What Are Islands?

Imagine looking at a map where you see big pieces of land called continents. Continents are huge — like big neighborhoods for plants, animals, and people. But, you’ll also see many smaller pieces of land that float all by themselves surrounded by water. These smaller pieces are called islands.

An island is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on all sides. This means water surrounds it like a circle or ring, and you cannot walk to another piece of land without crossing water.

How Are Islands Different from Continents?

• Both islands and continents are covered by land.
• Continents are very, very big. Examples include Asia, Africa, and North America.
• Islands are much smaller than continents.
• Even though continents are surrounded by water, they are so large that we don’t call them islands.

There are thousands (lakhs) of islands across the world. They come in many sizes — some are tiny, just enough for a few trees, and others are very big, where people live and cities grow!

Why Are Islands Special?

Islands have unique animals, plants, and cultures because they are separated by water. Think about a turtle island or a monkey island! Islands can be fun places to visit with beaches, forests, and even mountains.

So next time when you look at a map or globe, try to spot the islands — those little lands surrounded by blue water all around!