A peninsula (Latin: paeninsula from paene "almost" and insula "island") is a piece of land that is bordered mostly by water but connected to mainland.[1][2][3][4] The surrounding water is usually understood to be continuous, though not necessarily named as such. A peninsula can also be a headland, cape, island promontory, bill, point,
or spit.[5] A point is generally considered a tapering piece of land projecting into a body of water that is less prominent than a cape.[6] In English, the plural of peninsula is peninsulas or, less commonly, peninsulae. A river which courses through a very tight meander is also sometimes said to form a "peninsula" within the (almost closed) loop of water.
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in Northeast Africa that juts into the Guardafui Channel, and is the easternmost projection of the African continent. It denotes the region containing the countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
The whole landmass encompassing North and South Korea is a peninsula, surrounded by the East Sea to the east and south, and the Yellow Sea to the west and south, with the Korea Strait connecting them.
Europe is sometimes considered to be a large peninsula extending off Eurasia.[8] As such, it is one of the largest peninsulas in the world and the only one to have the status as a full continent, largely as a matter of convention rather than science. It is composed of many smaller peninsulas, the four main and largest component peninsulas being the Scandinavian, Iberian, Balkan, and Apennine peninsulas.
Balkan Peninsula
The assumed Balkan Peninsula, as defined by the Soča–Vipava–Krka–Sava–Danube border.
The Balkans is a region which natural borders do not coincide with the technical definition of a peninsula hence modern geographers reject the idea of a Balkan Peninsula. It would include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and the European part of Turkey.
Encompassing continental Portugal and Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar (British Overseas Territory), and a small amount of Southern France, the Iberian Peninsula is a dominant geographical feature of Iberia.
Balboa Peninsula – in Newport Beach, Orange County.
Monterey Peninsula – between Monterey Bay, the Salinas Valley, and the Santa Lucia Range in Monterey County.
Palos Verdes Peninsula – along the Pacific between Santa Monica Bay and San Pedro Bay, in the South Bay Region of Los Angeles County.
Point Loma Peninsula – between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean in San Diego.
Point Reyes Peninsula – west-northwest of San Francisco.
San Francisco Peninsula – between the central−south San Francisco Bay and the Pacific in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Santa Cruz Mountains are a 'spine' along the middle and lower sections.
Samoa Peninsula – the northern landform between Humboldt Bay and the Pacific
Tiburon Peninsula – between Richardson Bay and San Pablo Bay in east Marin County of the northern San Francisco Bay Area.
Florida is a well-known example of a large peninsula, with its land area divided between the larger Florida peninsula and the smaller Florida Panhandle on the north and west. It has several smaller peninsulas within it:
The St. Johns River creates a large peninsula over 75 miles (121 km) in length that stretches from eastern Jacksonville down to the border of Flagler and Volusia counties, where the river emanates from Lake George.
Fairpoint Peninsula
Pinellas peninsula, including St. Petersburg and Clearwater
Much of Tampa lies on a peninsula called Interbay Peninsula jutting out into Tampa Bay
Cape Sable
Maryland
Mid-Atlantic shoreline showing, from the upper right, the Cape May Peninsula of New Jersey, Delaware Bay, the Delmarva Peninsula, and Chesapeake Bay. Also visible are the peninsulas of Maryland and Virginia along the Chesapeake's shores.
Maryland shares the Delmarva Peninsula east of Chesapeake Bay with Delaware and Virginia.
St. Mary's Peninsula is defined by the Patuxent River, the Potomac River, and Chesapeake Bay.
Calvert Peninsula lies between Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River.
Numerous smaller tidal tributaries form smaller peninsulas on both the Eastern and Western shores of Chesapeake Bay. Named examples include the Broadneck Peninsula in Anne Arundel County and the Elk Neck Peninsula in Cecil County.
Massachusetts
Cape Cod, a peninsula of Massachusetts
Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a cape that can be viewed as a peninsula
Cape Ann, includes the towns of Gloucester and Rockport
Nahant, a town in Essex County, is on a small peninsula.
Nantasket Peninsula, Hull
Shawmut Peninsula, Boston
Michigan
The large Michigan Peninsulas from space, showing both the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula
Michigan – the only bi-peninsular state – is very distinguishable for its mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula which includes:
Leelanau Peninsula
Lost Peninsula
Old Mission Peninsula
Pointe Mouillee
Presque Isle Peninsula
Tawas Point
The Thumb
Waugoshance Point
Woodtick Peninsula
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan contains:
Abbaye Peninsula
Garden Peninsula
Keweenaw Peninsula
Rabbit's Back
Stonington Peninsula
New Jersey
Barnegat Peninsula
Cape May Peninsula
Sandy Hook
New Barbadoes Neck lies between the Hackensack River and Passaic River
Caven Point in Jersey City is a part of Liberty State Park and Port Liberte.
Bergen Point and Constable Hook are two peninsulas in Bayonne, which itself lies on peninsula surrounded by Upper New York Bay, Newark Bay, and the Kill van Kull, formerly known as Bergen Neck
Droyer's Point and Kearny Point mark the mouth of the Hackensack River
MOTBY and Port Jersey are man-made peninsulas extending in Upper New York Bay
New York
Long Island, New York, with its North and South Forks
The Bronx, New York, and Yonkers, New York
Long Island was once a peninsula connected to North America during the great Ice Ages, and includes two large peninsulas at its east end: the South Fork and the North Fork.
Cumberland Head
Coney Island was an island until it was expanded through land reclamation into the Coney Island Creek, thus becoming a peninsula.
Rockaway Peninsula in southeastern Queens
Irondequoit, NY (geographical headland)
Oregon
Utah
Antelope Island, Utah, becomes a peninsula when waters are low, on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake
Promontory Peninsula, on the north eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake
Stansbury Peninsula becomes an island when waters are high, on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake
Vermont
Alburgh, Vermont, is on the Alburgh Tongue, a peninsula extending from Quebec, Canada into Lake Champlain
Virginia
Middle Peninsula, on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay
Northern Neck, on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay
Virginia Peninsula, on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay
Washington
Bolton Peninsula
Breakwater Peninsula
Cooper Point
Gig Harbor Peninsula
Johnson Point
Key Peninsula
Kitsap Peninsula
Long Beach Peninsula
Magnolia Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
Point Brown Peninsula
Point Chehalis Peninsula
Swinomish Peninsula
Toandos Peninsula
Tsawwassen Peninsula
Quimper Peninsula
Wisconsin
Bark Point, Wisconsin in Lake Superior
Bayfield Peninsula, Wisconsin in Lake Superior
Chequamegon Point, Wisconsin in Lake Superior
Door Peninsula, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan
Jones Island, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in Lake Michigan
Little Tail Point, Wisconsin in Green Bay (Lake Michigan)
Marshall's Point, Wisconsin on North Bay in Lake Michigan
MawBilly Joelwe Point, Wisconsin on MawBilly Joelwe Bay in Lake Superior
Roman Point on Siskiwit Bay, Wisconsin, in Lake Superior
Toft Point between Bailey's Harbor, Wisconsin and Moonlight Bay, Wisconsin in Lake Michigan
Other states
Delmarva Peninsula, encompassing parts of Maryland and Virginia, and most of Delaware
Land Between the Lakes, Tennessee and Kentucky
Presque Isle, Erie, Pennsylvania
Port Bolivar, Texas
Encinal Peninsula, Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi, Texas
Kentucky Bend, Kentucky
Oceania
Australia
Satellite image of Wilsons Promontory, VictoriaPalm Beach, Sydney, New South WalesTorndirrup Peninsula, Western Australia
Abbotsford, New South Wales
Avalon Beach, New South Wales
Balcolyn, New South Wales
Beecroft Peninsula, New South Wales
Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria
Blacksmiths, New South Wales
Bolton Point, New South Wales
Box Head, New South Wales
Bouddi National Park, New South Wales
Brightwaters, New South Wales
Budgewoi Peninsula, New South Wales
Burraneer, New South Wales
Cape York Peninsula, Queensland
Castle Cove, New South Wales
Caves Beach, New South Wales
Chiswick, New South Wales
Coal Point, New South Wales
Cobourg Peninsula, Northern Territory
Cremorne Point, New South Wales
Cronulla, New South Wales
Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia
Dudley Peninsula, South Australia
Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
Ettalong Beach, New South Wales
Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania
Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, Victoria
Gwandalan, New South Wales
Inskip Peninsula, Queensland
Jervis Bay, Australian Capital Territory
Kangaroo Point, New South Wales
Kurnell, New South Wales
Kurraba Point, New South Wales
Lakes Entrance, New South Wales
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Nelson Bay, New South Wales
Redcliffe, Queensland
Palm Beach, New South Wales
Point Frederick, New South Wales
Primbee, New South Wales
Rhodes, New South Wales
Sir Richard Peninsula, South Australia
Stockton, New South Wales
Swansea, New South Wales
Sydney Heads, New South Wales
Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania
The Entrance, New South Wales
Torndirrup National Park, Western Australia
Wangi Wangi, New South Wales
Windang, New South Wales
Wilsons Promontory, Victoria
Woolwich, New South Wales
Woy Woy, New South Wales
Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Younghusband Peninsula, South Australia
Yowie Bay, New South Wales
New Zealand
North Island
Aupōuri Peninsula
Āwhitu Peninsula
Bream Head
Cape Brett Peninsula
Cape Kidnappers / Te Kauwae-a-Māui
Cape Turnagain
Coromandel Peninsula
Karangahape Peninsula
Karikari Peninsula
Kōkota / The Sandspit
Kōwhairoa Peninsula
Māhia Peninsula
Mount Maunganui
Motuoapa Peninsula
Ngāmotu
Northland Peninsula
Okahukura Peninsula
Omara Spit
Orokawa Peninsula
Papakanui Spit
Paritata Peninsula, Raglan
Pouto Peninsula
Puketotara Peninsula
Purerua Peninsula
Rangitoto Peninsula
Ruffin Peninsula
Tauroa Peninsula
Tāwharanui Peninsula
Te Atatū Peninsula
Tītahi Bay
Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga Peninsula
Te Motu Kairangi / Miramar Peninsula
Tiritirimatangi Peninsula
Whakakaiwhara Peninsula
Whangamumu Peninsula
Whangaparāoa Peninsula
South Island
NASA satellite photo of the Otago Peninsula and Otago Harbour. The city of Dunedin is located at the isthmus at lower left.
Satellite images of the Southern Cone extending off South America month by month
Southern Cone
The Southern Cone, like Europe, is sometimes considered to be a large peninsula.[9] Geographically, the peninsula encompasses most of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil and the southernmost portion of Paraguay, which makes it one of the largest peninsulas in the world. Like the Indian Peninsula, the Southern Cone is sometimes considered to be a subcontinent.[10]
Other peninsulas in South America
Argentina
Valdés Peninsula
Verde Peninsula
Brazil
Cabo de São Tomé
Itapagipe Peninsula
Chile
Brunswick Peninsula
Hardy Peninsula
Taitao Peninsula
Colombia
Guajira Peninsula
Peru
Illescas Peninsula
Paracas Peninsula
Uruguay
Punta del Este
Venezuela
Araya Peninsula
Guajira Peninsula
Paraguaná Peninsula
Paria Peninsula
Fictional peninsulas
Map of Brobdingnag (original map, Pt II, Gulliver's Travels
Brobdingnag in Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
Xanth in Xanth series by Piers Anthony
The Valyrian Peninsula in the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R. R. Martin