List of islands created since the 20th century

See also: List of artificial islands

Below is a list of new islands created since the beginning of the 20th century by volcanism, erosion, glacial retreat, or other mechanisms. One of the most famous new volcanic islands is the small island of Surtsey, located in the Atlantic Ocean south of Iceland. It first emerged from the ocean surface in 1963. Two years later, Surtsey was declared a nature reserve for the study of ecological succession; plants, insects, birds, seals, and other forms of life have since established themselves on the island.

Another noted new island is Anak Krakatau (the so-called "child of Krakatoa", which formed in the flooded caldera of that notorious volcano in Indonesia), which emerged only in 1930. Ample rainforests have grown there, although they are often destroyed by frequent eruptions. A population of many wild animals, including insects, birds, humanborne rats, and even monitor lizards, have also settled there.

Didicas Volcano off the northern coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines, was first created during a four-year eruption from 1856 to 1860 but eventually got washed away. In 1900, three tall rock masses were left by another eruption. During the 1952 eruption, the island finally became permanent which was further bolstered by subsequent eruptions in 1969 and 1978 into a 228 metres (748 ft)-high island.[1]

Uunartoq Qeqertoq is an island off the east coast of Greenland that appeared to have split from the mainland because of glacial retreat between 2002 and 2005; however, it is believed to have been a true island, with or without glacial covering, for many thousands of years.

In February and March 2009, a vigorous eruption created a new island[2] near Hunga Ha'apai in the Tongan Islands of the southwest Pacific. By the end of the activity, however, the new land mass was connected to Hunga Ha'apai.[3] Similar activity occurred again in December 2014 and January 2015.

On September 24, 2013 a new island named Zalzala Koh emerged off the coast of Gwadar, as a result of a strong earthquake that hit south and southwest Pakistan measuring 7.8 on the Richter magnitude scale.[4]

On November 21, 2013 an unnamed islet emerged off the coast of Nishinoshima, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, which is also known as the Bonin Islands. Less than four days after the new islet's emergence, it was about 200 metres (660 ft) in diameter.[5]

In November 2023, a new island formed as a result of volcanic activity off the coast of Iwo Jima, reaching a diameter of 100 meters.[6]

List of recently created islands

[edit]

This is a list of new islands that formed during the 20th and the 21st centuries. Of those formed by submarine volcanoes, only Anak Krakatau and Surtsey are currently islands, and Surtsey is the only one that is expected to survive, Ilha Nova is now connected to Faial Island. Newly created landmass adjacent to Nishinoshima is now connected to Nishinoshima.

Name of the island Country Land formation year(s)
An unnamed island off of Iwo Jima  Japan 2023[7]
Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai  Tonga 2022[8][9]
Qeqertaq Avannarleq  Greenland 2021[10][11]
Fukutoku-Okanoba  Japan 2021–2022, 1986, 1974–75, 1914, 1904–05[12]
Metis Shoal  Tonga 2019, 1995–2019, 1979, 1967–68[13]
Horseshoe Island  United States 2018[14][15]
Shelly Island  United States 2017–2018[16][17]
Shingle Island  United Kingdom 2016[18]
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai  Tonga 2014–15, 2009[19]
Jadid Island  Yemen 2013[20]
Nishinoshima Shintō  Japan 2013–15, 1973–74[21]
Zalzala Koh  Pakistan 2013;[22] disappeared 2016[23]
Sholan Island  Yemen 2011[20]
Sif Island Antarctica early 2010s[24]
Malan Island  Pakistan 2010, 2004, 1999[25]
Bhasan Char  Bangladesh 2006
Didicas Volcano  Philippines 1856–1860, 1900, 1952[1]
Home Reef  Tonga 2022, 2006, 1984[26]
Uunartoq Qeqertaq  Greenland 2005
Norderoogsand  Germany 1999[27]
Kavachi  Solomon Islands 1999–2003, 1991, 1986, 1978, 1976, 1969–70, 1965, 1963–64, 1961, 1958, 1952–53[28]
Blomstrandøya  Norway 1991[29]
Kuwae  Vanuatu 1974, 1971, 1959, 1949, 1948, 1923–25[30]
Jólnir  Iceland 1965–66[31]
Surtsey  Iceland 1963–67[32]
Tigres Island  Angola 1962[33]
Sandy Point  Canada 1960s
Ilha Nova (Capelinhos)  Portugal 1957–58[34]
Myōjin-shō  Japan 1952–53, 1946[35]
Shōwa Iōjima  Japan 1934[36]
Anak Krakatau  Indonesia 1927–30[37]
Fonuafo'ou  Tonga 1927–28[38]
Banua Wuhu  Indonesia 1918–19, 1904[39]
Ferdinandea (Graham) island  Italy 1831–1832

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Didicas". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  2. ^ Percival, Jenny (21 March 2009). "Underwater volcano creates new island off Tonga". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 December 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  3. ^ "Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  4. ^ "Island emerges near Gwadar coast after earthquake". Geo TV Network. September 24, 2013. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  5. ^ Kurtenbach, Elaine (22 November 2013). "Volcano raises new island far south of Japan". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Underwater volcanic eruption creates new island off Japan, but it "may not last very long"". Associated Press. 10 November 2023 – via CBS News.
  7. ^ Annio, Francesca (9 November 2023). "World's newest island forms in Japanese archipelago". NPR. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  8. ^ Hernandez, Joe (25 September 2022). "A new island has emerged out of the Pacific Ocean, but it may soon disappear". NPR. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Dramatic Changes at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
  10. ^ "Greenland island is world's northernmost island - scientists". BBC. Archived from the original on 2022-04-24. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  11. ^ "Længere nordpå end nogensinde ("Further North Than Ever")". Weekendavisen. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  12. ^ "Fukutoku-Oka-no-Ba". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  13. ^ "Metis Shoal". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  14. ^ https://www.inquirer.com/news/brigantine-new-jersey-horseshoe-island-conservation-migrating-birds-20220513.html#:~:text=Something%20remarkable%20has%20happened%20over%20the%20last%20few%20years
  15. ^ https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/conservation/horseshoe-island/
  16. ^ "Volcanic eruption ends, leaving tiny ash island". The Independent. 30 June 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Shelly Island is no longer an island, NASA says". WWAY TV. 2018-03-09. Archived from the original on 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  18. ^ {cite web|title=Offshore Shingle Island|url=https://www.visitfleetwood.info/about/seafront/offshore-shingle-island/
  19. ^ "Volcanic eruption ends, leaving tiny ash island". Matangi Tonga Online. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  20. ^ a b Oskin, Becky (May 30, 2015). "Red Sea Parts for 2 New Islands". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2015-08-03. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  21. ^ "Nishonoshima". Volcano database (in Japanese). Japan Coast Guard Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Experts say Gwadar island spewing methane". September 25, 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  23. ^ "Meet the new islands that have emerged in the last decade". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  24. ^ Specktor, Brandon (February 28, 2020). "Melting ice in Antarctica reveals new uncharted island". Live Science. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  25. ^ Baloch, Shahzad (27 November 2010). "Mud volcano surfaces along Balochistan coast". Archived from the original on 1 December 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  26. ^ "Home Reef". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  27. ^ "New island appears off coast of Germany". The Telegraph. January 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  28. ^ "Kavachi". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  29. ^ "Blomstrandhalvøya er blitt en øy!" [The Blomstrand peninsula has become an island!]. Svalbardposten (in Norwegian). 5 July 1991. p. 5. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  30. ^ "Kuwae". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  31. ^ "The Surtsey Research Society, The Surtsey Eruption 1963-1967". Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  32. ^ "Vestmannaeyjar". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  33. ^ "Baía dos Tigres". www.redeangola.info. Archived from the original on 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  34. ^ "Ilha Nova". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  35. ^ "Myojinsho". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  36. ^ "Kikai". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  37. ^ "Krakatau". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  38. ^ "Falcon Island". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  39. ^ "Banua Wuhu". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
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