What is the world's biggest island?
Greenland is the worlds largest island. While Australia is considered to be a continent. Greenland has an area of 2,166,086 square km, but a meager population of 56,452. The populations is over 85% Inuit. The remaining inhabitants are mainly Danish. The average annual temperature of Greenland varies between -9 to 7 °C.
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenland is a group of islands and Greenland is the name of the largest, most populated one. Greenland has been inhabited on and off since 2500 BC.
What are your thoughts on this subject?
35 Comments
Steve Golub
Australia is a Continent. In this case the quiz is right.
Richard D. Boyle
My understanding is that Australia was not allowed to claim status as both an island and a continent and were given the choice. The crucial definition is that an island is a land mass completely surrounded by water and is smaller than a continent. Therefore. Australia could be .either...but not both. They elected continent. I am reasonably certain that this is accurate but if it is not in some respect, please correct me.
Leapy Lee
Phill Latham, Americans decided that they would make their own rules and we aren’t allowed to be classes as both an island and a continent
Leapy Lee
Debra it is, but it seems our American friends have decreed that we are not allowed to be both!
Leapy Lee
It appears it makes a difference where you’re from as to what answer you believe is true. In Australia we are taught that Australia is the largest island and the smallest continent. Other places (mainly the US) take the view that an island can’t also be considered as a continent.
billyboy915
Irish Kiwi,
Aren't ALL continents islands as well? They're ALL surrounded by water!
billyboy915
Jacqueline Tattam,
Thanks for your extensive clarification. Well done!
billyboy915
Rafi Manory,
In that case, aren't all the continents islands? SMH
Stanley Scott
A continental island bogus answer loaded question.
Rafi Manory
Australia is a continent but it is an island nevertheless...Misleading answer!
Debra Coleman
Got that wrong, I am Australian and thought Australia was the worlds largest island.
Richard S
Australia is an island in the continent of Sahul, which includes Papua New Guinea and Tasmania.
Jacqueline Tattam
Richard D. Boyle, I’m afraid Australians did not vote on this. The distinction was made by geographers due to several reasons - one of which you mention (it cannot be both). Unfortunately, there isn’t a strict scientific definition of a continent. But there are a few criteria that are commonly used to distinguish one continent from another.
First, there is a geological distinction. While Australia and most of Asia are situated on separate tectonic plates, Greenland shares a tectonic plate with North America. Second, there is a biological distinction. While a large percentage of Australia’s plant and animal species can be found nowhere else in the world, fewer of Greenland’s species are unique. Third, there is an anthropological distinction. Aboriginal people are limited to Australia, while indigenous Greenlanders belong to a group of peoples (the Inuit) found throughout the Arctic, including parts of Canada, the United States, and Russia.
While each of those criteria may not be sufficient on its own—for instance, Europe and Asia also share a tectonic plate but are usually considered separate continents for cultural reasons—together they form a general understanding of what qualifies as a continent.
Rusty
Yeah I believe there was a question not too long ago that asked the same question and the answer was Australia 🤔
Nicholas Miernicki
Hmmm, just like Pluto is no longer a planet, Australia is no longer an island. Now, I disagree on both counts, but, the powers that be...
MRogers
Just to get everyone’s opinion, because of the Suez Canal is Africa now an island entirely surrounded by water or because the Suez Canal is man made is Africa a peninsula of Asia?