“Nights and days followed one another, summer, winter and rain. And it was nice to be a small island. A part of the world and a world apart. All surrounded by the bright blue sea. to Margaret Wise Brown.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayWhat is an island?10% of the world's population comes from islands. A piece of land completely surrounded by water is called an island. The size of islands varies depending on whether they are found in oceans, lakes, rivers or seas. They can therefore be relatively small or reach hundreds of square kilometers. There are different types of islands, as the formation can vary from volcanic eruption to artificial islands. Types of Islands: Continental Islands: Pieces of land that were once connected to a continent but became separated due to shifting tectonic plates. These are surrounded by water, making them an island. Examples are Greenland and Madagascar, very large islands that formed under these conditions. Oceanic islands: mostly of volcanic origin. When tectonic plates move across a subduction zone, volcanic eruptions can take place and lead to the formation of an island. The Japanese islands were formed in this way. The country of Japan is located on the site of 4 tectonic plates. Two of these plates, the Eurasian plate and the North American plate, are linked to continental shelves. These plates are lighter than the two oceanic plates, namely the Pacific plate and the Philippines plate. Thus, during tectonic activities, heavy oceanic plates are submerged beneath lighter continental plates, leading to volcanic activities and island formation. Artificial Islands: Artificial islands created for multiple purposes such as the expansion of habitable land, agriculture or tourism. . Examples of this can be seen in Dubai World, Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali. Barrier Islands: Islands parallel to the coastline and which separate the ocean from the continent. These islands serve to protect the coastline against storms and strong waves. Barrier islands can be formed by the deposition of sediments such as gravel or sand. It can also be made up of billions of coral exoskeletons. An example of such an island is the Outer Banks Island off the southeastern coast of America. Coral Islands: Built of coral, these islands are generally located in the warm waters of tropical oceans. As corals grow in colonies, they expand, and as they grow, they extend above the water to form coral islands. To strengthen the structure of these islands, sand and cement are used. Examples of such islands are the islands of the Bahamas. Tidal Islands: Continental islands that are submerged in water during high tides. The continent is not cut off but part of it is filled with water, making a particular part look like an island. The island of Mont Saint-Michel in France is an example of a tidal island. Usefulness of Islands: Islands can be used for a variety of purposes, whether used as a fortress or as a planting ground. Here are some examples: Islands of civilization: Great Britain, Japan, Madagascar. Islands of settlement: Australia and New Zealand. Plantation islands: Mauritius and Reunion. Fief Islands: Sicily and Haiti. Fortress Islands: Singapore in the interwar period. Warehouse islands: SingaporeRefuge islands: Cuba (USA), Taiwan (China).Islands as strategic locations: Chagos, Diego Garcia.