What is an Archipelago?
An archipelago is a cluster of islands frequently formed by volcanic activity. You can find archipelago examples in open sea, or close to large land masses. The former is usually more common than the latter. An archipelago may form because it is above an ocean hotspot. There are about 50 identified hotspots, which are defined as having an extended period of active volcanism. A famous archipelago is the Hawaiian Islands, which sits atop an ocean hotspot. Both erosion and sediment deposits can influence how an archipelago forms. For example, when the archipelago occurs near a larger land mass, it may have formerly been connected to that mass. Both erosion, and shifting of tectonic plates may have resulted in parts of the land mass drifting away or being separated. This is generally a very lengthy process. Due to volcanic activity, islands in an archipelago may either reduce or increase in size. If volcanic activity remains fairly constant, deposition of volcanic materials may actually ex
The word “archipelago” comes from two Greek words: archos, meaning “chief,” and pelagos, meaning “sea.” The Greeks originally used the word archipelagos for the Aegean Sea, which washes against the shores of Greece and was their “chief sea.” Since the Aegean Sea is studded with many islands, the word “archipelago” came to mean a
An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. Archipelagoes usually occur in the open sea; less commonly, a large land mass may neighbour them. Archipelagoes are often volcanic, forming along mid-ocean ridges or hotspots, but there are many other processes involved in their construction, including erosion and deposition.
