# Archipelago > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Archipelago > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Archipelago.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelago > Source revision: 1356781501 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Collection of islands "Island chain" redirects here. For the strategy, see [Island chain strategy](/source/Island_chain_strategy). For other uses, see [Archipelago (disambiguation)](/source/Archipelago_(disambiguation)). Not to be confused with [arpeggio](/source/Arpeggio) or [a cappella](/source/A_cappella). This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Archipelago" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The [Indonesian Archipelago](/source/Indonesian_Archipelago), located in Asia and [Oceania](/source/Oceania), is the largest [archipelagic state](/source/Archipelagic_state) in the world. The [Aegean Sea](/source/Aegean_Sea) with its large number of islands is the origin of the term *archipelago*. The [Mergui Archipelago](/source/Mergui_Archipelago) in Myanmar An **archipelago** ([/ˌɑːrkəˈpɛləɡoʊ/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English) [ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En-us-archipelago.ogg) [*AR-kə-PEL-ə-goh*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key)),[1] sometimes called an **island group** or **island chain**, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Examples of archipelagos include the [Aegean Islands](/source/Aegean_Islands) (the origin of the term *archipelago*), the Canadian [Arctic Archipelago](/source/Arctic_Archipelago), the [Stockholm Archipelago](/source/Stockholm_Archipelago), the [Malay Archipelago](/source/Malay_Archipelago) (which includes the Indonesian and Philippine Archipelagos), the [Lucayan (Bahamian) Archipelago](/source/Lucayan_Archipelago), the [Japanese archipelago](/source/Japanese_archipelago), the [Hawaiian Archipelago](/source/Hawaiian_Islands), and the [Galapagos](/source/Galapagos). ## Etymology The word *archipelago* is derived from the Italian *arcipelago* (used as a proper name for the [Aegean Sea](/source/Aegean_Sea)), itself perhaps a deformation of the Greek Αιγαίον Πέλαγος.[2][3] Usage later shifted to refer to the [Aegean Islands](/source/Aegean_Islands) (since the sea has a large number of islands). The erudite [paretymology](/source/Paretymology), deriving the word from [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) ἄρχι- (*arkhi-*, "chief") and πέλαγος (*pélagos*, "sea"), proposed by [Buondelmonti](/source/Cristoforo_Buondelmonti), can still be found.[4] ## Geographic types Archipelagos may be found isolated in large bodies of water or neighboring a large land mass. For example, Scotland has more than 700 islands surrounding its mainland, which form an archipelago.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Depending on their geological origin, islands forming archipelagos can be referred to as *oceanic islands*, *continental fragments*, or *continental islands*.[5] ### Oceanic islands Oceanic islands are formed by volcanoes erupting from the ocean floor. The [Hawaiian Islands](/source/Hawaiian_Islands) and [Galapagos Islands](/source/Galapagos_Islands) in the [Pacific](/source/Pacific_Ocean), and [Mascarene Islands](/source/Mascarene_Islands) in the south [Indian Ocean](/source/Indian_Ocean) are examples.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### Continental fragments Continental fragments are islands that were once part of a continent, and became separated due to natural disasters. The fragments may also be formed by moving glaciers which cut out land, which then fills with water. The [Farallon Islands](/source/Farallon_Islands) off the coast of California are examples of continental fragment islands.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### Coral cay archipelago A coral cay archipelago is formed when ocean currents transport sediments that gradually build up on coral reefs. The [Florida Keys](/source/Florida_Keys) are one example.[6] ### Continental islands The [Archipelago Sea](/source/Archipelago_Sea) with many islands in southwestern Finland Continental islands are islands that were once part of a continent and still sit on the continental shelf, which is the edge of a continent that lies under the ocean. The islands of the [Inside Passage](/source/Inside_Passage) off the coast of [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia) and the [Canadian Arctic Archipelago](/source/Arctic_Archipelago) are examples.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### Artificial archipelagos Artificial archipelagos have been created in various countries for different purposes. [Palm Islands](/source/Palm_Islands) and [The World Islands](/source/The_World_(archipelago)) in Dubai were or are being created for leisure and tourism purposes.[7][8] [Marker Wadden](/source/Marker_Wadden) in the Netherlands is being built as a conservation area for birds and other wildlife.[9] ## Superlatives The largest archipelago in the world by number of islands is the [Archipelago Sea](/source/Archipelago_Sea), which is part of Finland. There are approximately 40,000 islands, most being uninhabited.[10] The largest [archipelagic state](/source/Archipelagic_state) in the world by area with more than 17,500 islands,[11] and by population of around 284 million people,[12] is [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia).[13] ## See also - [Geography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Geography) - [Islands portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Islands) - [List of landforms](/source/List_of_landforms) - [List of archipelagos by number of islands](/source/List_of_archipelagos_by_number_of_islands) - [List of archipelagos](/source/List_of_archipelagos) - [Archipelagic state](/source/Archipelagic_state) - [List of islands](/source/List_of_islands) - [Aquapelago](/source/Aquapelago) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["archipelago"](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/archipelago). *[Dictionary.com Unabridged](/source/Dictionary.com)* (Online). n.d. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["archipelago"](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/archipelago). *[Dictionary.com Unabridged](/source/Dictionary.com)* (Online). n.d. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. "archipelago (n.), Etymology", July 2023, [\[1\]](https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/4069383322) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Maltézou, Chryssa A., *De la mer Égée à l'archipel: quelques remarques sur l'histoire insulaire égéenne* In: Mélanges Hélène Ahrweiler Pt. 2 (1998) p. 464–465 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Whittaker R. J. & Fernández-Palacios J. M. (2007) *Island Biogeography: Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation*. New York, Oxford University Press 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ["What is an archipelago?"](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/archipelago.html). *oceanservice.noaa.gov*. Retrieved 24 November 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** McFadden, Christopher (22 December 2019). ["7+ Amazing Facts About Dubai's Palm Islands"](https://interestingengineering.com/7-curious-facts-about-dubais-palm-islands). *Interesting Engineering*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220528112320/https://interestingengineering.com/7-curious-facts-about-dubais-palm-islands) from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Wainwright, Oliver (13 February 2018). ["Not the end of The World: the return of Dubai's ultimate folly"](https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/feb/13/not-end-the-world-return-dubai-ultimate-folly). *The Guardian*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250817130959/https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/feb/13/not-end-the-world-return-dubai-ultimate-folly) from the original on 17 August 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Boffey, Daniel (27 April 2019). ["Marker Wadden, the manmade Dutch archipelago where wild birds reign supreme"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/27/marker-wadden-islands-netherlands-manmade-archipelago-wild-birds-eco-haven). *The Guardian*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20260110132406/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/27/marker-wadden-islands-netherlands-manmade-archipelago-wild-birds-eco-haven) from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Nautical chart: International no. 1205, SE61, Baltic Sea, North, Sea of Åland"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171020134932/http://www.sjofartsverket.se/upload/378/Sjokortsbilder/61.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.sjofartsverket.se/upload/378/Sjokortsbilder/61.pdf) (PDF) on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Indonesia at a glance"](https://www.fao.org/indonesia/about-us/indonesia-at-a-glance/en). FAO. Retrieved 4 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Mid Year Population - Statistical Data"](https://www.bps.go.id/en/statistics-table/2/MTk3NSMy/mid-year-population--thousand-people-.html). *www.bps.go.id*. [Statistics Indonesia](/source/Statistics_Indonesia). Retrieved 4 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Indonesia"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211205000000/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/download/factbook-2008.zip). *[The World Factbook](/source/The_World_Factbook)* (2008 ed.). [Central Intelligence Agency](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency). Retrieved 7 December 2008. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Archipelagoes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Archipelagoes). Look up ***[archipelago](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/archipelago)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. - [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm), ed. (1911). ["Archipelago"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Archipelago). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)* (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. - [30 Most Incredible Island Archipelagos](https://web.archive.org/web/20090130062925/http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/island-archipelagos/3612) v t e Coastal geography Landforms Anchialine pool Archipelago Atoll Avulsion Ayre Barrier island Bay Bight Bodden Brackish marsh Cape Channel Cliff Coast Coastal plain Coastal waterfall Continental margin Continental shelf Coral reef Cove Dune cliff-top Estuary Firth Fjard Fjord Freshwater marsh Fundus Gat Geo Gulf Gut Hapua Headland Inlet Intertidal wetland Island Islet Isthmus Liman Lagoon Machair Mudflat Natural arch Peninsula Reef Ria Salt marsh Shoal Skerry Sound Spit Stack Strait Strand plain Submarine canyon Tidal island Tidal marsh Tide pool Tied island Tombolo Waituna Windwatt Beaches Beach cusps Beach evolution Beach ridge Beach wrack Beaches in estuaries and bays Beachrock Coastal morphodynamics Pocket beach Raised beach Recession Shell beach Shingle beach Storm beach Wash margin River mouths Debouch Mouth bar River delta mega regressive Processes Blowhole Cliffed coast Coastal biogeomorphology Coastal erosion Concordant coastline Current Cuspate foreland Discordant coastline Emergent coastline Feeder bluff Flat coast Graded shoreline Ingression coast Large-scale coastal behaviour Longshore drift Marine regression Marine transgression Raised shoreline Rip current Rocky shore Sea cave Sea foam Shoal peresyp Steep coast Submergent coastline Surf break Surf zone Surge channel Swash Undertow Volcanic arc Wave-cut platform Wave shoaling Wind fetch Wind wave Management Accretion Coastal management Integrated coastal zone management Submersion Related Bulkhead line Coastal engineering Grain size boulder clay cobble granule gravel pebble sand shingle silt Intertidal zone Littoral zone Physical oceanography Region of freshwater influence River plume Category Authority control databases International GND National United States France BnF data Latvia Israel Other Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Archipelago](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelago) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelago?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.