What is a deserted island?

A deserted island is an island uninhabited by humans. Deserted islands may be either naturally barren or have become deserted due to natural disasters, war, disease, or economic collapse. Deserted islands often figure prominently in fiction, particularly in the adventure genre. Some famous examples of deserted islands include Robinson Crusoe's island from the novel Robinson Crusoe (1719) and Gilligan's Island from the 1960s American television sitcom.