Four Most Crowded Islands

Santa Cruz del Islote, located off the Caribbean coast of Colombia, is one of the most densely populated islands on Earth. The 2.4-acre island, home to about 1,200 people or population density of 103,917 people per sq km, was first settled in the late 19th century as temporary housing for fishermen and coconut plantation workers. It sits on a shallow reef and has since grown in landmass to accommodate a growing population. Residents expand the island by adding to the shoreline, using coral, shells, rocks and other fillers to provide a foundation for another home. The only unoccupied space on Islote is a public square about half the size of a tennis court.

Ap Lei Chau or Aberdeen Island, an island of Hong Kong, was a fishing village before the First Opium War. It shelters Aberdeen Harbor, providing excellent protection for fishing boats during a typhoon. The population was 86,782 as of 2007, and its area is 1.30 square kilometers, giving it a population density of 66,755 people per sq km.

Male in the Maldives is one of the most low-lying islands in the world and locals say this is one of the most idyllic places to live. The capital of the Republic of Maldives covers an area of 1.77 square kilometers and is home to about 100,000 people, or 47,415 per sq km. It serves as the political, economic and cultural center of Maldives.

Manhattan island has 2012 population of 1,619,090 that live on a land area of 22.96 square miles (59.5 sq km). This makes 69,464 residents per square mile, or 26,924 per sq km, more dense than any other American city.