A peninsula is not just a piece of land that adjoins the mainland or some island, as it is written in most encyclopedias. This is a great place to relax away from civilization, with a lot of beautiful places where you can relax both physically and mentally. Our planet has a large number of various peninsulas, I would like to highlight the largest of them in area.

Its total area is approximately 2730 thousand square kilometers. It is difficult to calculate the exact area of ​​the peninsula, since part of the territory belongs to the mainland to which it is adjacent. It is impossible to say exactly where the territory of the peninsula begins, and where the mainland is, so it is almost impossible to calculate the exact area. But in this case, whatever one may say, the Arabian Peninsula occupies a large territory, which can accommodate a dozen of the most common European countries. But most of the Arabian Peninsula belongs to Saudi Arabia, and also some small countries are located on its territory, these are Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen, Bahrain and the United Emirates. Accordingly, the peninsula is washed by the Arabian Sea and partly by the Red Sea. Also several bays: Aden, Oman and Persian Gulf. The sun shines here 365 days a year, in the middle of the day there is abnormal heat, in which it is almost impossible to be outside. Maybe this is not the most picturesque peninsula, but it has a large number of oil and gas fields.

In terms of its approximate area, this peninsula is quite a bit inferior to the Arabian Peninsula, but in terms of climate, they are absolutely opposite. West Antarctica is considered to be the coldest peninsula. The main territory of Antarctica is covered with ice, which does not come off throughout the year. The sun appears in this part of the world quite rarely, as well as a person. Only scientific expeditions are sent to West Antarctica, of course, some of the landscapes here are simply breathtaking, but the place is far from intended for tourist tours.

After cold Antarctica, we will return to Asia to the warmer peninsula of Indochina. By the name, you can already guess where exactly this peninsula is located, which occupies a little more than two million square kilometers (2088 thousand kilometers). The peninsula is washed by the Andaman and South China Seas. Also, a large number of rivers flow through the territory of the Indochina peninsula. The climate is quite humid, but due to this, the area is very picturesque. It is on this peninsula that such famous resorts as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are located.

Most reference books and encyclopedias indicate that the area of ​​Hindustan is two million square kilometers. The territorial location is again in Asia, it is on this peninsula that India is powerfully located, as well as two more states of Bangladesh and Pakistan. There is no such humid climate as in Indochina, only one way out to the Indian Ocean. Despite the large territory of Hindustan, it is washed by only one Bay of Bengal. Accordingly, the climate here is dry and hot.

And finally, we are moving from Asia to North America to the shores of America's largest peninsula - Labrador. In the east of Canada, the Lambrador Peninsula stretches for almost one and a half million square kilometers. A very picturesque peninsula, which people come to see and travel from all over the world. The Churchill, La Grande, Coxoak, George, Fay, Arno rivers flow here, and there are a large number of lakes on the peninsula. Due to the abundance of various vegetation, many interesting animals live on the territory of the peninsula, such as lynxes, muskrats and various types of foxes.

In terms of its area, it significantly loses to all previous peninsulas, only 800 thousand square kilometers. But it is considered the largest peninsula located in the European part, namely in the North-West. It contains countries such as Norway and Sweden, a small piece of the peninsula is occupied by Finland. The peninsula is quite picturesque, here is the famous rock called Troll's Tongue.

Quite a bit in territory is inferior to the previous peninsula by 50 thousand kilometers. But, despite the small area, it is considered the largest peninsula in Africa, similarly to the Scandinavian Peninsula in Europe. Because of the bizarre shape on the map, Somalia was nicknamed the Horn of Africa. A large number of reptiles and various rare species of animals live here. Due to frequent droughts, a large number of local species have already become extinct, and some are on the verge of extinction.

And we are transported back to Europe, here the Iberian Peninsula is spread over 582 thousand square kilometers. It is also called the Iberian Peninsula. Most of it is occupied by Spain and quite a bit by Portugal. Also, countries such as France and Great Britain pass quite a bit on this peninsula, but not so much that most Spaniards believe that the island belongs to them.

Proudly takes the third place in Europe, and in the general list the penultimate one with a total area of ​​505 thousand square kilometers. The Balkan Peninsula, one might say, was torn to pieces by the central European states. It managed to accommodate most of the tourist countries such as: Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Montenegro, Italy. And let this peninsula take the penultimate line in the TOP-10, but it would take first place as the most visited and touristic peninsula.

Closes the list again peninsula from Asia, which has an area of ​​approximately 400 thousand square kilometers. This island is washed by the largest number of seas: the Black, Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Absolutely the entire territory of the peninsula belongs to Turkey. In the evening, from any side of the peninsula, you can observe beautiful seascapes.

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 globe of the Earth, listing the ten largest parts of the continents that crash into the ocean or sea.

Top 10 largest peninsulas in the world

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

10. Taimyr. The northernmost point of the Eurasian continent is located here. Not a single city can be found on 400 thousand km². The largest settlement is the village of Karaul, where less than 800 people live. In the winter hut, on the site of which the village was built, the polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen stopped during his trip to Siberia. Cold rivers flow in this region, 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. In this part of Europe, life has always been in full swing, and history has been created. From medieval battles between Serbia, Byzantium and the Bulgarian kingdom to the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s, these events took place on this 505 thousand km² land area.

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

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

6. The Scandinavian Peninsula is the birthplace of the brave Viking sailors. In the north-west of Europe, a land of stunning beauty stretches, cut by bizarre fjords. Sweden and Norway are located here, as well as part of Finland. The territory occupies 800 thousand km².

5. The Labrador Peninsula is located in North America in eastern Canada. It is washed by the waves of the Atlantic, the Hudson Bay and the Strait. It is here that the Gulf of St. Lawrence is located - the 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 a piece 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, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal splash along the coast. The climate of Hindustan is monsoonal 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 half way from one major state to another. Seeing in the natives the features of two peoples - the Indians and the Chinese - the Europeans gave the corresponding name to the peninsula in southeast Asia. The waves of the South China Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea break on its shores. The southern part stretches in a narrow strip of the Malay Peninsula to the south. The total area of ​​Indochina is 2 million 88 thousand km².

2. West Antarctica is the lifeless spaces of the southern continent hidden by the ice crust. The Transantarctic Mountains separate this piece of land 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 wealth of which is 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 land area are Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. All this is located on 3 million 250 thousand km². The shores of the peninsula are washed by the Oman, Aden and Persian Gulfs, the Arabian and Red Seas.

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

Arabian and it seems that the sand is all around here and everywhere. The warm waters of the surrounding Red Sea rush to the coast in blue waves. Before us is the Arabian Peninsula, the largest on the planet.
It is located in southwest Asia.

The peninsula is washed by the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden - in the south, the Red Sea - in the west, the Persian and Oman gulfs - in the east. The largest peninsula in the world covers an area of ​​​​more than 2,700,000 square kilometers, capable of accommodating 10 states like Italy, 7 like Germany and 4 like France.

The largest peninsula on earth Arabian on the map

Created using Yandex.Maps tools

Saudi Arabia, also known as the "country of two mosques", spreads over most of the peninsula. Every year pilgrims from all over the world come here to make the Hajj to the shrines of Islam - Medina and Mecca. In addition to this country, other countries are located on the peninsula: Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Almost the entire territory of Arabia has tropical air. It has mostly warm winters and hot, dry summers. Dust storms and prolonged droughts are common for Arabians.

Nature of the Arabian Peninsula

The Arabian Peninsula is rich in oil deposits. Oil production is a good source of income for many countries of this peninsula. There are also huge reserves of natural gas.

The most important animal for the Arabs is the horse. Local horses are very strong, hardy and fast. The camel also brings no small benefit. No wonder it is called the "ship of the desert", as it carries heavy loads and people, and meat, milk and wool are also obtained from it.

The largest peninsula on earth is Arabian - The number of the Arabian Peninsula is only approximately calculated and in 2010 was 65 million people. Most of them are concentrated in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. People in the Arabian Peninsula live an average of 74 years. The largest ethnic group is the Arabs. Iraqis, Indians and representatives of the peoples of South Asia also live here. The spoken language is mostly Arabic, but English is also widely spoken.

Time and the development of technology had little effect on the way of life of the peoples living in the central part of Arabia. As in ancient times, the inhabitants are engaged in crafts, agriculture, and cattle breeding. But this does not apply to the coastal zones of the peninsula, where the main oil pipelines leave and there is an active development and extraction of expensive fuel.

Deserts of the Arabian Peninsula video

Peninsula- part of the mainland surrounded by water, only one part connected to the land. Due to the fact that it is difficult to determine the exact border of the peninsula on land, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe peninsula is considered a rather arbitrary concept, and the size of its territory is recognized by scientists in the course of largely conditional recognition.

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

What is the name of the largest peninsula in the world?

The largest area has Arabian Peninsula located in Asia. Its area, according to various estimates, ranges from 2750 to 3250 thousand km².

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

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

• Kingdom Saudi Arabia;
• Sultanate Oman;
• Republic of Yemen;
• 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 a visit in this state.

From the point of view of the geological structure, the entire area of ​​Arabia is occupied by the ancient Arabian platform. In the southern part there are mountain plateaus and middle mountains, the highest point of Arabia is considered Mount An-Nabi-Shuaib in Yemen (height 3666 m above sea level).

The vast majority of the territory 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 moisture, the average annual rainfall does not exceed 100 mm per year, and in the south - no more than 50 mm. A little more precipitation falls only in mountainous areas. Arabia is one of the hottest places on Earth, the local temperature record is +55°C.

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

The greatest diversity of flora is achieved in mountainous regions, oases and wadis - channels of long-dry rivers, filled only during rare showers. Acacias, tamarisks, olives, pistachios, coffee, date palms and other cultivated and wild plants grow here. Fauna It is 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 makes up the lion's share of the economy of the Gulf countries.

What are the largest territories in Eurasia?

The leaders by 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 It 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 protrudes deeply into the waters of the South China and the seas, as well as the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. Indochina is one of the most hydrated 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 referred to as the Indian subcontinent due to its geological origin and for historical reasons, ranks third in Asia for its 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, in terms of its area, it is significantly inferior to its southern counterparts, Indochina and Hindustan.

The entire 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 Japan seas.

In addition to the greatest peninsulas of the world, in Asia one can find major 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 boasts peninsulas included in the world top.

Scandinavian Peninsula- the largest in Europe and the fifth largest in the world. The territory of Scandinavia is more than 800 thousand km², on which the mainland parts of Sweden and Norway, part and a tiny territory of Russia are located.

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 in the world 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 an amazing variety of peoples living here and located states, 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 stands out as a separate Peloponnese peninsula, located in Greece.

Russia

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

Largest Lots in America

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

North

The largest peninsula in North America and the entire Western Hemisphere - Labrador located on the east coast. The area of ​​​​the territory of Labrador is 1600 thousand km², which allows it to occupy the fourth place in the world and the first among the peninsulas located outside Asia. Labrador is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and Hudson Bay.

Other major North American peninsulas include:

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

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

2. 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;
3. 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 distinguished by a small indentation of the coastline, so there are no large peninsulas included in the list of the largest in the world. The largest South American peninsulas are:

• Brunswick, Chile, area - 6.3 thousand km²;
• peninsula valdes, Argentina, area - 3.6 thousand km².

What makes Africa different?

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

Somalia

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

On this peninsula is the eponymous state of Somalia and partly Ethiopia.

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 the Mozambique Channel separates it from the African continent. 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:

It is interesting to live in the world, knowing this or that feature of any geographical point of the planet. For example, which lake is the deepest, and which city is the most populous. Or here is a sub-island (the one that is connected to the mainland) - which one is the largest in area?

Especially for you, we have created the TOP 5 largest peninsulas in the world.

The right to lead the ranking gets Arabian Peninsula, having an area of ​​2 million 730 thousand square meters. km. Almost all of these kilometers are occupied by deserts. Sand in deserts is a natural phenomenon. It is most pleasant on numerous beaches, because the peninsula is washed by 2 seas - the Red and Arabian and 3 bays - Aden, Persian and Oman. True, not all of them can be freely accessed. And if the inhabitants of the United Arab Emirates tolerate tourists on their territory, then the radical Muslims of Saudi Arabia allow visiting their country with very severe restrictions.

Located on the Arabian Peninsula, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen also profess Islam. Here, one of the world's major religions was born, and it is here that Muslims from all over the world make the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.

The Arabian Peninsula is poor in flora and fauna, does not have permanent fresh water bodies.
The air temperature stays above 30 degrees most of the year, and there is very little precipitation. But the Persian Gulf region is rich in oil and gas, which allows the leaders of the Arabian states to have a say in world politics.

Located almost at the very top of the southern hemisphere West Antarctica, is the exact opposite of Arabia. It occupies an area of ​​only 40 thousand square meters. km. smaller, covered with snow and ice instead of sand. The temperature has a deep minus, reaching in June up to -40 degrees. January, as the warmest month, attracts extreme tourists to West Antarctica. There is something to see - icy landscapes are very different from standard tourist attractions. And although there is no vegetation here, you can admire penguins and whales.

Global warming is softening the climate of the Antarctic Peninsula; over the second half of the 20th century, the temperature here has risen by 2.5 degrees, the ice is melting, and the tundra is beginning to form.

All changes are closely monitored by scientists at numerous research stations - so far the only inhabitants of this harsh region.

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We move to East Asia to the peninsula Indochina, with an area of ​​2 million 88 thousand sq. km. The contrast with Antarctica is striking. It is warm all year round and has high humidity. Thailand, Vietnam offer to plunge into the Gulf of Thailand, the Pacific Ocean, for which they are dearly loved, and are visited by tourists with pleasure. Laos, Myanmar are a little less hospitable, Cambodia generally accepts guests selectively.

From the north, the peninsula is bounded by the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Khongha rivers.

The climate is subequatorial, the vegetation is tropical. Moisture-loving forests on the slopes of the mountains are especially diverse, including Annam, Arakan, and the Tanentaunji mountain range. Mangrove forests, natural for this peninsula, on the densely populated coast, on the contrary, are very thinned out. But many rice fields are being cultivated.

Having crossed the Bay of Bengal, we get to Hindustan peninsula, which is Indochina for 88 thousand square meters. km. From the west, you will have to get to Hindustan through the Arabian Sea, the south is washed directly by the Indian Ocean.

The state that occupies almost the entire peninsula is India. Some territory went to Bangladesh and partly to Pakistan. The northern border of the peninsula is usually drawn between the deltas of the Indus and Ganges rivers, which have extensive basins.

The abundance of water resources affects the plant world, nourishing tropical rainforests, savannahs. There is where to hide not only numerous insects, birds, but even elephants, not to mention monkeys.

The climate is humid and warm. The temperature difference between winter and summer is negligible.

To find the fifth largest peninsula, you need to move to the Western Hemisphere and in North America pay attention to the east of Canada. Peninsula Labrador has an area of ​​1 million sq. 600 thousand sq. km. This peninsula is already in the temperate climate zone. Its climate is influenced by the Arctic Ocean, which includes Hudson Bay, which washes the peninsula along with the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean.

The temperature in winter reaches 28 degrees below zero, so it is not surprising the variety of fur-bearing animals: foxes, martens, lynxes. The forest-tundra with spruces, firs, larches is a habitual habitat for these animals.