Or an island, while others are surrounded by water. It is often difficult to determine the exact boundaries and area of this geographical feature. There are detached, attached and accumulative peninsulas. This article provides a list of the ten largest peninsulas in the world with brief description and location on the map.
10. Taimyr
Area 400,000 km². The peninsula is located in the north of central Siberia, between the mouths of the Yenisei and Khatanga. Located beyond the Arctic Circle, Taimyr is characterized by a harsh climate. Winter lasts 8 months. The landscape is presented and. Rocky lands with lichens and bushes give way to cedar forests. Lives in Taimyr reindeer, muskox, arctic fox, sable. Walruses set up rookeries on the coasts. Internal and external reservoirs are rich in fish. The territory of the peninsula belongs to Russia.
9. Balkan Peninsula
Area 505,000 km². The peninsula is located in the south. It dominates here mountainous terrain, the climate is humid and cool. In the south there are pine and oak forests, the north is represented by broad-leaved forests. Animal world is diverse, there are many representatives of , and . Among the mammals you can find wild boar, roe deer, deer, and bear. The peninsula is shared by 13 countries, including Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria.
8. Iberian Peninsula
Area 582,000 km². The territory is located in southwestern Europe, washed by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to the Pyrenees, the climate in different parts of the peninsula has its own characteristics. The north and west are dominated by peat bogs and broad-leaved forests. To the south the flora takes on a Mediterranean character. There are groves of cork oak and dwarf palm trees here. In the interior, the landscape resembles a semi-desert. There are 25 species of birds. There are many reptiles and few have survived. You can meet deer, wild boars, mountain goats, and bears. The lands of the peninsula belong to Spain, France, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar.
7. Somalia
Area 750,000 km². The peninsula is located in the northeast. This area has an arid climate. Summer temperatures are +34˚C, which is why the flora is not very diverse. Tropical forests grow along the banks of water bodies. The rest of the land is covered with grass and bushes. The animal world has many faces, but some species are on the verge of extinction. Crocodiles, hyenas, lions, and buffalos live here. The peninsula belongs Federal Republic Somalia and Ethiopia.
6. Asia Minor
Area 756,000 km². The land lies in the west. It is washed by the Black, Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean seas. Most of the territory is occupied by mountains and plateaus. Climate, January temperatures average +10˚C. Evergreen and broad-leaved forests grow on the mountain slopes, which merge into the zone of alpine meadows. The fauna is rich in reptiles, birds and fish. The peninsula belongs to Turkey.
5. Scandinavian Peninsula
The area is approximately 800,000 km². The territory is located in the northwestern part of Europe. The north and west of the peninsula are famous for their fjords, which form many islands and archipelagos. In the south and east there are dangerous underwater rocks. The climate is mostly temperate. Almost half of the territory is occupied by forests. There are coniferous, mixed and broad-leaved forests. The fauna is represented by deer, elk, foxes and hares. There are bird colonies on the coasts. sea waters rich in fish. Norway, Sweden and Finland are located on the peninsula.
4. Labrador
Area 1.4 million km². The lands are located in eastern Canada. On one side it is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the other by several bays. In the east they rise mountain ranges. The climate is cool, average summer temperatures do not exceed +18˚C. Most of the territory lies in the forest-tundra zone. The flora is represented by firs, larches, and white spruces. Labrador is home to martens, foxes and muskrats. The peninsula belongs to Canada.
3. Hindustan
The area is more than 2 million km². The territory is located in the southern part of Asia. Hindustan lies in the equatorial monsoon belt. 90% falls during the summer annual quantity rains. Hinterland, closed by mountains, have a dry climate. The flora is an alternation with light forests. It is observed along the banks of rivers. Most of tropical forests cut down, and the area is occupied by plantations. There are many representatives in Hindustan: tigers, spotted leopards. Amphibians, birds and reptiles are common. The peninsula is shared by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
2. Indochina 
The area is about 2.4 million km². The peninsula is located in southeast Asia, between water pools Quiet and Indian. The terrain of the territory is varied: mountainous areas give way to plateaus and lowlands. Indochina is located in and climatic zone. Tropical forests coexist with mangroves, but most of natural vegetation is replaced by cultivated plants. Animals include monkeys, tigers, rhinoceroses, and wild cats. Indochina is home to Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Cambodia.
1. Arabian Peninsula
The area is about 3.25 million km². The peninsula is located in southwest Asia. Under the influence of continental tropical air, the peninsula has low precipitation all year round. The relief is represented by deserts, lowlands, plateaus and mountain ranges. There are no permanent bodies of water here. The main plant crops are date palm and coffee tree. Savannah-type vegetation appears on the mountain slopes. The fauna is similar to the fauna of neighboring regions of Europe and Africa. Here you can meet jackals, antelopes, gazelles, fennec foxes, and leopards. The world of reptiles is diverse. On Arabian Peninsula located in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, UAE, Yemen, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Peninsula- a part of the continent surrounded by water, only one part connected to land. Due to the fact that it is difficult to determine the exact boundary of the peninsula on land, the area of the peninsula is considered a rather arbitrary concept, and the size of its territory is recognized by scientists in a largely conditional recognition.
Therefore in different sources The area of the same peninsula can vary by tens of thousands of km². Significantly sized pieces of land can be found on all earth's continents, however, the largest peninsulas are still located in Asia.
What is the name of the world's largest peninsula?
The most extensive territory has Arabian Peninsula, located in Asia. Its area is various estimates ranges from 2750 to 3250 thousand km².
Arabian Peninsula washed by the waters (in the west) and the Arabian (in the southeast) seas.
The territory of Arabia is occupied by such countries, How:
- Kingdom Saudi Arabia;
- Sultanate Oman;
- Yemen Republic;
- UAE;
- Kingdom of Bahrain;
- Qatar;
- Kuwait;
- Iraq;
One of the most developed countries Arabia is the UAE. Read in what attractions are definitely worth visiting in this state.
From point of view geological structure the entire area of Arabia is occupied by ancient Arabian platform. In the southern part are located mountain plateaus and midlands, the highest point in Arabia is considered Mount Nabi Shuaib in Yemen (altitude 3666 m above sea level).
The vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula is occupied by tropical desert, and life is concentrated in rare oases. The climate of most of Arabia is tropical trade wind with minimal humidity, the average annual precipitation does not exceed 100 mm per year, and in the south - no more than 50 mm. Slightly more precipitation falls only in mountainous areas. Arabia is one of the hottest places on Earth, with a local temperature record of +55°C.
The flora of Arabia is relatively poor due to the fact that most of the surface is occupied by deserts.
Greatest variety flora achieved in mountainous areas, oases and wadis - the beds of long-dry rivers that fill only during rare rainfalls. Acacias, tamarisks, olives, pistachios, coffee, date palms and other cultivated and wild plants grow here. Fauna represented by various desert predators (jackals, hyenas) and herbivores (gazelles, antelopes, jerboas).
The eastern part of Arabia, located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, is world leader for hydrocarbon reserves, the production and sale of which amounts to the lion's share economies of the Gulf countries.
What are the largest territories in Eurasia?
The leaders in territory among the Eurasian peninsulas are located in southern Asia.
Asia
In addition to the leading Arabian Peninsula in terms of area, the Asian continent boasts second and third places in the world top 10.
Peninsula Indochina ranks second in the world in terms of area among the inhabited continents, second only to the Arabian Peninsula. The area of Indochina reaches 2414 thousand km².
Indochina extends deeply into the waters of the South China and seas, as well as the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. Indochina is one of the most moisturized places on the planet, the amount of precipitation in the eastern part of Indochina reaches 2000 mm, and in the foothills of the western part - up to 3000 mm.
Hindustan, sometimes referred to as the Indian subcontinent due to its geological origin and historical reasons, ranks third in Asia in terms of size. The area of Hindustan reaches 2 million km². From the west, Hindustan is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, from the east - by the Bay of Bengal. Most of the territory of Hindustan is occupied by India, and a small part of the peninsula belongs to Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Korean Peninsula in the east of the Asian continent, its area is significantly inferior to its southern brothers Indochina and Hindustan.
The total territory of the Korean Peninsula is approximately 220 thousand square kilometers.
Here are located 2 states: South Korea and North Korea. Korea is washed by the waters of the Yellow and Sea of Japan.
Except greatest peninsulas world, in Asia can be found large islands and the largest archipelago on the planet - Malay. List of largest islands:
Europe
Despite the modest size of Europe compared to other continents, it can boast of peninsulas that are among the world's top.
Scandinavian Peninsula- the largest in Europe and the fifth largest in size on the entire planet. The territory of Scandinavia is more than 800 thousand km², which includes the mainland parts of Sweden and Norway, part and tiny territory of Russia.
The Iberian Peninsula- the second largest in Europe and the seventh in the inhabited part of the planet, washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees are located in the extreme southwest of the European continent. The second name of the Pyrenees is the Iberian Peninsula, named after the Iberians who lived here in ancient times.
Third largest in Europe and eighth largest on the planet Balkan Peninsula located in the southeastern part of the continent. The territory of the Balkan Peninsula exceeds 500 thousand km². The Balkans are distinguished by the amazing diversity of peoples living here and the states located there, the number of which is more than a dozen.
The Balkans are washed by the Black, Marble and Mediterranean seas, as well as the seas that are part of the Mediterranean.
The southern part of the Balkans forms a separate peninsula of the Peloponnese, located in Greece.
Russia
The largest peninsulas of Russia in size are located in the Asian part of the country in the north of Siberia and the Far East:
Largest plots in America
The largest peninsulas of America are located in North America, their area is tens of times larger than the size of the largest peninsulas of South America.
North
The greatest peninsula of North America and everything Western Hemisphere - Labrador, located on the east coast. The area of Labrador is 1,600 thousand km², which allows it to rank fourth in the world and first among peninsulas located outside Asia. Labrador is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and Hudson Bay.
Other large North American peninsulas include:
- California(Mexico, 144 thousand km²), which should not be confused with the state of the same name in the USA;
- Yucatan(Mexico, 140 thousand km²), located in the southern part of the country on the coast Caribbean Sea And Gulf of Mexico;
- Florida(USA, 116 thousand km²) is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The US state of the same name is located in Florida.
California is a relatively narrow strip of land separating Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.
South
South America has a slightly indented coastline, so there are no large peninsulas included in the list of the largest in the world. The largest South American peninsulas by territory are:
- Brunswick, Chile, area - 6.3 thousand km²;
- Valdez Peninsula, Argentina, area - 3.6 thousand km².
How is Africa different?
Africa cannot boast of such abundance large islands and peninsulas like the Asian continent. However, the greatest of them are among the largest on our planet.
Somalia
The Somali Peninsula is the largest on the African continent and the sixth largest on the entire planet. Area of Somalia, often referred to as Horn of Africa for its shape, is more than 750 thousand km². Somalia is located on the Indian Ocean coast in western Africa.
The state of Somalia and partly Ethiopia are located on this peninsula.
Madagascar
The island of Madagascar, with a territory of almost 590 thousand km², occupies fourth place in the world in terms of area, second only to Greenland, New Guinea and Kalimantan. The island is located in the Indian Ocean, and from African continent it is separated by the Mozambique Channel. On the territory of the island is the state of the same name Madagascar.
Look in this video TOP 10 largest peninsulas in the world:
A peninsula is not just a piece of land that is adjacent to the mainland or some island, as is written in most encyclopedias. This is a great place to relax away from civilization, with big amount most beautiful places, where you can relax both physically and mentally. On our planet there is a large number of various peninsulas, I would like to highlight the largest ones in area.
Its total area is approximately 2,730 thousand square kilometers. It is difficult to calculate the exact area of the peninsula, since part of the territory belongs to the mainland to which it is adjacent. It is impossible to say exactly where the territory of the peninsula begins, and where the mainland is, so it is almost impossible to calculate the exact area. But in in this case whatever one may say, the Arabian Peninsula occupies large territory, on which you can place a dozen of the most common European countries. But most of the Arabian Peninsula belongs to Saudi Arabia, as well as some small countries located on its territory, these are Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen, Bahrain and the United Emirates. Accordingly, the peninsula is washed by the Arabian Sea and partly by the Red Sea. Also several gulfs: Aden, Oman and Persian Gulf. The sun shines here 365 days a year; in the middle of the day there is abnormal heat, making it almost impossible to be outside. It may not be the most picturesque peninsula, but it does have a large number of oil and gas fields.
In terms of its approximate area, this peninsula is just a little smaller than the Arabian Peninsula, but in terms of climate they are completely opposite. West Antarctica is rightfully considered the coldest peninsula. The main territory of Antarctica is covered with ice, which does not melt throughout the year. The sun appears quite rarely in this part of the world, as do humans. Only scientific expeditions are sent to West Antarctica; of course, some of the landscapes here are simply breathtaking, but the place is not intended for tourist tours.
After cold Antarctica Let's return to Asia to the warmer Indochina peninsula. By the name you can already guess where exactly this peninsula is located, which occupies a little more than two million square kilometers (2088 thousand kilometers). The peninsula is washed by the Andaman and South China Seas. Also, a large number of rivers flow through the territory of the Indochina Peninsula. The climate is quite humid, but due to this the area is very picturesque; it is on this peninsula that such famous resorts as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are located.
Most reference books and encyclopedias indicate that the area of Hindustan is two million square kilometers. The territorial location is again in Asia, it is on this peninsula that India is powerfully located, as well as two other states of Bangladesh and Pakistan. There is no such thing here humid climate as in the territory of Indochina, there is only one exit to the Indian Ocean. Despite the large territory of Hindustan, it is washed by only one Bay of Bengal. Accordingly, the climate here is dry and hot.
And finally we are moving from Asia to North America to the shores of America's largest peninsula - Labrador. In eastern Canada, the Lambrador Peninsula stretches over almost one and a half million square kilometers. A very picturesque peninsula that people come to see and travel from different corners peace. The following rivers flow here: Churchill, La Grande, Koksoak, George, Fay, Arno, and there are also a large number of lakes on the peninsula. Due to the abundance of different vegetation, the peninsula is home to many interesting animals, such as lynxes, muskrats and different types foxes.
In terms of area, it is significantly inferior to all previous peninsulas, only 800 thousand square kilometers. But it is considered the largest peninsula located in the European part, namely in the North-West. It contains countries such as Norway and Sweden, and Finland occupies a small piece of the peninsula. The peninsula is quite picturesque; here is the famous rock called Troll's Tongue.
Its territory is just a little smaller than the previous peninsula by 50 thousand kilometers. But, despite its small area, it is considered the largest peninsula in Africa, just like the Scandinavian Peninsula in Europe. Due to its bizarre shape on the map, Somalia is nicknamed the Horn of Africa. A large number of reptiles and various rare species of animals live here. Due to frequent droughts, a large number of local species have already become extinct, and some are on the verge of extinction.
And we are transported back to Europe, here the Iberian Peninsula stretches over 582 thousand square kilometers. It is also called the Iberian Peninsula. Most of it is occupied by Spain and quite a bit by Portugal. Also, countries such as France and Great Britain pass through this peninsula quite a bit, but not so much that most Spaniards believe that the island belongs to them.
Proudly takes third place in Europe, and in general list penultimate with with total area 505 thousand square kilometers. The Balkan Peninsula, one might say, was torn apart by the central European states. It managed to accommodate most tourist countries such as: Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Montenegro, Italy. And even though this peninsula took the penultimate line in the TOP 10, it would have taken first place as the most visited and tourist peninsula.
The list is closed again by a peninsula from Asia, which has an area of approximately 400 thousand square kilometers. This island is washed by the largest number of seas: the Black, Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Absolutely the entire territory of the peninsula belongs to Turkey. In the evening, you can see beautiful seascapes from any side of the peninsula.
The part of land that is washed by water three sides, is called a peninsula. What types of it exist? Where is the world's largest peninsula? Why is he interesting?
Types of peninsulas
The peninsulas can receive absolutely different shapes. Some of them are elongated with a thin, even strip, others are bent with a hook or protrude forward in a semicircle. In any case, they represent a part of land (an island or mainland), which protrudes deeply into the water and is washed by it on three sides.
Of course, this is a very subjective concept, because, by and large, the territory of Western Europe may also fit its description. Nevertheless, the largest peninsula in the world in geography is considered to be the Arabian.
Depending on their origin, peninsulas are distinguished:
- separated - is a continuation of the continent, forming a single geological structure(Apennine);
- joined - a piece of land that joined another continental platform (Hindustan);
- accumulative - formed by sediments that connected the island and the mainland coast (Budagi, Veslovsky Peninsula).
The sharp end of the peninsula is usually called the cape. The most famous in the world are: Horn, Agulny, Tenaron, as well as Cape Dezhnev, Good Hope, Prince of Wales.
The largest peninsulas on Earth
If you look closely at the maps of the continents, you will notice that the coasts of Eurasia are the most severely dissected. Most large peninsula, accordingly, is located right here. It covers approximately 3.2 million square kilometers.
Other world record holders are presented in the table:
Peninsula | Continent | Area in thousand sq. km. |
Arabian | Eurasia (Asia) | |
Indochina | Eurasia (Asia) | |
Hindustan | Eurasia (Asia) | |
Labrador | North America | |
Scandinavian | Eurasia (Europe) | |
Iberian | Eurasia (Europe) | |
Balkan | Eurasia (Europe) | |
Asia Minor | Eurasia (Asia) | |
Eurasia (Asia) | ||
Kamchatsky | Eurasia (Asia) |
Arabian Peninsula
The largest peninsula by area is located in Asia. It houses the richest countries in the world: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar, as well as parts of Jordan and Iraq. The peninsula was once connected to Africa by land, but since 1869 the Suez Canal has become the dividing line between them.
Its border in the north lies approximately within latitude 30. From the south it is washed by the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, from the west by the Red Sea, and the eastern shores are bathed in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
The width of the peninsula stretches for 2.8 thousand kilometers. It is home to about 124 million people. Geopolitically, it plays a very important role as it contains large oil and gas deposits.
Geography
The largest peninsula of Eurasia is home to kilometers of sultry deserts made of stone or sand. Its western relief is elevated and dotted with plateaus and plateaus up to 2300 meters high. From north to south the height increases, and mountain ranges are becoming increasingly dismembered. In the east, the plateau, on the contrary, is lowered, and the height of the area does not exceed two hundred meters.
In the southwest it stretches Mountain chain. Here it is highest point peninsula, Mount of the “Prophet Shuaib” or An-Nabi Shuaib. It is located on the territory of Yemen and is part of the Yemen massif. The peak rises to 3666 meters.
In the northeast is the Harrat al-Sham volcanic field. It stretches from southern Syria, through all of Jordan, to northwestern Saudi Arabia. About 800 volcanic cones are scattered over an area of 40 thousand square kilometers.
Climate and inland waters
The climate of the largest peninsula is mainly tropical dry, in the north (up to southern Syria) it becomes subtropical. Its territory is always dominated by dry and hot air masses. Precipitation occurs rarely; if it does occur, it is most often short-term and heavy downpours. In some areas there haven't been any for years.
There is no clear change of seasons here. But in summer it becomes especially hot, and sandstorms. The temperature at this time sometimes reaches 40 degrees, and in the hottest point, the Tihama desert, up to 55 degrees. Stable precipitation occurs only on the slopes of the Yemen and Oman mountains.
In winter in the north, up to 300 mm of precipitation comes with cyclones. Temperatures range from 10-13 degrees Celsius, and frosts occur in January.
The climatic conditions of the largest peninsula are not conducive to the formation of rivers. Most of them occur during rainstorms and dry out quickly after they end. The water network is very sparse; reservoirs are located mainly in the southeastern regions. In many areas, underground springs are located close to the surface, which partly save the situation. However, there are not enough of them and water for the needs of the population has to be desalinated.
Nature
The outer slopes of the Arabian mountains are well moistened. They are dotted with mimosas, dragon trees, sycamores, tamarind trees and milkweed. In oases near the mountains there are acacias, tamarisks and other vegetation. On slopes with abundant rainfall there are terraces with cereals, coffee plantations and orchards.
The remaining parts of the peninsula are dominated by desert and semi-desert vegetation. It is represented by cereals, low shrubs, wormwood and succulents. Huge territories, covered with stones and loose sand, devoid of any vegetation.
In terms of animal composition, the peninsula has much in common with Africa. Predators such as hyenas and jackals hunt gazelles and antelopes here. The rodent hyrax is found in Syria, leopards live in the mountains, and the fennec fox lives in the deserts. Vipers, cobras, chameleons, and scorpions are found in abundance.
Tourism
Despite the hot climate and desert landscapes, the largest peninsula is visited by millions of tourists. All countries on the peninsula are Arab, and the main religion of the majority of the inhabitants is Islam. The peninsula is home to mosques of varying ages and architecture, and the cities of Medina and Mecca are centers of world pilgrimage.
Some of the most expensive and elite resorts. In the UAE there are not only five, but also seven-star hotels (Burj Al Arab), tall skyscrapers, the largest shopping and entertainment center The Dubai Mall, the Dubai Palm Islands, etc.
In Oman, you can scuba dive, watching the life of coral reefs, visit the most popular Muttrah Corniche market, the Royal Opera House and Art Jalali Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century.
On the Arabian Peninsula, excursions are organized to local deserts, each of which has its own characteristics. Rub El Khali is one of the largest in the world, dotted with velvet dunes, the Nefud desert in the north has bright yellow, almost orange sands, and the surface of El Hamad is covered with fragments of limestone and silicon, granite boulders.
The largest peninsula in Russia
The Taimyr Peninsula is located between the Khatanga and Yenisei gulfs, in the territory Krasnoyarsk Territory. This is the northernmost peninsula on the continent, extreme point which is Cape Chelyuskin.
It lies within the arctic and subarctic climate zones. There is piercing cold and permafrost here. Temperatures in winter reach minus 60 degrees. There are often snowstorms.
The Byrranga Mountains run from southwest to northeast and divide it into two large parts, leaving plains in the south and mountain ranges in the north. A South part It is represented by swampy terrain with tundra vegetation and lakes. The largest of them are Taimyr and Pyasino.
There are no cities on Russia's largest peninsula. It contains only villages and urban-type settlements: Talnakh (48 thousand people), Kayerkan (22 thousand people), Dikson (600 people), Karaul (800 people), etc. There are many abandoned settlements, and the number of residents in those still operating is greatly reduced.