Islands and archipelagos

In short: An island is a piece of land surrounded by water that is smaller than a continent. Several connected islands are called an archipelago.

In more detail: The largest island on Earth is Greenland, followed by New Guinea and Borneo.

In detail

• Origin: Volcanic (Hawaii, Iceland), coral (atolls), continental separation (Madagascar).
• Archipelagos: Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, Canary Islands, Hawaii.
• Special features: Isolated species, many endemics such as on the Galápagos or Madagascar (biodiversitaet-und-artenvielfalt).
• German islands: Rügen, Fehmarn, Sylt, Heligoland, the North and East Frisian Islands (nordsee-ostsee-und-wattenmeer).
• Sea-level rise: Threatens low-lying island states such as the Maldives or Tuvalu (klimawandel-grundlagen).
• Volcanic islands: Arise over hotspots or plate boundaries (plattentektonik).
• Tourism: An important source of income but a burden on nature.
• States: Island states such as Iceland, Malta, Cyprus, Japan.