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.

Greenland and Australia

Australia is a continent and also the largest island. Greenland is the second largest island, but not a continent.

There are several accepted factors that classify continents. These factors include tectonic independence from other continents, unique flora and fauna, cultural uniqueness, and local belief in continental status.

Australia rests on its own tectonic plate called the Australian Plate. It has its own unique flora and fauna, with native animals unlike any others in the world. Its inhabitants consider themselves to live on both an island and a continent.

Greenland rests on the North American tectonic plate along with Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It has a number of unique species of plants, but its animals, like reindeer, polar bears, and arctic foxes, can also be found elsewhere. Greenland has its own culture, but considered part of the larger North American arctic culture. Its inhabitants consider themselves islanders.

Australia is part of Britain’s Commonwealth and Greenland is officially part of Denmark.

Australia is about 3 million square miles and the sixth largest country in the world. Greenland is about 834 thousand square miles and the twelfth largest country in the world.

Eighty percent of Greenland is covered by ice. Eighteen percent of Australia is covered by deserts.

84% of Greenlanders live in urban areas and 89% of Australians live in urban areas.
Greenland's one major city is its capital, Nuuk. Inhabitants of both live mostly along the coast.

Greenland’s population is 89% Inuit and 11% Danish and Australia’s population is 92% white, 7% Asian, and 1% Aboriginal.

There are almost 6 migrants leaving Greenland per 1000 people. In Australia, there are almost 6 migrants entering the country per 1000 people.