Important Peninsulas of the World

What is Peninsula?

• A peninsula (paene – ‘almost’ insula – ‘island’) is a piece of land that is surrounded by water but joined to mainland on a side. In other words, Peninsula is a piece of land which is almost bounded by water on three sides and connected from one side to larger mass of land.
• When the part of land by which the Peninsula is connected to the main land is very narrow and separated by thin water body than it creates another geographical feature called Isthmus.
• There are innumerable peninsulas throughout the world and there are some Important Peninsulas of the World in each continents.

How is a Peninsula Formed?

• The gradual movement of lithospheric tectonic plates is the most common reason for the formation of peninsulas. This movement of these tectonic plates over a long period pressures the underlying rock to create cracks causing the land masses above them to be pushed or pulled in different directions. The results of this geographic activity can be peninsulas.
• The soil erosion by weathering agents makes the landmass vulnerable to get submerged by water, which resulted in the formation of peninsulas.
• The rising level of water against land and slowly disappearing land over several years’ causes erosion resulting in the formation of a Peninsula.

Difference between Peninsula & Island

 

Important Peninsulas of the World

10 Largest Peninsulas in the World

1. 1. Arabian Peninsula
   2. Deccan Peninsula
   3. Indo-China Peninsula
   4. Horn of Africa Peninsula
   5. Alaskan Peninsula
   6. Labrador Peninsula
   7. Scandinavia Peninsula
   8. The Balkans Peninsula
   9. The Iberian Peninsula
   10. The Kamchatka Peninsula

The Arabian Peninsula

• • Location – Middle East or Western Asia, it is situated in the Northeast of Africa on the Arabian plate
  • Area – 3,237,500 sq Km
  • Surrounding Bodies – surrounded by Red sea in west, Gulf of Aden in south, Arabian Sea in southeast, Gulf of Oman in east and Persian Gulf in northeast.
  • Countries – Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and parts of Jordan and Iraq.
  • The peninsula is believed to have formed by the drifting of the Red Sea. It is connected to the Levant in the North.
  • Largely unsuitable for agricultural activities, the peninsula holds geopolitical significance owing to its vast resources of oil and natural gas. It is one of the most Important Peninsulas of the World.

The (Indian) Deccan Peninsula

• • Location – Southern part of central India
  • Area – 2,072,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Surrounded by the Arabian Sea to the West, the Bay of Bengal to the east, and the Indian Ocean to the south
  • Country – India
  • The Indian peninsula is the second largest and Important peninsulas in the world. If the number of inhabitants are taken into account then this peninsula becomes the largest one of world.
  • Comprising of the Eastern and Western Ghats, the peninsula is rich in biodiversity and is home to a tiger reserve of national importance.
  • The climate in this region ranges from semi-arid to tropical type.
  • It is inclusive of eight Indian states and the people largely indulge in agricultural practices.

The Indo-china Peninsula

• • Location – Southeast Asia
  • Area – 1,938,743 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bordered with Andaman Sea in west, Strait of Malacca in southwest and China Sea in east.
  • Countries – Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
  • It is the continental portion of Southeast Asia and lies east of India and south of China. 
  • Projecting southwards from the Asian continent, it features several mountain ranges like the Tibetan Plateau to the north.
  • Additionally, the southernmost part of the Indo-china peninsula protrudes to form the Malay Peninsula, which regions Southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia.

The Horn of Africa

• • Location – Africa
  • Area – 1,882,857 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – surrounded by the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east and extends into the Arabian Sea.
  • Countries – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia
  • Horn of Africa is the fourth largest peninsula in the world.
  • Also called the Somali Peninsula. It hosts the highest number of reptiles, whereas the locals participate in livestock herding and export coffee and bananas.

The Alaska Peninsula

• • Location – North western projection of North America
  • Area – 1,500,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – surrounded by the Arctic Sea in the north, Bering Strait in the west, and the Pacific Sea to the south
  • Country – North America
  • Separating the Pacific Ocean from the Bristol Bay, which is an arm of the Bering Sea, the peninsula extends to the Southwest from the mainland of Alaska and ends at the Aleutian Islands.
  • The Aleutian Range is a highly active volcanic mountain range and is home to numerous wildlife refuges and national parks.

The Labrador Peninsula

• • Location – Eastern Canada
  • Area – 1,400,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bound by the Hudson Bay to the west, the Hudson Strait to the north, the Labrador Sea to the East, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the Southeast
  • Countries – Canada (provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and the province of Quebec)
  • It connects to the mainland in the Southwest only.
  • The peninsula features river valleys, mountain ranges, and national parks. The peninsula, owing to being covered in the Canadian Shield, has numerous lakes.

The Scandinavian Peninsula

• • Location – northern Europe
  • Area – 750,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bordered by the Barents Sea to the north, the Norwegian Sea to the west, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea to the south
  • Countries – Sweden, Norway, and the North-western area of Finland
  • Its name is derived from the cultural region of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
  • The Scandinavian Peninsula is one of the largest peninsulas of Europe.
  • A quarter of the peninsula lies north of the Arctic Circle, the climates vary from tundra to subarctic with cool marine coastlines in the West.

The Balkan Peninsula

• • Location – Southeastern Europe
  • Area – 666,700 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – neighboured by the Adriatic Sea on the northwest, the Ionian Sea on the southwest, the Aegean Sea on the south and southeast, and the Black Sea on the east and the northeast.
  • Countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and North Turkey.
  • It is named after the Balkans Mountain Range.

The Iberian Peninsula

• • Location – southwestern Europe
  • Area – 582,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bordered by the Mediterranean Sea on the Southeast and East and by the Atlantic Ocean on the north, west, and southwest
  • Countries – Spain, Portugal, Andorra, France, Gibraltar
  • Also referred to as Iberia.
  • It is principally divided between the Spanish and Portugal territory, but also includes Andorra and small part of France as well as Gibraltar on its South coast.
  • It is the second largest European peninsula, after the Scandinavian Peninsula.
  • It is in close proximity to the northwest African coast, separated by the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea.

The Kamchatka Peninsula

• • Location – Eastern Asia
  • Area – 270,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bounded by Bering Sea in east, North Pacific Ocean in south and Sea of Okhotsk in west.
  • Countries – Russia
  • The region is located in the Russian Far East.  
  • The region features the volcanoes of Kamchatka, which is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. There are total 160 volcanoes present in this peninsula out of which 29 are still active.
  • The region faces moderately cool summers and stormy winters. Collectively, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Commander Islands, and the Karaginsky Island constitute the Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation.

Floridan Peninsula

• • Location – North America
  • Area – 170,304 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bounded by North Atlantic in east, Caribbean Sea in south and Gulf of Mexico in west.
  • Countries – United States (State of Florida)

Baja California Peninsula

• • Location – North America
  • Area – 143,390 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Pacific Ocean, Gulf of California
  • Countries – Mexico
  • It separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California.
  • The peninsula extends 1,247 km from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.

Italian Peninsula

• • Location – South Europe
  • Area – 131,337 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea
  • Countries – Italy, San Marino, Vatican City
  • The Italian Peninsula, also known as the Italic Peninsula or the Apennine Peninsula, is a peninsula extending from the Southern Alps in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south.

Kola Peninsula

• • Location – Asia
  • Area – 100,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Barents Sea, White Sea
  • Countries – Northwest Russia
  • The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the extreme northwest of Russia, and one of the largest peninsulas of Europe.

Crimean Peninsula

• • Location – Eastern Europe
  • Area – 27,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – almost completely surrounded by both the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the northeast.
  • Countries – Russia
  • Crimea (or Tauric Peninsula) is a peninsula located on the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe.
  • The Crimean peninsula is connected on the northwest to the mainland by the “Perekop Isthmus”, 8 km wide strip of land that has been the site of numerous battles for the control of Crimea.
  • The Crimean Peninsula was annexed by the Russian Federation in 2014 and since then has been administered as two Russian federal subjects – the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.

Sinai Peninsula

• • Location – Asia
  • Area – 60,000 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Surrounded by Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Countries – Egypt
  • Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is a sparsely populated desert region. Act as a border between Egypt and Israel.
  • It is near Suez Canal and Gulf of Aqaba.

Anatolian Peninsula

• • Location – Western Asia
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bounded by the Turkish Straits to the northwest, the Black Sea to the north, the Armenian Highlands to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Aegean Sea to the west.
  • Countries – Turkey
  • Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor, is the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent.
  • The Sea of Marmara forms a connection between the Black and Aegean seas through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits and separates Anatolia from Thrace on the Balkan peninsula of Southeast Europe.

Tasman Peninsula

• • Location – southeast Tasmania, Australia
  • Area – 660 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Fredrick Henry Bay, Storm Bay, Tasman Sea
  • Countries – Australia
  • The Tasman Peninsula / Turrakana lies south and west of Forestier Peninsula, to which it connects via an isthmus called Eaglehawk Neck.

Chukchi Peninsula

• • Location – Asia
  • Area – 298,367 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bounded by the Chukchi Sea to the north, the Bering Sea to the south, and the Bering Strait to the east
  • Countries – Russia
  • The Chukchi Peninsula (also Chukotka Peninsula or Chukotski Peninsula) is the easternmost peninsula of Asia.
  • The Chukotka Mountains are located in the central/western part of the peninsula.
  • The Alaska State of U.S. is just 82 Km east from the closes point of Chukchi Peninsula.
  • This is strategically very important peninsula as it controls the shipping trade of northern European countries to west coast of US and Southeast Asian countries.

Malay Peninsula

• • Location – Southeast Asia
  • Area – 242,364 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – bounded by Andaman Sea in northwest, Malacca strait in west, South China Sea in east and Gulf of Thailand in northeast.
  • Countries – South Myanmar (Burma), Southern Thailand, Malaya, Singapore.
  • The southernmost portion of Indo-China peninsula in turn makes a unique peninsula and is called as Malay Peninsula.
  • The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southernmost point of the Asian mainland.
  • This is strategically the most important peninsula of world as it controls the shipping trade from European countries to Southeast Asian countries.

Korean Peninsula

• • Location – East Asia
  • Area – 220,847 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – Surrounded by the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east and the Yellow Sea (West Sea) to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the two bodies of water.
  • Countries – North Korea and South Korea
  • The peninsula extends southwards continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean.
  • Since 1945 it has been divided into two parts which soon became the two sovereign states – North Korea and South Korea.
  • Korea consists of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island and several minor islands near the peninsula.
  • To the northwest, the Amnok River separates Korea from China, and to the northeast, the Duman River separates it from China and Russia.

Yuctan Peninsula

• • Location – Central America
  • Area – 197,600 sq km
  • Surrounding Water Bodies – present between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
  • Countries – Belize, Guatemala and Mexico (Mexican states – Yucatán, Quintana Roo, and Campeche.)

Largest and Important Peninsulas of World

 

 

 So, this is all about the Important Peninsulas of the World. If you want to read more notes on World Geography – Click Here.

Major Straits of the World (Complete List)

Landlocked Countries of World (Complete List)

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