From the cold Arctic to the hot, humid tropics, islands are found all across the globe.
A prominent landmass that is relatively smaller than a continent and isolated by enclosing water is broadly defined as an island.
Naturally, these islands are either part of a continental plate, which is now separated due to tectonic movements, or they may have an oceanic origin caused by underwater volcanic eruptions or coral accumulations that raised them above mean sea level.
Here are the top 10 largest islands in the world:
10 Largest islands in the world by area in square miles and square kilometers
| Rank | Island | Sovereign State(s) | Area (square miles / square kilometers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenland |  Denmark | 836,331 / 2,166,086 |
| 2 | New Guinea |  Indonesia  Papua New Guinea | 317,150 / 821,400 |
| 3 | Borneo | Indonesia  Malaysia  Brunei | 292,000 / 755,000 |
| 4 | Madagascar |  Republic of Madagascar | 228,532 / 591,896 |
| 5 | Baffin |  Canada | 195,928 / 507,451 |
| 6 | Sumatra | Indonesia | 182,860 / 473,606 |
| 7 | Honshu |  Japan | 87,992 / 227,898 |
| 8 | Victoria | Canada | 83,896 / 217,291 |
| 9 | Great Britain |  United Kingdom | 80,823 / 209,331 |
| 10 | Ellesmere | Canada | 75,767 / 196,235 |
1. Greenland
Located in the Arctic region of the North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland is the largest island in the world by area, spanning 836,331 sq miles (2,166,086 sq km). Under the 2009 Self-Government Act, the Greenlandic government oversees all internal matters, whereas Denmark retains constitutional control over its foreign and defense policy. Roughly 90% of the population is the indigenous Inuit people (Kalaallit), followed by Danish citizens and other European immigrants.
- Population as of 2026: ~56,500
- Climate: Arctic with average mean surface air temperature of -1.75°F (-18.75°C)
2. New Guinea
New Guinea, with an area of 317,150 sq miles (821,400 sq km), is the second-largest island in the world. It is a part of the island group known as Melanesia in the Western Pacific Ocean. The longitude 141° E divides the island into two regions, each governed by a different country. The western part of the island is under Indonesia, and the independent country of Papua New Guinea controls the eastern part of the island. The indigenous groups are called Papuans (Melanesian).
- Population: 10.18 million (Papua New Guinea, 2024); 5.6 million (Indonesian Papua, 2026)
- Climate: Tropical with mean surface air temperature: Papua New Guinea: 76.4 °F (24.7 °C) and Indonesian Papua: 78.71 °F (25.95 °C)
3. Borneo
Borneo, with an area of 292,000 sq miles (755,000 sq km), is the third-largest island in the world. It is a part of the Malay Archipelago, situated in the Maritime Southeast Asia region where the Pacific Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. Three countries share the island: Indonesia covers ~73% of the island's area, known as Kalimantan. About 27% of the area lies within two Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, and Brunei’s share is less than 1%. The indigenous tribe of the islands is known as the Dayak.
- Population: 6.3 million (Malaysian states, 2025); 18.3 million (Kalimantan, Indonesia, 2026)
- Climate: Equatorial with mean surface air temperature: Indonesia: 78.6° F (25.9° C), Malaysia: 79.3° F (26.3° C), and Brunei: 80.4° F (26.9° C)
4. Madagascar
The island country of Madagascar ranks fourth among the world's largest islands. Spanning 228,532 sq miles (591,896 sq km), the island is located in the southwest Indian Ocean, just around 250 miles (400 km) from the southeastern coast of Mozambique, Africa. Its population comprises mainly Malagasy, a collective term for 20 distinct linguistic-ethnic groups, such as the Merina, Betsimisaraka, Betsileo, and others.
- Population as of 2026: 32.66 million
- Climate: Tropical with average mean surface air temperature of 72.68 °F (22.6° C)
5. Baffin
Baffin is the fifth-largest island in the world. It is also the largest island of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which lies between Greenland to the east and mainland Canada to the west. The island has an area of 195,928 sq miles (507,451 square km) and is a part of the Nunavut territory of the Canadian Federation. The Inuit population mostly inhabits the island, followed by a non-Aboriginal minority.
- Population as of 2021: 13,039
- Climate: Arctic with average mean surface air temperature of 16.3 °F (-8.5 °C)
6. Sumatra
Sumatra is part of the Greater Sunda Islands in Southeast Asia. Present in the eastern Indian Ocean, it is the world's sixth-largest island. Spanning 182,860 sq miles (473,606 square km), it is the largest island located exclusively within Indonesia. It is ethnically diverse; the Minangkabau, the Rejang, the Batak, the Gayo and Alas, and Austronesian groups like the Achenese are among the indigenous tribes of Sumatra.
- Population as of 2026: ~62.99 million
- Climate: Equatorial with mean surface air temperature of 80.6 °F (27 °C)
7. Honshu
Located in East Asia, between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west), covering 87,992 sq miles (227,898 sq km), Honshu is Japan's main island. It is the world's seventh-largest and second-most populous island. At present, the island is dominated by the Yamato-minzoku. The Ainu are another indigenous people in a small minority.
- Population as of 2025: ~100.7 million
- Climate: Humid continental north and humid subtropical south with average mean surface air temperature between 57°F and 64°F (14°C and 18°C)
8. Victoria
Ranking eighth on the list of largest islands in the world is Victoria. Like Baffin Island, it is also part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, stretching 83,896 sq miles (217,291 sq km). Victoria is divided administratively between two Canadian territories, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Thule Inuit sparsely populate the island.
- Population as of 2021: 1,760 (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut); 408 (Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories)
- Climate: Polar tundra with average mean surface air temperature of 7.0°F (-13.9°C)
9. Great Britain
Great Britain is the ninth-largest island in the world with an area of 80,823 sq miles (209,331 sq km). Located in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean off the northwestern coast of Europe, it comprises three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales. The UK central government (based in London) handles nationwide laws and policies, while Scotland and Wales exercise significant autonomy. The Celtic group comprises the indigenous population of Great Britain.
- Population: ~67.3 million
- Climate: Temperate maritime, with average mean surface air temperature of Scotland: 46.26 °F (7.92 °C), England: 50.09 °F (10.05 °C), and Wales: 49.15 °F (9.53 °C)
10. Ellesmere
Ellesmere Island is the world’s 10th-largest island and Canada's 3rd-largest island, covering 75,767 square miles (196,235 sq km). Located at the northern edge of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and west of Greenland, it is part of the Nunavut territory. While historically occupied by ancient Thule and Dorset cultures, the island was abandoned during the Little Ice Age. Today, its sole civilian population consists of the settlements of Grise Fiord, established in the 1950s through Canada's High Arctic relocation program.
- Population: 144 residents in the hamlet of Grise Fiord
- Climate: Extreme Arctic climate with an average annual surface air temperature of 7.84 °F (-13.42 °C)
