The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on the planet (behind the Pacific) and covers about one-fifth of Earth’s surface. It separates Europe and Africa to the east from North and South America to the west. The ocean’s name, derived from Greek mythology, means the “Sea of Atlas.”
The continents on both sides of the Atlantic tend to slope toward it, so that it receives the waters of a great proportion of the major rivers of the world. The tectonic plates in the central Atlantic are moving apart stretching the distance making the formation of islands more unlikely than in the pacific where the compression causes volcanic activity.
The islands of the Atlantic Ocean are generally scattered far and wide, with little in common but their relative obscurity. The exception to this is the cluster of islands broadly referred to as the West Indies (and their neighbours) The Caribbean forms its own region.
Greenland is the largest island in the Atlantic Ocean and the largest island in the world. Greenland also extends to include the islands of: Appat Island, Akilia, Alluttoq, Ammassalik, Anoraliuirsoq, Apusiaajik Island, Bjonesk, Clavering, Disko (Qeqertarsuaq), Egger, Eila, Hazenland, Skjoldungen, Hendrik, Herbert, Ikeq, Illorsuit Island, Ile de France, Inussullissuaq, John Murray, Kiatassuaq, Kuhn, Kulusuk, Lindhands, Lynns, Qeqertarsuatsiaq, Salleq Island, Salliaruseq Island, Simiutaq, Talerua, Uummannaq Island, and Warming Island.
| Northern Hemisphere | Southern Hemisphere |
| Azores (Portugal) | Ascension (United Kingdom) |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) | Annobón (Equatorial Guinea) |
| Bermuda (UK) | Fernando de Noronha (Brazil) |
| Bioko (Equatorial Guinea) | Trindade and Martin Vaz (Brazil) |
| Canary Islands (Spain) | Saint Helena (United Kingdom) |
| Cape Verde | Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom) |
| Madeira (Portugal) | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe |
Argentina lays claim to the islands of Tierra del Fuego, Isla de los Estados, Isla Bermejo, Isla Observatorio, and Gable Island.
The Azores are a Portuguese island chain that includes the islands of São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, Faial Island, Flores, and Corvo.
Brazil has laid claim to Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Trindade and Martim Vaz, Rocas Atoll, and Fernando de Noronha.
Canada also has a bunch of islands that spill into the Atlantic the major ones of these include Newfoundland, Baccalieu Island, Bell Island, Fogo Island, Funk Island, Kelly’s, Random, Oak, Anticosti, Cape Breton Island, Magdalen Islands, Prince Edward and Sable Islands.
The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago that is an autonomous community of Spain and includes Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, El Hierro, and La Graciosa.
Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten volcanic islands that include Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal, and Santiago.
The Faroe Islands are a dependency of Denmark and include: Borðoy, Eysturoy, Fugloy, Hestur, Kalsoy, Koltur, Kunoy, Lítla Dímun, Mykines, Nólsoy, Sandoy, Skúvoy, Stóra Dímun, Streymoy, Suðuroy, Svínoy, Vágar, and Viðoy. Good luck pronouncing most of those.
France has laid claim to Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Ile aux Marins, and Grand Colombier.
Great Britain has a bunch of islands that spill into the Atlantic Ocean and these include: Anglesey (Wales), Isle of Man (British Crown Dependency), Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland (Scotland), Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Wight (England). In addition to the islands actually near the UK, the colonial times saw them laying claim to Ascension Island, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Nightingale Island and of course the Falklands.
Iceland is in the North Atlantic Ocean on the geologic border between North America and Europe. It includes the inhabited islands of Vestmannaeyjar, Hrísey, Grímsey, and Flatey. For this site it is classified as Europe.
Madeira is a Portugese dependency that includes the islands of Madeira Island, Porto Santo, Desertas, and Selvagens.
Norway has claimed Bouvet Island along with the nearby Lofoten, Hinnøya, Vesterålen in the Norwegian Sea.
The United States also spills out, their islands include: (north to south)
Matinicus, Monhega , Mount Desert, Isles of Shoals, Boston Harbor Islands, Prudence, Conanicut, Aquidneck, Elizabeth Islands, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Fishers, Block, Long, Fire, Manhattan, Roosevelt, Staten, Barnegat Bay, Long Beach, Bonnet, Brigantine, Absecon, Peck’s Beach, Ludlum, Seven Mile, Wildwoods, Cape May, Assateague, Chincoteague, Outer Banks, Sea, Hilton Head, Key West (part of Florida Keys).