Nearly each of us knows what the island is and what its features are. But in order for you to be able to substantiate this natural phenomenon from a scientific and somewhat philosophical point of view, we decided to talk in more detail about this part of the land. After all, most of the modern islands are a real bait for tourists and travel lovers. Well, let's go on our geographical cruise on a world map and highlight the definition of the island, its features and varieties.
Short meaning of the term
So, the island is a small part of the land, which is surrounded on all sides by water. It rises to a large extent over all the surrounding waters, even during high tides. A distinctive feature of all the islands is their area - in comparison with the continents they are small. Greenland is considered the largest island on the planet - it is three times smaller than Australia's smallest mainland by its area. All other islands are either single sites or archipelagos that occupy an insignificant part of one of the oceans or seas.
Features of classification by origin
Now let's try to determine what the island is from a geological point of view. Firstly, such land areas can be found in the oceans, seas, as well as fresh water bodies. Those located near the continents are called continental. At a farther distance are the islands of the transition zone, and in very distant waters - oceanic (for example, Hawaii). The geological composition of the islands is determined by their origin. Therefore, in the world there are coral archipelagos formed by bedrock, washed by waves or undercurrents, as well as those that formed during volcanic processes. In rivers, erosion and alluvial islands predominate.
Politics and natural wonders
Next, we have to find out what an island is from a political point of view and how it stands out on the map of the world with the same name. We note right away that, like any part of the mainland, a separately located small part of the land may be sovereign, or it may belong to some kind of continental state. For example, Madagascar, one of the largest islands in the world, is an independent country with its own history and religion. The Canary Islands, which are so loved by tourists from all over the world, belong to Spain, and Hawaii, which is located away from any continent, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is one of the states of America.
Island climate
It is clear that island states and provinces of continental countries can be located both in warm waters and in cold ones, which will greatly affect their weather conditions. However, one of the main factors that will unite all these lands, regardless of the currents that surround them, is increased humidity. Since each island is surrounded by water, the air here will be constantly filled with moisture and plenty of salt. Many believe that such conditions, even in combination with low temperature indicators, are extremely beneficial to health. Therefore, on most of the islands there are so many resorts and sanatoriums.
What are the islands in their parameters
Each island is characterized by its individual size. Among them, the largest, occupying a significant part of the water area, are distinguished. These are Greenland, Madagascar, Sumatra (Indonesia), Great Britain, Java, Cuba Sakhalin and many others. Small islands that are located far from the mainland form archipelagos. The most famous among these are the southern resorts - the Maldives, Seychelles, Hawaii, or strategically important objects - the Kuril Islands, Aleutian and many others. But still, in order to thoroughly know what an island is, how you breathe and feel on it, you need to go there and enjoy the unforgettable nature in full.