The largest uninhabited island in the world. No one dares to live there. The lowest temperature is minus 50 degrees, which is very similar to Mars.

When we travel or newlyweds go on their honeymoon, we usually choose islands with beautiful scenery and more entertainment activities. There are islands scattered all over the world, so do you know the largest uninhabited island in the world? ?The next thing I will reveal to you on this site, if you are interested, you may wish to read below!

The largest uninhabited island in the world

It is located between Devon Island in Canada. Known for its Mars-like habitat, it is the largest uninhabited island in the world. Because the island's climate is very similar to that of Mars, it is also known as the place on Earth that is most similar to Mars.

Where is Devon Island?

Devon Island is the world's largest uninhabited island, located in Baffin Bay, Nunavut, northern Canada. It is the 27th largest island in the world, with Ellesmere Island located to the north of Devon Island and Baffin Bay to the east.

Devon Island is approximately 320 miles long and 80 to 100 miles wide. The island covers an area of ??approximately 55,000 square kilometers. The island lies at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet in the west, gradually rising to 6,300 feet in the east. At 6,300 feet the Devon Ice Cap is the highest point on the island.

Devon Island is barren of grass, with rugged terrain and extremely cold climate that rarely exceeds 10°C. Most of its surface is completely covered by craters, valleys and rock ridges. There are also several small mountain ranges, several fjords on the island's southern coast, and the Grinnell Peninsula jutting out from the island's northwest. The eastern third of Devon Island is still permanently covered by an ice sheet approximately 500 to 700 meters thick, and the average annual temperature on the island is -16°C.

History of Devon Island

In 1616, William Baffin and Robert Bylot discovered the island. In the 19th century it was renamed Devon Island. In 1924, a small outpost was established on the island at Dundas Harbor, and nine years later it was leased to the Hudson's Bay Company. When the fur trade collapsed, 53 Baffin Island Inuit families came to Devon Island in 1934, hoping to build homes here.

All plans failed, and the harsh conditions on the island forced them to flee in 1936. In the 1940s, people tried again to live here, but it was abandoned again in the 1950s. Since that time, there have been no permanent settlements on Devon Island, and only the ruins of a few buildings remain here.

Life on Devon Island

Although there is no human settlement at all, a few species live on the island. The short growing season (40 to 55 days) and low temperatures (2°C to 8°C in summer) hinder the growth of local plants. Winters are very cold, with temperatures as low as ?50?C, and invertebrates on the island take 2 to 9 years to complete their life cycles, while other more habitable similar animals complete their life cycles in a few weeks to a year.

Limited solar input is also one of the factors affecting the existence of life on the island, and there is little precipitation on Devon Island. Home to a small population of musk oxen, small mammals and birds, the island also supports sunflower cultivation.

Just like Mars

Devon Island has a 14-mile-wide Horton Crater. Its location is isolated from the rest of the world, as if it is on another planet. Known as Mars on Earth. As a result, no one dared to settle on this land, although astronauts preparing for missions to Mars occasionally visited Devon Island to acclimate to the alien environment.

In 1960, the Devon Island Research Station was established here and is maintained by the North American Arctic Institute. In July 2004, the island also became a temporary residence for five scientists and two journalists. They were there to acclimate to the island's Martian-like environment to simulate work on Mars. Horton Crater on Devon Island is the site of NASA's Horton Mars Program.

After reading the above-mentioned revelations about the world’s largest uninhabited island, I believe you all know something about it! Climate, environment, etc. are all factors that affect human habitation. Why is this island the largest? There are still reasons for being uninhabited. If you want to survive on this island, in addition to having courage, you must also be able to withstand the harsh environment!