The largest peninsula on earth. The largest peninsula on earth is Arabian

1. Arabian Peninsula, 2730 thousand km²

The largest in the world is the Arabian Peninsula, its area reaches almost three million square kilometers. Considerable size, isn't it? This square can accommodate ten Italias. But most of it is occupied by Saudi Arabia; there is still room for Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Located in southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula is bordered by the Red and Arabian Seas, as well as the Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf and Oman. The sun shines here tirelessly! The peninsula is rich in oil fields and natural gas.

2. West Antarctica, 2690 thousand km²

Unlike hot Arabia, West Antarctica is the coldest of the peninsulas. It is smaller in area than its hot predecessor and is one of two main regions of Antarctica that are separated by the Transarctic Mountains. This peninsula is not just cold, but very cold - most of it is covered with ice. It is interesting that although this name existed for a long time, it was documented during the International Geophysical Year - 1958.

3. Indochina, 2088 thousand km²

Let's go back to Asia warm sun– we move east and see the Indochina Peninsula. Its area is a little over two million square kilometers. This peninsula is washed by the Andaman and South China Seas, as well as the Gulf of Thailand, Bengal and Tonkin and the Strait of Malacca. There are many rivers here, the climate is quite humid, so rice is mostly grown here. Local states - Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam.

4. Hindustan, 2000 thousand km²

The area of Hindustan is exactly two million square kilometers and it is again located in Asia. There are only three states here - Bangladesh, Pakistan and, of course, India. Residents of these countries have access to the waters of the Indian Ocean, and the only one is the Bay of Bengal.

5. Labrador, 1600 thousand km²

For now, let's leave Asia and head to the shores of North America, or rather to the shores of the Labrador Peninsula. More than one and a half million square kilometers in eastern Canada. Here you have easy access to the waters of the Atlantic, Hudson Bay and Strait, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There are also many rivers here - Churchill, Arno, Fay, La Grande, Koksoak, Grand Balen, Petite Balen, George, Povungkituk, and many lakes. Interesting vegetation and significant fur resources - lynx, muskrat, fox.

6. Scandinavian Peninsula, 800 thousand km²

All other peninsulas on our list are significantly smaller in area than those in the first part. 800 thousand km² is the area of the Scandinavian Peninsula, which is located in northwestern Europe, where it is the largest. The peninsula contains Norway and Sweden, as well as part of Finland. It is on this peninsula that there is an interesting rock - Troll's Tongue, which we recently mentioned.

7. Somalia, 750 thousand km²

The Somali Peninsula is slightly smaller in size. We return to the scorching sun again - this time to Africa. Somalia is also called the Horn of Africa - it very much resembles it in its shape. This horn is washed by the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. There are several national parks and reserves of international importance, however, nature still suffers from depletion. Many of the animals here are endangered, and there are more reptiles in Somalia than anywhere else, with 90 of them found exclusively in the Horn of Africa.

8. Iberian Peninsula, 582 thousand km²

The Iberian or Iberian Peninsula is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the peninsula is occupied by Spain, 15% by Portugal and a tiny part belongs to France, Andorra and Great Britain. The second name appeared thanks to the Iberian people who lived in this territory before.

9. Balkan Peninsula 505 thousand km²

We remain in Europe and look at the third largest Balkan Peninsula here. Half a million square kilometers cover Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, Romania, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is such an impressive list. And here are the Balkan Mountains, which is why the peninsula was also named. The First began here World War with the assassination of Prince Franz Ferdinand.

10. Asia Minor and Taimyr, 400 thousand km²

The last place in our top ten is shared by two large peninsulas with a roughly equal area of four hundred thousand km² - Asia Minor and Taimyr. As you may have guessed, we are back in Asia again. This place is also called Anatolia - beautiful, isn’t it? The waters here are the Black, Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean seas, as well as the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. The entire territory of the peninsula is occupied by Türkiye.
Taimyr is located in Russia, and here it is washed by the Laptev and Kara Seas. This is the territory Krasnoyarsk Territory, there are several large lakes and rivers on the peninsula. It is quite cool here, summer is short and far from the warmest. Of course, northern animals live here, adapted to such an environment. The peninsula was uninhabited for quite a long time, but later people learned to adapt to the harsh climate.

Giant among the peninsulas

First, let's remember what a peninsula is in general. This is land, part of which is adjacent to the mainland or island, and on other sides it is surrounded by water. From a geological point of view, the peninsulas are one with the continent.

However, it is quite difficult to measure the area of the peninsula, since it is not always possible to draw a clear border with the mainland. But still, despite this fact, the peninsulas have their own giants. And the undisputed leader among them is the Arabian Peninsula. Its area is more than 3 million square kilometers; for example, 10 countries such as Italy, or 7 countries like Germany, or 4 France can easily fit here.

Of course, the peninsula is washed not only by the Red Sea. Thus, in the south there is the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and in the east there are the Persian and Oman Gulfs.

The highest point in Arabia, as the peninsula is also called, is Mount Jabal An-Nabi Shuaib. Its height is 3,660 meters.

Endless Sands

Sand is really everywhere here. Even in photos from space, the Arabian Peninsula has a characteristic sand color. Of course, in this deserted desert there are also oases with spreading palm trees. And in these oases there are Bedouins riding camels (this is what Arab nomads are called).

And in these endless sands, the main holy cities of all Muslims were built - Mecca and Medina, where everything is permeated with religious peace and humility. This world is a little scary with its rules and strictness, but sometimes it surprises with its ability to transport you into fairy world Scheherazade. And very close to this world alien to us, idle fun and relaxation reign in Dubai. This is how multifaceted it is, the largest peninsula.

Richest countries

About 70% of the Arabian Peninsula is occupied by Saudi Arabia, which is known as the “land of two mosques.” Every year, pilgrims from different parts of the world come here to visit the shrines of Islam.

But this is not the only thing that Saudi Arabia is known for. There are huge deposits of “black gold” here. It took Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, only half a century to transform from a small town with a population of just over 160 thousand people into a real multimillion-dollar metropolis. And all thanks to oil.

The rest of Arabia is shared by other countries: Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Oman and Qatar. The latter state has for many years occupied a leading position in terms of GDP among other countries in the world. Also on the Arabian Peninsula are parts of Iraq and Jordan.

The climate here is sweltering with its heat, low rainfall and high temperatures. In summer it is very dry here, and the air warms up to +35-45°C. In winter, the thermometer rarely drops below +14°C, and there may be no rain for several years. In general, there is a constant drought, which is periodically accompanied by dust storms, which, however, is familiar to the Arabians. The only exception is the southeast and southwest of the peninsula: up to 500-700 mm of precipitation falls here annually.

Black and other gold of the Arabs

And underneath these endless sands are real natural resources. It was the oil that inhaled new life to the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. Almost all of them live on income from the export of “black gold”. The largest oil deposits in the world are located here, especially concentrated on the shores of the Persian Gulf.

But in addition to oil, the subsoil of the Arabian Peninsula is rich in natural gas. Thus, Qatar closes the top three in proven deposits after Russia and Iran. They also mine here table salt, gypsum, iron ore, limestone and marble.

Despite the dry and hot climate and an abundance of sands, there is a lot of vegetation on the Arabian Peninsula: there are entire forests of mimosa and acacia trees, especially in the mountains. Coffee, grains, fruits, dates, olives, and in some places even grapes and coconuts are also grown here. well and animal world very similar to African inhabitants. Many representatives of the peninsula's fauna are able to live for a long time without water or with a small amount of it: reptiles, rodents and even antelopes.

And more large peninsulas

The other largest peninsulas are West Antarctica (the coldest of the peninsulas), Indochina and Hindustan.

The blue dream of most of humanity is a house by the sea, but you know who doesn’t dream of that? Of course, those who are lucky enough to live on the ocean! What more could you ask for? Peninsulas are unique areas of land that are not completely surrounded by water, allowing everyone to easily communicate with the mainland. possible ways, and not just water and air, which are limitedly available. The fact that the peninsula is adjacent to one side mainland, makes calculating its area a rather difficult task. Therefore, the area of the peninsula is a fairly arbitrary number. However, even this convention is enough to find largest peninsulas in the world
1 Arabian Peninsula, 2730 thousand km²

2 West Antarctica, 2690 thousand km²

Unlike hot Arabia, West Antarctica is the coldest of the peninsulas. It is smaller in area than its hot predecessor and is one of two main regions of Antarctica that are separated by the Transarctic Mountains. This peninsula is not just cold, but very cold - most of it is covered with ice. It is interesting that although this name existed for a long time, it was documented during the International Geophysical Year - 1958.

3 Indochina, 2088 thousand km²

Let's return to Asia, to the warm sun - we move east and see the Indochina Peninsula. Its area is a little over two million square kilometers. This peninsula is washed by the Andaman and South China Seas, as well as the Gulf of Thailand, Bengal and Tonkin and the Strait of Malacca. There are many rivers here, the climate is quite humid, so rice is mostly grown here. Local states - Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam.

4 Hindustan, 2000 thousand km²

The area of Hindustan is exactly two million square kilometers and it is again located in Asia. There are only three states here - Bangladesh, Pakistan and, of course, India. Residents of these countries have access to the waters of the Indian Ocean, and the only one is the Bay of Bengal.

5 Labrador, 1600 thousand km²

For now, let's leave Asia and head to the shores of North America, or rather to the shores of the Labrador Peninsula. More than one and a half million square kilometers in eastern Canada. Here you have easy access to the waters of the Atlantic, Hudson Bay and Strait, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There are also many rivers here - Churchill, Arno, Fay, La Grande, Koksoak, Grand Balen, Petite Balen, George, Povungkituk, and many lakes. Interesting vegetation and significant fur resources - lynx, muskrat, fox.

6 Scandinavian Peninsula, 800 thousand km²

All other peninsulas on our list are significantly smaller in area than those in the first part. 800 thousand km² is the area of the Scandinavian Peninsula, which is located in northwestern Europe, where it is the largest. The peninsula contains Norway and Sweden, as well as part of Finland. It is on this peninsula that there is an interesting rock - Troll's Tongue, which we recently mentioned.

7 Somalia, 750 thousand km²

The Somali Peninsula is slightly smaller in size. We return to the scorching sun again - this time to Africa. Somalia is also called the Horn of Africa - it very much resembles it in its shape. This horn is washed by the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. There are several national parks and reserves of international importance, however, nature still suffers from depletion. Many of the animals here are endangered, and there are more reptiles in Somalia than anywhere else, with 90 of them found exclusively in the Horn of Africa.

8 Iberian Peninsula, 582 thousand km²

The Iberian or Iberian Peninsula is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the peninsula is occupied by Spain, 15% by Portugal and a tiny part belongs to France, Andorra and Great Britain. The second name appeared thanks to the Iberian people who lived in this territory before.

9 Balkan Peninsula 505 thousand km²

We remain in Europe and look at the third largest Balkan Peninsula here. Half a million square kilometers cover Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, Romania, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is such an impressive list. And here are the Balkan Mountains, which is why the peninsula was also named. The First World War began here with the assassination of Prince Franz Ferdinand.

10 Asia Minor and Taimyr, 400 thousand km²

The last place in our top ten is shared by two large peninsulas with a roughly equal area of four hundred thousand km² - Asia Minor and Taimyr. As you may have guessed, we are back in Asia again. This place is also called Anatolia - beautiful, isn’t it? The waters here are the Black, Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean seas, as well as the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. The entire territory of the peninsula is occupied by Türkiye.
Taimyr is located in Russia, and here it is washed by the Laptev and Kara Seas. This is the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory; there are several rivers on the peninsula. It is quite cool here, summer is short and far from the warmest. Of course, northern animals live here, adapted to such an environment. The peninsula was uninhabited for quite a long time, but later people learned to adapt to the harsh climate.

Peninsula- a part of the continent surrounded by water, only one part connected to land. Due to the fact that it is difficult to determine the exact boundary of the peninsula on land, the area of the peninsula is considered a rather arbitrary concept, and the size of its territory is recognized by scientists in a largely conditional recognition.

Therefore, in different sources, the area of the same peninsula can differ by tens of thousands of km². Large parts of land can be found on all continents, but the largest peninsulas are still located in Asia.

What is the name of the world's largest peninsula?

The most extensive territory has Arabian Peninsula, located in Asia. Its area, according to various estimates, ranges from 2,750 to 3,250 thousand km².

Arabian Peninsula washed by the waters (in the west) and the Arabian (in the southeast) seas.

The territory of Arabia is occupied by such countries, How:

Kingdom Saudi Arabia;
Sultanate Oman;
Yemen Republic;
UAE;
Kingdom of Bahrain;
Qatar;
Kuwait;
Iraq;

One of the most developed countries in Arabia is the UAE. Read in what attractions are definitely worth visiting in this state.

From the point of view of geological structure, the entire area of Arabia is occupied by the ancient Arabian Platform. In the southern part there are mountain plateaus and midlands, highest point Arabia is considered Mount Nabi Shuaib in Yemen (altitude 3666 m above sea level).

The vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula is occupied by tropical desert, and life is concentrated in rare oases. The climate of most of Arabia is tropical trade wind with minimal humidity, the average annual precipitation does not exceed 100 mm per year, and in the south - no more than 50 mm. A little large quantity precipitation falls only in mountainous areas. Arabia is one of the hottest places on Earth, with a local temperature record of +55°C.

The flora of Arabia is relatively poor due to the fact that most of the surface is occupied by deserts.

Greatest variety flora achieved in mountainous areas, oases and wadis - the beds of long-dry rivers that fill only during rare rainfalls. Acacias, tamarisks, olives, pistachios, coffee, date palms and other cultural and wild plants. Fauna represented by various desert predators (jackals, hyenas) and herbivores (gazelles, antelopes, jerboas).

The eastern part of Arabia, located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, is world leader in terms of hydrocarbon reserves, the production and sale of which accounts for the lion's share of the Gulf economies.

What are the largest territories in Eurasia?

The leaders in territory among the Eurasian peninsulas are located in southern Asia.

Asia

In addition to the leading Arabian Peninsula in terms of area, the Asian continent boasts second and third places in the world top 10.

Peninsula Indochina ranks second in the world in terms of area among the inhabited continents, second only to the Arabian Peninsula. The area of Indochina reaches 2414 thousand km².

Indochina extends deeply into the waters of the South China and seas, as well as the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. Indochina is one of the most moisturized places on the planet, the amount of precipitation in the eastern part of Indochina reaches 2000 mm, and in the foothills of the western part - up to 3000 mm.

Hindustan, sometimes called the Indian subcontinent due to its geological origin and for historical reasons, is the third largest in Asia in terms of size. The area of Hindustan reaches 2 million km². From the west, Hindustan is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, from the east - by the Bay of Bengal. Most of the territory of Hindustan is occupied by India, and a small part of the peninsula belongs to Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Korean Peninsula in the east of the Asian continent, its area is significantly inferior to its southern brothers Indochina and Hindustan.

The total territory of the Korean Peninsula is approximately 220 thousand square kilometers.

Here are located 2 states: South Korea and North Korea. Korea is washed by the waters of the Yellow and Sea of Japan.

In addition to the greatest peninsulas of the world, in Asia you can find large islands and the largest archipelago on the planet - Malay. List of largest islands:

Europe

Despite the modest size of Europe compared to other continents, it can boast of peninsulas that are among the world's top.

Scandinavian Peninsula- the largest in Europe and the fifth largest in size on the entire planet. The territory of Scandinavia is more than 800 thousand km², which includes the mainland parts of Sweden and Norway, part and tiny territory of Russia.

The Iberian Peninsula- the second largest in Europe and the seventh in the inhabited part of the planet, washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees are located in the extreme southwest of the European continent. The second name of the Pyrenees is the Iberian Peninsula, named after the Iberians who lived here in ancient times.

Third largest in Europe and eighth largest on the planet Balkan Peninsula located in the southeastern part of the continent. The territory of the Balkan Peninsula exceeds 500 thousand km². The Balkans are distinguished by the amazing diversity of peoples living here and the states located there, the number of which is more than a dozen.

The Balkans are washed by the Black, Marmara and Mediterranean seas, as well as the seas that are part of the Mediterranean.

The southern part of the Balkans forms a separate peninsula of the Peloponnese, located in Greece.

Russia

The largest peninsulas of Russia in size are located in the Asian part of the country in the north of Siberia and the Far East:

Largest plots in America

The largest peninsulas of America are located in North America, their area is tens of times larger than the largest peninsulas of South America.

North

The largest peninsula of North America and the entire Western Hemisphere - Labrador, located on the east coast. The area of Labrador is 1,600 thousand km², which allows it to rank fourth in the world and first among peninsulas located outside Asia. Labrador is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and Hudson Bay.

Other large North American peninsulas include:

California(Mexico, 144 thousand km²), which should not be confused with the state of the same name in the USA;

California is a relatively narrow strip of land separating Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.

Yucatan(Mexico, 140 thousand km²), located in the southern part of the country on the coast of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico;
Florida(USA, 116 thousand km²) is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The US state of the same name is located in Florida.

South

South America is slightly rugged coastline, so there are no large peninsulas included in the list of the largest in the world. The largest South American peninsulas by territory are:

Brunswick, Chile, area - 6.3 thousand km²;
Valdez Peninsula, Argentina, area - 3.6 thousand km².

How is Africa different?

Africa cannot boast of such an abundance of large islands and peninsulas as the Asian continent. However, the greatest of them are among the largest on our planet.

Somalia

The Somali Peninsula is the largest on the African continent and the sixth largest on the entire planet. Area of Somalia, often referred to as Horn of Africa for its shape, is more than 750 thousand km². Somalia is located on the Indian Ocean coast in western Africa.

The state of Somalia and partly Ethiopia are located on this peninsula.

Madagascar

The island of Madagascar, with a territory of almost 590 thousand km², occupies fourth place in the world in terms of area, second only to Greenland, New Guinea and Kalimantan. The island is located in the Indian Ocean, and is separated from the African continent by the Mozambique Strait. On the territory of the island is the state of the same name Madagascar.

Look in this video TOP 10 largest peninsulas in the world:

The area of the Crimean peninsula, which became part of Russia several years ago, is 27,000 km². However, land areas from this geographical category. Let's try to find the largest peninsula in the world on the Earth's globe by listing the ten largest parts of the continents that crash into the ocean or sea.

Top 10 Large Peninsulas of the World

The geography of the planet is bizarre and does not recognize strict geometric outlines. From the polar Russian coast to the harsh icy expanses of Antarctica, you can see similar islands, but sections of continents connected to the rest of the land.

10. Taimyr. The northernmost point of the Eurasian continent is located here. There is not a single city to be found on 400 thousand km². The largest settlement is the village of Karaul, where less than 800 people live. The polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen stayed in the winter hut on the site of which the village was built during his trip to Siberia. Cold rivers flow through this region and inhospitable mountains rise. Agriculture is impossible in the tundra, and the population is gradually declining.

9. The Balkan Peninsula is washed by the Black and Mediterranean seas, as well as several smaller ones. This part of Europe has always been full of life and history has been created. From medieval battles between Serbia, Byzantium and the Bulgarian Empire to the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s, these events took place on this 505 thousand km² landmass.

8. The Iberian or Iberian Peninsula is a distinct part of southwestern Europe. The waves of the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea break on its shores. Tourists go here to see Cape Roca - the most western part of the European continent and the southernmost one - Cape Morocco. Located on the peninsula are Spain and Portugal, a piece of France and the tiny principality of Andorra, the territory of Gibraltar. The Cordillera Central, a mountain range 400 km long, also stretches here. The area of the Iberian Peninsula is 582 thousand km².

7. Somalia was nicknamed the Horn of Africa for its characteristic shape. The waters of the Indian Ocean splash along its shores and are washed by the waves of the Gulf of Aden. The territory is occupied by plateaus and plateaus. The climate is arid and there is little precipitation. The Somali Peninsula is a real paradise for reptiles, of which there are more than 90 species. The area of the site is 750 thousand km².

6. The Scandinavian Peninsula is the homeland of brave Viking sailors. In the north-west of Europe there is a stunningly beautiful land, cut by bizarre fjords. Sweden and Norway are located here, as well as part of Finland. The territory covers 800 thousand km².

5. The Labrador Peninsula is located in North America in eastern Canada. It is washed by the waves of the Atlantic, Hudson Bay and the Strait. It is here that the Gulf of St. Lawrence is located - an estuary, i.e. the place where the river of the same name flows into the ocean, which is the largest in the world. Many rivers and lakes turn this part of the mainland into an amazing natural reserve with an area of 1 million 600 thousand km².

4. The Hindustan Peninsula is located in the southern part of Asia. In addition to India, the states of Bangladesh and part of Pakistan are located here. The Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal splash along the coast. The climate of Hindustan is monsoon and subequatorial. Half of the area is occupied by the Deccan Plateau, localized in the central region, and the entire territory of the peninsula is 2 million km².

3. Indochina is located halfway from one large state to another. Seeing in the aborigines the features of two peoples - Indians and Chinese - Europeans gave the corresponding name to the peninsula in southeast Asia. The waves of the South China Sea, Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea crash on its shores. The southern part stretches a narrow strip of the Malacca Peninsula to the south. The total area of Indochina is 2 million 88 thousand km².

2. West Antarctica is a lifeless, ice-covered space of the southern continent. The Transantarctic Mountains separate this landmass from another major region of the mainland. The territory is 2 million 690 thousand km².

The largest peninsula in the world

The largest area is occupied by an arid and desert region, the only riches of which are oil, natural gas and sand.

1. The Arabian Peninsula is mostly occupied by Saudi Arabia and is located in the southwestern part of Asia. Smaller states on the territory of the landmass are Yemen, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. All this is located on 3 million 250 thousand km². Washed by the shores of the peninsula of Oman, Aden and Persian Gulf, Arabian and Red Sea.

The peninsula that exists in the world is larger than West Antarctica or Indochina. The Arabian land is entirely desert with skyscraper cities built thanks to oil and gas wealth.