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Mark Twain famously spoke on the importance of owning
land, as ‘they’re not making any more of it.’ While it is true that most
of the world has already been charted, explored and claimed, new land is
being ‘made’ every day. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and erosion have
been shaping the world as we know it, with the ability to not change
landscapes and territories, but to also create new islands. Along the
Pacific Ring of Fire, it is not unusual for seismic and volcanic
activity to create new islands frequently, although many are frequently
eroded away, sunken, or merged into larger land masses. Other ‘new’
islands however, have the ability to withstand geological and weather
phenomenon to eventually attract and support insect, plant and animal
life. Like the Hawaiian islands which have been created by volcanic
activity to become one of the most ecologically diverse ecosystems in
the world, many of these new islands may one day become a paradise.
Below is a list of the world’s most incredible newly formed islands –
many are so new that some have not even been charted. Read on to explore
some of these amazing new worlds, and catch a glimpse of them before
they may disappear once more into the ocean.
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10. Yaya Island
Location: New Siberian Islands Archipelago, in the Laptev Sea – Country:
Russia
Creation: October 2014
Yaya Island was first sighted in September 2014, by a helicopter
commander flying to a nearby military base. Upon discovery, the crew
shouted “I, I discovered it!”, and thus the island was named ‘yaya’,
meaning ‘I, I’ in Russian. The research vessel Admiral Vladimirsky
officially explored and confirmed its existence in November of 2014.
With its addition to Russian territory, the Russian maritime exclusive
economic zone was expanded by 280 square miles (452 square kilometers).
It is believed that the island was formed years ago when the ice island
Vasilyevsky Island melted away. |
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9. Zalzala Koh (“Earthquake Mountain”) or Zalzala
Jazeera (“Earthquake Mountain”)
Location: Offshore of Gwadar, Balochistan, in the Arabian Sea – Country:
Pakistan
Creation: September 24, 2013
After a strong earthquake of a 7.7 magnitude hit the Arabian coast of
Pakistan, a new island could be seen off of the coast. The island is
only 576 feet (174.7 meters) by 528 feet (160.9 meters), and rises about
60 to 70 feet (15-20 meters) above the ocean, but has sunk over 10 feet
(3 meters) since its apparition. Its surface is covered mostly by mud
and large boulders and supports no life, but has become a haven for
marine populations, including fish and coral. Oceanographers believe the
island was created by methane gas emission that got released during the
earthquake, and they predict Zalzala Koh will eventually submerge once
more. |
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8. Nishinoshima or Rosario Island
Location: 940 km south of Tokyo – Country: Japan
Creation: 1974, 2013
Originally, Rosario island was a small island, made up from the tip of a
dormant underwater volcano, measuring only 3130 feet (650 meters) by 656
feet (200 meters). The first eruption occurred in 1974, which both
expanded and merged the island with surrounding land masses. Further
volcanic eruptions began in November 2013, which increased the island’s
surface to 3280 feet (1 kilometer) across. Volcanic activity continues
to this day, continually increasing the size of the island. Because of
the continual outpour of lava, the island currently has no plant or
animal life, but it is likely that once the volcano becomes dormant, the
island will resume to its original grass covered state once more. |
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7. Surtsey Island
Location: part of the Vestmannaeyjar Archipelago, off the southern coast
of Iceland – Country: Iceland
Creation: November 14, 1963
Surtsey’s creation began 426 feet (130 meters) below sea level in 1963,
finally reaching the surface of the water on November 14 of the same
year. The eruption lasted several years, reaching a maximum size of 1
square mile (2.7 squared kilometers), but has since gradually been
eroded to 0.54 square miles (1.4 squared kilometers). First plants were
discovered on the island in 1965, which have since grown to cover the
island in a variety of lichens, moss and grasses. So far, 14 species of
birds such as fulmar, guillemot and gulls, as well as Atlantic puffins,
have used the island as breeding and nesting grounds. In 2008 it was
declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its unique origins and
ecological progression. |
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6. Anak Krakatau
Location: Between the Perboewatan and Danan islands, in the Sunda Strait
– Country: Indonesia
Creation: December 29, 1927
On December 29, 1927, a lava dome erupted from the ocean between the
islands of Perboewatan and Danan in the Sunda Strait, creating a new
volcanic island. That island, as well as the two that followed a little
while after, were rapidly eroded by the sea. A fourth island emerged in
August of 1930, with lava flows too strong to be washed into the ocean.
Anak Krakatau has been an active volcanic island ever since, averaging a
land increase of over 22 feet (6.8 meters) per year, making it difficult
for plant and animal life to become established.
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5. Al Zubair Group Of Islands
Location: 40 miles (60 kilometers) off the coast of Yemen, in the Red
Sea – Country: Yemen
Creation: October 2013
Resting above an underwater volcanic shield in the Red Sea are a group
of small, uninhabited volcanic islands. Over the years, the islands have
had numerous volcanic eruptions, which have created a number of
additional islands. While many of the islands provide numerous tourist
attractions including volcano trekking, diving and sightseeing, the
newest of the islands is still largely unexplored. It measures 1,700
feet (530 meters) by 2,300 feet 710 meters) and has not yet been named.
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4. Banua Wuhu
Location: in the Sangihe Islands, in the Celebes Sea – Country:
Indonesia
Creation: N/A
Unlike the other islands on this list, Banua Wuhu is a underwater
volcano in the Celbes Sea which rises over 400 meters from the sea floor
and can almost reach the surface of the water, forming a shallow
sandbank. Over the years it has created a number of temporary islands,
which have since been eroded away by the waves. Islands have been found
in 1835, 1889 and 1919, but have since been reduced to only a series of
rocks. Because of the volcanic activity in the area, Banua Wuhu is a
major diving spot for tourists and scientists alike.
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3. North Frisian Barrier Island
Location: Norderoogsand Island of North Frisian Islands Archipelago, in
the North Sea – Country: Germany
Creation: 2013
The North Frisian Barrier Island is a unique sandbar in the North Sea
that is constantly being moved and reshaped by the tide. Over the past
50 years, three distinct sandbanks have risen, but their shape and
location is ever-changing. During the summer months, the sandbanks are
piled several feet high with sand, but during high tide, their surface
is submerged into the sea. The sandbanks are covered in Elymus grass and
provide shelter for a variety of birds and seals. Because of their
importance in animal migration, the archipelago is a protected area,
part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, and human
activity is prohibited. Süderoogsand, the oldest of the islands,
features a light beacon which was erected in 1985 to provide guidance
and shelter for shipwrecked sailors. In 2013, the sandbank
Norderoogsand’s peak reached 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) and has since been
labelled as a new island. |
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2. Ilha Nova (Capelinhos)
Location: The western coast of the island of Faial in the Azores –
Country: Portugal
Creation: October 10, 1957
From September 27, 1957, to October 24, 1958, the island of Faial in the
Azores experienced a series of geological events. These included two
major volcanic eruptions as well as over 300 seismic events which
destroyed 300 houses and forced the evacuation of over 2000 people from
the area. By October 10, 1957, the lava and ash deposited by the
volcanoes created a new island off the coast of Faial, that was baptized
as Ilha Nova (“the New Island”) by the locals. Further deposits created
an isthmus, linking Ilha Nova to Faial. The volcano has since been
dormant but has become a major tourist attraction in the area.
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1. Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai
Location: Between the Hunga Tonga and Hunga Haʻapai islands, in the
South Pacific Ocean – Country: Tonga
Creation: January 26, 2015
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai was an underwater volcano lying between the
islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’pai that on March 16, 2009 erupted,
creating a land mass measuring several square miles across. Beginning
once more in November 2014, volcanic activity and underwater earthquakes
started occurring, altering the area once more. The eruption was
declared to have ceased on January 26, 2015, revealing that the new
island had merged with Hunga Haʻapai island, and was only 660 feet away
(200 meters) from joining with Hunga Tonga. The island is now safe for
visits and locals have begun exploring its surface. Although plants have
not begun to grow on its surface yet, a number of birds have been found
nesting on the island, a sign that the island may become an excellent
bird sanctuary.
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