What is the worlds second largest island?

Answer 1

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded around 5000 BC. Its total area some 310,000 sq. miles.The western half of the island contains the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Irian Jaya, while the eastern half forms the mainland of the independent country of Papua New Guinea.
New Guinea, is the worlds second largest island after Greenland.

New Guinea is the world's fourth highest landmass. The first inhabitants arrived at least around 40,000 years ago, having travelled through the south-east Asian peninsula.The current population of the island is about 6.9 million people (including both halves).

The first European contact with New Guinea was by Portuguese and/or Spanish sailors in the 16th century. The island was named by the Spaniard Yñigo Ortiz de Retez in 1545 calling it 'Nueva Guinea' which first island map was published in 1600 as 'Nova Guinea' which is New Guinea in English translation. The island had been occupied by Japanese and various westerners.
http://ccc.1asphost.com/iisa/Irian.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea

(Conflicting fact:)
Greenland, the world's second largest island (after Australia).
http://goliath.ecnext.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=2750&item_id=0199-1683644

Greenland is the world's largest island, and is the largest dependent territory by area in the world. It also contains the world's largest national park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland

At 840,000 square miles (2,175,590 km2), Greenland is the world's largest island. Although Australia also meets the definition of an island (a piece of land surrounded by water), it is large enough to be considered its own continent. Australia is geographically the world's great island-continent.
http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzlargeisland.htm

Based on above mentioned facts, the world's second largest island is New Guinea if Australia will be excluded as an island though in fact it is an island which is a continent. If Australia will be included according to the context of the definition of an island, the Greenland would place as the second largest.♥

Answer 2

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded around 5000 BC.Area in square miles: 311,737

New Guinea, the second largest island in the world, is home to some 1000 tribes and 1000 languages. When colonialists, missionaries and multinational corporations invaded the island, the impact was devastating. Tribal traditions went on a collision course with modern civilization, resulting in rampant corruption, extreme violence and tribal warfare.

In 1962 colonial rule was replaced with Indonesian tyranny. A handover masterminded by John F. Kennedy and implemented under the auspices of the United Nations. During the following decades thousands of Papuans have lost their lives. They have been beaten, raped and murdered or simply "disappeared". This documentary explores an island often referred to as "the most dangerous place on the face of the earth".

Answer 3

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, (785,753 km sq or 303,381 miles sq) having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded around 5000 BC. The name Papua has also been long-associated with the island: this is discussed further under "History", below. The western half of the island contains the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Irian Jaya, while the eastern half forms the mainland of the independent country of Papua New Guinea.

New Guinea is the world's fourth highest landmass.

Answer 4

New Guinea is the worlds second largest island having 785,753 sq. km area.
(country:Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).

(greenland is the largest having 2,130,800 sq.km area(country:Greenland, a self-governed territory of Denmark)

(Australia, at 7,600,000 km², is considered to be a continental landmass, rather than an island. Australia is much larger than Greenland, the largest island.)

Answer 5

New Guinea is the 2nd largest island in the world. It is politically divided into North-South line. It is home to 700 languages. It is located north of Australia.

Answer 6

It's New Guinea!

If you say Australia is bigger than Greenland (which it is), and it's surrounded by water (which it is), so it MUST be an ISLAND, then the world's second largest "ISLAND" is not Greenland, it's AMERICA (North & South America), which follows Africa-Eurasia.

Answer 7

New Guinea is the second largest island (303,381 sq miles). Greenland is the largest (822,706 sq miles).

Australia is consider a landmass rather than an island (2,900,000 sq miles)

Answer 8

New Guinea
Area in square miles: 311,737

Greenland, with 839,997 square miles, is the largest island

Answer 9

If you consider Austrailia the largest, Greenland is 2nd..but if you rule out OZ...the next biggest is New Guinea

Answer 10

Australia is the largest, then greenland then New Guinea but if you think australia is a continent then it would be New Guinea.