Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Travel guide - What is the largest island in the world?

What is the largest island in the world?

I saw an article reported by foreign media. The research in the article showed that Greenland’s glaciers are melting much faster than scientists originally expected. ?This is definitely not good news, because the resulting value is already much larger than we originally expected, but overall, this is not a very significant change. We've seen a very worrying trend over the past few decades, says Duke University climate scientist Drew Shindell. Greenland is an extremely beautiful place. Its beauty makes me want to know more about it. If you are interested in it like me, then come together!

Imagine getting up in the morning and opening the door. What appears in front of you is an endless stretch of pure white glaciers. Blue ice floes float on the sapphire-deep sea. Deep-sea whales pass by the door and poke their heads out to take a nap. Say hello, spray out a huge water column and turn into a rainbow. Amidst the excited shouts of the huskies, the Eskimos come to pick you up. What awaits you is a polar ice and snow adventure. When night falls, the goddess Aurora will not Come as expected and fall asleep under the gorgeous aurora.

Greenland is the world's largest island, covering an area of ??2,166,086 square kilometers, located in northeastern North America, between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. The distance from Piridy in the north to Cape Fawell in the south is 2,574 kilometers, and the widest point is about 1,290 kilometers. The coastline is more than 35,000 kilometers long.

Greenland literally means "green land" in its official language, Danish. Why does this land covered in ice and snow for thousands of miles enjoy such a springy name? There is a story about the origin of the name Greenland.

According to legend, in ancient times, around 982 AD, there was a Norwegian pirate who rowed a boat alone and set out from Iceland, intending to cross the ocean. His friends thought he was too courageous and were worried about his safety. Later, he discovered a piece of water grassland less than one kilometer in southern Greenland. It was green and he liked it very much. After returning to his hometown, he proudly said to his friends: Not only did I come back safely, I also discovered a green continent! So Greenland became its permanent name.

Because there is only snow and no rain all year round, Greenland is a kingdom of ice and snow, except for a few areas such as the southwest coast where there is no permafrost and a small number of trees and green spaces. Standing on Greenland and chanting "Thousands of miles of ice and thousands of miles of snow" can give you a full feeling. 85% of the island's surface is covered with glaciers and thick icebergs.

The icebergs and glaciers in various shapes and forms have become the wonders of Greenland, and there are rich associations with them. Greenland ice cubes contain a lot of bubbles, which make a continuous popping sound when put into water. They are a very good cold drink agent. People call it "ten thousand years of ice". This kind of ice is both clean and pure. Drinking it on a hot summer day is a rare treat.

Greenland is a region composed of towering mountains, huge blue-green icebergs, magnificent fjords and barren exposed rocks. From the air, it looks like a vast, empty wilderness, where jagged black peaks occasionally penetrate the dazzling white and infinitely extending ice fields.

But from the ground, Greenland is a very different island: in summer, the meadows near the coast bloom with purple saxifrage and yellow poppies, as well as shrub-like mountain ash and birch. Tree. However, central Greenland is still closed on a huge ice sheet, and neither a piece of grass nor a small flower can be found within hundreds of kilometers.

Greenland is an incredibly beautiful island with huge geographical differences. The eastern coast has been clogged with insurmountable ice for many years and is inaccessible because of the extremely harsh natural conditions and difficult transportation.

Greenland has polar day and night phenomena unique to the polar regions. The closer you get to high latitudes, the longer the polar days and nights are during the year. Every winter, there is a polar night that lasts for several months, and the colorful Northern Lights occasionally appear over Greenland, bringing life to the Greenland night sky. In summer, the sun shines brightly all day long, making Greenland an island where the sun never sets.

Most of Lingland Island is located north of the Arctic Circle, so the sun cannot be seen during the long winter. But in summer, Greenland welcomes a large number of breeding birds, and many plants grow vigorously. Everyone competes to make full use of the 24-hour sunshine.

Although many birds come to Greenland just to breed and then fly south when winter comes, some remain here year-round, including ptarmigans and lesser snowwitches.

Greenland is also home to the polar bear, the world’s largest carnivore, as well as wolves, Arctic foxes, Arctic hares, reindeer and lemmings. Musk oxen are found in large numbers in northern Greenland, and their extremely thick coats protect them from freezing Arctic winds. Whales and seals are commonly seen in coastal waters. The main saltwater fish are cod, salmon, flounder and halibut, while salmon and trout are found in the rivers.

Five experiences not to be missed

Whether you come to Greenland in summer or winter, you must not miss these five experiences:

Dog sledding: having fun in the snow

In the pure snow-white sky, there is only the whistling of the wind and the sound of a group of idiots running on the snow. The snow-capped mountains in the distance are still out of reach, but the scenery around them is not. Stop changing. Dog sledding tours are available in Greenland in winter and spring, and you can also ride dog sleds with Inuit hunters.

Greenland’s law prohibits exotic dog species, so this remote and cold place has become the safest sanctuary for purebred Inuit dogs. On this vast ice sheet, their thick fur is an important weapon against the severe cold.

There are also various tours guided by local Inuit people, including sleeping in an ice hunting cabin on the sea. Most trips allow you to maximize your enjoyment of wild landscapes.

Glaciers: The ultimate shock

In the Ilulissat Icefjord, you can see the fastest and most active glaciers in the world. Take a traditional wooden boat to go out to sea at night. The one on the shore The colorful wooden house gradually shrank in sight, and finally turned into a child's toy building block.

Huge ice rows move at a speed of tens of meters per day. The ice rows and meltwater roar and move quickly, and the entire glacier is almost covered by icebergs. Here, you can see ice and snow fireworks that you can’t see anywhere in the world. The sea next to the port is full of broken ice, reflecting the dazzling light, everything is like a dream.

Tips: The scene of iceberg ice storm is very spectacular and attracts many tourists to watch, but it is also potentially very dangerous. Secondly, sailing close to icebergs is also very dangerous, especially if you don’t take a boat with an inexperienced boater who is not familiar with the local conditions.

Inuit: A mysterious and powerful ancient people

The Inuit are a traditional hunting people. They are strong and confident and have thrived on this frozen land for generations. They have long become part of nature. The Inuit look very much like our Mongolians and have cheerful and enthusiastic personalities. They like to interact with outsiders.

Northern Lights: Aurora Wonderland at the End of the World

On winter nights, the light green and light rose curtains dance over Nuuk, which is very beautiful against the white snow, attracting countless adventures Home and tourists go. Aurora activities occur all year round in Greenland. Affected by the oceanic climate, Greenland's icy sky is often cloudless.

Whale watching: watch the giants in the sea up close

The best season for whale watching in summer is from May to August. Humpback whales, fin whales, and minke whales are common in shallow waters and can often be seen near towns and settlements. Visitors can take a professional whale watching boat out to sea to watch whales, which is an unforgettable adventure into the kingdom of whales.

In the seemingly peaceful polar world, there are also many lovely Arctic animals living: polar bears, bearded seals, ringed seals, Arctic foxes, Arctic hares, walruses, whales, musk oxen, and many more Migrating seabirds here.