Greenland is the largest island in the world, though ice covers most of it.

The longer version

Greenland counts as an island because it is smaller than the smallest continent and separated from other land by water. An ice sheet covers most of its area, in places thousands of metres thick, pressing the bedrock below sea level in the interior. Only the margins stay exposed.

The weight of that ice has depressed the crust, so the land beneath sits lower than it would otherwise. Where the ice reaches the sea, pieces break off as icebergs that drift into shipping lanes. Only a narrow coastal fringe is ice free, and settlements cluster there where fishing and grazing are possible. Melting along the edges has drawn scientific attention in recent decades.

Where this entry sits

These facts wander across maps, borders, deserts, rivers, mountains, and the extreme corners of the natural world. Each one is short and self-contained, offering a small surprise about places you may never visit rather than anything you actually need. The full list sits on the Geography page, where every entry is listed in order.