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At 2,175,590 km2 in area (840,000 square miles), Greenland has always been the world's largest island, irrespective of Australia's discovery.

Australia is often erroneously thought of as the world's largest island. Geographically, Australia is a continent, not an island. As a landform, it could be considered an island as it is entirely surrounded by water and not joined onto any other land mass. For this reason, it is often referred to as an island continent. Australia is too big to be formallyclassified as an island. The world's largest island is Greenland.

Another reason why Australia is also considered a continent is because it sits on its own tectonic plate. This is different from Greenland, which uses the same land mass as North America.

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Q: Which was the biggest island in the world before the discovery of Australia?
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What is the world's largest island?

At 2,175,590 km2 in area (840,000 square miles), Greenland is the world's largest island.Australia is often erroneously thought of as the world's largest island. Geographically, Australia is a continent, not an island. As a landform, it could be considered an island as it is entirely surrounded by water and not joined onto any other land mass. For this reason, it is often referred to as an island continent. Australia is too big to be formallyclassified as an island. The world's largest island is Greenland.Another reason why Australia is also considered a continent is because it sits on its own tectonic plate. This is different from Greenland, which uses the same land mass as North America.* The defining of Australia as an "island" is arguable, as Antarctica could be similarly defined as an island, being completely surrounded by water, as are even the Americas and Afro-Eurasia.


Who created Australia?

Australia was believed to be a country of Pangea. However, Pangea slowly split apart into 2 island. Those 2 islands then broke away into many different and that is how Australia was made.


What are the divisions of Australia called?

Australia is divided up into six states (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania - the island state), and two major interbal territories(Northern Territory and A.C.T Australian capital territory though they Australia do have smaller territories.


What is Tasmania?

Tasmanian is a state of Australia. It is Australia's only island state.


What achievements has Luis Vaez De Torres done?

Luis Vaez de Torres is noted for the first recorded navigation of the strait which separates the continent of Australia from the island of New Guinea, and which now bears his name (Torres Strait).

Related questions

Which was the biggest island in the world before the discovery of Australia by Captain Cook?

Firstly, Captain Cook did not discover Australia.Secondly, Australia is not an island. It is a continent.The biggest island in the world is and was Greenland.


What is the biggest island near Australia?

The biggest island near Australia that is not part of Australia, is New Guinea, which lies to Australia's north.


Is Japan the biggest island?

no, Australia is


Australia biggest island?

Australia is a Continent, Greenland is the largest island


The biggest island?

Green land, AUSTRALIA


What is the biggest island state in the south called?

The biggest island state in the south is Tasmania, which is part of Australia.


Is Reunion a big island?

Yes, it the second biggest island in the world after Australia


List of island biggest to smallest?

The largest island on the planet is Greenland (no, NOT Australia).


What is the biggest island?

Australia is classed as a Continent, or is some cases an Island Continent. It is more accurate to say that Greenland in the biggest island at 822,706 square miles. As a continental landmass, Australia is within the same group as Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. Antarctica could be included, but this is a special case.


Biggest Island of the world?

Greenland is, Australia would be, but it is it's own continent.


How many countries are there in oceana?

34 Australia is the biggest and Christmas island is the smallest


Where did Matthew Flinder explore?

Matthew Flinders circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia, and was with George Bass when the discovery was made that Tasmania was a separate island.