List of Canadian islands by area facts for kids
Canada is home to many islands, big and small! This article will tell you about the largest islands in Canada, focusing on those that are bigger than 1,000 square kilometers (about 386 square miles). There are 50 such islands in Canada, and together they cover a huge area of 1,545,444 square kilometers (596,699 square miles). That's a lot of land surrounded by water!
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Canada's Biggest Islands
Canada has some of the biggest islands in the world. Most of these giant islands are found in the Arctic, a very cold region in the northern part of the country. Let's explore some of the most famous and largest ones!
Baffin Island: A Giant in the Arctic
Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest in the world! It's located in Nunavut, a Canadian territory. This island is so big it covers 507,451 square kilometers (195,928 square miles). Imagine an island almost as big as Spain! About 13,148 people live here, mostly Inuit communities.
Victoria Island: An Island Within an Island
Coming in second, Victoria Island is also incredibly large, covering 217,291 square kilometers (83,897 square miles). It's shared between the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. About 2,162 people call this island home. Victoria Island is famous for having the world's largest "island within an island within an island." That's a lake on an island, with another island inside that lake, and another lake on that island, and so on!
Ellesmere Island: Far North and Few People
The third largest Canadian island is Ellesmere Island, with an area of 196,236 square kilometers (75,767 square miles). It's also in Nunavut and is one of the most northern places on Earth. Because it's so far north and cold, only about 191 people live there. This includes residents of small communities like Grise Fiord and research stations like Alert and Eureka.
Newfoundland: The Largest Outside the Arctic
When we talk about islands outside the Arctic, Newfoundland is the biggest in Canada! It measures 108,860 square kilometers (42,031 square miles) and is part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This island is much more populated than the Arctic giants, with about 492,519 people living there. It's known for its beautiful coastlines and friendly communities.
Banks Island: Home to Arctic Wildlife
Banks Island is the fifth largest Canadian island, covering 70,028 square kilometers (27,038 square miles) in the Northwest Territories. About 113 people live here. This island is famous for its wildlife, especially muskoxen and polar bears.
Devon Island: The Largest Uninhabited Island
Did you know there's a huge island in Canada where no one lives? Devon Island is the sixth largest, at 55,247 square kilometers (21,331 square miles), and it's in Nunavut. It's the largest uninhabited island on Earth! Its harsh, cold, and dry environment makes it a bit like Mars, so scientists sometimes use it to practice for space missions.
Other Notable Large Islands
- Axel Heiberg Island (43,178 km2) and Melville Island (42,149 km2) are two more large, uninhabited islands in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
- Southampton Island (41,214 km2) in Nunavut is home to about 891 people.
- Prince of Wales Island (33,339 km2) in Nunavut is another large, uninhabited island.
- Vancouver Island (31,285 km2) in British Columbia is a very populated island on Canada's west coast, with about 813,543 residents. It's known for its mild climate and beautiful forests.
- Somerset Island (24,786 km2) in Nunavut was once home to Fort Ross, Nunavut, the last trading post built by the famous Hudson's Bay Company.
- King William Island (13,111 km2) in Nunavut is historically important because it's where the explorer John Franklin and his crew abandoned their ships during their ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage.
- Cape Breton Island (10,311 km2) in Nova Scotia is a beautiful island on Canada's east coast, home to about 132,010 people. It's famous for its Scottish heritage and stunning Cabot Trail.
- Prince Edward Island (5,620 km2) is Canada's smallest province, and it's entirely an island! About 142,907 people live there. It's known for its red sand beaches and delicious seafood.
- Manitoulin Island (2,766 km2) in Ontario is special because it's the world's largest island located within a freshwater lake! About 13,255 people live there.
- René-Levasseur Island (2,020 km2) in Quebec is the world's second largest island within a lake.
These are just some of the many amazing islands that make up Canada's vast and diverse landscape!
See also
- List of Canadian islands by population
- List of islands of Canada
- Lists of islands
