island, any area of land smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water. Islands may occur in oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers. A group of islands is called an archipelago. Islands may be classified as either continental or oceanic. Oceanic islands are those that rise to the surface from the floors of the ocean basins.

An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been part of a continent.

An island is any area of land which is smaller than the smallest continent and is entirely surrounded by water. Islands may be found in oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers. Islands closely grouped together are called an archipelago. Islands range in size from huge landmasses to tiny river islets.