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Types of Islands You Should Know

Let's find out more about the types of islands found around the world.
Batul Nafisa Baxamusa

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Land surrounded by all sides by water is an island. All lands that are smaller in size than the Australian continent are considered islands.

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Our beautiful planet has 6 major types of islands. Each type of island is a beauty in itself. Let's take a quick look at the different types of islands found on Earth.

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6 Types of Islands
Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Continental Islands

Continental islands were a part of continents which got separated due to shift in the tectonic plates.
For example, Greenland was once a part of the North American continental shelf, whereas, Tasmania was once a part of the Australian continent.

Oceanic Islands

Oceanic islands are formed after lava spewed from aquatic flash point builds up in layers and rises up above the water.

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Japan is one such island that is formed  due to volcanic eruptions.  Other oceanic islands include Mauritius, The Hawaiian Islands, Jan Mayen and Ice, etc.

Coral Islands

Coral islands are formed by a large mass of coral exoskeleton and its associated matter. They are commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical areas with large coral reefs.
The Lakshadweep islands consists of 39 coral islands. The Maldives and St. Martin's island are other examples of coral islands.

Barrier Islands

Barrier islands occur parallel to the coastline and are separated from the mainland. They are formed due to deposit of sand due to ocean current.
Barrier islands are found on every continent except Antarctica. Moreton bay in Australia is an example of third-largest sand island in the world.

Tidal Islands

Tidal islands are attached to the mainland and appear only during low tides. During high tides, they are submerged into water as if they never existed.
The Mont-Saint-Michel island in France is a perfect example of tidal island. Other examples include Jindo and Modo islands in South Korea.

Artificial Islands

Artificial islands - as the name suggests are those that do not occur naturally, but are man-made. They are made for aesthetic reasons, tourism, etc.

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Some of the well-known artificial islands include The Dubai Waterfront, Osaka Bay, Vasilyevsky Island, etc.

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These natural landmasses need to be protected from pollution. There are many ecosystems connected to an island. In order to keep life thriving, we need to keep our islands pollution free.

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Each of these 6 types of islands are beautiful in their own right. They are perfect destinations to spend an exotic holiday.