Brazil has the largest river islands in the world; see list

Did you know that Brazil is home to the largest river island in the world? This is Bananal Island, located in the state of Tocantins.

With an area of ​​approximately 20,000 km², the island is surrounded by the Araguaia and Javaés rivers and is home to rich biodiversity, with several biomes, including Cerrado, Amazon rainforest and rocky fields.

Bananal Island is a major tourist destination, known for its beautiful landscapes, exuberant fauna and flora and archaeological sites.

The island is also home to indigenous communities who traditionally live there.

The place is located in São Miguel do Araguaia, a municipality located 476 km from Goiânia, in the north-west of the state.

A river island is an area of ​​land surrounded by fresh water, usually from a river or two channels of the same river.

These islands are formed by various processes, such as sediment deposition, river erosion, or changes in the river course over time.

River islands can be different sizes and shapes and can have different geological and ecological characteristics. Some are covered in dense forest, while others are more open and grassy.

River islands can have different uses, such as agriculture, livestock, tourism, fishing and mining, as well as being important for the conservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

In addition to Bananal Island, you now see 9 more of the largest river islands in the world! (remembering that the classification may vary depending on the criteria used to measure the size of each region).

Kotlin Island, Russia (area: 295 km²): located in the Gulf of Finland, more precisely in the city of Kronstadt, the island was the scene of the Kronstadt Uprising in 1921.

Chongming Island, China (area: 1,220 km²): It is the third largest island in China and serves as an important agricultural and industrial area.

Ilha de Moçambique, Mozambique (area: 1,500 km²): Located in the Indian Ocean, this island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist center.

Tupinambarana Island, Brazil (area: 1,185 km²): Located on the Amazon River, the island boasts rich biodiversity, with forests, flooded landscapes and indigenous communities.

Ilha do Mosqueiro, Brazil (area: 580 km²): The sixth largest river island in the world is located in Pará and has beaches, mangroves and protected areas.

Ilha Grande de Gurupá, Brazil (area: 1,675 km²): Located in Amapá, more precisely on the Amazon River, Ilha Grande de Gurupá also holds the title of the fourth largest island in Brazil.

Nile Delta, Egypt (area: 8964 km²): is located in an area where the Rosetta and Damietta branches meet, on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This is an area rich in marshes, used for intensive agriculture for almost 5 thousand years.

Ilha de Marajó, Brazil (area: 48,348 km²): Ilha de Marajó, once called Marinatambal, is a large island that lies off the coast of Pará and is surrounded by fresh and salt water.

Marajó Island is located in the environmental protection zone of the Marajó archipelago, in the state of Pará, in the northern part of Brazil.

To get there you have to cross the Amazon delta, passing through the complex estuary of the Pará river and the Marajó bay, which are the areas where the waters of the river meet those of the sea.

Although Marajó Island is larger than Bananal Island in terms of surface area, it is not exclusively fluvial, but rather fluvial-maritime, which is why it does not receive the title of largest in the world.

In addition to being the largest river island in the world, Bananal Island has also been considered a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1993 and a Brazilian environmental reserve since 1959.