HOW ISLANDS ARE FORMED : SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

Island is any area of land smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water. Islands may occur in oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers. A group of islands is called an archipelago.

Islands may be classified as either continental or oceanic. Some islands are formed on the continental shelf (very close to the coastline) and they are continental islands. Others are formed far from the continental shelf (in the ocean), and they are known as oceanic islands. Continental islands are simply unsubmerged parts of the continental shelf that are entirely surrounded by water. Oceanic islands or volcanic islands are those that rise to the surface from the floors of the ocean basins. There are six major types of islands, but we will focus on two, the continental and oceanic.

Oceanic and Continental Islands

^{Diagram showing the difference in locations of both types of island
(Photo Source)}

How are they formed?

CONTINENTAL ISLANDS

^{Land erosion
Photo Source}

Continental islands are formed when parts of the mainland are broken off or eroded away by wave action, leaving a piece of land on its own.

OCEANIC OR VOLCANIC ISLANDS

Volcanic eruptions caused by rising magma in the sea can create new lands by piling up lava and solidifying in the sea. Tectonic plates can also cause the seabed to folded and push new land up to the water surface.

Sources:
Island
What is an island landform?

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