Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The question "largest islands near Indonesia" requires clarification: Indonesia is itself an archipelago of 17,000+ islands—including several of the world's largest. The list below ranks the largest islands in the Indonesian region (including those shared with neighbors), by land area.
| Rank | Island | Area (km²) | Countries | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Guinea | 785,753 | Indonesia (Papua, West Papua, etc.) / Papua New Guinea | World's 2nd largest island; Indonesia controls western half. |
| 2 | Borneo (Kalimantan) | 748,168 | Indonesia (Kalimantan: 73%) / Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak) / Brunei | World's 3rd largest. "Kalimantan" = Indonesian portion. |
| 3 | Sumatra | 473,481 | Indonesia (entirely) | World's 6th largest. Entirely Indonesian. |
| 4 | Sulawesi (Celebes) | 180,681 | Indonesia (entirely) | World's 11th largest. Distinctive K-shape. |
| 5 | Java | 129,904 | Indonesia (entirely) | World's 13th largest. Most populous island on Earth (150M+). |
Indonesia's five largest islands (New Guinea, Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java) contain ~95% of its land area and population. The "near Indonesia" framing obscures that these are Indonesia. The archipelagic state is defined by its islands—not adjacent to them.