Every Island Country in the World: The Complete Guide to 47 Island Nations
Every Island Country in the World: The Complete Guide to 47 Island Nations
Here's a fact that surprises most people: nearly one in four countries on Earth is an island nation.
Out of 195 recognized sovereign states, 47 are island countries — nations entirely surrounded by water, with no land borders to any neighbor. They span every ocean, range from some of the largest countries on Earth to the smallest, and collectively are home to over 700 million people.
Yet most people can barely name ten of them.
Island nations are the geography world's best-kept secret. They include economic powerhouses like Japan, tropical paradises like the Maldives, and obscure microstates that 99% of people have never heard of. They face unique challenges — rising sea levels, isolation, limited resources — and possess unique advantages: maritime territory, tourism appeal, and cultural distinctiveness.
This is the complete guide to every island country on the planet, organized by region, packed with surprising facts, and designed to turn you into an island geography expert.
🌏 What Counts as an Island Country?
Before we dive in, let's define our terms. An island country is a sovereign state whose territory consists entirely of one or more islands — meaning it shares no land borders with any other country.
This definition excludes:
- •Australia — classified as a continent, not an island
- •Countries with islands AND mainland territory (like Chile, Greece, or Malaysia's peninsular half)
- •Island territories that aren't sovereign (like Bermuda, Guam, or French Polynesia)
There's some debate around edge cases. Indonesia shares the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei, and the island of Timor with Timor-Leste — but since the Indonesian state itself is entirely insular, it counts. Same logic applies to a few others.
With that settled, let's explore all 47 island nations, region by region.
🌊 The Pacific Ocean — 14 Island Nations
The Pacific is the island country capital of the world. Scattered across the largest ocean on Earth, these nations are tiny in land area but vast in maritime territory. Many sit barely above sea level, making them ground zero for climate change impacts.
1. Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬
- •Capital: Port Moresby
- •Area: 462,840 km² (the largest Pacific island nation)
- •Population: ~10 million
- •Islands: Over 600
PNG is a staggering place. It occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the world's second-largest island) plus hundreds of smaller islands. It has over 800 languages — more than any other country on Earth. Much of its highland interior wasn't contacted by the outside world until the 1930s.
2. New Zealand 🇳🇿
- •Capital: Wellington
- •Area: 268,021 km²
- •Population: ~5.2 million
- •Islands: Two main islands plus many smaller ones
The North and South Islands form one of the most geographically dramatic countries anywhere. From volcanoes and geothermal springs to glaciers and fjords, New Zealand packs an absurd amount of geographic diversity into a relatively small area. The Māori name, Aotearoa ("Land of the Long White Cloud"), is increasingly used as an official name.
3. Solomon Islands 🇸🇧
- •Capital: Honiara
- •Area: 28,896 km²
- •Population: ~720,000
- •Islands: Nearly 1,000
Site of fierce WWII battles (particularly Guadalcanal), the Solomon Islands are a sprawling archipelago east of Papua New Guinea. Despite their beauty, they remain one of the least-developed countries in the Pacific.
4. Fiji 🇫🇯
- •Capital: Suva
- •Area: 18,274 km²
- •Population: ~930,000
- •Islands: 333 (about 110 inhabited)
Fiji is the tourism hub of the South Pacific and a regional power. It's also one of the most ethnically diverse Pacific nations, with a significant Indo-Fijian population descended from laborers brought by the British.
5. Vanuatu 🇻🇺
- •Capital: Port Vila
- •Area: 12,189 km²
- •Population: ~320,000
- •Islands: 83
Vanuatu is home to some of the world's most accessible active volcanoes, including Mount Yasur on Tanna island — one of the few places on Earth where you can walk to the rim of an erupting volcano. The country is consistently ranked as the most disaster-prone nation on the planet.
6. Samoa 🇼🇸
- •Capital: Apia
- •Area: 2,842 km²
- •Population: ~220,000
Formerly known as Western Samoa (to distinguish it from American Samoa next door), Samoa was the first Pacific island nation to gain independence (1962). In 2011, it skipped an entire day by switching from the east to the west side of the International Date Line — jumping from Thursday straight to Saturday.
7. Kiribati 🇰🇮
- •Capital: South Tarawa
- •Area: 811 km² of land spread across 3.5 million km² of ocean
- •Population: ~120,000
Kiribati (pronounced "Kiribas") is the only country in all four hemispheres — its 33 atolls straddle both the equator and the International Date Line. It's also one of the countries most threatened by sea-level rise, with most land barely 2 meters above the ocean.
8. Tonga 🇹🇴
- •Capital: Nukuʻalofa
- •Area: 747 km²
- •Population: ~107,000
- •Islands: 169 (36 inhabited)
The only surviving monarchy in the Pacific. Tonga was never formally colonized, making it one of the few places in Oceania that maintained continuous self-governance. In January 2022, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption became one of the most powerful volcanic explosions ever recorded.
9. Micronesia (Federated States) 🇫🇲
- •Capital: Palikir
- •Area: 702 km²
- •Population: ~115,000
Not to be confused with the broader region of Micronesia, the FSM is spread across 607 islands in the western Pacific. It has a Compact of Free Association with the United States, giving its citizens the right to live and work in the US.
10. Palau 🇵🇼
- •Capital: Ngerulmud
- •Area: 459 km²
- •Population: ~18,000
Palau has the world's first "shark sanctuary" and some of the planet's best diving. Its capital, Ngerulmud, is one of the smallest and least-known national capitals in the world. Fun fact: Palau has no military — the US handles its defense.
11. Marshall Islands 🇲🇭
- •Capital: Majuro
- •Area: 181 km²
- •Population: ~42,000
The Marshall Islands were the site of 67 US nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958, including the Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb on Bikini Atoll — the most powerful US nuclear detonation ever. The environmental and health legacy continues today.
12. Tuvalu 🇹🇻
- •Capital: Funafuti
- •Area: 26 km² (the fourth-smallest country by area)
- •Population: ~11,000
Tuvalu is one of the smallest and most vulnerable countries on Earth. Its highest point is just 4.6 meters above sea level. The country earns significant revenue from its internet domain .tv, which it leases to television and streaming companies worldwide.
13. Nauru 🇳🇷
- •Capital: Yaren (de facto)
- •Area: 21 km² (the third-smallest country)
- •Population: ~12,500
The world's smallest island country and smallest republic. Nauru was once the wealthiest country per capita on Earth thanks to phosphate mining, but the deposits ran out, and the economy collapsed. It's a cautionary tale of resource depletion.
14. Niue 🇳🇺
- •Capital: Alofi
- •Area: 260 km²
- •Population: ~1,900
Niue is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. It's one of the world's least-visited countries, with fewer tourists per year than most cities get in an hour. The entire country has one (1) hotel.
🌴 The Caribbean — 13 Island Nations
The Caribbean Sea contains the densest cluster of island nations anywhere on the globe. Most are former European colonies that gained independence in the latter half of the 20th century.
15. Cuba 🇨🇺
- •Capital: Havana
- •Area: 109,884 km² (the largest Caribbean island country)
- •Population: ~11 million
The Caribbean's largest island nation and its most politically distinctive. Cuba has been under communist rule since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, making it the Western Hemisphere's only socialist state. Despite economic isolation, Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates and doctor-to-patient ratios in the world.
16. Haiti 🇭🇹
- •Capital: Port-au-Prince
- •Area: 27,750 km²
- •Population: ~11.5 million
Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic but could hardly be more different from its neighbor. It was the first Black republic in the world (1804) and the second country in the Americas to gain independence (after the US). Despite this historic legacy, Haiti remains the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
17. Dominican Republic 🇩🇴
- •Capital: Santo Domingo
- •Area: 48,671 km²
- •Population: ~11 million
Occupying the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic has the Caribbean's largest economy. Santo Domingo was the first permanent European settlement in the Americas (founded 1496).
18. Jamaica 🇯🇲
- •Capital: Kingston
- •Area: 10,991 km²
- •Population: ~3 million
Jamaica punches absurdly above its weight culturally. Reggae, Bob Marley, Usain Bolt, jerk chicken, Blue Mountain coffee — this island's influence on global culture is wildly disproportionate to its size.
19. Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹
- •Capital: Port of Spain
- •Area: 5,131 km²
- •Population: ~1.4 million
The southernmost Caribbean nation, sitting just off the coast of Venezuela. Trinidad has significant oil and natural gas reserves, making it one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries. It's also the birthplace of steel pan drums and limbo dancing.
20. The Bahamas 🇧🇸
- •Capital: Nassau
- •Area: 13,943 km²
- •Population: ~400,000
- •Islands: 700+ (30 inhabited)
The Bahamas has the clearest water on Earth — visibility can exceed 60 meters. It's also where Columbus first made landfall in 1492, though the exact island (likely San Salvador) is still debated.
21. Barbados 🇧🇧
- •Capital: Bridgetown
- •Area: 430 km²
- •Population: ~288,000
Barbados became a republic in November 2021, removing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. It's the easternmost Caribbean island and was known as "Little England" for its strong British colonial influence. Rihanna is its most famous export and was named a National Hero.
22. Saint Lucia 🇱🇨
- •Capital: Castries
- •Area: 617 km²
- •Population: ~180,000
Famous for the dramatic Pitons — twin volcanic peaks that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Lucia has produced two Nobel Prize winners (Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott), giving it more Nobel laureates per capita than almost any country on Earth.
23. Grenada 🇬🇩
- •Capital: St. George's
- •Area: 344 km²
- •Population: ~125,000
Known as the "Spice Island" — Grenada produces more nutmeg per square kilometer than anywhere else on Earth. The US invaded Grenada in 1983 in one of the Cold War's more unusual episodes.
24. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 🇻🇨
- •Capital: Kingstown
- •Area: 389 km²
- •Population: ~110,000
A chain of 32 islands and cays. La Soufrière volcano erupted violently in April 2021, forcing the evacuation of nearly 20,000 people. Several scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed here.
25. Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬
- •Capital: St. John's
- •Area: 442 km²
- •Population: ~100,000
Antigua alone has 365 beaches — one for every day of the year, as the tourism board loves to point out. Hurricane Irma in 2017 rendered the island of Barbuda completely uninhabitable, evacuating the entire population.
26. Dominica 🇩🇲
- •Capital: Roseau
- •Area: 751 km²
- •Population: ~72,000
Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic! Dominica calls itself the "Nature Island of the Caribbean" and it earns the title — it's the most mountainous and forested Caribbean island, with 365 rivers, boiling lakes, and the last remaining population of the Kalinago (Carib) people.
27. Saint Kitts and Nevis 🇰🇳
- •Capital: Basseterre
- •Area: 261 km²
- •Population: ~54,000
The smallest sovereign state in the Americas, both by area and population. Its Citizenship by Investment Program, launched in 1984, was the world's first — pay enough money and you can become a citizen. Many countries have since copied the model.
🌍 The Indian Ocean — 6 Island Nations
The Indian Ocean's island countries range from major tourism destinations to some of the most remote places on Earth.
28. Madagascar 🇲🇬
- •Capital: Antananarivo
- •Area: 587,041 km² (the world's fourth-largest island)
- •Population: ~30 million
Madagascar is basically an alien planet. After splitting from mainland Africa roughly 160 million years ago, its wildlife evolved in total isolation. 90% of its species are found nowhere else on Earth — including all lemur species, bizarre baobab trees, and chameleons that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie.
29. Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
- •Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative), Colombo (commercial)
- •Area: 65,610 km²
- •Population: ~22 million
The "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" sits just off the southern tip of India. Sri Lanka has an incredibly rich history, stunning Buddhist temples, world-famous tea plantations, and one of the highest biodiversity densities in Asia. Formerly known as Ceylon.
30. Mauritius 🇲🇺
- •Capital: Port Louis
- •Area: 2,040 km²
- •Population: ~1.3 million
Mauritius consistently ranks as Africa's most prosperous and democratic nation. It's also the only known home of the now-extinct dodo bird, which disappeared in the 1680s — one of history's most famous extinctions. The country's economy successfully transitioned from sugar production to textiles, tourism, and financial services.
31. Comoros 🇰🇲
- •Capital: Moroni
- •Area: 2,235 km²
- •Population: ~900,000
The Comoros archipelago sits between Madagascar and Mozambique. It's had over 20 coups or attempted coups since independence in 1975 — one of the highest rates of political instability anywhere. The fourth island of the archipelago, Mayotte, voted to remain French and is now an EU territory in the Indian Ocean.
32. Seychelles 🇸🇨
- •Capital: Victoria
- •Area: 459 km²
- •Population: ~100,000
Seychelles has the smallest population of any sovereign African nation and is the continent's wealthiest country by GDP per capita. It's home to the Vallée de Mai, where the famous coco de mer palm grows — producing the largest seed of any plant on Earth (up to 25 kg).
33. Maldives 🇲🇻
- •Capital: Malé
- •Area: 300 km² of land across 90,000 km² of ocean
- •Population: ~520,000
- •Islands: 1,192 (roughly 200 inhabited)
The world's lowest-lying country — average ground level is just 1.5 meters above sea level, with the highest natural point at only 2.4 meters. The Maldives could become the first country to be completely submerged by rising seas. Despite this existential threat, it remains one of the world's most exclusive luxury tourism destinations.
🌊 The Mediterranean — 2 Island Nations
34. Cyprus 🇨🇾
- •Capital: Nicosia
- •Area: 9,251 km²
- •Population: ~1.2 million
Cyprus is the third-largest Mediterranean island and one of the most geopolitically complex. Since 1974, it has been divided between the Greek Cypriot south (the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, an EU member) and the Turkish-controlled north (recognized only by Turkey). Nicosia is the world's last divided capital city.
35. Malta 🇲🇹
- •Capital: Valletta
- •Area: 316 km²
- •Population: ~520,000
Malta is the EU's smallest member state and one of the world's most densely populated countries. It was awarded the George Cross by King George VI for its heroism during WWII — the medal appears on its flag to this day. Maltese is the only Semitic language written in Latin script and the only Semitic language that's an official EU language.
🌊 The Atlantic Ocean — 3 Island Nations
36. Iceland 🇮🇸
- •Capital: Reykjavik
- •Area: 103,000 km²
- •Population: ~380,000
Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, literally straddling two tectonic plates. It's one of the most volcanically active places on Earth (remember the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption that shut down European airspace?). Despite being close to the Arctic Circle, Reykjavik is surprisingly mild thanks to the Gulf Stream. Iceland has no standing army and has been continuously inhabited since 874 AD.
37. Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) 🇨🇻
- •Capital: Praia
- •Area: 4,033 km²
- •Population: ~590,000
Located 570 km off the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde is a volcanic archipelago that has become one of Africa's most stable democracies. More Cape Verdeans live abroad (mostly in the US, Portugal, and other parts of Africa) than in Cape Verde itself — a remarkable diaspora ratio.
38. São Tomé and Príncipe 🇸🇹
- •Capital: São Tomé
- •Area: 964 km²
- •Population: ~225,000
Africa's smallest country by area. These two volcanic islands sit on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea. Once the world's largest producer of sugar and later cocoa, São Tomé and Príncipe now pins its economic hopes on recently discovered offshore oil reserves.
🌏 Southeast & East Asia — 6 Island Nations
39. Indonesia 🇮🇩
- •Capital: Nusantara (new, under construction; Jakarta is the current de facto capital)
- •Area: 1,904,569 km²
- •Population: ~280 million
- •Islands: Over 17,000 (about 6,000 inhabited)
Indonesia is the world's largest island country, largest archipelagic state, fourth most populous country, and most populous Muslim-majority nation. It stretches wider than the continental United States. With over 17,000 islands, 700+ languages, and extreme cultural diversity, Indonesia is arguably the most geographically complex country on Earth.
40. Japan 🇯🇵
- •Capital: Tokyo
- •Area: 377,975 km²
- •Population: ~125 million
- •Islands: 6,852
The world's third-largest economy sits on a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Japan experiences about 1,500 earthquakes per year and has perfected the art of living with seismic activity. Its four main islands — Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku — contain one of the most technologically advanced civilizations on Earth.
41. Philippines 🇵🇭
- •Capital: Manila
- •Area: 300,000 km²
- •Population: ~115 million
- •Islands: 7,641
The Philippines is the world's fifth-largest island country and Southeast Asia's most disaster-prone nation, sitting in the typhoon belt with active volcanoes and earthquake fault lines. It was named after King Philip II of Spain and was colonized by Spain for 333 years, then by the US for 48 years.
42. Taiwan 🇹🇼
- •Capital: Taipei
- •Area: 36,193 km²
- •Population: ~23.5 million
Taiwan's political status is one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical issues. It functions as an independent country with its own government, military, and economy (one of Asia's strongest), but is claimed by the People's Republic of China. Only 12 UN member states formally recognize Taiwan.
43. Singapore 🇸🇬
- •Capital: Singapore (city-state)
- •Area: 733 km²
- •Population: ~5.9 million
Singapore is proof that geography isn't destiny. A tiny island with no natural resources, it has become one of the wealthiest countries on Earth through trade, finance, and sheer strategic brilliance. It was expelled from Malaysia in 1965 — essentially kicked out of a country — and turned that humiliation into one of the greatest economic success stories in history.
44. Brunei 🇧🇳
- •Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
- •Area: 5,765 km²
- •Population: ~450,000
A tiny, oil-rich sultanate on the island of Borneo, Brunei is one of the wealthiest countries per capita in the world. The Sultan of Brunei is one of the world's richest people and lives in the Istana Nurul Iman — the largest residential palace on Earth, with 1,788 rooms.
🇪🇺 Other Island Nations — 3 More
45. United Kingdom 🇬🇧
- •Capital: London
- •Area: 242,495 km²
- •Population: ~67 million
Yes, the UK is technically an island country! Great Britain is the ninth-largest island in the world. The UK comprises England, Scotland, and Wales on the island of Great Britain, plus Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland. People forget this because the UK feels so "mainland," but it shares no land borders with any sovereign state (the Ireland/Northern Ireland border is within the island of Ireland, between the UK and the Republic of Ireland — but Northern Ireland is on the island of Ireland, not Great Britain).
Note: The UK does have a land border with Ireland on the island of Ireland, which makes its "island country" status debatable. We include it because the primary territory (Great Britain) is an island, and many geographic authorities classify it as an island nation.
46. Ireland 🇮🇪
- •Capital: Dublin
- •Area: 70,273 km²
- •Population: ~5.1 million
Ireland occupies about 80% of the island of Ireland, with the remainder being Northern Ireland (part of the UK). It's one of the only island countries in Europe, and its geographic isolation helped preserve unique Celtic culture and the Irish language (though English dominates today).
47. Bahrain 🇧🇭
- •Capital: Manama
- •Area: 778 km²
- •Population: ~1.5 million
The smallest country in the Middle East is an archipelago of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain was the first Gulf state to discover oil (1932) and the first to start running out. It has diversified into banking and finance and is connected to Saudi Arabia by the 25-km King Fahd Causeway — though it remains a true island nation with no land borders.
🏆 Island Country Records
Let's wrap up with the ultimate island country superlatives:
| Record | Country | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Largest by area | Indonesia | 1,904,569 km² |
| Smallest by area | Nauru | 21 km² |
| Most populous | Indonesia | 280 million |
| Least populous | Niue | ~1,900 |
| Most islands | Indonesia | 17,000+ |
| Lowest-lying | Maldives | Avg. 1.5m above sea level |
| Most languages | Papua New Guinea | 800+ |
| Wealthiest (GDP per capita) | Singapore | ~$65,000 |
| Most remote | Kiribati | 4,500 km from nearest continent |
| Oldest republic | Iceland | Parliament (Althing) since 930 AD |
🧠 How to Master Island Country Geography
Knowing about island countries is interesting. Being able to identify them on a map is a superpower. Here's how to build your island nation knowledge:
Step 1: Group by Ocean
Don't try to memorize all 47 at once. Start with one ocean basin:
- •Pacific (14 countries) — the hardest, with tiny scattered atolls
- •Caribbean (13 countries) — easier, more familiar names
- •Indian Ocean (6 countries) — Madagascar anchors the group
- •Southeast/East Asia (6 countries) — most are well-known
Step 2: Learn the "Anchors" First
Start with the big, obvious ones you already know: Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Cuba, Iceland, New Zealand, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, UK, Ireland. That's 10 right there. Then add the mid-sized ones: Fiji, Jamaica, Bahamas, Cyprus, Malta, Singapore, Taiwan, Barbados.
Step 3: Tackle the Pacific Microstates
This is the boss level. Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Tonga, Samoa — these tiny nations are the ones that stump even geography experts. Use mnemonics:
- •"King Tut Never Played Music To Silly Violins" — Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu
Step 4: Practice with Map Quizzes
The fastest way to learn is to test yourself repeatedly. Use geoguesser.in to practice identifying island countries on the map. Start with Oceania mode, then Caribbean, then try the full world quiz.
Step 5: Learn One Fun Fact Each
Facts create hooks for memory. When you know that Tuvalu makes money from its .tv domain, or that Nauru was once the richest country per capita, those countries stop being abstract dots on a map and become memorable stories.
🌊 The Future of Island Nations
Island countries face some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century:
Climate change is an existential threat. The Maldives, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Marshall Islands could lose most of their territory to rising seas within decades. Tuvalu has already begun creating a digital twin of itself — a virtual version of the country preserved in the metaverse in case the physical nation disappears.
Maritime disputes are intensifying. As the Arctic melts and shipping routes shift, control of ocean territory becomes more valuable. Island nations with large Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) control significant marine resources.
Tourism dependency is a double-edged sword. COVID-19 showed how vulnerable tourism-dependent island economies are to global disruptions. The Maldives, Seychelles, and Caribbean nations saw their economies crater when travel stopped.
Yet island nations also have unique opportunities. Many are leaders in ocean conservation, renewable energy (geothermal in Iceland, solar in the Pacific), and cultural preservation. Their small size often makes them more agile and innovative than larger countries.
Conclusion
The 47 island countries of the world represent an incredible diversity of geography, culture, and human experience. From Indonesia's 17,000 islands to Nauru's single 21-km² speck, from Japan's 125 million people to Niue's 1,900, island nations defy easy categorization.
They're often overlooked in geography education — reduced to dots on a map or skipped entirely. But collectively, they control vast stretches of ocean, harbor unique ecosystems, and face the front lines of climate change. Understanding island countries means understanding some of the most fascinating and consequential geography on Earth.
Ready to test your island country knowledge? Head to geoguesser.in and see how many of the 47 island nations you can identify. Start with the oceans you know best, then work your way to the Pacific microstates. If you can name all 47 from memory, you're in the top 1% of geography knowledge worldwide.
Happy exploring! 🌍