LEARN FUN FACTS ABOUT ISLANDS!

Islands, they can be big and small. They can be found in oceans, lakes and rivers. Learn some interesting facts about some of the islands in the world!

The most populated island in the world is Java(part of the country of Indonesia).

The largest island in the world is Greenland. Australia, which is 3x the size of Greenland, is considered a continent.

The man-made islands called the World Islands of Dubai are in the shape of the continents! There is also an artificial group of islands created in the area that looks like a giant palm tree. The Palm Tree Islands is called the world’s largest artificial island and can be seen from outer space. See beautiful photographs of Palm Islands at this link: http://www.weather.com/travel/amazing-artificial-islands-world-photos-20130827

As of 2013, the world’s newest island is Zalzala Koh, an island that popped out of the Arabian Sea following an earthquake in Pakistan! Scientists think it may only be around for the next year.

It is estimated that 1 out of 10 people live on islands!

The dodo bird, a flightless bird, lived on the island of Mauritius(Indian Ocean). It was the thought to be the first recorded creature to become extinct. Similar to a pigeon, sailors from Holland brought rats, cats, dogs,pigs and crab-eating macaques with them on their voyages. The dodo had not natural enemies until these creatures came to the island. Sailors easily hunted the dodo birds and the birds were gone within one hundred years(1681). Learn more about the dodo bird:http://birdsflight.com/dodo-bird-facts-kids-dodo-bird-extinction/

Yumenoshima is an island in Japan’s Tokyo Bay made out of trash. Since then,several other garbage islands have been created around the world!

The Maldives island nation found in the Pacific ocean is sinking and is thought to have less than 100 years left before it become submerged under the waters.

A real “garbage” island,twice the size of the state of Texas,is located between Hawaii and San Francisco, California.

Ometepe, an island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, is the oldest inhabited island! People have lived there since 300 BC!

The world's largest river island is Ilha do Bananal found in the country of Brazil.

 Iceland, is the world’s largest volcanic island. Learn more about Iceland:http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/iceland and :http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Iceland-Country-in-FocusIcelandic-Webquest-495815

The Galapagos Islands( 600 miles west of the country of Ecuador) are famous for its large tortoises. Charles Darwin visited the islands and wrote his book on the theory of evolution, “The Origin of Species”, after observing the life on the islands.

Easter Island,one of the most distant located inhabited islands is found 2237 miles from the country of Chile. Easter Island, discovered on Easter Day, 1772, is famous for the nearly 900 tall statues(called moia),many of which are 3 stories tall. Learn more about the moias at this link:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/easter/civilization/giants.html

Note: Illustration from:http://openclipart.org/search/?query=island