Island Countries of the World: Complete List of All 47 Island Nations

There are 47 sovereign island countries in the world -- nations whose territory consists entirely of islands with no land borders to other countries. They range from Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago spanning 1.9 million km2, to Nauru, a tiny Pacific atoll of just 21 km2. Together, island nations account for roughly 730 million people.

What Is an Island Country?

An island country (or island nation) is a sovereign state whose territory consists entirely of one or more islands, meaning it shares no land borders with any other country. This excludes countries like Australia (classified as a continent) and countries with both mainland and island territory. The exact count varies slightly by source -- some counts include 44-50 depending on how disputed territories and partially recognized states are counted. The list below uses 47 as the widely accepted figure.

Island Countries by Region

Caribbean (13 Countries)

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Cuba
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic (shares Hispaniola with Haiti)
• Grenada
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

The Caribbean island nations sit in the Caribbean Sea between North and South America. Cuba is the largest at 109,884 km2, while Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas at 261 km2.

Pacific Ocean (14 Countries)

• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Marshall Islands
• Micronesia
• Nauru
• New Zealand
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

The Pacific island nations span the vast Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian subregions. Papua New Guinea (462,840 km2) is the largest, while Nauru (21 km2) is the world's smallest island country and the third-smallest country overall. Many Pacific island nations face existential threats from rising sea levels.

Indian Ocean (6 Countries)

Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka. Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island (587,041 km2) with extraordinary biodiversity -- roughly 80% of its species are found nowhere else. The Maldives, a chain of 1,192 coral islands, is the lowest-lying country on Earth with an average elevation of 1.5 m above sea level.

Southeast Asia (6 Countries)

Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste. Indonesia is the largest island country by far, with over 17,000 islands spanning 1.9 million km2 and a population of 275 million -- the fourth most populous country in the world. The Philippines has 7,641 islands. Singapore (733 km2) is one of only three surviving sovereign city-states, along with Monaco and Vatican City.

East Asia (2 Countries)

Japan, Taiwan. Japan consists of 6,852 islands, with the four main islands (Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku) comprising 97% of the land area. Japan has the world's third-largest economy. Taiwan operates as a de facto independent state but is claimed by China and has limited international recognition.

Europe (3 Countries)

Cyprus, Iceland, Malta. Iceland (103,000 km2) sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with 30+ active volcanic systems. Malta (316 km2) is one of the world's smallest and most densely populated countries. Cyprus is geographically in Asia but culturally and politically European as an EU member.

Africa (3 Countries)

Cabo Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles. African island nations are scattered across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Sao Tome and Principe is Africa's smallest country at 964 km2.

Largest and Smallest Island Countries

Climate Change and Island Nations

Many island countries, particularly low-lying Pacific and Indian Ocean atolls, face existential threats from climate change and rising sea levels. The Maldives, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Marshall Islands are among the most vulnerable. Tuvalu's highest point is just 4.6 m above sea level. Some projections suggest several Pacific island nations could become uninhabitable by the end of the century. These nations have been among the most vocal advocates for climate action at international summits, despite contributing negligible amounts to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Facts

• There are 47 island countries in the world with no land borders.
• Indonesia is the largest island country (1.9M km2, 275M people, 17,000+ islands).
• Nauru is the smallest island country at 21 km2 with about 12,000 people.
• Japan has the largest economy among island nations (3rd globally).
• Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest island country in the Western Hemisphere (261 km2).
• Many Pacific island nations are threatened by rising sea levels from climate change.

Fun Facts

• Indonesia spans three time zones and has more than 700 living languages.
• Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe with just 3.5 people per km2.
• The Maldives holds cabinet meetings underwater to raise awareness of sea level rise.
• Papua New Guinea has over 840 languages -- the most linguistically diverse country on Earth.
• Tuvalu earns significant revenue from its internet domain ".tv", which is used by television companies worldwide.