Desert island facts for kids

A desert island is an island where no people live. These are also called uninhabited islands. Sometimes, even very small pieces of land or atolls in the ocean are called desert islands. Many people imagine these places as a kind of paradise because they are untouched by humans. Most islands in the world actually have no people living on them.

Helen's Reef, in Palau, is a desert island

Why are Some Islands Empty?

Islands are often uninhabited for several good reasons.

• Too Small: Some islands are simply too tiny to support a community of people.
• No Fresh Water: Many islands do not have a natural source of fresh water, which is essential for people to live there.
• Bad Climate: The weather might be too harsh, like very cold or very hot, making it difficult to survive.
• Close to Bigger Towns: If an island is very close to a larger town or city, people usually prefer to live in the more developed area.
• Past Activities: Some islands were used for special tests, like scientific experiments. Because of these tests, places like the Bikini atoll might not be safe for people to live on for a very long time.

Large Uninhabited Islands

Even some very large islands have no people living on them.

• Novaya Zemlya: This is a group of two large islands. They are separated by a narrow channel of water. About 2,500 people live on the southern island in two small towns. However, the northern island is huge, about 48,904 square kilometres (18,882 sq mi), and has no permanent residents.

Images for kids

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  The abandoned lighthouse at Klein Curaçao

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  Robinson Crusoe in an 1887 German illustration

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  Plane view of Baa Atoll, Maldives

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  Desert island from Baa Atoll

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  Bassas da India, Indian Ocean

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  Chissioua Bandrélé, Mayotte

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  Mtsanga Tsoholé, Mayotte

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  Gombé Ndroumé, Mayotte

See also

In Spanish: Isla desierta para niños