Top 10 Largest Islands Shared Between Nations
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Islands are
sometimes divided between countries and nations. Some live peacefully,
others have fought bloodily to get what is theirs. Here is just
1 list of largest islands divided between 2 or more nation-states.
1. New Guinea
Sharing
Countries: Indonesia/Papua New Guinea
Area:
785, 753 Km2
Description:
This is the second largest island and is located in the southwest
Pacific Ocean. Anthropologically New Guinea is a part of Melanesia.
Politically, the western half of this island is divided into 2 provinces:
Papua and West Papua (both Indonesian territories). The eastern
half is its own country, Papua New Guinea.
2. Borneo
Sharing
Countries: Indonesia/Malaysia/Brunei
Area:
748, 168 km2
Description:
This is the third largest island in the world and is near Java Island,
Indonesia. 3 countries currently have a claim to the island. Here
one can find the oldest rainforests in the world, the Daintree Rainforest.
Malaysia: 26%
Brunei:
1%
Indonesia:
73%
3. Cuba
Sharing
Countries: Cuba, USA
Area:
110, 861 km2
Description:
The Island consists of one main island and several smaller islands.
During the Spanish-American War, Spain relinquished its territories
to the latter. Then territories included
Puerto Rico,
Cuba Philippines and Guam in the Treaty of Paris in 1898. When taking
office, Theodore Roosevelt abandoned the treaty and gave Cuba its
independence in 1902. The loophole allowed US to retain rights to
intervene in Cuban Affairs and allowed US to lease Guantanamo Bay
from Cuba (Platt Agreement).
4. Ireland
Sharing
Countries: Ireland/UK
Area:
110, 861 km2
Description:
This is the third largest island in Europe and 20th largest in the
world. The Island is split into 2 by the Irish Sea: Great Britain
and the independent Irish state.
5. Hispaniola
Sharing
Countries: Dominican Republic/Haiti
Area:
81, 638 km2
Description:
This is a major island in the Caribbean. It recently made news in
January of 2010 with a deadly earthquake in Haiti. The Dominican
Republic side was unaffected. Both countries are different as Dominicans
speak Spanish and Haitians speak French and Creole.
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the rest of the article
April
3, 2012
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