List of isolated islands and archipelagos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of the most isolated islands and archipelagos on Earth in terms of distance to another landmass. Many of these islands are of volcanic origin via tectonic plates such as Bouvet Island while others appear from hotspots such as the Azores which was created by the Azores hotspot. This list includes islands that are more than 500 kilometres (310 mi) away from another point of land.
Notable omissions
One such omission on this list is Tristan da Cunha. While it is usually regarded as one of the most remote islands on Earth the island is actually only 320 kilometres (200 mi) from Gough Island, which is uninhabited apart from a weather station with around 6–7 people on it but they are not a permanent population.[1]
Easter Island is another omission. The island is 320 kilometres (200 mi) from Isla Salas y Gómez.[2]
Other islands and archipelagos include the Chagos Archipelago being 475 kilometres (295 mi) away from the Maldives, the Kerguelen Islands and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands are about 480 kilometers away from each other. Other fairly remote islands include Ducie Island, South Orkney Islands, Peter I Island, Malpelo Island, Conway Reef and Palmerston Island. The New Zealand Subantarctic Islands are relatively close to each other.[3][4]
List
| Island / Archipelago | Distance to nearest landmass | Closest point | Notes / Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bouvet Island | 1,639 kilometres (1,018 mi) |  Queen Maud Land |
The island is a territory of Norway.[5] |
| Trindade and Martim Vaz | 1,167 kilometres (725 mi) |  Brazil |
[6] |
| Ascension Island | 1,100 kilometres (680 mi) |  Saint Helena |
The island is administratively part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a territory in the United Kingdom.[7][8] |
| Saint Helena | 1,100 kilometres (680 mi) |  Ascension Island |
The island is administratively part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a territory in the United Kingdom.[7][9] |
| Bermuda | 1,050 kilometres (650 mi) |  North Carolina |
The island is a territory of the United Kingdom. |
| Crozet Islands | 1,050 kilometres (650 mi) |  Prince Edward Islands |
[10] |
| Prince Edward Islands | 1,050 kilometres (650 mi) |  Crozet Islands |
[10] |
| Minamitorishima | 1,015 kilometres (631 mi) |  Northern Mariana Islands |
[11] |
| Kermadec Islands | 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) |  New Zealand |
[12] |
| Clipperton Island | 945 kilometres (587 mi) |  Revillagigedo Islands |
[13] |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 900 kilometres (560 mi) |  Christmas Island |
[14] |
| Johnston Atoll | 890 kilometres (550 mi) | Hawaii |
[15] |
| Azores | 850 kilometres (530 mi) |  Madeira |
[16] |
| Desventuradas Islands | 850 kilometres (530 mi) |  Chile |
[17] |
| Galápagos Islands | 720 kilometres (450 mi) |  Cocos Island |
[18] |
| South Sandwich Islands | 700 kilometres (430 mi) |  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
[19] |
| South Georgia | 700 kilometres (430 mi) | South Sandwich Islands |
[19] |
| Chatham Islands | 650 kilometres (400 mi) | New Zealand |
[20] |
| Juan Fernández Islands | 650 kilometres (400 mi) | Chile |
[21] |
| Macquarie Island | 650 kilometres (400 mi) | Auckland Islands |
[22] |
| Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago | 625 kilometres (388 mi) | Fernando de Noronha |
[23] |
| Wake Island | 580 kilometres (360 mi) |  Bokak Atoll |
[24] |
| Rodrigues | 560 kilometres (350 mi) |  Mauritius |
Distance to main island.[25] |
| Bass Islands | 550 kilometres (340 mi) |  Raivavae |
[26] |
| Cocos Island | 550 kilometres (340 mi) | Costa Rica |
[27] |
| Okinotorishima | 534 kilometres (332 mi) |  Okidaitōjima |
[28] |
| Scott Island | 505 kilometres (314 mi) | Victoria Land |
Due to the Antarctic treaty, any landmass south of 60°S are not part of any country.[29] |
| Jan Mayen | 500 kilometres (310 mi) |  Kolbeinsey |
[30] |
| Marquesas Islands | 500 kilometres (310 mi) | Tuamotus |
[31] |