Archipelago vs. Island — What's the Difference?

A collection of islands in a body of water.

A landform not connected to a continent.

A sea or stretch of water containing many islands.

A raised area within a flat space.

A complex of islands in a specific region.

A piece of land surrounded entirely by water.

A group or chain of islands clustered together.

A landmass smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water.

Multiple islands that are geographically or culturally linked.

An island or isle is any piece of subcontinental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys.

An archipelago ( (listen) ARK-ih-PEL-ə-goh), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. The Indonesian Archipelago, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Lakshadweep Islands, the Galápagos Islands, the Japanese Archipelago, the Philippine Archipelago, the Maldives, the Balearic Isles, the Bahamas, the Aegean Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, the Canary Islands, Malta, the Azores, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the British Isles, the islands of the Archipelago Sea, and Shetland are all examples of well-known archipelagos.

Abbr. Isl. or Is. or I. A landmass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water.

A large group of islands

An unattached kitchen counter providing easy access from all sides.

A sea, such as the Aegean, containing a large number of scattered islands.

A raised curbed area, often used to delineate rows of parking spaces or lanes of traffic.

The Aegean Sea.

The superstructure of a ship, especially an aircraft carrier.

(collective) A group of islands.

(Anatomy) A cluster of cells differing in structure or function from the cells constituting the surrounding tissue.

(by extension) Something scattered around like an archipelago.

To make into or as if into an island; insulate

The Grecian Archipelago, or Ægean Sea, separating Greece from Asia Minor. It is studded with a vast number of small islands.

A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.

Hence: Any sea or broad sheet of water interspersed with many islands or with a group of islands.

(by extension, in place names) A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, partially surrounded by water; A peninsula; A half-island.

A group of many islands in a large body of water

An entity surrounded by other entities that are very different from itself.

A superstructure on an aircraft carrier's deck.

A traffic island.

(by extension, West Midlands dialect) A roundabout; A traffic circle.

A bench, counter, etc., that is not connected to a wall or other furniture and which can be used from any side.

(government) An unincorporated area wholly surrounded by one or more incorporated areas.

(grammar) A phrase from which a wh-word cannot be extracted without yielding invalid grammar.

(transitive) To surround with water; make into an island.

(transitive) To set, dot (as if) with islands.

(transitive) To isolate.

A tract of land surrounded by water, and smaller than a continent. Cf. Continent.

Anything regarded as resembling an island; as, an island of ice.

To cause to become or to resemble an island; to make an island or islands of; to isle.

To furnish with an island or with islands; as, to island the deep.

A land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

A zone or area resembling an island

An isolated habitat or area distinct from its surroundings.

An archipelago is a group or chain of islands.

An island is a landmass surrounded entirely by water.

Archipelagos can form from volcanic activity, tectonic shifts, or other geological processes.

Some islands stand alone without any neighboring landmasses, hence not being part of an archipelago.

There's no specific number; an archipelago can range from two islands to hundreds or more.

The Galápagos, Hawaiian, and Maldives are examples of famous archipelagoes.

Yes, "island" can refer metaphorically to something isolated or distinct from its surroundings.

No, while every archipelago comprises islands, not every island is part of an archipelago.

Yes, an archipelago can exist in any body of water, including lakes.

Yes, some islands are man-made, often called artificial islands.

Continents are larger, typically separated by oceans, and have diverse ecological zones, whereas islands are smaller and surrounded by water.

Yes, geological events or sea-level changes can create new islands or submerge existing ones.

Yes, many islands and archipelagoes have rich cultural and historical backgrounds.

The Indonesian Archipelago is the largest by land area.

Australia is considered a continent, though it's also the world's largest island.