· TOP 5 Which islands are the most densely populated?

“I just visited New York and Manhattan Island, where every square kilometre is inhabited by 28,000 people. But which islands are the world’s most densely populated”

Ilet a Brouee

125,000 inhabitants per km2: Around 500 people live in the 83 houses located on the Caribbean island of Ilet a Brouee. The small sand bank off the south coast of Haiti is only some 4000m2 in size, so it is the world’s most densely populated island. Ilet a Brouee is so low and tormented by tropical storms that the inhabitants often flee to other islands.

SANTA CRUZ DEL ISLOTE: 102,700 INHABITANTS PER KM2

The Archipiélago de San Bernardo off Colombia is made up of nine natural coral islands and the artificial island of Santa Cruz del Isote. The island is only 200m long and 120m wide, and is inhabited by some 1250 people.

BONACCA: 83,000 INHABITANTS PER KM2

Bonacca is known as the Venice of Honduras due to the island’s many canals, and is really just a sand bank on a coral reef off the slightly bigger island of Guanaja. Bonacca’s original inhabitants, the Paya Indians, introduced Cristopher Columbus to cocoa in 1502.

AP LEI CHAU: 66,755 INHABITANTS PER KM2

Api Lei Chau or Aberdeen Island is an integral part of Hong Kong. The many skyscrapers mean that the number of inhabitants on the 1.3km2 island is 85,000+. Seen from above, the island’s shape has earned it the Chinese name of Ap Lei Chau, meaning ‘duck tongue’ island.

MIGINGO ISLAND: 65,500 INHABITANTS PER KM2

Migingo Island is located in Lake Victoria, Africa. The island’s c. 2000m2 area is to be found near the border between Kenya and Uganda, the two nations often discussing who owns the island. Some 130+ fishermen live on Migingo Island.