All the land of our planet is divided into two categories - continents and islands. The difference between them is in size, as well as in the geological structure. Island formations, in turn, are also very different: some are very large, others are very tiny. Therefore, now we will learn in more detail about what an island is, a group of islands, what they are and where they are most often located.
Description of the island as a planetary part of land
From a geographical point of view, an island is a piece of land located in the waters of the oceans. From four sides it is washed by waters, therefore it does not have access to the mainland by land. In nature, there are solitary islands, which are very impressive in size and are known to everyone. These are Madagascar, Greenland and many others. Along with this, islands can form archipelagos, which include both large tracts of land and very small ones. Each such group of islands has its own name, located in one of the seas or oceans. It can be either an independent state or a province that belongs to one of the mainland powers.
Geology and origin
Few of us know about the origin of the world's most famous archipelagos. In geology, four types of island formation are distinguished : coral, alluvial, volcanic, and continental. The first appear in the waters of the ocean due to the life of the same sea organisms. A well-known group of islands of this type are the Marshalls located in the Pacific Ocean. Washed and continental can be conditionally assigned to one category, since most often they have many common features. These are the British Isles, Sakhalin, Tasmania, New Earth. The Canadian Arctic Archipelago can also be joined to this group. The latter type is volcanic, formed by the elevation of seismically active mountains above sea level. The most striking resort with a similar geology are Hawaii.
To the far Arctic desert ...
It is known that in the Arctic Ocean and in the seas of its basin there are many provincial islands that belong to the Russian Federation. Among them, New Land deserves special attention - the archipelago, which consists of two huge islands. They are called North and South and are separated by the Strait of Matochkin Shar. This is the same place that is located in the zone of the Arctic desert. Most of the archipelago is covered with ice 300 meters thick all year round. However, it should be noted that the climate here is very variable. The southern island is washed by the Barents Sea, where warm currents are traced. The northern part of the archipelago bathes in the Kara Sea, where coastal areas are always covered with glaciers.
Relief of the New Earth
This arctic group of islands is a very mountainous area. The most significant ranges and elevations are observed in the south of the archipelago. In the area of Matochkina Shara is the highest point of the island, which rises to 1547 meters above sea level. It has no name, although in some sources it is referred to as the Kruzenshtern mountain. To the north, the ridges become less steep and high. Here, the terrain plunges into endless stripes of rivers and frozen glaciers. Due to the mountain landscape, local waters have a shallow depth of up to 3 meters, and their length does not exceed 130 km. All rivers in the summertime have a very rapid flow, and in winter their waters freeze to the bottom. Also on Novaya Zemlya there are many lakes of various origins.
Another Northern Province
In the same Arctic Ocean, the Franz Josef Land archipelago is located. On the map it can be found near the Arctic Circle, in the zone of the Arctic desert and eternal glaciers. This municipality is part of the Arkhangelsk region, but there is not a single settlement in the area. Only a few military bases, border posts and other state branches are located here. The archipelago consists of 192 islands, mostly small in size. All of them are divided into three parts. The eastern one is separated from the rest by the Strait of Austria. The central part is the concentration of a large number of small islands between the Strait of Austria and the British Channel. And Western, which includes the largest island of the archipelago - George Land.
Miracles of the Far East
A group of Japanese islands, which includes 6852 units, is considered amazing and unique. All of them are located in the Pacific Ocean, in a seismically active zone. It is problematic to list the geological structure of each of them, and if we characterize them in general, it can be noted that some lands are of alluvial origin, others are volcanic. Honshu Island is the head of this archipelago - the largest in terms of area and population. This plot of land occupies 60% of the entire country, and more than 100 million people live here. The largest cities of Japan rise to Honshu , among which is the capital of Tokyo. Also on this island is a mountain symbol of the country - Fuji, whose crater is covered in snow.
Other major land in Japan
The second largest island of the state is Hokkaido. Locals consider these lands the most severe in climate. Although the local latitude is south of the same Europe, however, due to the proximity of the ocean and constant winds, the weather conditions here are completely different. Kyushu is an island of workers. It also has major cities. Here the climate is softer, due to which agriculture is highly developed. In the north of Kyushu, factories and factories have been operating for a long time that provide life to the whole country. Well, the fourth largest island in the country of the rising sun is Shikoku. Local cities are not as large as in other lands, there are many towns and villages. This area is famous, however, for the pilgrimage temples built in the entire history of the state.
The brightest archipelagos on the planet
Today, almost every one of us can afford a trip to even the most distant and little-known islands. Tourists from all over the world have chosen Seychelles, Bahamas, Hawaii, Maldives ... Such regions are famous for their stunning landscapes, unique nature, clear ocean water, hot climate and clean air. An important fact is that each group of sea islands boasts similar conditions if it is located in a tropical or equatorial zone. The largest representative of such a paradise is considered the Malay archipelago, which stretches from the Philippines to the coast of Australia. It includes many of the most diverse islands where you can enjoy the summer all year round.