, Nordstrandischmoor, North Frisian Islands, North Island, North Long Island, North Uist, Nuguria, Nukumanu, Nukuoro, Nyord
O
Oahu, Óbudai-sziget, Obstruction Island, Ocracoke Island, Ofidoussa, Ogami, Oki dait?, Okinawa Island, Okinawa, Okinoerabujima, Oland (German island), Öland, Oleron, Olib, Omø, Ontong Java, Orcas Island, Öreg-sziget, Oronsay, Orust, Osmussaar , Ostrów Island, Ostrvo cvije?a , Ovos Island, Owl Island,
P
Pag, Palagru?a, Palánki-sziget, Palau, Palma, La, Palmeira Island, Palmeira Pequena Island, Palu'e, Panarea, Panay, Pantelleria, Pap-sziget, Paris Island Big, Paros, Parrachill Island, Pasalimani, Pasaran, Pa?man, Pasumpahan, Pate Island, Pátmos, Patos Island, Paxi, Pearl Island, Peberholm, Pedra Island, Pelagos, Pelee Island, Pelican Island, Pellworm, Pemba, Pender Islands, Perast islands, Perceveira Island, Perejil, Isla, Persitera, Pet&*337;fi-sziget, Pholegandros, Pianosa, Pico Island, Pileni, Piperi, Pirallah?, Plumpudding Island, Poço Island, Poel, Pomona Island, Ponza, Providence Island, Psara, Psathoura, Puerto Rico
Q
Qaruh Island, Quadra Island, Quirimbas Archipelago
R
Rab, Rabbit Island, Raippaluoto , Rathlin Island, Rato island, Rebbenesøy, Reichenau Island, Reinøy, Rennell, Rharbi Island, Rhodes, Rincah, Ringvassøy, River Shannon, Roastbeef Island, Robben Island, Robinson Crusoe Island, Rockall, Rolas, Rolvsøya, Rømø, Romsø, Rosscor Island, Røst, Rottumeroog, Rottumerplaat, Rotuma, Rough Island, Rozenburg, Ruden, Rügen, Ruhnu, Rùm
S
Saaremaa, Saarnaki laid, Saba, Safra Island, Saint Helena, Saint-Honorat, Sainte-Marguerite, Salina, Salsette, Saltee Islands, Saltholm, Saltspring Island, Samar, Samoa, Samos Island, Samos, Samothraki, Samsø, San Juan Island, San Pietro, Sandoy, Santa Clar, Santa Maria Island, Sant'Antioco, Santorini, São Brás island, São Jorge Island, São Miguel Island, São Tomé Island, Sardinia, Saria, Sark, Saturna Island, Sazan Island, Scharhörn, Schiermonnikoog, Schouwen-Duiveland, Sebatik Island, Seil, Seiland, Sein, Sejerø, Selaön, Selvagem Grande Island, Selvagem Pequena Island, Senja, Sept Freres, Serifos, Seychelles, Shanaghy, Shaw Island, Shengshan Island, Shenick Island, Sherbro Island, Sherkin Island, Shikoku, Shimoji, Shuna, Shuwaikh Island, Sicily, Sifnos, Sijiao Island, Sikaiana, Sikinos, Silba, Sími, Sinclair's Island, Singapore, Siø Sjaelland, Skantzoura, Skarø, Skellig Michael, Skiathos, Skogerøy, Skopelos, Skúvoy, Skye, Skyros, Slotsholmen, Smith Island, Smøla, Snake Island, Soay, Sobieszewo Island, Sondre Kvaløy Sørøya, Sotra, South Long Island, South Padre Island, South Uist, Spetses, Spieden Island, Spiekeroog , Spitsbergen, Sprogø, Sri Lanka, Ssese Islands, Statia, St. Anastasia Island, St. Cyricus Island, St. Eustatius, St. Ivan Island, St. Peter Island, St. Stefan, St. Toma Island, Stjernøy, Stóra Dímun, Stora Karlsö, Stord, Streymoy, Stromboli, Strynø, Stuart Island, Stuart Island, Suakin Archipelago, Sucia Island, Süderoog, Südfall, Suðuroy, Sula, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Suomenlinna, Surtsey, Susak, Suur-Pakri, Suwanosejima, Sv. Marko, Svartsjölandet, Sveaborg, Sveta Nedelja, Svínoy, Swains Island, Sylt, Syrna, Syros (Siros, Syra), Szalki-sziget, Szentendrei-sziget, Szúnyog-sziget
T
Tairajima, Taisho-jima, Taiwan, Takarajima, Taketomi, Takuu, Talaud Islands, Tanegashima, Taohua Island, Tarama, Tåsinge, Tasmania, Tavira Island, Tavolara Island, Tearaght Island, Tenerife, Terceira Island, Terschelling, Testáda Island, Texada Island, Texel, Thassos, The Lake Isle of Inisfree, Thetis Island, Thirasia, Tholen, Sint Philipsland , Thousand Islands, Thousand Islands, Thurø, Tiengemeten, Tierra del Fuego, Tikopia, Tilos, Timor, Tinos, Tiree, Tjeldøya, Tjörn, Tokashikijima, Tokelau, Tokunoshima, Tonga, Tonregee Island, Torcello, Torsö, Tory Island, Tosterön-Aspön, Traanish, Tranqueira Island, Trasna Island, Tremiti, Três Postes Island, Trinidad, Tristan da Cunha, Trzcinice, Tullu Gudo, Tunø, Turbina Island, Turtle Islands, Tuvalu, Tysnes
U
Ugljan, Ukeshima, Umm al Maradim Island, Umm an Namil Island, Uotsuri-jima, Usedom, Ustica, Uznam
V
Väddö och Björkö, Værøy, Vágar, Väike-Pakri, Valdes Island, Valentia Island, Vannøy, Vardim Island, Värmdö, Vega, Vejrø, Vendsyssel-Thy, Ventotene, Veránka-sziget, Verde Island, Vestvågøy, Viðoy, Vikna, Vilm, Vilsandi, Vis, Visingsö, Vivara, Vlieland, Vohilaid, Voorne-Putten, Vormsi, Vulcano
W
Walcheren, Waldron, Walfisch, Wallis and Futuna, Wangerooge, Warbah Island , Warnie Kpy, Washington Island, Wisconsin, White Island, Wielki Krzek, Wilhelmøya, Wolin, Wydrza K?pa
X
Xiushan Island
Y
Yakushima, Ynys Benlas, Ynys Castell, Ynys Feurig, Ynys Gaint, Ynys Gored Goch, Ynys Llanddwyn, Ynys y Bîg, Yonaguni, Yoronjima, Yoroshima, Yubujima
Z
Zafora, Zakynthos, Zamamijima, Zanzibar, Zembra Island, Zhongchan Dao, Zhoushan Island, Zhujiajian Island, Zlarin, Zuid-Beveland
