A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most sides. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula.
Etymology
The word peninsula derives from Latin paeninsula, from paene 'almost' and insula 'island'. The word entered English in the 16th century.
Definitions
A peninsula is generally defined as a piece of land surrounded on most sides by water.
A peninsula may be bordered by more than one body of water, and the body of water does not have to be an ocean or a sea. A piece of land on a very tight river bend or one between two rivers is sometimes said to form a peninsula, for example in the New Barbadoes Neck in New Jersey, United States. A peninsula may be connected to the mainland via an isthmus, for example, in the Isthmus of Corinth which connects to the Peloponnese peninsula.
Formation and types
Peninsulas can be formed from continental drift, glacial erosion, glacial meltwater, glacial deposition, marine sediment, marine transgressions, volcanoes, divergent boundaries or river sedimentation. More than one factor may play into the formation of a peninsula. For example, in the case of Florida, continental drift, marine sediment, and marine transgressions were all contributing factors to its shape.
Glaciers
In the case of formation from glaciers (e.g., the Antarctic Peninsula or Cape Cod), peninsulas can be created due to glacial erosion, meltwater or deposition. If erosion formed the peninsula, softer and harder rocks were present, and since the glacier only erodes softer rock, it formed a basin. This may create peninsulas, and occurred for example in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
In the case of formation from meltwater, melting glaciers deposit sediment and form moraines, which act as dams for the meltwater. This may create bodies of water that surround the land, forming peninsulas.
If deposition formed the peninsula, the peninsula was composed of sedimentary rock, which was created from a large deposit of glacial drift. The hill of drift becomes a peninsula if the hill formed near water but was still connected to the mainland, for example during the formation of Cape Cod about 23,000 years ago.
Others
In the case of formation from volcanoes, when a volcano erupts magma near water, it may form a peninsula (e.g., the Alaskan Peninsula). Peninsulas formed from volcanoes are especially common when the volcano erupts near shallow water.Marine sediment may form peninsulas by the creation of limestone. A rift peninsula may form as a result of a divergent boundary in plate tectonics (e.g. the Arabian Peninsula), while a convergent boundary may also form peninsulas (e.g. Gibraltar or the Indian subcontinent). Peninsulas can also form due to sedimentation in rivers. When a river carrying sediment flows into an ocean, the sediment is deposited, forming a delta peninsula.
Marine transgressions (changes in sea level) may form peninsulas, but also may affect existing peninsulas. For example, the water level may change, which causes a peninsula to become an island during high water levels. Similarly, wet weather causing higher water levels make peninsulas appear smaller, while dry weather make them appear larger.Sea level rise from global warming will permanently reduce the size of some peninsulas over time.
Uses
Peninsulas are noted for their use as shelter for humans and Neanderthals. The landform is advantageous because it gives hunting access to both land and sea animals. They can also serve as markers of a nation's borders.
List of the largest peninsulas in the world
| Rank | Peninsula | Continent | Subregion | Part of | Area | Nation(s) | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (km2) | (sq mi) | |||||||
| 1 | Arabian Peninsula | Asia | West Asia | Arabia | 3,100,000 | 1,200,000 |  Iraq (southern region) Jordan (southern region) Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Yemen | |
| 2 | Indochinese Peninsula | Southeast Asia | Mainland Southeast Asia | 2,000,000 | 770,000 |  Cambodia Laos Malaysia (western region) Myanmar Thailand Vietnam | ||
| 3 | Deccan Peninsula | South Asia | Indian Subcontinent | 1,900,000 | 730,000 |  India (southern region) | ||
| 4 | Labrador Peninsula | North America | Northern America | – | 1,400,000 | 540,000 |  Canada (eastern region) | |
| 5 | Anatolian Peninsula | Asia | West Asia | Asia Minor | 755,688 | 291,773 |  Turkey (Asian part) | |
| 6 | Scandinavian Peninsula | Europe | Northern Europe | Fennoscandia | 750,000 | 290,000 |  Finland (northern region) Norway Sweden | |
| Somali Peninsula | Africa | East Africa | Horn of Africa | 750,000 | 290,000 |  Ethiopia (eastern region) Somalia | ||
| 8 | Balkan Peninsula | Europe | Southern Europe | South-eastern Europe | 666,700 | 257,400 |  Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia (southern mainland) Greece (mainland) Kosovo Montenegro North Macedonia Romania (coastal region) Serbia (central region) Slovenia (south-western region) Turkey (European part) | |
| 9 | Iberian Peninsula | South-western Europe | 583,256 | 225,196 |  Andorra France (French Cerdagne) Gibraltar (United Kingdom) Portugal (mainland) Spain (mainland) | |||
| 10 | Antarctic Peninsula | Antarctica | West Antarctica | – | 522,000 | 202,000 | – | |
| 11 | Taymyr Peninsula | Asia | North Asia | North Siberian Lowland | 400,000 | 150,000 |  Russia (Krasnoyarsk Krai) | |
| 12 | Kamchatka Peninsula | Russian Far East | 370,000 | 140,000 | Russia (Kamchatka Krai) | |||
See also
- Barrier island
- Cape
- Headland
- Promontory
- Salient
- Spit
- Tidal island
References
- (from Latin paeninsula; from paene 'almost' and insula 'island') "peninsula". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
- Nadeau 2006, p. 5.
- HMH 2004, p. 216.
- "Definition of peninsula". Cambridge Dictionaries Online. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- "peninsula". National Geographic Society. 2011-01-21. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- Mis 2009, p. 20.
- Niz 2006, p. 19.
- Kersey, Paul (23 July 2021). "What is a Peninsula?". Infoplease. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- "list of peninsulas". Britannica. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- Heos 2010, p. 15.
- Heos 2010, p. 9.
- Mis 2009, p. 6.
- Heos 2010, p. 8.
- Heos 2010, p. 31.
- Nadeau 2006, p. 6.
- Heos 2010, p. 32–33.
- Nadeau 2006, p. 9.
- Wyckoff 1999, p. 328.
- Heos 2010, p. 44.
- Heos 2010, p. 21–23.
- Nadeau 2006, p. 10.
- Heos 2010, pp. 43–44.
- Heos 2010, p. 40.
- Nadeau 2006, p. 13.
- Niz 2006, p. 7.
- Niz 2006, p. 13.
- Nadeau 2006, p. 21.
- Heos 2010, p. 45.
- Heos 2010, p. 48.
- Encyclopædia Britannica: "Arabia".
- Tsvetkov, Kaloyan; Traykov, Tony (July 2023). "Polytheistic and Syncretic Religious Beliefs in Southeast Asia – Nature, Features, and Geographical Distribution". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on Jan 8, 2024.
- "Explore India – Mineral Scenario of the States of India" (PDF). Government of India - Ministry of Mines. Jan 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on Mar 14, 2024.
- Misachi, John (2021-09-01). "Labrador Peninsula". WorldAtlas. Archived from the original on Jan 8, 2024.
- Seferoglu, S. Sadi. "Turkey at a Glance – Geography". Türkiye on the Web. Archived from the original on Jan 8, 2024.
- Encyclopædia Britannica: "Scandinavian Peninsula".
- Article bay (Jan 17, 2023). "Africa's largest peninsula has always been on the target of world powers. Where is it actually located?". Medium. Archived from the original on 27 Mar 2024.
- Encyclopædia Britannica: "Balkans".
- Misachi, John (2021-02-11). "Iberian Peninsula". WorldAtlas. Archived from the original on Jan 8, 2024.
- Davies, Bethan (2020-06-22). "Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet". AntarcticGlaciers.org. Archived from the original on Nov 28, 2022.
- Encyclopædia Britannica: "Taymyr Peninsula".
- Encyclopædia Britannica: "Kamchatka Peninsula".
Bibliography
- Heos, Bridget (2010). The creation of peninsulas (1st ed.). New York: Rosen Pub. ISBN 978-1-4358-5301-0. OCLC 277466133.
- Mis, Melody S. (2009). Exploring peninsulas (1st ed.). New York: PowerKids Press. ISBN 978-1-4358-2711-0. OCLC 230802567.
- Nadeau, Isaac (2006). Peninsulas (1st ed.). New York: Rosen Pub. Group's PowerKids Press. ISBN 1-4042-3125-0. OCLC 57068647.
- Niz, Ellen Sturm (2006). Peninsulas. Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press. ISBN 0-7368-4308-6. OCLC 57366483.
- Word Histories and Mysteries: From Abracadabra to Zeus. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2004. ISBN 978-0547350271. OCLC 55746553.
- Wyckoff, Jerome (1999). Reading the earth : landforms in the making. Mahwah, NJ: Adastra West, Inc. ISBN 0-9674075-0-8. OCLC 43274886.
External links
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The dictionary definition of peninsula at Wiktionary
A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most sides Peninsulas exist on each continent The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula Floridian PeninsulaScandinavian PeninsulaArabian PeninsulaAntarctic PeninsulaSomali PeninsulaCape York PeninsulaSatellite photos of some of the most notable peninsulas on each continent EtymologyThe word peninsula derives from Latin paeninsula from paene almost and insula island The word entered English in the 16th century DefinitionsA peninsula is generally defined as a piece of land surrounded on most sides by water A peninsula may be bordered by more than one body of water and the body of water does not have to be an ocean or a sea A piece of land on a very tight river bend or one between two rivers is sometimes said to form a peninsula for example in the New Barbadoes Neck in New Jersey United States A peninsula may be connected to the mainland via an isthmus for example in the Isthmus of Corinth which connects to the Peloponnese peninsula Formation and typesPeninsulas can be formed from continental drift glacial erosion glacial meltwater glacial deposition marine sediment marine transgressions volcanoes divergent boundaries or river sedimentation More than one factor may play into the formation of a peninsula For example in the case of Florida continental drift marine sediment and marine transgressions were all contributing factors to its shape Glaciers In the case of formation from glaciers e g the Antarctic Peninsula or Cape Cod peninsulas can be created due to glacial erosion meltwater or deposition If erosion formed the peninsula softer and harder rocks were present and since the glacier only erodes softer rock it formed a basin This may create peninsulas and occurred for example in the Keweenaw Peninsula In the case of formation from meltwater melting glaciers deposit sediment and form moraines which act as dams for the meltwater This may create bodies of water that surround the land forming peninsulas If deposition formed the peninsula the peninsula was composed of sedimentary rock which was created from a large deposit of glacial drift The hill of drift becomes a peninsula if the hill formed near water but was still connected to the mainland for example during the formation of Cape Cod about 23 000 years ago Others In the case of formation from volcanoes when a volcano erupts magma near water it may form a peninsula e g the Alaskan Peninsula Peninsulas formed from volcanoes are especially common when the volcano erupts near shallow water Marine sediment may form peninsulas by the creation of limestone A rift peninsula may form as a result of a divergent boundary in plate tectonics e g the Arabian Peninsula while a convergent boundary may also form peninsulas e g Gibraltar or the Indian subcontinent Peninsulas can also form due to sedimentation in rivers When a river carrying sediment flows into an ocean the sediment is deposited forming a delta peninsula Marine transgressions changes in sea level may form peninsulas but also may affect existing peninsulas For example the water level may change which causes a peninsula to become an island during high water levels Similarly wet weather causing higher water levels make peninsulas appear smaller while dry weather make them appear larger Sea level rise from global warming will permanently reduce the size of some peninsulas over time UsesPeninsulas are noted for their use as shelter for humans and Neanderthals The landform is advantageous because it gives hunting access to both land and sea animals They can also serve as markers of a nation s borders List of the largest peninsulas in the worldRank Peninsula Continent Subregion Part of Area Nation s Source km2 sq mi 1 Arabian Peninsula Asia West Asia Arabia 3 100 000 1 200 000 Iraq southern region Jordan southern region Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Yemen2 Indochinese Peninsula Southeast Asia Mainland Southeast Asia 2 000 000 770 000 Cambodia Laos Malaysia western region Myanmar Thailand Vietnam3 Deccan Peninsula South Asia Indian Subcontinent 1 900 000 730 000 India southern region 4 Labrador Peninsula North America Northern America 1 400 000 540 000 Canada eastern region 5 Anatolian Peninsula Asia West Asia Asia Minor 755 688 291 773 Turkey Asian part 6 Scandinavian Peninsula Europe Northern Europe Fennoscandia 750 000 290 000 Finland northern region Norway SwedenSomali Peninsula Africa East Africa Horn of Africa 750 000 290 000 Ethiopia eastern region Somalia8 Balkan Peninsula Europe Southern Europe South eastern Europe 666 700 257 400 Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia southern mainland Greece mainland Kosovo Montenegro North Macedonia Romania coastal region Serbia central region Slovenia south western region Turkey European part 9 Iberian Peninsula South western Europe 583 256 225 196 Andorra France French Cerdagne Gibraltar United Kingdom Portugal mainland Spain mainland 10 Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica West Antarctica 522 000 202 000 11 Taymyr Peninsula Asia North Asia North Siberian Lowland 400 000 150 000 Russia Krasnoyarsk Krai 12 Kamchatka Peninsula Russian Far East 370 000 140 000 Russia Kamchatka Krai See alsoGeography portalBarrier island Cape Headland Promontory Salient Spit Tidal islandReferences from Latin paeninsula from paene almost and insula island peninsula The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 5th ed HarperCollins Retrieved 2016 05 01 Nadeau 2006 p 5 HMH 2004 p 216 Definition of peninsula Cambridge Dictionaries Online Cambridge University Press Retrieved 1 May 2016 peninsula National Geographic Society 2011 01 21 Retrieved 2022 04 30 Mis 2009 p 20 Niz 2006 p 19 Kersey Paul 23 July 2021 What is a Peninsula Infoplease Retrieved 2022 04 30 list of peninsulas Britannica Retrieved 2022 04 30 Heos 2010 p 15 Heos 2010 p 9 Mis 2009 p 6 Heos 2010 p 8 Heos 2010 p 31 Nadeau 2006 p 6 Heos 2010 p 32 33 Nadeau 2006 p 9 Wyckoff 1999 p 328 Heos 2010 p 44 Heos 2010 p 21 23 Nadeau 2006 p 10 Heos 2010 pp 43 44 Heos 2010 p 40 Nadeau 2006 p 13 Niz 2006 p 7 Niz 2006 p 13 Nadeau 2006 p 21 Heos 2010 p 45 Heos 2010 p 48 Encyclopaedia Britannica Arabia Tsvetkov Kaloyan Traykov Tony July 2023 Polytheistic and Syncretic Religious Beliefs in Southeast Asia Nature Features and Geographical Distribution ResearchGate Archived from the original on Jan 8 2024 Explore India Mineral Scenario of the States of India PDF Government of India Ministry of Mines Jan 2010 Archived PDF from the original on Mar 14 2024 Misachi John 2021 09 01 Labrador Peninsula WorldAtlas Archived from the original on Jan 8 2024 Seferoglu S Sadi Turkey at a Glance Geography Turkiye on the Web Archived from the original on Jan 8 2024 Encyclopaedia Britannica Scandinavian Peninsula Article bay Jan 17 2023 Africa s largest peninsula has always been on the target of world powers Where is it actually located Medium Archived from the original on 27 Mar 2024 Encyclopaedia Britannica Balkans Misachi John 2021 02 11 Iberian Peninsula WorldAtlas Archived from the original on Jan 8 2024 Davies Bethan 2020 06 22 Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet AntarcticGlaciers org Archived from the original on Nov 28 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica Taymyr Peninsula Encyclopaedia Britannica Kamchatka Peninsula Bibliography Heos Bridget 2010 The creation of peninsulas 1st ed New York Rosen Pub ISBN 978 1 4358 5301 0 OCLC 277466133 Mis Melody S 2009 Exploring peninsulas 1st ed New York PowerKids Press ISBN 978 1 4358 2711 0 OCLC 230802567 Nadeau Isaac 2006 Peninsulas 1st ed New York Rosen Pub Group s PowerKids Press ISBN 1 4042 3125 0 OCLC 57068647 Niz Ellen Sturm 2006 Peninsulas Mankato Minn Capstone Press ISBN 0 7368 4308 6 OCLC 57366483 Word Histories and Mysteries From Abracadabra to Zeus Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2004 ISBN 978 0547350271 OCLC 55746553 Wyckoff Jerome 1999 Reading the earth landforms in the making Mahwah NJ Adastra West Inc ISBN 0 9674075 0 8 OCLC 43274886 External linksThe dictionary definition of peninsula at Wiktionary
