Island nation
An
island nation is a
country that is wholly confined to an
island or
island group, and has no territory on the
mainland of the world's
continents. Forty-seven of the world's countries are island nations, including most of the smallest ones.
Island nations can be divided in two approximate groups. There are those that are large, relatively populous, and usually close to a
continent. These include
Japan,
Sri Lanka, the
Philippines,
Cuba, the
United Kingdom, and
Madagascar. These countries typically share cultural and political similarities with their continental neighbours. Their island status has sometimes been an important advantage that has isolated them from invasion and made them important in regional trade because of their locations and the maritime abilities of the population.
Australia can be considered this category of nation taken to an extreme: an island nation so large it is considered a
continent.
Smaller island nations such as the
Comoros, the
Bahamas,
Tonga, and the
Maldives tend to be very different from continental nations. The small size usually means there is little agricultural land and rarely many
natural resources. However, in modern times, smaller island nations around the world have become centres for
tourism, which in many is the dominant industry.
Some island nations are centered on one or two major islands, such as the
United Kingdom and
Australia. Others are spread out over hundreds or thousands of smaller islands, such as
Indonesia or the
Maldives. Some island nations share their islands with other countries; these include the
Republic of Ireland,
Haiti, and
Papua New Guinea. The opposite extreme of confinement to an island nation (all-sea boundary) is a
landlocked one (all-land boundary).
*
List of island nations*
List of islands (by country)
*
List of countries
