Which island is the largest in the world by area?

Greenland is the largest island in the world by area. It covers about 2.17 million square kilometres, although roughly 80% of its surface is covered by the Greenland ice sheet.

Greenland lies between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and is geographically part of North America. Politically, it is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with extensive self-government. Its capital and largest city is Nuuk.

Greenland is sometimes mistakenly called the world’s largest country or confused with Australia. Australia is larger, but it is classified as a continent rather than an island. New Guinea is the second-largest island, followed by Borneo. Greenland’s ice sheet is the second-largest ice body on Earth, after Antarctica’s ice sheet.