Greenland is the largest island in the world, with a total area of approximately 2,130,800 km² (836,330 sq mi). It is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Although Greenland is geographically close to North America, it is politically and culturally associated with Europe. Australia, often mentioned in this context, is classified as a continent — not an island — and is therefore excluded from this list.
Largest island in the world: Greenland (2,130,800 km²).
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Capital of Greenland: Nuuk. Population: ~56,000.
About 80% of Greenland is covered by a permanent ice sheet.
Australia is a continent (not an island) and is excluded from island rankings.
Second largest island: New Guinea (785,753 km²) — shared by Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Third largest: Borneo (748,168 km²) — shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.
Largest island in India: from the Andaman Islands group.
Greenland's area: 2,130,800 km²
Why not Australia? • Australia (7,692,024 km²) is far larger than Greenland, but it is classified as a continent — not an island. • Geographers define a continent as a large continuous landmass with its own tectonic plate. • Australia sits on its own tectonic plate → continent. • Greenland sits on the North American tectonic plate but is surrounded by water on all sides → island.
Why not Antarctica? • Antarctica (14,200,000 km²) is also a continent, not an island.
Greenland in numbers: • Area: 2,130,800 km² • About 80% of the land area is covered by a permanent ice sheet (Greenland ice sheet) • Only ~410,000 km² is ice-free • Population: approximately 56,000 people (one of the most sparsely populated territories on Earth) • Capital: Nuuk (also the largest city; population ~20,000) • Belongs to: Kingdom of Denmark (autonomous territory since 1979)
Rank | Island | Area (km²) | Location 1 | Greenland | 2,130,800 | North Atlantic/Arctic (Denmark) 2 | New Guinea | 785,753 | Pacific (Indonesia + Papua New Guinea) 3 | Borneo | 748,168 | Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei) 4 | Madagascar | 587,041 | Indian Ocean (Madagascar) 5 | Baffin Island | 507,451 | Arctic Canada 6 | Sumatra | 473,481 | Indonesia 7 | Honshu (Japan) | 227,960 | Japan (largest Japanese island) 8 | Victoria Island | 217,291 | Arctic Canada 9 | Great Britain | 209,331 | UK (England, Scotland, Wales) 10 | Ellesmere Island | 196,236 | Arctic Canada
Note: New Guinea is the second largest island, shared between Indonesia (western half — Papua) and Papua New Guinea (eastern half).
Largest island in India: Andaman Islands group (North Andaman, Middle Andaman, South Andaman); if counted individually, North Andaman or Middle Andaman is the largest single island.
• Official name: Kalaallit Nunaat (in Greenlandic) / Grønland (in Danish) • Location: Between the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic, northeast of Canada • Political status: Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark (since 1979) • Capital: Nuuk • Population: ~56,000 • Languages: Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) and Danish • Currency: Danish Krone (DKK) • Area: 2,130,800 km² (836,330 sq mi) • 80% covered by ice sheet: the Greenland ice sheet is the second largest ice body in the world (after Antarctica) • If the Greenland ice sheet melted completely, global sea levels would rise by approximately 7 metres • Northernmost point: Cape Morris Jesup (one of the most northerly points of land on Earth)
Greenland is the largest island in the world, with an area of approximately 2,130,800 km² (836,330 sq mi). It is an autonomous territory of Denmark. About 80% of its surface is covered by a permanent ice sheet.
Australia is classified as a continent, not an island. Geographers classify Australia as a continent because it sits on its own tectonic plate and is the world's smallest continent. Greenland, though far smaller, is classified as an island because it sits on the North American tectonic plate and is completely surrounded by water.
1. Greenland: 2,130,800 km² (Denmark) 2. New Guinea: 785,753 km² (Indonesia + Papua New Guinea) 3. Borneo: 748,168 km² (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei) 4. Madagascar: 587,041 km² (Madagascar) 5. Baffin Island: 507,451 km² (Canada)
Greenland is located in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, northeast of Canada. It is geographically part of North America but politically an autonomous territory of Denmark (Kingdom of Denmark). Its capital is Nuuk.
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