What is the most populous island in the world?

The most populous island in the world is Java, Indonesia.

Java is home to roughly 157 million people, despite covering only about 132,600 square kilometres. That gives it a population density comparable to some of the world’s most crowded countries. Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, lies on Java’s northwestern coast, while major cities such as Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya also sit on the island.

Java’s population grew around fertile volcanic soils, reliable rainfall and centuries of intensive agriculture. The island became the political and cultural heart of several Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, later Islamic sultanates and the Dutch East Indies. It remains Indonesia’s economic and administrative centre.

A common mix-up is confusing population with size. Greenland is the world’s largest island, but its population is tiny compared with Java’s. Honshu, Japan’s largest island, is another highly populated rival, but Java has substantially more residents.