The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest body of water in the world. But, despite its full flow, it is very scarce in the presence of small lands compared to the Indian or Pacific Oceans. The islands of the Atlantic Ocean are usually divided into northern and southern, the border between which passes, as you might guess, through the equator. Among them there are huge, located near the continents, and miniature ones, which form archipelagos and entire arcs between themselves. We will look at their main archipelagos, starting from the largest and ending with the smallest.
Greenland
First, let's find out which islands in the Atlantic Ocean are the largest. Undoubtedly, the first largest is Greenland, where the state of the same name is located. This island is considered the largest in the world, and its area is 2,130,800 square kilometers. Despite the fact that all the lands of Greenland are covered with snow and glaciers, the climate here is changeable. Temperatures in the southkeeps within 7-8 degrees below zero. In the north, the thermometer drops below 25 degrees. The most densely populated city is located in the west of Greenland and is called Nuuk or Gothob.
British
These are large islands of the Atlantic Ocean, which are located in the North-West of Europe. On the one hand, they are washed by the North Sea, on the other - by the Atlantic. On these lands there are two states - Great Britain and Ireland. The archipelago includes two islands of the same name, which are the largest. It also includes the small Shetland Islands, Orkney and the Hebrides. All of them are in cold waters, so summer vacations are not popular here.
West Indies
In the West of the Atlantic there is one large archipelago, which the Europeans who conquered America called the West Indies. It includes three groups of islands: the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The first includes over seven hundred islets, among which no more than thirty are inhabited. The Bahamas are considered the most expensive recreation area in the region, the main entertainment center for adults and children. The Lesser Antilles of the Atlantic Ocean is a kind of arc consisting of small islands. They have a well-developed tourism sector, but some of them are uninhabited. They are followed by the Greater Antilles. This archipelago consists of well-known Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico.
Bermuda Triangle
The islands of the Atlantic Ocean, which are located nine hundred kilometers from the coast of the United States, have a mysterious name - Bermuda. Despite the existing legends (the archipelago is part of the Bermuda Triangle, within which ships and planes sometimes disappear), these lands are a place of tourist pilgrimage for people from different parts of our planet. The beach season here opens in April, in winter the air temperature drops to 15 degrees Celsius. The islands are not a densely populated region, however, it is a full-fledged province, which is under the rule of the British crown.
Off the coast of Antarctica
The South Sandwich Islands are the coldest islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The list of territorial units that make up the archipelago consists of 11 items. Among them, Montague, which is located in the central part of the archipelago, is considered the largest island. These lands are uninhabited, as the air temperature here is almost always very low. In winter, the thermometer drops to -30 and below, it constantly snows. Summer lasts for several days, and the absolute maximum temperature that was recorded here is +8 Celsius. The islands have belonged to Great Britain since their discovery by James Cook.
Tourist Paradise
But the Canary Islands are one of the few places where in the waters of the Atlantic you can relax like paradise all year round. They are located a little west of Africa and fall intotropical climate zone. The Canary Islands of the Atlantic Ocean are famous for their everlasting summer weather. At any time of the year, the air temperature here does not rise above 30 and does not fall below 25 degrees, therefore, in winter and summer, you can comfortably sunbathe, swim and have fun.
Burning Lands
Summing up, it is worth talking about the origin of these lands. Almost all the islands that we have listed above are volcanic islands of the Atlantic Ocean. This category includes all archipelagos, consisting of small islands, which are located both near the equator and near the poles. The volcanic lands include the Bermuda Archipelago, the Canaries, the Bahamas, the South Sandwich Islands, the lands of Cape Verde and many others. Some of them still have active volcanoes, which are the main problem for all local residents.
Conclusion
Not all the islands of the Atlantic Ocean were mentioned above. The list of small lands that exist in this great expanse of water is much more extensive. Archipelagos form near Great Britain, Alaska, between Greenland and Canada, around Africa, near Antarctica and South America. But counting them all, and even describing them, is a long and painstaking task. Therefore, we have listed only the brightest representatives of this geographical group, indicating the main similarities and differences.
