Explore Top 5 largest islands across the globe

There are a few islands across the globe that are huge, out of which many are even countries. If we talk about Australia, it is not connected to any landmass, but is generally regarded as a continental landmass. If considered as a continent, it is the smallest amongst the seven, but if recognized as an island, it is the biggest island globally.

Depending upon the area of land, the largest islands of the world are:

1. Greenland

It is the largest island in the world that is situated between Atlantic and the Arctic Oceans. The territory is totally self-governed within Denmark’s Kingdom, and the citizens of Greenland have the citizenship of Denmark. Nuuk is the capital of Greenland and is also the largest city in the island. It is much famous for its huge tundra and colossal glaciers, and about 2/3^rd of the island is in the periphery of Arctic Circle. Its area 2,166,086 sq. km is nearer to three times the size of Texas City.

2. New Guinea

New Guinea is the second largest island in the world with a spread of 785,753 sq. km in the southwest region of the Pacific Ocean. It is famous for its unique ecosystem, spanning from glacial peaks to tropical rainforests, and shelters many distinct species of nature. New Guinea is recognized for its vibrant cultural heritage and with over 300 inches of rainfall estimated per year, it is least-inhabited.

3. Borneo

Borneo is popular as Kalimantan in Indonesia, and is the largest island in Asia and the third largest in the world with 748,168 sq. km area. Located in Maritime Southeast Asia, Borneo is a part of Greater Sunda Islands. Borneo is partitioned in three countries on political terms: Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Its rich biodiversity includes amazing rainforests, wildlife, and also the highest peak in the entire Southeast Asia, Mount Kinabalu.

4. Madagascar

Madagascar, the 4^th largest island of the world lies around 250 miles off the southeastern coast of Africa. Majority of the wildlife is exclusive to the Republic of Madagascar, with Malagasy and French as it official languages. It has a spread over 592,796 sq. km with a population of around 28 million.

5. Baffin

Baffin is the fifth largest island in the world that is located in Canadian region of Nunavut with an area of 507,451 sq. km. The island is recognized for its remarkable landscapes that includes the world’s largest fjords, and is the shelter for unique wildlife like Arctic foxes, Polar bears, Lemming, and Caribou. The island was named after William Baffin who was an English navigator and discoverer in the 16^th century. The long and cold winters followed by foggy and cloudy summers have been the reason of a very low population on the island of around 13000. The island got into the limelight after it got featured in the James Bond movie “The Spy Who Loved Me” in 1977.