What Are the Three Largest Islands in the World?

The World's Three Largest Islands by Area

When ranking islands by total land area, these three stand far above the rest:

1. Greenland (Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark)
   • Area: 2,166,086 km² (836,330 sq mi)
   • Located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, northeast of Canada
   • Over 80% covered by the Greenland Ice Sheet
2. New Guinea (Divided between Indonesia [Papua & West Papua] and Papua New Guinea)
   • Area: 785,753 km² (303,381 sq mi)
   • World's second-largest island and highest island (Puncak Jaya, 4,884 m)
   • Extraordinary biodiversity and cultural diversity (over 1,000 languages)
3. Borneo (Shared by Indonesia [Kalimantan], Malaysia [Sabah & Sarawak], and Brunei)
   • Area: 748,168 km² (288,864 sq mi)
   • Third-largest island and largest in Asia
   • Home to one of the world's oldest rainforests and endangered species like orangutans

Why Australia Isn't on This List

Australia (7,692,024 km²) is larger than all three combined, but it is classified as a continent rather than an island under standard geographical definitions. If considered an island, it would be the largest.

Quick Comparison