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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As globalization continues to spread across the globe, these most remote islands in the world remain secluded. Their isolation from the outside world is due to the vast oceans, dense rainforests, and towering mountain ranges that have enclaved them for centuries.
In this article, we'll discover the world's most remote islands, each with its exact location.
8 Most Remote Islands in the World
According to Britannica and Desert Island Survival, Tristan da Cunha is one of the world's most isolated islands, followed by several other notable contenders.
1. Kerguelen Islands
Located in the Indian Ocean, the Kerguelen Islands are largely uninhabited due to temperatures that are unsuitable for human habitation. Although a French research station is occasionally occupied by scientists, humans can't live below the average temperature of 2.1 to 8.2 degrees Celsius.
Consisting of glaciers, mountains, rocky outcrops, mosses, and vast plains of tussock grasses, the Kerguelen Islands are estimated to be 3,300 kilometers from Madagascar, making them the perfect home for terns, seals, four species of penguins, and albatrosses.
2. Tristan da Cunha
One of the most remote islands in the world, named after the Portuguese explorer Tristão da Cunha, forms a group of remote islands including Gough, Inaccessible, Nightingale, Middle, and Stoltenhoff. Commonly known as Tristan da Cunha, these islands are located about 2,100 kilometers south of St. Helena. On a more specific shape, Tristan da Cunha appears circular with a coastline of 34 kilometers and a central volcanic cone.
3. Spitsbergen
Despite being one of the most remote islands in the world, Svalbard is Norway's largest island, covering an area of approximately 39,044 square kilometers. It is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, which lies about 830 kilometers north of the European coast. Famous for its isolation and abundant polar bear population, Spitsbergen is covered in snow and ice year-round.
4. Easter Island
Also known as Rapa Nui, Easter Island is considered one of the most isolated places on Earth, according to its government. More than 600 enigmatic Moai statues dot the landscape of this 163-square-kilometer island. In addition, the ruins of giant stone platforms called ahus have been discovered in the open courtyards of Easter Island.
5. Pitcairn Island
The neighboring island of Easter, Pitcairn Island is comfortably nestled within the British Overseas Territory. Apparently, this one of the most remote islands in the world is known as the home of the mutineers from the British ship HMS Bounty, which has occupied Pitcairn Island since 1790.
Consisting of four volcanic islands, Pitcairn, Ducie, Henderson, and Oneo, this group of isolated islands now lies at the heart of one of the world's largest marine reserves.
6. Novaya Zemlya
Novaya Zemlya is one of the most remote islands in the world, consisting of two huge Arctic islands and a number of surrounding islets. These remote islands are part of a Russian-administered archipelago, with the two main islands stretching over 1,000 kilometers and divided by the Matochkin-Shar Strait. Historically, Novaya Zemlya served as a nuclear test site, hosting over 100 tests during the Cold War era between 1954 and 1990.
7. Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Archipelago, is a V-shaped coral island in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Due to its strategic location within the British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia plays a pivotal role as a major air and naval support base for the United States and British militaries.
8. South Georgia
Like Pitcairn Island, South Georgia is a British Overseas Territory. Due to its location in the Atlantic section of the Southern Ocean, the island is sparsely populated, with only a few scientists stationed at British Antarctic Survey facilities. Notably, South Georgia is a base for scientific expeditions, including the grueling journey led by British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, who first crossed South Georgia in 1916.
These most remote islands in the world serve as a reminder of nature's pristine beauty and the enduring allure of isolation. Each island, with its unique history, geography, and ecosystems, offers a glimpse into a world far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern life. On the other side of the world, some isolated countries also exist.
Britannica | Desert Island Survival
Editor's Choice: 8 Most Isolated Islands, List of Beautiful Loneliest Islands
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