Sometimes, islands are formed very close together, in clusters. Such a cluster of islands is called an archipelago.
Archipelagos can be made up of hundreds, or even thousands, of islands. These islands may differ from one another in their plant and animal life.
Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Greece, Hawaii, Maldives, Azores, and New York City are examples of well-known archipelagos. Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago by area and population.
Hawaii is one of the most famous among archipelagos. It has eight main islands, and hundreds of smaller ones.
Archipelagos are usually created by volcanic activity. They can also be formed by erosion, or when land masses get separated during earthquakes.