The largest islands in the world
Island destinations have always been one of the most attractive destinations since forever. Almost every traveler’s dream is to escape for a while to an island far from the everyday world and explore the local customs, wildlife, and food. There are many islands in the world, which come in different sizes and shapes. If you are a sea lover that likes to see water all the time without having to live on a boat, then maybe an island home is the perfect solution for you.
Here are some of the world’s largest islands that you should know about and maybe visit. Let’s get started!
Greenland
Greenland is the largest island in the world if you don’t count the continents of Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Although close to the North American continent, politically Greenland is a part of Denmark. It has an area of 822,700 sq. miles and a population of 56,483. Stuck between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, Greenland is not the friendliest environment in the world, but there are still some parts of it that are inhabited.
Nowadays, Greenland is famous as an adventure tourism destination, and it is visited by people from all around the world. The long winters and the short summers aren’t enough to stop the real adventurers from experiencing whale watching, the local culture, various winter sports and some great hiking on the world’s largest island.
New Guinea
New Guinea is a large island in Oceania, the world’s second-largest if we exclude Australia as an island. With an area of 303,381 sq. miles and a population of 11,306,940, New Guinea splits almost equally between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Both coastal sides of New Guinea offer excellent scuba diving opportunities for anyone who enjoys this sport. Stunning underwater sights of coral and fish species, as well as ship and plane wrecks from the WWII, are waiting for the curious diver to have fun exploring a forgotten world under the sea.
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is split between three countries. Almost 73% of the 288,869 sq. miles island belongs to Indonesia, only 1% to Brunei, and the remaining land belongs to Malaysia. Borneo is an island with the oldest rainforest in the world, which is an antipodal counterpart to the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Borneo is thriving with wildlife, jungles, and marine species that you can’t find anywhere else on the planet. If you’ve wanted to see wild orangutans in their natural habitat since you were a kid, then Borneo is the right place to visit. As for the marine life, you can see Irrawaddy dolphins swim, and saltwater crocodiles lurk in the waters of the South China Sea.
Madagascar
Madagascar is the largest island in the Indian Ocean with an area of 226,917 sq. miles. It is an island of great biodiversity, and where you can find 5% of all the world’s known plant and animal species. Madagascar is a dream destination for many adventurous people that like to explore the best of our planet. The Indian Ocean surroundings give a magical touch to the green island, offering calm and pristine waters on one side and raging waves on the other side. If you get the chance to visit Madagascar, take it. It’s one of the most amazing places in the world whose beauty can’t be compared to anything else.
Baffin Island
The Canadian Baffin Island attracts adventurers with its stunning, otherworldly landscapes that are hard to believe exist. Baffin Island is an area of 195,928 sq. miles with a population of 10,745. There are many people that visit the island to conquer the peaks of Mount Asgard and Mount Thor. The world’s highest vertical drop is found right here, too, and it is 4,101 ft. If you’ve never thought about visiting Canada, perhaps it’s time to change your mind. Good luck!
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