Article on other languages:
- أرخبيل
- Archipielago
- Архипелаг
- Arkipelago
- Arhipelag
- Enezeg
- Архипелаг
- Arxipèlag
- Архипелаг
- Kapupud-an
- Souostroví
- Ynysfor
- Arkipelag
- Archipel
- Saarestik
- Αρχιπέλαγος
- Archipelago
- Archipiélago
- Arkipelago
- Uhartedi
- گروه-جزیره
- Archipel
- Arquipélago
- 군도
- Pae_moku
- Otočje
- Archipelago
- Kepulauan
- Eyjaklasi
- Arcipelago
- ארכיפלג
- Òstrowina
- Funguvisiwa
- Komgirav
- Archipelagus
- Arhipelāgs
- Salynas
- plugri
- Rosc_de_isul
- Архипелаг
- Archipel
- 列島
- Arkipelag
- កំរងកោះ
- Arsipélagh
- Archipel
- Archipelag
- Arquipélago
- Архипелаг
- Arcipèlacu
- Súostrovie
- Arhipelag
- Архипелаг
- Arhipelag
- Saaristo
- Ögrupp
- Kapuluan
- Quần_đảo
- Архіпелаг
- مجموعہ_الجزائر
- Arcipełago
- ארכיפעלאג
- 群島
 |
del.icio.us |
 |
Digg |
 |
Furl |
 |
|
 |
Rojo |
| Add to OnlyWire |
 |
This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2008) |
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008) |
An archipelago (pronounced /ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ/) is a chain or cluster of islands that is formed tectonically. The word archipelago literally means "chief sea", from Italian arcipelago (artʃiˈpelago), derived ultimately from Greek arkhon (arkhi-) ("leader") and pelagos ("sea"). In Italian, possibly following a tradition of antiquity, the Archipelago (Greek: Αρχιπέλαγος) was the proper name for the Aegean Sea and, later, usage shifted to refer to the Aegean Islands (since the sea is remarkable for its large number of islands). It is now used to generally refer to any island group or, sometimes, to a sea containing a large number of scattered islands like the Aegean Sea.[1]
Types of archipelagos
Archipelagos are usually found in the open sea; less commonly, a large land mass may neighbour them. For example, Scotland has more than 700 islands surrounding its mainland. Archipelagos are often volcanic, forming along island arcs generated by subduction zones or hotspots, but there are many other processes involved in their construction, including erosion, deposition, and land elevation.
The five largest modern states that are mainly archipelagos are Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Indonesia (the world's largest archipelagic state according to the CIA World Factbook) [1].
The largest archipelago in the world by size is the Canadian Arctic Archipelago of Northern Canada. It is situated in the Arctic Ocean.[citation needed] The archipelago with most islands is the Archipelago Sea in Finland, but these islands are, on average, small.
See also
- Island arc
- Geography
- Earth science
- Geomorphology
- List of landforms
- Plate tectonics
- Island nation
- Earthsea
- The World
- Lists of islands: see List of archipelagos and List of islands
 |
This geographical term article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
References
- ^ "Archipelago". Farlex, Inc. (2008). Archived from [ttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/archipelago the original] on 2008. Retrieved on 2008-10-02.
iuhjknmjk
More about Archipelago: archipelago botanicals, archipelago candle, 1918 1956 archipelago gulag, archipelago in island life most portrait remote sanctuary world, archipelago malay, archipelago botanicals candle, archipelago botanicals company, 2007 archipelago in island life most portrait remote santuary wall world, arch archipelago book cover exiled from gulag gulag his solzhenitsyn soviet union,