The largest and smallest island. smallest inhabited islands
The English nobility of the 17th century was reputed to be inquisitive and did not shy away from science. King Charles II even died of his passion for alchemy: already in our time, mercury was found in his hair in a concentration incompatible with life. The cousin of Charles II, Prince Rupert, was famous for his passion for scientific curiosities, both theoretical and practical.
This Prince Rupert, also known as Duke Ruprecht von der Palatinate, brought to London glass castings in the form of drops with long twisted tails. Presenting them as a gift to the king, Rupert said that this is a recent German invention, and that the strength of glass drops exceeds that of steel.
Rupert hid the method of production from the king, citing ignorance. Although now we understand: the prince was silent solely for the sake of greater mystery ...
Charles II gave the received drops for analysis to the Royal Scientific Society. From that moment on, the glory of Rupert's drops began.
Rupert drop properties
The strength of hitherto unknown pieces of glass surprised British scientists. Rupert's drop even withstood the blow of a hefty blacksmith, and dents remained on the steel of the anvil and hammer. How can glass have such hardness and strength? – marveled court scientists. 
The strength of Rupert's glass drops was, however, uneven. If the head of the drop could withstand any blow, the tail - especially the tip of the tail - was highly vulnerable. The strangest thing is that the destruction of the tail led to the instant disintegration of the entire glass casting! Moreover, explosive disintegration, with an instantaneous scattering of the smallest fragments!
Members of the Royal Scientific Society sent letters inquiring about the nature of unusual glass to all available limits. The popularity of an unusual toy among the London nobility began to grow. Prince Rupert made a good business of selling amazing glass drops for a high price, then strengthening ties with interesting gifts.
Soon the situation began to clear up ...
Rupert's drops come from...?
The prince never insisted on his authorship of a funny trinket, and attributed the honor of inventing glass drops to German artisans. It turned out, however, that in nearby Holland, such curiosities have been known for a long time - they know and make them for the amusement of the public. Moreover, the Dutch carry drops of glass around the world, and everywhere they are called "Batavian tears", after the Batavia shipyard on the shores of the Zuiderzee Bay. 
According to information received from the Dutch, the Danes began to play with Rupert's drops before the Germans - but the secret of making durable glass castings came to Denmark from Italy. The entire south of Europe knows them as "Bologna flasks" and sees nothing difficult in making drops from glass.
Drops Rupert - it's easy!
In order to obtain drops of a characteristic shape and unprecedented strength, glassmakers reported that glass sufficiently heated to a fluid viscosity should be dropped into a container with cold water. The hardened casting is the Bologna flask, also known as Rupert's drop - from the point of view of serious artisans, an empty trifle and a translation of expensive material. 
After a series of experiments, the scientists of the Royal Society of London determined: in order to obtain the most successful drops of Rupert, the glass should be taken as clean as possible, and heated no higher than to the degree of complete softening - otherwise the drop falling into the water is covered with cracks.
On that they were satisfied ...
A modern take on Rupert's drops
Physics explains the appearance of Rupert's drops as the result of a long-known tempering - a technology widely applicable to steel products, but in this case concerning glass. Amorphous in its structure, semi-liquid glass solidifies without crystallization, but with a decrease in volume. 
Rapid cooling of a glass drop in a medium that effectively lowers the temperature leads to compaction of the outer layers of the body, compression of the array with simultaneous stretching of the still hot core of the casting.
The strength of Rupert's drop is not at all unlimited, and only four times the strength of glass produced using conventional technologies. However, strength indicators are highly dependent on the composition of the glass charge, and dense quartz glass in tempered and drop form is indeed able to withstand the blows of a blacksmith's hammer.
But only if you do not hit the thin, fragile tail of Rupert's drop!
Break a drop of Rupert
Breaking a drop of Rupert is easy. If you break off, beat off, shoot off the thin glass tail of Rupert's drop, it is all and instantly scatters almost dust! Moreover, the speed and distance of the dispersion of the smallest fragments of the drop are such that the danger of damage to the skin and eyes of the observer is very real. 
That is why, by the way, in ancient Europe, a drop of Rupert is pleased to quickly migrate from the category of funny curiosities to the category of dangerous entertainment.
Modern experimenters do not stop experiments with Rupert's drops. Particularly spectacular are attempts to destroy glass drops with a shot from a rifle. A soft lead bullet hits the head of Rupert's drop with a force much greater than that of a blacksmith's hammer, but the bullet cannot break the tempered glass.
The shock wave arising in the glass mass proves to be fatal for the thin tail of the Rupert drop. When an oscillatory pulse passes through thin glass, rapidly expanding cracks are created. At a speed of more than 1 km / s, cracks grow throughout the body of the drop, multiply, expand and actually explode the glass.
Explosive glow of Rupert's drop
Particularly interesting is the flash of light that accompanies the wave of decay of tempered glass. This kind of glowing phenomenon is called triboluminescence. Triboluminescence occurs, in contrast to the usual luminescence, not in the thickness of the material, but in the boundary medium.The bluish-red flashes of triboluminescence of the decaying drop of Rupert are the essence of the glow of atoms of atmospheric gases, excited by weak electric discharges. Molecules generate electricity
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There is no way to strictly determine which of the myriad islets scattered in different parts of the world is the smallest. There are only conditional applicants for this honorary title. For example, the Guinness Book of Records names the Bishop Rock sticking out of the water in the south of Great Britain among 1040 other islands of the archipelago. There was only a lighthouse on it. Of course, in reality there are thousands of islands even smaller. This rating also includes the smallest islands with a developed tourist infrastructure.
1. South Bass, USA (6.43 sq km)
The smallest tourist island in the world is located in that part of the waters of Lake Erie, which belongs to the US state of Ohio. On its small area, a small brewery and a winery could fit, where the indigenous people of these places work. In total, no more than 400 people live on the island. Tourists come here not only to try local intoxicating drinks, but also to go boating on the lake and live in nature in campsites.
IN modern Russia There are over 200 peoples with their own culture and language. But the latest census showed that there are only a few ethnic groups left...
2. Cay Caulker, Belize (6.5 sq km)
This island is located in the waters caribbean, 20 miles off the coast of Belize. This is where the largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere.
Less than 1500 people live on the island. Until the middle of the 19th century, Cay Caulker was uninhabited, only occasionally visited british ships to replenish water supplies or for simple repairs. But then came Mexican refugees who planted coconut trees and founded a fishing village with sandy paths that has now become a very popular, albeit small resort. The island has even made an airstrip, although it is still vulnerable to hurricanes.
3. Fox Island, Alaska (10.4 sq km)
This island off the coast of Seward has pebbly beaches and secluded coves so there are plenty of marine life such as whales and sea lions.
4. Saba Island, Lesser Antilles (13 sq km)
In the Caribbean, west of Saint Martin is the island of Saba, with a population of 1200 people. The best time to visit is January-March. It is called the "pristine queen of the Caribbean" for its unspoiled nature. It has practically no tourist infrastructure and places suitable for swimming. But on the other hand, this dormant volcano, which has become an island, is very attractive for divers. There is a unique marine park here.
5. Corvo Island, Azores (15.6 sq km)
In the Azores, lost in the vastness of the Atlantic, the island of Corvo is the most secluded and tiny. An atmosphere of peace and tranquility reigns on it, and the nature and green landscapes of the island, flowering hills, picturesque lakes and rocky shores delight those travelers who were able to climb such a distance with their pristine beauty. But the name of the island, meanwhile, is translated as "island of the raven."
The mid-Atlantic has a subtropical climate, which makes it possible to go fishing, snorkeling, explore the island in detail on leisurely walks or enjoy fresh seafood almost all year round.
About 500 people live in Corva in the only village of Vila Novo do Corvo, they are all very welcoming. In a very cozy tiny town, houses are built of black stone, cobbled streets flow between them. The lifestyle here is absolutely pastoral, all the locals know each other very well. It has become an old tradition here to close houses wooden locks made by local craftsmen. Residents still use them, emphasizing their friendliness and openness.
6. Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands (15.7 sq km)
IN Atlantic Ocean, not far from the coast of Argentina, there is a group of disputed islands (Falkland for Great Britain and Malvinas for Argentina), among which the smallest is proudly called the Sea Lion. The local waters have a very rich fauna: elephant seals, penguins, killer whales. The order on the island is monitored by seven local residents, and for tourists the island becomes available in early October, and the season closes in April.
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7. Little St. Simons, USA (40.61 sq km)
Only 25 people live and work permanently on this island, and the rest of the inhabitants are tourists. The islet is located in the waters of the Atlantic off the coast of Georgia and is part of the archipelago of the Golden Isles of Georgia. The island has pristine pure sandy beaches and pine groves. Peak tourist season falls in the spring.
8. Benguerra Island, Mozambique (55 sq km)
In the Mozambique archipelago there is the island of Benguerra, on which the national marine reserve is located. There are many different types of birds here: flamingos, terns, kingfishers, egrets, cormorants. One and a half kilometers east of the island there is a coral reef, very popular among divers vacationing in Mozambique. Very beautiful corals grow here, clown fish, small sharks, sea bass and a variety of bright coral fish live. Here, nature has formed a unique pool among the corals, which is called the "aquarium", and in which it is ideal for snorkeling.
The life rhythm of the island matches the leisurely existence of the locals, who boast a rich culture. In the north of the island, African dhows scurry on the horizon, some of which carry fishing nets, while others deliver tourists to the coral reef.
In the Mozambique Islands, located in the tropical zone, summer reigns all year round. But it is best to come here in a dry and slightly cooler season in May-November, that is, in winter for Mozambique. But from December to January it is too hot here, and in February-March tropical showers are shed.
9. Yap, Micronesia (101.4 sq km)
This island in the south Pacific Ocean is a part Federated States Micronesia. For tourists, only part of the island is intended, while the other is given over Agriculture. There are excellent conditions for scuba diving.
1200 people permanently live on the island - they are simple, friendly, calm, smiling people, just like on other islands. Guests do not burden them if they respect their way of life and traditions.
The local tribe has the hardest currency in the world - stone money. And not small coins, but three-meter circles weighing several centners. The course of each coin rose if a person was personally sacrificed for it. For example, if during a sortie to the island of Palau, where the “mint” was located, the head of the family died, then all the “hard currency” owned by his relatives rose in price. Until now, walking along the stone paths in the thickets, you can see these huge stone treasures, thoroughly overgrown with moss.
In old Europe there are many ancient and very picturesque cities. We are accustomed to what the most beautiful small towns in Europe look like: German...
10. Madeleine, USA (109.2 sq km)
Among the 22 islands of the Apostle Archipelago, only the Madeleine Island is inhabited. 300 people permanently live here. Best time for holidays here in May-October. In summer, you can even play golf, ride a bike or kayak, while in winter you can ski or throw snow dust on snowmobiles.
Hands to Feet. Subscribe to our groupThe number and total area of the territory of the peninsulas of Russia is much less than. The following peninsulas adjoin the territory of the country: Gydansky, Kamchatka, Kanin, Kolsky, Taimyr, Tamansky, Chukotsky and Yamal. They are mainly located in the Asian part and have a harsh climate. Below is a list, maps and short description the six largest peninsulas of Russia in ascending order of area.
Chukotka Peninsula
Chukotka Peninsula on the map/Wikipedia
The area of the peninsula is 49 thousand km². It is located between the Bering and Chukchi Seas. The capital is the city of Anadyr. At the heart of the peninsula lies a mountainous area. Some mountain ranges exceed 1 km in height. Closer to the sea bays of the Chukotka Peninsula are lowlands. Due to its location in the Far North of Russia, the climate is very harsh. January temperatures average -40º C. In summer, the thermometer rises to +10º C.
The territory is also a forest-tundra. Trees include alder, poplar and larch. A few species live in the wooded area: wolverine, polar bear and wolf. There are several hundred species of birds, and walruses are also found on the shores of the peninsula.
Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula on the map/Wikipedia
The territory of the Kola Peninsula is approximately 100 thousand km². The lands are located at the junction of Bely and Barents. The largest cities are Murmansk, Kirovsk, Apatity, Severomorsk.
Thanks to the collision of tectonic plates, a unique landscape was formed on the peninsula: mountains, forests covered with conifers, and plateaus. The arctic climate has contributed to the formation of numerous lakes, swamps, lowlands and depressions. The main attraction of the peninsula is considered to be the mountains of the Khibiny. Their highest point is 1200 m. Skiing is possible most of the year: snow covers the slopes from November to June. There are unique ones in the region. One of them is a small desert. Second is the coast White Sea, which is littered with fragments of minerals.
On Kola Peninsula there are three nature reserves. The area is famous for nesting eiders. occupies 20% of the land Murmansk region. In the forests of the peninsula, you can see spruce, birch and larch. Many berry bushes, edible mushrooms, rare medicinal plants. Animal world It is customary to divide into and forests. More than sixty species of mammals are found on the Kola Peninsula. In addition to them, there are many, and. Bears, arctic foxes, foxes live in the forests. Reindeer, lemmings, voles live on the territory of the tundra.
Charr, salmon and trout spawn in the waters of the adjacent seas. Navaga, cod, herring and haddock are commercial fish species. Of the pinnipeds, there is a spotted seal, a bearded seal, and a seal. Whaling has resulted in less than ten species of whales living on the Murmansk coast.
Yamal
Yamal Peninsula on the map/Wikipedia
The area of the peninsula is about 122 thousand km², the length of the peninsula is 700 km, the width is up to 240 km. It lies in the northern part of Western Siberia and is washed by the Kara Sea. Large settlements are Panaevsk, Cape Kamenny, Salemal. Gas and oil fields have been discovered in Yamal, so the infrastructure of the peninsula is constantly developing.
Due to its location in northern Russia, the peninsula has an arctic climate. Winters with winds and snowstorms last most of the year. The average summer temperature rises to +6º C. At the border with the continent, the tundra turns into forest-tundra. The mossy ground is gradually covered with shrubs. There are no heights on the peninsula, the flat landscape dominates. The rivers flow into the Kara Sea.
The vegetation is represented by conifers and deciduous species. You can find heather and wild rosemary. The animal world is also diverse. The most common mammals are wolves, arctic foxes and reindeer. There are a lot of birds, especially representatives of the Red Book. The rivers are rich in commercial fish. The local population catches whitefish, lenok, char, muksun and Siberian perch.
Gydan Peninsula
Gydan Peninsula on the map/dic.academic.ru
The area of the peninsula is approximately 160 thousand km², the length is about 400 km, and the width is up to 400 km. The Gydan Peninsula is located in the West Siberian Lowland, abutting the Kara Sea. The peninsula has an arctic climate, and winter lasts more than half a year. Summer is short and cold, there is a polar night and a polar day. There are many rivers and lakes on the peninsula. Often the surface is lowlands and swamps.
Animal and vegetable world adapted to extreme living conditions. Flora is sparse due to cold winds. More often than others, lichens, mosses, dwarf trees and creeping shrubs are found. Near southern border forest-tundra vegetation appears: saxifrage, polar poppy.
The species composition of animals is determined low temperatures. Reindeer, arctic fox and fox feel good on the Gydan Peninsula. In summer, a variety of birds fly to nest: geese, plovers, white-fronted geese. Some of them are included in the Red Book. Walruses, fin whales and polar bears are considered rare guests. The reservoirs are inhabited by a huge number of species of freshwater fish.
Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula on the map/Wikipedia
The area of the territory is 270 thousand km², the length is 1200 km, the width is up to 440 km. Kamchatka is washed by the waters Sea of Okhotsk in the west, and also by the waters Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean in the east. The Kamchatka Territory occupies the lands of the peninsula, Karaginsky Island and the Commander Islands. major cities are Vilyuchinsk, Yelizovo, and regional center- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The peninsula is famous active volcanoes and sources mineral waters. Two-thirds of the territory is occupied by mountain ranges. In the center is Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the most powerful volcano in the country. There are several ski resorts in the vicinity of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The diverse flora is due to a combination of volcanic activity, the presence mountain ranges and precipitation. More than two hundred Red Data Book plants are found in Kamchatka. The peninsula is inhabited by the Kamchatka brown bear, ermine, bighorn sheep and polar wolf. In the last century, a squirrel came to these lands. In the forests there are rodents such as muskrats and. Sometimes, from the side of the tundra, the polar bear visits the peninsula.
Taimyr
Taimyr Peninsula on the map/Wikipedia
The area is 400 thousand km². The peninsula is the largest in the country and the tenth largest in the world. It is located in the central part of Siberia, between the mouths of the Yenisei and Khatanga. Located in the Far North of Russia, Taimyr is characterized by a harsh climate. Winter lasts 8 months. The landscape is represented by tundra and arctic deserts. Stony lands with lichens and bushes give way to cedar forests. Reindeer, musk ox, arctic fox, sable live in Taimyr. Walrus rookeries arrange on the coasts. Inner and outer water bodies are rich in fish.