Beautiful Island’s on Earth
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot, or holm. A grouping of geographically or geologically related islands is called an archipelago. There are two main types of islands: continental islands and oceanic islands. There are also artificial islands.
There are approximately 45,000 tropical islands on Earth. Among coral tropic islands for example are Maldives, Tonga, Nauru and Polynesia. Granite islands include Seychelles and Tioman. The socio-economic diversity of these regions ranges from the Stone Agesocieties in the interior of Madagascar, Borneo or Papua New Guinea to the high-tech lifestyles of the city-islands of Singapore and Hong Kong. International tourism is a significant factor in the local economy of Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Reunion, Hawaii and the Maldives, among others. Here are described about some beautiful island of the world.
J Bora Bora
Location: Pacific Ocean
Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometers (140 mi) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the center of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 meters (2,385 ft).
Bora Bora is a major international tourist destination, famous for its aqua-centric luxury resorts. The island is served by Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mete in the north, with Air Tahiti providing daily flights to and from Papeete on Tahiti. The major settlement, Vaitape is on the western side of the main island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and the plentiful coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for copra. According to a census performed in 2008, the permanent population of Bora Bora is 8,880.
The island was first inhabited by Polynesian settlers around the 4th century. Its previous Polynesian name was Vava'u. The first European sighting was made by Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. James Cook sighted the island in 1770 and landed that same year. A London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and founded a Protestant church in 1890.
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef, 29.3 km² (11.3 sq mi) in total, and of the atoll of Tupai (11 km2/4.2 sq mi), located 20 kilometers (12 mi) north of Bora Bora. The atoll of Tupai has no permanent population apart from some workers in the coconut plantations.
Today the island is mainly dependent on tourism. Over the last few years, several resorts have been built on motu (small islands) surrounding the lagoon. Thirty years ago, Hotel Bora Bora built the first over-the-water bungalows on stilts over the lagoon and today, over-water bungalows are a standard feature of most Bora Bora resorts. The quality of those bungalows ranges from comparably cheap, basic accommodations to very luxurious and expensive places to stay.
Most of the tourist destinations are aqua centric; however it is possible to visit attractions on land such as WWII cannons. Air Tahiti has five or six flights daily to the Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mute from Tahiti (as well as from other islands).
J The Bahamas
Location: Atlantic Ocean
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets (rocks). It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States (nearest to the state of Florida). Its total land area is 13,939 km2 (5,382 sq mi), with an estimated population of 330,000.
Its capital is Nassau. Geographically, The Bahamas lie in the same island chain as Cuba, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands; the designation of Bahamas refers normally to the Commonwealth and not the geographic chain.
The country lies between latitudes 20° and 28°N, and longitudes 72° and 80°W. The closest island to the United States is Bimini, which is also known as the gateway to The Bahamas. The island of Abaco is to the east of Grand Bahama. The south easternmost island is Inagua. The largest island is Andros Island.
Other inhabited islands include Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Exuma and Mayaguana. Nassau, capital city of The Bahamas, lies on the island of New Providence. All the islands are low and flat, with ridges that usually rise no more than 15 to 20 m (49 to 66 ft). The highest point in the country is Mount Alvernia, formerly called Como Hill, which has an altitude of 63 meters (207 ft) on Cat Island.
The climate of The Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly by the waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter. Conversely, this often proves very dangerous in the summer and autumn, when hurricanes pass near or through the islands.
Hurricane Andrew hit the northern islands during the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, and Hurricane Floyd hit most of the islands during the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. While there has never been a freeze reported in The Bahamas, the temperature can fall as low as 2–3 °C (35.6–37.4 °F) during Arctic outbreaks that affect nearby Florida.
Snow was reported to have mixed with rain in Freeport in January 1977, the same time that it snowed in the Miami area. The temperature was about 4.5 °C (40.1 °F) at the time.
J Seychelles
Location: Indian Ocean
Austronesian seafarers or Arab traders were the first to visit the uninhabited Seychelles. The earliest recorded sighting by Europeans took place in 1502 by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama, who passed through the Amirantes and named them after himself (islands of the Admiral).
A transit point for trade between Africa and Asia, the islands were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control starting in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid by Captain Nicholas Morphey. The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Sechelles, Louis XV’s Minister of Finance.
An island nation, Seychelles is located to the northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (994 mi) east of Kenya. The climate is equable although quite humid, as the islands are small. The temperature varies little throughout the year. Temperatures on Mahe vary from 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F), and rainfall ranges from 2,900 mm (114 in) annually at Victoria to 3,600 mm (142 in) on the mountain slopes.
Precipitation is somewhat less on the other islands. During the coolest months, July and August, it drops to as low as 24 °C (75 °F). The southeast trade winds blow regularly from May to November, and this is the most pleasant time of the year. The hot months are from December to April, with higher humidity (80%). March and April are the hottest months, but the temperature seldom exceeds 31 °C (88 °F). Most of the islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so high winds are rare.
Environmental legislation is very strict, and every tourism project must undergo an environmental review and a lengthy process of consultations with the public and conservationists. The Seychelles is a world leader in sustainable tourism.
Like many fragile island ecosystems, the Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity during early human history, including the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, the felling of coastal and mid-level forests, and the extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles Parakeet, the Seychelles Black Terrapin and the saltwater crocodile.
J Tahiti
Location: Pacific Ocean
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs.
The population is 178,133 (2007 census), making it the most populous island of French Polynesia and accounting for 68.6% of the group's total population. Tahiti was formerly known as Otaheite.
The capital, Papeete, is located on the northwest coast with the only international airport in the region, Fa'a'a International Airport, situated 5 km (3.11 mi) from the town centre. Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between AD 300 and 800. They comprise about 70% of the island's population with the rest made up of Europeans, Chinese and those of mixed heritage.
The island was proclaimed a colony of France in 1880 although it was not until 1946 that the indigenous Tahitians were legally authorised to be French citizens. French is the only official language although the Tahitian language (Reo Tahiti) is widely spoken. It was part of the Kingdom of Tahiti until its annexation by France in 1880.
Tahiti is the highest and largest island in French Polynesia. It is located 4,400 km (2,734.03 mi) south of Hawai'i, 7,900 km (4,908.83 mi) from Chile and 5,700 km (3,541.82 mi) from Australia. The island is 45 km (27.96 mi) across at its widest point and covers an area of 1,045 km2. The highest peak is Mou'a 'Orohena (2,241 m). Mou'a Ronui in the southeast rises to 1,332 m.
The island consists of two roughly round portions centred on volcanic mountains and connected by a short isthmus named after the small town of Taravao, situated there. November to April is the wet season, the wettest month of which is January with 13.2 inches (335 mm) of rain in Papeete.
J Maldives
Location: Indian Ocean
The Maldives , officially Republic of Maldives, also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and Chagos Archipelago. It stands in the Laccadive Sea, about seven hundred kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and (250 mi) south-west of India.
The Maldives are the smallest Asian country in both population and land area. With an average ground level of 1.5 meters (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, it is the lowest country on the planet. It is also the country with the lowest highest point in the world, at 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in); the Maldives sinking is a great concern for the Maldivian people.
The Maldives consists of approximately 1,190 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, along the north-south direction, spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometers, making this one of the most dispersed countries in the world.
The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only 2.3 meters (7 ft 7 in), with the average being only 1.5 meters (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, although in areas where construction exists, this has been increased to several meters. More than 80 per cent of the country's land, composed of coral islands scattered over an area about 850 km across the equator, is less than one meter above sea level.
A layer of humus 15 centimeters (6 in) thick forms the top layer of soil on the islands. Below the humus layer are 60 centimeters (2 ft) of sandstone, followed by sand and then fresh water. Due to high levels of salt in the soil near the beach, vegetation is limited there to a few plants such as shrubs, flowering plants, and small hedges. In the interior of the island, more vegetation such as mangrove and banyan grow. Coconut palms, the national tree, are able to grow almost everywhere on the islands and are integral to the lifestyle of the population.
Maldives waters are home to wide variety of ecosystems, but it is most noted for their variety of colorful coral reefs, home to 300 species of fish. In the Uthuru Province, Baa Atoll, Maldives you can find Moray Eels, Puffer Fish, Fusiliers, Jackfish and Lionfish. In the Kaafu Atoll, Maldives you can find Sweet lips, Sharks, Groupers, Eels and Snappers. In the North Ari Atoll, Medhu-Uthuru Province, Maldives you can find Groupers, Rays, Moray Eels, Banner Fish, Bat Fish, Hump head Wrasse and Stingrays.
J Fiji
Location: Pacific Ocean
Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) northeast of New Zealand's North Island. Fiji covers a total area of some 194,000 square kilometers (75,000 sq mi) of which around 10% is land.
Its closest neighbours are Vanuatu to the west, France's New Caledonia to the southwest, New Zealand's Kermadecto the southeast, Tonga to the east, the Samoas, France's Wallis and Futuna to the northeast and Tuvalu to the north.
The first settlements in Fiji were started by voyaging traders and settlers from the west about 5000 years ago. Lapita pottery shards have been found at numerous excavations around the country. Aspects of Fijian culture are similar to Melanesian culture to the western Pacific but have stronger connection to the older Polynesian cultures such as those of Samoa and Tonga.
Across 1000 kilometres from east to west, Fiji has been a nation of many languages. Fiji's history was one of settlement but also of mobility. Over the centuries, a unique Fijian culture developed. Constant warfare and cannibalism between warring tribes was quite rampant and very much part of everyday life.
J Ko Lipe
Location: Andaman Sea
Koh Lipe is an island in the Adang-Rawi Archipelago in the Satun Province of Thailand.
Koh Lipe is a tiny island in the Andaman Sea located 70 km off the southwest coast of Thailand near the Malaysian border. The Thai name is transliterated many different ways into English. The most common names in English are Koh Lipe, Koh Lipeh, Ko Lipey and Ko Lipe.
This island has four main beaches: Sunset beach, Sunrise beach and Pattaya beach. Accommodation from grass huts to air-conditioned bungalows can be found on these beaches. It is possible to walk around the entire island in little over an hour.
In high season (November to May) there are several locations from which you can take a ferry or speedboat to Koh Lipe, including: Pak Bara, Langkawi, Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and Trang. In low season (May to October) the only way to get to Koh Lipe is by speedboat from Pak Bara at around 11:30hrs.
From Langkawi, Malaysia there are two speedboats per day (from November until May): one at 9:45 am costing 128 Malaysian Ringgit and one at 2:30 pm, costing 118 Malaysian Ringgit; alternatively. These boats dock at the south end of Pattaya Beach. Other ferries are met by longtail boats offering transfers to anywhere on Ko Lipe for an additional 50 baht/person.
There are many great sites for scuba diving and snorkeling around Koh Lipe and its neighboring islands. On Koh Lipe there are many dive shops and resorts that rent out snorkel gear or arrange boat trips. The calm, clear water makes the Koh Lipe area ideal for snorkeling, with 25% of the world's tropical fish species found in the area.
There are large varieties of fish around the coral just a few meters deep straight off all of the beaches. People are fast realizing that the coral and sea life around Koh Lipe is one of the best in Thailand many dive schools are still setting up to accommodate the large volume of travelers wishing to scuba dive.
J Bali
Location: Indonesia
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.
The island of Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java are separated by the Bali Strait. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and spans approximately 112 km (69 mi) north to south; its land area is 5,632 km².
Bali's central mountains include several peaks over 3,000 meters in elevation. The highest is Mount Agung (3,142 m), known as the "mother mountain" which is an active volcano. Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector.
South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali's large rice crop is grown. The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle. The longest river, Ayung River, flows approximately 75 km.
The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats.
Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism.
J Hawaii (Big Island)
Location: Pacific Ocean
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi Island, is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of 4,028 square miles (10,432 km²), it is larger than all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined and is the largest island in the United States.
The Island of Hawaiʻi is administered as the County of Hawaiʻi within the state of Hawaii. The county seat is Hilo. In modern times, Hawaiʻi is known as the "Big Island" to reduce confusion between Hawaiʻi Island and the state.
In greatest dimension, the island is 93 miles (150 km) across and has a land area of 4,028 square miles (10,430 km2) comprising 62% of the Hawaiian Islands' land area. Measured from its sea floor base to its peak, Mauna Kea is the world's tallest mountain, taller than Mount Everest. As of 2008, the island had a resident population of 175,784. As of 2000, there were 148,677 people, 52,985 households, and 36,877 families residing in the county.
The population density was 14/km² (37/mi²). There were 62,674 housing units at an average density of 6/km² (16/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 31.55% White, 0.47% African American, 0.45% Kanaka Maoli, 26.70% Asian, 11.25% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 28.44% from two or more races. 9.49% of the populations were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Hawaii is said to have been named for Hawaiiloa, the legendary Polynesian navigator who first discovered it. Other accounts attribute the name to the legendary realm of Hawaiki, a place from which the Polynesians originated (see also Manua), the place where they go in the afterlife, the realm of the gods and goddesses. Captain James Cook, who called them the "Sandwich Islands", was killed on the Big Island at Kealakekua Bay.
Hawaiʻi was the home island of Paiea Kamehameha, called Kamehameha the Great, who by 1795 united most of the Hawaiian Islands under his rule after several years of war. He gave his Kingdom of Hawaii the name of his native island, and the islands in chain are known collectively as "Hawaiian Islands".
J Jamaica
Location: Caribbean Sea
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometers (145 mi) in length and as much as 80 kilometers (50 mi) in width, and amounts to 10,990 square kilometers (4,243 sq mi).
It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about 145 kilometers (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 kilometers (119 mi) west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation states Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Its indigenous Arawakan speaking Taino inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water", or the "Land of Springs"
The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather, although higher inland regions are more temperate. Some regions on the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains, are relatively dry rain-shadow areas. Jamaica lies in the hurricane belt of the Atlantic Ocean and because of this, the island sometimes experiences significant storm damage.
Hurricanes Charlie and Gilbert hit Jamaica directly in 1951 and 1988, respectively, causing major damage and many deaths. In the 2000s, hurricanes Ivan, Dean, and Gustav also brought severe weather to the island.
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean. It lies between latitudes 17° and 19°N, and longitudes 76° and 79°W. The island is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Chief towns and cities include the capital Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Ríos, Port Antonio, Negril, and Montego Bay.
Jamaica is also home to the seventh largest natural harbour in the world, Kingston Harbour. There are several tourist attractions scattered across the country, including Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann, YS Falls in St. Elizabeth, the Blue Lagoon in Portland, and Port Royal, which was the site of an earthquake that helped form the island's Palisadoes.
J St. Martin's Island
Location: Bay of Bangle
St. Martin's Island is a small island in the northeast of the Bay of Bengal, about 9 km south of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsular tip and forming the southernmost part of Bangladesh. It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast of Myanmar at the mouth of the river naf.
The island lies between 92°18´ and 92°21´E longitudes and 20°34´ and 20°39´N latitudes. The local people call it Narikel Jinjira. It is almost flat and is 3.6m above the mean sea level. The 9.66 km wide channel between the mainland and the island is much shallower than the open sea southwest of the island. There are reefs from 10-15 km to the west-northwest.
The island is 7.315 km long and is aligned NNW and SSE. Geographically, it is divided into three parts. The northern part is called Narikel Jinjira or Uttarpara and is 2,134m long and 1,402m wide. The southern part is known as Dakshinpara, which is 1,929m long, with a narrow tail of 1,890m towards the southeast, and a maximum width of 975m. A narrow central belt or Maddhyapara connects the two parts.
The length and the width of this belt are about 1,524m and 518m respectively and the narrowest collar is known as Golachipa. In addition to the main island there are a number of tiny islets ranging from 100 to 500 sq m which are locally known as Chheradia or Siradia which means separated island.
One hundred eighty-two species of wildlife are recorded from the island. Of these, 4 species are amphibians, 28 reptiles, 130 birds and 20 mammals. . St Martin's limestone is composed of molluscan coquina horizons (shelly limestone) and coral clusters (coralline limestones).
Being very porous and permeable, the shelly limestone provides an excellent aquifer wherever they occur beneath the alluvium. Recent marine sands and the shelly limestone are the chief source of fresh water.
J Eustatia Island
Eustatia Island is volcanic in origin and is approximately 30 acres in size, 1,870 feet (0.35 miles) in length, 1,020 feet (0.2 miles) in width and is 210 feet in elevation. The terrain is hilly, but not as rugged as some of the BVI’s (British Virgin Island) other islands with most of Eustatia being accessible by foot.
Three white sand beaches are located on the island, with the main beach on the south, a smaller beach on the north side, and another beach on the southwest side of the island.
A variety of tropical flora and fauna including, jasmine, hibiscus, bougainvillea, tamarind, frangipani, allemande, honey suckle, cacti and succulents are found throughout the island. One of the largest mature coconut palm plantations in the BVI is located on the main beach of Eustatia Island. Bird species include sea gulls, pelicans, frigates, boobies, hummingbirds, and doves. Several species of lizards including wood slave, ground, saddleback, and man lizards are also regularly seen throughout the island.
Commonly seen in the surrounding water are a wide variety of reef fish including, grunts, parrotfish, trumpet, trigger, snapper, grouper, wrasse, damsel, porcupine and dozens of other species. Green, Loggerhead, and Hawksbills sea turtles are routinely spotted as are southern and spotted stingrays. Conch, lobster, crabs and other invertebrates are abundant.
Similar to neighboring islands, Eustatia has fresh trade winds, warm year round ambient and water temperatures, and over 300 days of sunshine per year. Trade winds tend to average 10-15 knots from the east northeast. Ambient temperatures range from average day time highs of 85F-90F in the summer to 80F-85F in the winter. Lows average 80F to 75F respectively. Water temperatures are warm year round with the coolest being 77F in the winter to a high 85F in the summer.
While the months of September-November tend to receive the greatest accumulations of rain, there is no official “rainy season”. Squalls tend to be intermittent, short lasting, but fairly intense. Relative humidity typically ranges from 60-80%. Article source: wikipedia
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