Where is archipelago located

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Skip to content. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. The Malay archipelago is surrounded by the Indian and the Pacific Oceans to the east and west and Indochina and Australia to the north and south. It covers an area of approximately , square miles and is made up of more than 25, individual islands. When discussing international trade concerning marine transportation, it is often referred to as Maritime Southeast Asia.

This entire region sits within a tropical climate zone. In addition to being the largest archipelago area in the world, it also displays some of the highest rates of volcanic activity. This activity has resulted in a varied landscape, characterized by tall mountain peaks. Some of the major, smaller archipelagos located within this mega-archipelago include Indonesia, New Guinea although some researchers do not consider this part of the Malay Archipelago , and the Philippine archipelago.

Of these subregions, Indonesia is the largest by area, population, and number of islands. In fact, Indonesia makes up most of the larger Malay Archipelago. It covers , square miles and has a population size of over million individuals.

Although the number of islands within Indonesia is not known exactly, the most recent estimates suggest it is comprised of more than 18, islands.

Over 14, of these have been registered with official names at the UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names. Of the islands that make up Indonesia, Sumatra is the largest by area. It covers , square miles and is situated from northeast to southwest.

Despite its size, Sumatra is not the most populated island in Indonesia. That distinction is given to the island of Java. Archipelagos are some of the most important geological land formations in the world. They provide additional waterways through which to transport goods around the world. The islands making up archipelagos also increase the available land area for human populations.

Where governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas, archipelagos may increase territorial waters of certain countries, which is an important step in protecting their economic interests. Additionally, archipelagos create unique marine habitats that host a diverse range of plant and animal species both off the shore and on the land.

The Galapagos archipelago is made up of more than islands spread out across 23, square miles of ocean. The archipelago is noted for its incredible biodiversity, as more than 9, species live in the island chain.

The Hawaiian archipelago is volcanic in nature. There are eight major islands in Hawaii , though the archipelago actually includes more than islands in total. The Hawaiian entire archipelago extends more than 1, miles. It is located in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. Located in the Norwegian Sea, the Loften Islands are positioned far above the Article Circle, at the same latitude as Greenland, though the climate is milder due to the influence of the Gulf Stream.

This relatively small archipelago has seven main islands and a few smaller ones. It stretches over just under miles of water. The Vestfjord separates the archipelago from Norway's mainland. Tierra del Fuego sits at the bottom of the continent of South America, where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. The largest island in the archipelago is Isla Grande Big Island. There are a number of smaller islands in this archipelago, some Chilean and some Argentinian. As a whole, the archipelago encompasses about a thousand miles.

It is separated from the content by the Strait of Magallanes. New Zealand is both a country and an archipelago. Located about a thousand miles from both Australia and Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand consists of three main islands and more than small islands.

Most of the smaller islands are located within 30 miles of the main islands, but some are more than miles offshore. It is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Now that you are aware of what an archipelago is and know some examples, it's only natural to focus next on learning more about the bodies of water where these landforms exist.