Question

A group of islands is collectively called __________ .
a.Isthmus
b.Archipelago
c.Lagoon
d.One of these

Answer 1

Hint: An island is a piece of the subcontinental land that is surrounded by water on all its sides. There are 2 main types of islands in the sea: continental and oceanic.

Complete answer:

Continental islands are the islands in which land is connected by the continental shelf to a continent. For example; Trinidad is a part of the South American continental shelf.

Oceanic islands are the islands which are formed by volcanic eruptions on the ocean floor. They are also known as ‘high islands’ and are usually formed near subduction zones, hot spots, tectonic plates etc. For example, Macquarie Island in the Pacific.

Looking at the options given:

Option a: An isthmus is a narrow land that connects two larger seas. For example; Isthmus of Panama is a famous isthmus in Central America that links Costa Rica and South America. This is an incorrect answer.

Option b: An archipelago is a group or chain of islands. For example; the Malay Archipelago, between the Pacific and Indian Ocean. It is the largest archipelago in the world.This is the correct answer.

Option c: A lagoon is a shallow body of water that is separated from a larger water body by reefs, barrier islands, or a barrier peninsula. They are of 2 types; coastal lagoons and atoll lagoons. For example, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean separated from the ocean by a coral reef. Therefore, this is an incorrect answer.

Option d: This option does not clear states which option will be correct.

Option 'b' is correct.

Note: Greenland is the largest island of the world, Bishop Rock brings the smallest. Don't get confused between an island and an isle, while answering this question.