List of island countries

Map depicts sovereign states and a de facto state (Taiwan) (tw) fully located on islands: those with land borders shaded green, and those without shaded dark blue.

Countries/territories not shown on the map: Antarctica (aq) (continental disputed territory), Australia (au) (continental country), the Cook Islands (ck) and Niue (nu) (free association with New Zealand), Greenland (gl) (constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark), Northern Cyprus (ct.tr and nc.tr) (unrecognized country), and Puerto Rico (pr) (unincorporated U.S. territory).

An island is a landmass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water.[1] Many island countries are spread over an archipelago, as is the case with Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines—these countries consist of thousands of islands. Others consist of a single island, such as Barbados, Dominica, and Nauru; a main island and some smaller islands, such as Cuba, Iceland, and Sri Lanka; a part of an island, such as Brunei, the Dominican Republic, East Timor, and the Republic of Ireland; or one main island but also sharing borders in other islands, such as the United Kingdom (Great Britain and a part of Ireland).

The list also includes two states in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue, as well as two states with limited diplomatic recognition which have de facto control over territories entirely on the islands, Northern Cyprus and Taiwan.[2] In total, 50 island countries have been included in the lists.

Australia is not included as it is considered a continental country, although it was historically referred to as an island country because of its lack of land borders.[3] Greenland is generally considered as the largest island on Earth and listed among the island territories. Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea is officially an unincorporated territory of the United States. Neither Greenland nor Puerto Rico are sovereign countries.

Indonesia is the world's largest island country by area (1,904,569 km2), and by total number of islands (17,504 islands).[4] It is also the world's most populous island country, with a population of over 270 million (the fourth most populous country in the world, after India, China, and the United States).

South America has only one independent sovereign island nation with Trinidad and Tobago; though considered a Caribbean island country, it is located on the northern portion of the South American continental shelf just 11 kilometres (6 nautical miles) off Venezuela, but 130 kilometres (70 nautical miles) from Grenada, the nearest of the Antilles.[n 1][5]

## Sovereign states

[edit]

### UN member states and states with limited recognition

[edit]

Name  | ISO code | Geographic configuration  | Geologic location  | Area[6] | Population[7] | Population
density | Geographical location  | Establishment/ Independence

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

km2 | sq mi  | per km2 | per sq mi
UN member states
Antigua and Barbuda | AG
ATG  | Two main islands:

Antigua Island
Barbuda Island

| Continental shelf | 442  | 171  | 97,120  | 220  | 570  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1981 November 1
Bahamas | BS
BHS  | Archipelago | Continental shelf  | 13,939  | 5,382  | 389,480  | 28  | 73  | Atlantic Ocean, Lucayan Archipelago | 1973 July 10
Bahrain | BH
BHR  | Archipelago with one main island | Continental shelf  | 778  | 300  | 1,641,170  | 2,109  | 5,460  | Persian Gulf | 1971 December 10
Barbados | BB
BRB  | One main island | Continental shelf[n 2] | 430  | 170  | 287,020  | 667  | 1,730  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1966 November 30
Brunei | BN
BRN  | Part of a larger island (Borneo)  | Continental shelf  | 5,765  | 2,226  | 433,290  | 75  | 190  | Maritime Southeast Asia | 1984 January 1
Cape Verde | CV
CPV  | Archipelago | Oceanic | 4,033  | 1,557  | 549,930  | 136  | 350  | Atlantic Ocean, Macaronesia | 1975 July 5
Comoros | KM
COM  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 1,861  | 719  | 850,890  | 457  | 1,180  | Indian Ocean, Africa, Comoros Islands | 1975 July 6
Cuba | CU
CUB  | One main island, and several smaller islands (Isla de la Juventud, etc.)  | Continental shelf  | 109,884  | 42,426  | 11,346,346  | 103  | 270  | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | 1868 October 10

1902 May 20

Cyprus[n 3] | CY
CYP  | Part of a larger island, de jure sovereignty over entire island (Cyprus)  | Continental shelf  | 9,251  | 3,572  | 888,005  | 96  | 250  | Mediterranean Sea | 1960 August 16
Dominica | DM
DMA  | One main island | Continental shelf  | 754  | 291  | 71,810  | 95  | 250  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1978 November 3
Dominican Republic | DO
DOM  | Part of a larger island (Hispaniola), and several smaller islands (Alto Velo, Catalina, Saona, Beata, etc.)  | Continental shelf  | 48,671  | 18,792  | 10,738,960  | 221  | 570  | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | 1821 December 1

1844 February 27

East Timor | TL
TLS  | Part of a larger island (Timor)  | Oceanic  | 14,919  | 5,760  | 1,293,120  | 87  | 230  | Maritime Southeast Asia, Lesser Sunda Islands | 2002 May 20
Fiji | FJ
FJI  | Archipelago with two main islands:

Viti Levu
Vanua Levu

| Oceanic  | 18,274  | 7,056  | 889,950  | 49  | 130  | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | 1970 October 10
Grenada | GD
GRD  | One main island with two island dependencies (Carriacou and Petite Martinique)  | Continental shelf  | 344  | 133  | 112,000  | 326  | 840  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1974 February 7
Haiti | HT
HTI  | Part of a larger island (Hispaniola), and several smaller islands (Gonâve, Tortuga, Les Cayemites, etc.)  | Continental shelf  | 27,750  | 10,710  | 11,743,017  | 423  | 1,100  | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | 1804 January 1
Iceland | IS
ISL  | One main island | Oceanic[n 4] | 102,775  | 39,682  | 361,310  | 4  | 10  | Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Circle | 1918 December 1
1944 June 17
Indonesia | ID
IDN  | Archipelago, including parts of larger islands (Borneo, New Guinea, Sebatik, and Timor)  | Various[n 5] | 1,904,569  | 735,358  | 270,625,570  | 142  | 370  | Maritime Southeast Asia, Indian and Pacific oceans  | 1945 August 17
Ireland | IE
IRL  | Part of a larger island (Ireland), and several smaller islands | Continental shelf  | 70,273  | 27,133  | 4,977,400  | 71  | 180  | Atlantic Ocean, British Isles | 1922 December 6
Jamaica | JM
JAM  | One main island with an archipelago of islets (inc. Morant Cays, Pedro Cays, and Port Royal Cays)  | Continental shelf  | 10,991  | 4,244  | 2,734,092  | 249  | 640  | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | 1962 August 6
Japan | JP
JPN  | Four main islands and thousands of surrounding islands | Continental shelf  | 377,976  | 145,937[8] | 126,264,930  | 334  | 870  | Pacific Ocean, East Asia | 660 BC February 11[n 6]
Kiribati | KI
KIR  | Several separated archipelagos | Oceanic  | 811  | 313  | 117,610  | 145  | 380  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | 1979 July 12
Madagascar | MG
MDG  | One main island | Continental shelf[n 7] | 587,041  | 226,658  | 26,969,310  | 46  | 120  | Indian Ocean, Africa | 1960 June 26
Maldives | MV
MDV  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 298  | 115  | 383,976  | 1,289  | 3,340  | Indian Ocean, Laccadive Sea | 1965 July 26
Malta | MT
MLT  | Two main islands (Malta Island and Gozo) plus other smaller islands | Continental shelf  | 316  | 122  | 502,650  | 1,591  | 4,120  | Mediterranean Sea | 1964 September 21
Marshall Islands[n 8] | MH
MHL  | Two archipelagos | Oceanic  | 181  | 70  | 58,790  | 325  | 840  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | 1979 May 1
Mauritius | MU
MUS  | Archipelago with one main island | Oceanic  | 2,040  | 790  | 1,265,710  | 620  | 1,600  | Indian Ocean, Africa, Mascarene Islands | 1968 March 12
Micronesia[n 8] | FM
FSM  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 702  | 271  | 113,810  | 162  | 420  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | 1979 May 10
Nauru | NR
NRU  | One main island | Oceanic  | 21  | 8.1  | 12,580  | 599  | 1,550  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | 1968 January 31
New Zealand (Aotearoa)  | NZ
NZL  | An archipelago around two main islands:

Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island)
Te Waipounamu (the South Island)

| Continental shelf[n 9] | 270,467  | 104,428  | 5,125,451  | 19  | 49  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | 1907 September 26
Palau[n 8] | PW
PLW  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 459  | 177  | 18,010  | 39  | 100  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | 1981 January 1
Papua New Guinea | PG
PNG  | Part of a larger island (New Guinea), and surrounding archipelago  | Continental shelf  | 462,840  | 178,700  | 8,776,110  | 19  | 49  | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | 1975 September 16
Philippines | PH
PHL  | Archipelago | Continental shelf  | 300,000  | 120,000  | 108,116,620  | 360  | 930  | Maritime Southeast Asia | 1898 June 12

1946 July 4

Saint Kitts and Nevis | KN
KNA  | Two main islands:

Saint Christopher Island
Nevis Island

| Continental shelf  | 261  | 101  | 52,830  | 202  | 520  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1983 September 19
Saint Lucia | LC
LCA  | One main island | Continental shelf  | 616  | 238  | 182,790  | 297  | 770  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1979 February 22
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VC
VCT  | An archipelago with one main island | Continental shelf  | 389  | 150  | 110,590  | 284  | 740  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1979 October 27
Samoa | WS
WSM  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 2,842  | 1,097  | 197,100  | 69  | 180  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | 1962 January 1
São Tomé and Príncipe | ST
STP  | Two main islands:

São Tomé Island
Príncipe Island)

| Continental shelf  | 1,001  | 386  | 215,060  | 215  | 560  | Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Guinea, Africa | 1975 July 12
Seychelles | SC
SYC  | Archipelago | Various[n 10] | 455  | 176  | 97,630  | 215  | 560  | Indian Ocean, Africa | 1976 June 29
Singapore | SG
SGP  | An archipelago with one main island | Continental shelf  | 728  | 281  | 5,703,570  | 7,831  | 20,280  | Maritime Southeast Asia | 1965 August 9
Solomon Islands | SB
SLB  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 28,400  | 11,000  | 669,820  | 24  | 62  | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | 1978 July 7
Sri Lanka | LK
LKA  | One main island, plus other small islands | Continental shelf  | 65,610  | 25,330  | 21,803,000  | 332  | 860  | Indian Ocean, South Asia | 1948 February 4
Tonga | TO
TON  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 748  | 289  | 104,490  | 140  | 360  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | 1970 June 4
Trinidad and Tobago | TT
TTO  | An archipelago with two main islands:

Trinidad Island
Tobago Island

| Continental shelf  | 5,131  | 1,981  | 1,394,970  | 272  | 700  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | 1962 August 31
Tuvalu | TV
TUV  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 26  | 10  | 11,650  | 448  | 1,160  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | 1978 October 1
United Kingdom[n 11][9] | GB or UK
GBR  | One main island, part of second island (Ireland), plus several archipelagos | Continental shelf  | 244,820  | 94,530  | 67,886,004  | 277  | 720  | Atlantic Ocean, British Isles | 1707 May 1
Vanuatu | VU
VUT  | Archipelago | Oceanic  | 12,189  | 4,706  | 299,880  | 25  | 65  | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | 1980 July 30
States with limited recognition
Northern Cyprus[n 12] | CY
CYP  | Part of a larger island (Cyprus) | Continental shelf  | 3,355  | 1,295  | 313,626[10] | 93  | 240  | Mediterranean Sea | 1974 July 20 (unlawful usurpation of Cypriot rule by Turkish minority)
Taiwan[n 13] | TW
TWN  | One main island and several smaller islands | Continental shelf  | 36,193  | 13,974  | 23,603,121  | 652  | 1,690  | Pacific Ocean, East Asia | 1912 January 1
1949 December 7[n 14]

### Associated states

[edit]

Name  | ISO code  | Geographic configuration  | Geologic location  | Associated with  | Area  | Population  | Density  | Geographical location

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

km2 | sq mi  | per km2 | per sq mi
Cook Islands[n 15] | CK
COK  | Two archipelagos | Oceanic |  New Zealand | 236  | 91  | 10,777  | 45.7  | 118  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia
Niue[n 15] | NU
NIU  | One island | Oceanic  |  New Zealand | 260  | 100  | 1,269  | 4.9  | 13  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia

## Dependencies and territories

[edit]

Name  | ISO code | Geographic configuration  | Geologic location  | Sovereign state  | Area  | Population  | Density  | Geographic location

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

km2 | sq mi  | per km2 | per sq mi
Åland | AX
AXL  | Archipelago[n 16] | Continental shelf |  Finland | 1,580  | 610  | 28,355  | 17.9  | 46  | Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia
American Samoa[n 17] | AS
ASM  | Archipelago | Oceanic |  United States | 199  | 77  | 54,947  | 276  | 710  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia
Andaman and Nicobar Islands | IN
IND  | Two neighbouring archipelagos of the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands | Continental shelf  |  India | 8,249  | 3,185  | 380,520  | 46  | 120  | Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea
Anguilla | AI
AIA  | One main island | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 91  | 35  | 15,423  | 169  | 440  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Aruba | AW
ABW  | One main island | Continental shelf  |  Netherlands | 180  | 69  | 107,635  | 598  | 1,550  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Bermuda | BM
BMU  | Archipelago | Oceanic  |  United Kingdom | 53.3  | 20.6  | 62,500  | 1,170  | 3,000  | Atlantic Ocean, North America
Bouvet Island | BV
BVT  | One island  | Oceanic  |  Norway | 49  | 19  | No permanent resident | 0  | 0  | Southern Ocean
British Indian Ocean Territory[n 18][11] | IO
IOT  | Archipelago (The Chagos Archipelago)  | Oceanic  |  United Kingdom

Mauritius[n 18]

| 60  | 23  | 3,000  | 50  | 130  | Indian Ocean
British Virgin Islands | VG
VGB  | Archipelago | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 151  | 58  | 31,148  | 206  | 530  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Caribbean Netherlands | BQ
BES  | Three separate main islands:

Bonaire
Sint Eustatius
Saba

| Continental shelf  |  Netherlands | 127  | 49  | 21,133  | 166  | 430  | Caribbean Sea
Cayman Islands | KY
CYM  | Three main islands | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 264  | 102  | 52,560  | 199  | 520  | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles
Christmas Island | CX
CXR  | One main island  | Oceanic  |  Australia | 135  | 52  | 1,496  | 11.1  | 29  | Indian Ocean, Australasia
Cocos (Keeling) Islands | CC
CCK  | Archipelago  | Oceanic  |  Australia | 14  | 5.4  | 596  | 42.6  | 110  | Indian Ocean, Australasia
Curaçao | CW
CUW  | One main island (central island of the ABC Islands)  | Continental shelf  |  Netherlands | 444  | 171  | 145,834  | 328  | 850  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Easter Island | CL
CHL  | One main island | Oceanic  |  Chile | 163.6  | 63.2  | 6,148  | 37.5  | 97  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia
Falkland Islands | FK
FLK  | Archipelago with two main islands | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom[n 19] | 12,173  | 4,700  | 3,140  | 0.26  | 0.67  | Atlantic Ocean, South America
Faroe Islands | FO
FRO  | Archipelago | Continental shelf  |  Denmark | 1,393  | 538  | 49,483  | 35.5  | 92  | Atlantic Ocean
French Polynesia | PF
PYF  | Five archipelagos:

The Society Islands
The Tuamotu Archipelago
The Gambier Islands
The Marquesas Islands
The Austral Islands

| Oceanic  |  France | 3,827  | 1,478  | 274,512  | 71.7  | 186  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia
French Southern and Antarctic Lands | TF
ATF  | Several scattered archipelagos — Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands and the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean — plus Adélie Land (432,000 km2 claim to uninhabited territory in Antarctica)  | Oceanic  |  France | 7,747  | 2,991  | 150  | 49.4  | 128  | Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean
Galápagos Islands | EC
ECU  | Archipelago | Oceanic  |  Ecuador | 8,010  | 3,090  | 33,042  | 4.1  | 11  | Pacific Ocean
Greenland | GL
GRL  | One main island with several archipelagos  | Continental shelf  |  Denmark | 2,166,086  | 836,330  | 57,695  | 0.03  | 0.078  | North America
Guadeloupe | GP
GLP  | Archipelago | Continental Shelf  |  France | 1,628  | 629  | 405,500  | 250  | 650  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Guam[n 17] | GU
GUM  | One main island | Oceanic  |  United States | 544  | 210  | 159,914  | 293  | 760  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia
Guernsey[n 20][12] | GG
GGY  | Three main islands:

Guernsey
Alderney
Sark

| Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 78  | 30  | 65,849  | 844  | 2,190  | English Channel, Channel Islands
Heard and McDonald Islands | HM
HMD  | Two main islands (Heard Island and McDonald Island)  | Oceanic  |  Australia | 412  | 159  | No permanent resident | 0  | 0  | Southern Ocean
Isle of Man[n 20] | IM
IMN  | One main island and a minor island (the Calf of Man)  | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 572  | 221  | 85,421  | 149  | 390  | Irish Sea, British Isles
Jan Mayen | SJ
SJM  | One mid-Atlantic ridge volcanic seamount | Oceanic  |  Norway | 377  | 146  | No permanent resident | 0  | 0  | Arctic Ocean
Jersey[n 20][12] | JE
JEY  | One main island | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 116  | 45  | 94,949  | 819  | 2,120  | English Channel, Channel Islands
Juan Fernández Islands | CL
CHL  | Three main islands: Robinson Crusoe
Alejandro Selkirk
Santa Clara
| Oceanic  |  Chile | 100  | 39  | 926  | 9.2  | 24  | Pacific Ocean
Lakshadweep | IN
IND  | Archipelago | Oceanic  |  India | 32.62  | 12.59  | 64,473  | 2,000  | 5,200  | Indian Ocean
Macau | MO
MAC  | One main island of 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi) and a peninsula on a river delta island (Zhonghsan)  | Continental shelf  |  China | 32.9  | 12.7  | 680,000  | 20,668  | 53,530  | South China Sea, Pearl River Delta
Martinique | MQ
MTQ  | One main island | Continental shelf  |  France | 1,128  | 436  | 403,795  | 360  | 930  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Mayotte | YT
MYT  | One main island | Oceanic  |  France | 374  | 144  | 194,000  | 498.5  | 1,291  | Indian Ocean, Africa, Comoros Islands
Montserrat | MS
MST  | One main island | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 102  | 39  | 5,164  | 50.6  | 131  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
New Caledonia | NC
NCL  | Archipelago around one main island | Continental shelf[n 9] |  France | 18,275  | 7,056  | 260,166  | 14.2  | 37  | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia
Norfolk Island | NF
NFK  | One main island | Continental shelf[n 9] |  Australia | 36  | 14  | 2,182  | 60.6  | 157  | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia
Northern Mariana Islands[n 17] | MP
MNP  | Archipelago | Oceanic  |  United States | 464  | 179  | 51,395  | 111  | 290  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands | PN
PCN  | Archipelago | Oceanic  |  United Kingdom | 47  | 18  | 48  | 1.0  | 2.6  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia
Puerto Rico[n 17] | PR
PRI  | Archipelago around one main island | Continental shelf  |  United States | 8,868  | 3,424  | 3,203,295  | 361  | 930  | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles
Réunion | RE
REU  | One main island | Oceanic  |  France | 2,512  | 970  | 893,500  | 330  | 850  | Indian Ocean, Africa, Mascarene Islands

San Andrés and Providencia

| CO
COL  | Two archipelagos around two main islands of San Andrés and Providencia | Oceanic  |  Colombia | 525  | 203  | 61,280  | 1,200  | 3,100  | Caribbean Sea
Saint Barthélemy | BL
BLM  | Archipelago around one main island  | Continental shelf  |  France | 21  | 8.1  | 7,332  | 349  | 900  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha | SH
SHN  | Three main islands distant from each other of:

Saint Helena
Ascension
Tristan da Cunha

| Oceanic  |  United Kingdom | 308  | 119  | 7,728  | 25.1  | 65  | Atlantic Ocean
Saint Martin | MF
MAF  | Part of a larger island (Saint Martin)  | Continental shelf  |  France | 54.4  | 21.0  | 30,959  | 569  | 1,470  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | PM
SPM  | Two main islands | Continental shelf  |  France | 242  | 93  | 5,831  | 24.1  | 62  | North America
Sint Maarten | SX
SXM  | Part of a larger island (Saint Martin)  | Continental shelf  |  Netherlands | 34  | 13  | 39,088  | 1,150  | 3,000  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | GS
SGs  | One main island and neighbouring archipelago | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom[n 19] | 3,903  | 1,507  | 30  | 30  | 78  | Atlantic Ocean
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBA) | GB
GBR  | Parts of a larger island (Cyprus)  | Continental shelf |  United Kingdom | 254  | 98  | 15,700  | 61.8  | 160  | Mediterranean Sea
Svalbard[n 21] | SJ
SJM  | Archipelago | Continental shelf  |  Norway | 62,045  | 23,956  | 2,763  | 0.044  | 0.11  | Arctic Ocean
Tokelau[n 22] | TK
TKL  | Archipelago  | Oceanic  |  New Zealand | 12  | 4.6  | 1,368  | 114  | 300  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia
Turks and Caicos Islands | TC
TCA  | Archipelago of two island groups  | Continental shelf  |  United Kingdom | 948  | 366  | 46,335  | 48.9  | 127  | Atlantic Ocean, Lucayan Archipelago
United States Minor Outlying Islands | UM
UMI  | Loose scattered archipelago of eight Pacific insular areas with one Caribbean (Navassa Island)  | Continental shelf  |  United States | 41  | 16  | 300  | 7.3  | 19  | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia, Polynesia, and Caribbean Sea
U.S. Virgin Islands[n 17] | VI
VIR  | Archipelago | Continental shelf  |  United States | 346  | 134  | 87,146[13] | 252  | 650  | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles
Wallis and Futuna | WF
WLF  | Three main islands of:

Uvea (Wallis)
Hoorn Islands of Futuna and Alofi Island

| Oceanic  |  France | 264  | 102  | 15,289  | 57.9  | 150  | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia

## Former sovereign island nations and primarily island-based countries

[edit]

### Africa

[edit]

* State of Anjouan (1997–2008)
* Sultanate of Bambao (Ngazidja, 1886–1908)
* Merina Kingdom
* Mohéli (1997–1998)
* Mwali Sultanate
* Sultanate of Ndzuwani
* Sultanate of Zanzibar

### Asia

[edit]

* East Asia
* Republic of Ezo
* Republic of Formosa
* Empire of Japan, (1868-1910)[n 23]
* Ryūkyū Kingdom
* Tamna
* Kingdom of Tungning
* Usan
* Yamatai
* Southeast Asia
* Aceh Sultanate
* Aru Kingdom
* Bali Kingdom
* Sultanate of Banjar
* Banten Sultanate
* Blambangan Kingdom
* Sultanate of Brunei
* Buton Sultanate
* Rajahnate of Butuan
* Sultanate of Cirebon
* Sultanate of Deli
* Demak Sultanate
* Galuh Kingdom
* Sultanate of Gowa
* Janggala
* Kediri Kingdom
* Lanfang Republic
* Sultanate of Maguindanao
* Ma-i
* Majapahit
* Mataram Kingdom
* Mataram Sultanate
* Maynila
* Melayu Kingdom
* Pagaruyung Kingdom
* First Philippine Republic
* Pontianak Sultanate
* Riau-Lingga Sultanate
* Sultanate of Sambas
* Raj of Sarawak
* Sultanate of Siak
* Kingdom of Singapura
* Singhasari
* Srivijaya
* Sugbu
* Sultanate of Sulu
* Sunda Kingdom
* Tarumanagara
* Sultanate of Ternate
* Sultanate of Tidore
* South Asia
* Kingdom of Anuradhapura
* Dominion of Ceylon
* Kingdom of Dambadeniya
* Kingdom of Gampola
* Jaffna Kingdom
* Kingdom of Kandy
* Kingdom of Kotte
* Kingdom of Polonnaruwa
* Kingdom of Sitawaka
* United Suvadive Republic
* Western Asia
* Kingdom of Ormus

### Europe

[edit]

* Mediterranean Sea
* Archaic Greek city-states
* Andros
* Delos
* Khios
* Lesbos
* Milos
* Minoans
* Pholegandros
* Rhodes
* Samos
* Syracuse, Sicily
* Zakynthos
* Lordship of Chios
* Kingdom of Corsica (1736)
* Corsican Republic
* Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
* Emirate of Crete
* Cretan State
* Kingdom of Cyprus
* Duchy of the Archipelago
* Principality of Elba
* Gozo (independent state)
* Hospitaller Malta
* Hospitaller Rhodes
* Kingdom of Majorca
* Triarchy of Negroponte
* Sardinian Judicati
* Judicate of Arborea
* Judicate of Cagliari
* Judicate of Gallura
* Judicate of Logudoro
* Republic of Sassari
* Emirate of Sicily
* Kingdom of Sicily, (1282–1816)[n 24]

* North Europe & West Europe
* Dál Riata
* Commonwealth of England /  Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
* Kingdom of England
* Kingdom of Great Britain
* Heptarchy (seven kingdoms before the unification of England)
* Kingdom of Mann and the Isles
* Commonwealth of Iceland
* Kingdom of Iceland
* Gaelic Ireland
* Norman Ireland
* Kingdom of Ireland
* Irish Free State
* Soviet Republic of Naissaar
* Kingdom of Scotland (Kingdom of Alba before the First War of Scottish Independence)
* Kingdom of Strathclyde
* Principality of Wales
* Brycheiniog
* Kingdom of Deheubarth
* Kingdom of Gwent
* Kingdom of Gwynedd
* Kingdom of Morgannwg
* Kingdom of Powys

### North America

[edit]

* Republic of Anguilla
* First Republic of Cuba
* First Empire of Haiti
* Second Empire of Haiti
* Kingdom of Haiti
* Republic of Spanish Haiti
* Republic of the Floridas
* West Indies Federation, (1958–1962)[n 25]

### Oceania

[edit]

* Kingdom of Bora Bora
* Franceville, New Hebrides
* Kingdom of Fiji
* Kingdom of Hawaii
* Republic of Hawaii
* Republic of the North Solomons
* Kingdom of Tahiti
* Tuʻi Tonga Empire
* Yapese Empire

## Former colonies, possessions, protectorates, and other territories

[edit]

* Annobón (1474–1778), now part of Equatorial Guinea
* Bay Islands, now a department of Honduras
* Cape Breton Island, now part of Nova Scotia, Canada
* Danish West Indies, now the United States Virgin Islands
* Elobey, Annobón and Corisco (1843–1926) unified with the rest of Spanish Guinea
* Fernando Po (1778–1926)
* The Territory of Hawaii, now Hawaii, a state of the United States
* Heligoland (1807–1890)
* Hong Kong Island (1841–1860), now a part of Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China[n 26]
* United States of the Ionian Islands, protectorate of the United Kingdom.
* Septinsular Republic, protectorate in the Ionian Islands under nominal Russo-Ottoman joint sovereignty.
* Labuan, briefly part of British North Borneo, the Straits Settlements and Sabah, now a federal territory of Malaysia
* Mayotte, now an overseas department and region of France
* Minorca (1713–1802)
* Colony of Newfoundland (1583–1907)[n 27]
* New Hebrides, now Vanuatu
* British North Borneo
* Padang
* Prince of Wales Island between 1786 and 1800, at that point joined by Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai). Now as the state of Penang in the Malaysian federation.
* Prince Edward Island, now a province of Canada
* The Providence Island colony
* Queen Charlotte Islands
* Réunion, now an overseas department and region of France
* Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, former British overseas territory dissolved in 1983.
* Socotra Archipelago, now a governorate of Yemen
* Tasmania, now a state of Australia, shares a land boundary with Victoria on Boundary Islet
* Vancouver Island, now a part of British Columbia, Canada
* People's Republic of Zanzibar, now a member of the United Republic of Tanzania.

## Island countries with man-made fixed links to continents

[edit]

* Bahrain to  Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway
* Singapore to  Malaysia via the Johor–Singapore Causeway since 1924, with the Tuas Second Link added in 1998
* United Kingdom to  France via the Channel Tunnel

## See also

[edit]

* Countries portal
* Islands portal

* Archipelagic state
* List of archipelagos
* List of Caribbean countries by population
* List of countries that border only one other country
* List of divided islands
* Lists of islands
* List of islands by area
* List of islands by population
* List of islands by population density
* List of Oceanian countries by population
* List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Oceania
* List of sovereign states and dependent territories in the Indian Ocean
* Small Island Developing States
* Thalassocracy

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are disputed island territories administered by the United Kingdom and claimed by Argentina.
2. ^ A microcontinent on continental crust.
3. ^ The northern part of the island of Cyprus is the de facto independent state of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey. In the south of the island are the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, controlled by the United Kingdom.
4. ^ The largest oceanic island in the world.
5. ^ The western portion of the country is on the continental shelf of Asia while the eastern portion of the country is on the continental shelf of Australia. The central portion of the country consists of oceanic islands in Wallacea.
6. ^ In Japanese tradition, 11 February 660 BC is regarded as the accession date of the first Emperor of Japan in legendary, Emperor Jimmu, marking the establishment of the imperial dynasty. However, no historical evidence that Jimmu actually existed and his story was largely narrated by Japanese mythology. February 11 was also the day when the Constitution of the Empire of Japan was proclaimed in 1889. See: National Foundation Day
7. ^ The largest microcontinent in the world.
8. ^ a b c The Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau are states in free association with the United States, under the Compact of Free Association.
9. ^ a b c A part of the submerged continent of Zealandia.
10. ^ The Granitic Seychelles is a part of the Seychelles microcontinent. The Coralline Seychelles consists of oceanic islands.
11. ^ The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar is a peninsular exclave which shares a land border with Spain and can thus be regarded as a part of continental Europe, with the United Kingdom retaining the full authority for its defence and foreign relations. However, Gibraltar and other BOTs are considered to be dependent territories of the British Crown with varying degrees of self-governance, not parts of the United Kingdom proper nor of any of its four constituent countries.
12. ^ In 1983, in a breach of international law, Northern Cyprus unilaterally declared independence from Cyprus, with direct support of its neighbour Turkey, in support of the Turkish people minority on the island. Northern Cyprus's sovereignty has been recognized by only one United Nations member state: Turkey. It retains a de facto control of this part of the island. It is not a member state of the United Nations. Most states recognize Cyprus's claim to sovereignty over the entirety of the island of Cyprus.
13. ^ Since the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War, the Republic of China (ROC) retains actual rule over the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands, all of which are collectively known as the "Free Area" (or Taiwan Area) in contrast to Mainland China being under communist rule, thus making it a de facto island nation, and has become known colloquially as simply "Taiwan" due to the island of Taiwan forming the majority of the ROC-controlled territories; nonetheless, the ROC has not officially renounced its constitutional-defined territories which include areas effectively controlled by the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, Tuva (a Russian republic) etc. If claimed territories were taken into account, the ROC would not be an island country, nor a country centred around a major island. The ROC-controlled territories are also claimed by the People's Republic of China. See: Cross-Strait relations, One China, Political status of Taiwan, and Two Chinas.
14. ^ The Republic of China (ROC) was formally established on 1 January 1912 following the Xinhai Revolution, which succeeded the former Qing dynasty's territories on Mainland China, while the islands of Taiwan and Penghu were under Japanese rule at the time. The ROC gained control over the latter after the Surrender of Japan in 1945, but soon lost its control of mainland to the communists due to the Chinese Civil War. The ROC government relocated to Taipei on 7 December 1949 and named the city its provisional capital. Constitutionally, the Republic of China on Taiwan still views itself as the continuation of the former Chinese republic, with legitimate sovereignty over Mainland China despite having no actual control. 7 December 1949 is listed as the date of formation of its governing authority fully established on the islands. See: Four-Stage Theory of the Republic of China, Kuomintang's retreat to Taiwan, and Political status of Taiwan.
15. ^ a b The political status of the Cook Islands and Niue is defined as states in free association with New Zealand. The Cook Islands and Niue are internally self-governing, with New Zealand retaining responsibility for their defence and for some foreign affairs. However, these responsibilities confer New Zealand no rights of control and can only be exercised at the request of the Cook Islands and Niue. See: Constitution of the Cook Islands and Niue Constitution Act.
16. ^ Finland and Sweden share a border over the small island of Märket; however, the property including the lighthouse is owned by the Finnish rather than Åland government.
17. ^ a b c d e An insular area of the United States. See Territories of the United States.
18. ^ a b Since 2024, the Chagos Archipelago sovereignty dispute is approaching a resolution with the return of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius — deemed to have the right of sovereignty over the isles by ruling from both the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — with the United Kingdom retaining control of the airbase on Diego Garcia on the basis of a 99-year lease. The negotiations as to the details of the return and the cost of the lease and the rate of compensation are yet to be determined.
19. ^ a b The Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are also claimed by Argentina.
20. ^ a b c The Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey, and the Isle of Man are peculiars of the British Crown and not part of the United Kingdom; foreign relations and defence are provided by the UK.
21. ^ Administered by Norway under the Svalbard Treaty.
22. ^ Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand.
23. ^ By 1910, the Empire of Japan was restricted to the entire Japanese archipelago, Southern Sakhalin, Kuril Islands and Taiwan, before its official annexation of Korea. The Japanese concessions in China including the Kwantung Leased Territory which acquired by Japan before 1905 were regarded as Chinese territories under foreign jurisdiction, they were not officially annexed by Japan and obliged to be returned under a fixed-term territorial lease by bilateral agreements.
24. ^ Before the outbreak of Sicilian Vespers in 1282, the Kingdom of Sicily encompassed both the island of Sicily and south Italy; the war resulted the division of the kingdom into two parts as "Kingdom of Trinacria" (island part), and Kingdom of Naples (mainland part) which still officially called itself "Kingdom of Sicily". The two Sicilian kingdoms had since remained separate until 1816, when they remerged to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
25. ^ Dissolved in 1962 and then divided into Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Barbuda, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
26. ^ The Crown Colony of Hong Kong covered only Hong Kong Island from 1841 to 1860. Kowloon, south of Boundary Street on the continent, was added in 1860, and extended to include the New Territories in 1898.
27. ^ The colony covered the island of Newfoundland before 1809. In 1809, part of the Labrador Peninsula was transferred to Newfoundland from Lower Canada. In other words, before 1809, Newfoundland was an island colony. From 1809 onwards, the Colony of Newfoundland and, since 1907, the Dominion of Newfoundland had been an island plus Labrador (an area on the continent of North America).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Definition of island". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012.
2. ^ The Republic of China (commonly known as "Taiwan") only controls the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu etc. after the Chinese Civil War, but has not renounced claim on areas currently under control of the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, Tuva (a Russian republic) etc. If those territories are taken into account, the Republic of China is not an island country or a country centered with a major island. The area under ROC control is also claimed by the People's Republic of China. See: One China and Political status of Taiwan.
3. ^ Löffler, Ernst; A.J. Rose, Anneliese Löffler & Denis Warner (1983). Australia:Portrait of a Continent. Richmond, Victoria: Hutchinson Group. p. 17\. ISBN 0-09-130460-1.
4. ^ Which Countries Have The Most Islands?
5. ^ Island Countries
6. ^ "Island Countries Of The World". WorldAtlas.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
7. ^ "Total Population Estimates 2015-2019". data.worldbank.org. The World Bank. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
8. ^ "令和元年全国都道府県市区町村別面積調（１０月１日時点）2020年" (in Japanese). Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. 25 December 2020. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
9. ^ "The Overseas Territories" (PDF). Foreign and Commonwealth Office. June 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
10. ^ TRNC SPO, Economic and Social Indicators 2014, pages=2–3
11. ^ The Guardian, 24-Dec-2024 Mauritius holds out on Chagos Islands deal over Diego Garcia lease [1]
12. ^ a b "Channel Islands". Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
13. ^ "2020 Island Areas Censuses: U.S. Virgin Islands". United States Census Bureau. United States Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Island superlatives

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