Estimates show that around X million people on Earth live on islands. Due to their isolation, the islands generally offer a unique environment as they tend to be centers of biodiversity with rare flora and species. It is estimated that Sweden has more islands than any other country in the world . The other countries with the most islands are described below:
10. Thailand – 1.430
Thailand has 1,430 islands located both in the Gulf of Thailand (located mainly near the coast) and in the Andaman Sea. Although most of the islands are uninhabited, some are tourist attractions. Like the Greek islands, the Thai islands are grouped as Mu Ko Chang National Park, with its 52 islands, Phang Nga Bay, with its 67 islands, and Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, with its 42 islands. In the local language, the word Ko means an island. Most of the islands in Thailand offer a variety of tourist services, including accommodation and travel arrangements.
9. Greece – ~ 6,000
The sources of difference place the number of islands in Greece between 1,600 and 6,000 depending on the minimum size of these sources. Of the total number, more than 166 have permanent settlements. Crete is the largest Greek island in the region, followed by Evia, Lesbos and Rhodes. All the islands are in different groups, namely the Aegean Islands off the west coast of Turkey, the Argo-Saronic Islands near Athens, the Cyclades in the center of the Aegean Sea, the Dodecanese near Turkey and the Ionian Islands. The Ionian Sea Islands The Ionian Islands have the best sandy beaches, while the Delos Islands are best for history and culture as it is the birthplace of Apollo. Most of the Greek islands offer a unique experience to tourists.
8. United Kingdom – 6.289
The United Kingdom is an island separated from continental Europe by the North Sea and the English Channel. Including all the overseas territories, there are 6,289 islands throughout the United Kingdom, most of which are in Scotland. Notable islands include Skye, Orkney, Fair Isle, Lindisfarne, Mersea, Isle of Wight, Herm, Anglesey, Lundy and Bryher.
7. Japan – 6.853
Japan is an archipelago that spans 1,869 miles of 6,853 islands of which more than 430 have inhabitants. The four main islands include Honshu (which is the largest and the capital of Tokyo), Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu. While most are natural, there are also a few artificial islands. Each of the inhabited islands of Japan has a unique culture and biodiversity, while the uninhabited islands are home to thousands of plant and animal species, including endangered species. The Japanese islands are ideal for research and expedition, as well as fishing grounds. Each year there are around 1,500 nationwide. Four-fifths of Japan is heavily forested and mountainous, with 200 volcanoes, making it difficult to expand the colonies,
6. The Philippines – 7.107
The Philippines is a tropical country located in maritime Southeast Asia. Many of its 7,107 islands are popular among tourists for their beautiful beaches and turquoise waters. The largest island in the Philippines is Luzon, which is also its most populous island. The largest city in Luçon is Quezon City.
5. Australia – 8.222
According to Tourism Australia, the country has 8,000 islands. The actual number is estimated at 8,222. Of these, the 3,747 islands are found in Western Australia, 1,955 in Queensland, 1,000 in Tasmania, 887 in the Northern Territory and 346 in southern Australia. Melvin Island is the largest of the islands. Australia boasts of various wild species including kangaroos and duck-billed platypus. Other attractions include the Great Barrier Reef, lakes, forests and the vast desert.
4. Indonesia – 17.508
The Republic of Indonesia is an archipelago mainly composed of volcanic islands located in Southeast Asia with some territories in Oceania. The CIA World Factbook estimates that there are 17,508 islands in the country. Indonesia is the largest country in the world by area. The main Indonesian islands include the Malaku and Sunda island groups. The Sunda Islands are home to the island of Java on which the capital, Jakarta, is located. The Indonesian islands are popular for their unique beaches, volcanoes, prehistoric artefacts, limestone cliffs and rich wildlife, including forests, elephants, tigers and many more. Indonesian wildlife and culture make it one of the main tourist destinations on the planet.
3. Canada – 52,455
According to Statistics Canada, Canada has 52,455 islands within its borders. The largest of these is Baffin Island, which covers 195,927.93 square kilometers. Around the 30,000 islands is Georgian Bay, making it one of the largest freshwater archipelagos. In total, the 1,864 islands are located in the St. Lawrence River. Canada has named 129 island groups and 1,016 islets of which 250 are uninhabited. Of this total, seventeen islands have more than square kilometers in area. North of the Canadian mainland is the Canadian archipelago in which the Queen Elizabeth and Manitoulin Islands are located. Manitoulin Island is the largest freshwater island in the world and has lakes 3861.02 which in turn have smaller islands.
2. Finland – 188,000
The Finnish tourism organization recognizes that the country has 179,584 islands, 98,050 of which are found in the country’s 188,000 lakes. Only the 455 of these islands have permanent establishments and use river connections to the mainland because they do not have connective road services. Above 700 are relatively large, with more than 0.39 square miles and have road connections to the mainland. The other tens of thousands are used for recreational, shipping, research or other purposes. Various facilities are available for visitors, including horse riding, kayaking and fishing.
1. Sweden – 221,800
Sweden has an estimated total of 221,800 islands, the majority of which are uninhabited. This number means that Sweden probably has more islands than anywhere else in the world. Even the country’s capital, Stockholm, is an archipelago of fourteen islands linked by 50 bridges and also has the medieval town of Gamla Stan, museums and royal palaces. The island of Öland has well-kept beaches, a castle and structures dating back to 5,000, making the island a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other islands offer good sites for swimming, fishing and other water sports.