Recursive islands and lakes

A recursive island or lake, also known as a nested island or lake, is an island that lies inside a lake, or vice versa. For the purposes of defining recursion, small continental land masses such as Madagascar and New Zealand count as islands, while large continental land masses such as Australia do not. Islands found within lakes in these countries are often recursive islands because the lake itself is located on an island. The recursion is sometimes expressed as the order of the island, so the many islands of the earth's global ocean are zero order islands.

Recursive islands Islands in lakes

IslandIn lakeCountryArea(km2)CoordinatesNotesManitoulin IslandLake Michigan–HuronCanada2,766Largest lake island in the worldRené-Levasseur IslandManicouagan ReservoirCanada2,020The island is artificial as the lake it is in was made by flooding a smaller existing lake due to the creation of the Daniel-Johnson dam.Soisalospread across several lakesFinland1,638The largest island in continental Finland. It has shores to four different lakes (Kallavesi, Unnukka, Suvasvesi and Kermajärvi), but they are not all at the same level.SääminginsaloSaimaaFinland1,090Separated from one side by an artificial canal (Raikuu canal).Olkhon IslandLake BaikalRussia730Isle RoyaleLake SuperiorUnited States535Ukerewe IslandLake VictoriaTanzania530St. Joseph IslandLake Michigan–HuronCanada365Drummond IslandLake Michigan–HuronUnited States347IdjwiLake KivuDR Congo340KotasaariKallavesiFinland285Separated from one side by an artificial canal (Summa canal).OmetepeLake NicaraguaNicaragua276Made of two conjoined volcanic islandsBig IslandLake of the WoodsCanada~200ZapateraLake NicaraguaNicaragua54Mercer IslandLake WashingtonUnited States33.4Crossed by the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, the second longest floating bridge in the world.Wizard IslandCrater LakeUnited States1.3Crater Lake itself is a caldera formed by the eruption of Mount Mazama; a series of smaller eruptions later formed cinder cones on the caldera floor, of which Wizard Island is the highest, and the only one now visible above the lake's surface.

Islands in lakes on islands These are first order islands.

There are nearly 1,000 islands in lakes on islands in Finland alone. NameIn lakeOn islandCountryArea(km2)CoordinatesNotesSamosirLake TobaSumatraIndonesia630Largest island in a lake on an island. Manmade from digging canal Gatter IslandLake HazenEllesmere IslandCanada0.2Glover IslandGrand LakeNewfoundlandCanada178 Largest naturally occurring island in a lake on an island.Motutaiko IslandLake TaupōNorth IslandNew Zealand0.11Goodin IslandLake CampbellFidalgo IslandUnited States0.09Mokoia IslandLake RotoruaNorth IslandNew Zealand1.35Rahui IslandLake WaikareitiNorth IslandNew ZealandLargest of several islets in Lake WaikareitiMou WahoLake WanakaSouth IslandNew Zealand1.2Largest of several islets in Lake Wanaka, including Stevensons IslandPigeon IslandLake WakatipuSouth IslandNew Zealand1.7Largest of several islets in Lake Wakatipu, including Pig Island / Mātau and Hidden IslandPomona IslandLake ManapouriSouth IslandNew Zealand2.6Largest of several islets in Lake Manapouri; largest lake island in New ZealandMotmot IslandLake WisdomLong IslandPapua New Guinea0.04—West LakeBrownsea IslandUnited Kingdom0.0008——Great BritainUnited Kingdom0.0000039576On south bank of River Colne. Exists on maps surrounded a lake on all sides with only a makeshift wooden bridge to access the island.Belle IsleWindermereGreat BritainUnited Kingdom0.17StorgrynnanVandöfjärdenFasta ÅlandFinland0.12—Senanayaka SamudraSri LankaSri Lanka0.02Derrywarragh IslandLough NeaghIrelandUnited Kingdom0.56Boa IslandLower Lough ErneIrelandUnited Kingdom5.3Boa Island Placenames Database of IrelandLargest lake island of the United Kingdom and inland island of Ireland —Loch FinlagganIslayUnited Kingdom0.0003—0.0008Council Isle0.01Sveta MarijaVeliko jezeroMljetCroatia0.017Chikubu IslandLake BiwaHonshuJapan0.14TakeshimaLake BiwaHonshuJapan0.6OkishimaLake BiwaHonshuJapan1.51Largest of the three islands located within Lake Biwa, which is Japan's largest lake.Nakajima (Lake Kussharo)Lake KussharoHokkaidoJapan5.81Largest recursive island in JapanNakajima (Lake Toya)Lake TōyaHokkaidoJapan4.84OkinajimaLake InawashiroHonshuJapan0.07Loeha IslandLake TowutiSulawesiIndonesia12.5Lalu IslandSun Moon LakeNantouTaiwan0.882Yufei IslandQingcao LakeHsinchuTaiwan0.00425—Kasegalik LakeFlaherty IslandCanadaThere are several other islands in that lake.Isla CabritosLago EnriquilloHispaniolaDominican Republic16.67——Cat Ba IslandVietnam0.0005There is a smaller island, to the south of it.—BlöndulónIcelandIcelandThere are nine other islands in this lake, all significantly smaller than this one.

Islands in lakes on islands in lakes These are second order islands. Name In lake On island In lake Country Area(km2) Coordinates NotesKokkosaariKokkohautaSääminginsaloSaimaaFinland0.88Claimed to be the world's largest island in a lake on an island in a lake. Another island, Suursaari () in Hanhijärvi, is also located in Sääminginsalo, and is about half the size of Kokkosaari. Separated by an artificial canal, Sääminginsalo might not be considered an island.—Lake Chaunoy (Lac du Chaunoy)René-Levasseur IslandManicouagan ReservoirCanada0.44René-Levasseur Island is an artificial island, formed when the Manicouagan reservoir was flooded in 1970. There are also more than 10 other smaller islands in Lake Chaunoy, the largest of which is less than a tenth of the size of the one listed here.Treasure IslandLake MindemoyaManitoulin IslandLake Michigan–HuronCanada0.4Largest natural island on a lake on an island on a lake.Kakawaie IslandLake KagawongManitoulin IslandLake Michigan–HuronCanada0.24Allan IslandIce Lake, OntarioManitoulin IslandLake Michigan–HuronCanada0.02445° 53′ 23″ N, 82° 23′ 10″ WThe smaller of two islands on Ice Lake, on Manitoulin Island, on Lake Michigan Ryan IslandSiskiwit LakeIsle RoyaleLake SuperiorUnited States0.141Largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake in the world (Lake Superior) — Second LakeDrummond IslandLake Michigan–HuronUnited States0.044 —Mackaysee LakeChambers IslandGreen Bay, Lake MichiganUnited States0.009 —Frith LakeKelvin IslandLake NipigonCanada0.0013PiiroonsaariSaravesiKotasaariKallavesiFinland0.22Separated by an artificial canal, Kotasaari might not be considered an island.SuurisaariOininkiÄitsaariSaimaaFinland0.14UkonsaariKulkemusPartalansaariPihlajavesi (Saimaa)Finland0.12—Lake CancyRené-Levasseur IslandManicouagan ReservoirCanada0.011—Lac des PigamonsÎlots WalcottLake MistassiniCanada0.0002——Wilson IslandGreat Slave LakeCanada0.011RaaskasaariKylliönjärviViljakansaariPihlajavesi (Saimaa)Finland0.05——KållandsöVänernSweden0.0027There is a second island in the lake, almost the exact same sizeÖsjöholmenÖsjönAmmerönRevsundssjönSweden0.008——TynnelsöMälarenSweden0.0005———Lake KovdozeroRussia0.0162——Shaganappie IslandWollaston LakeCanada0.0066—Calder LakeMalcolm IslandReindeer LakeCanada0.0154——Ispatinow IslandCree LakeCanada0.00019——Blanchet IslandGreat Slave LakeCanada0.01Several small islands in this lake—Vanooyen LakeShakespeare IslandLake NipigonCanada0.0182There is a second, smaller island in this lake.—Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada0.00095Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.0006Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.0002Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.00015Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.00002–5Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.00004–10Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.000015-50Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.000005-20Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.000005–20Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.000005-20Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.000005–20Several small islands in this lake–Margaret LakeElk IslandGod's LakeCanada~0.000001–5Several small islands in this lake——Ile Guillaume CoutureLac MistassiniCanada0.0017——Ile TchapahipaneLac MistassiniCanada0.00125——Pie IslandLac MistassiniCanada0.0086Two islands of similar size are in this lake—Muir LakeSt Ignace IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.00325—Antler LakeSt Ignace IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.0041Two islands of similar size are in this lake—Williamson LakeSt Ignace IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.00425—Molinski LakeSimpson IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.01—Caribou LakeSimpson IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.00465—Veronica LakeSlate IslandsLake SuperiorCanada0.0065—Michi LakeMichipicoten IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.0037There are three islands in total in this lake—Channel LakeMichipicoten IslandLake SuperiorCanada0.0084A second, smaller island is immediately to the west of this one.———Knielinger SeeGermany0.0003——Wizard IslandCrater LakeUnited States—Lac CivicÎle BronsonRéservoir CabongaCanadaThere are other islands in lakes on islands in Cabonga.–––Dubawnt LakeCanadaViewable on Google Earth only. As of 10 July 2024 (according to Google Earth data), the island did not collide with its island.––Xishan IslandLake TaiChinaTwo small islands. The unnamed lake and other two surrounding lakes are collectively called (), and is the site of a former quarry.

Islands in lakes on islands in lakes on islands

These are third order islands. NameIn lakeOn island In lakeOn islandCountryArea(m2)CoordinatesNotes———Nettilling LakeBaffin IslandCanada40,000There are more islands in lakes on the "level 2" island in Nettling Lake.————Victoria IslandCanada16,000Sometimes unofficially referred to as "Inception Island", as it is a third-order island within an island.—Aek Natonang (locally Sidihoni Lake)SamosirLake TobaSumatraIndonesia13,125Two islands, the largest of which is 175 m by 75 m.————King William IslandCanada12,000One circular island, which is around 120m in diameter——Glover IslandGrand LakeNewfoundlandCanada7,500There are several (at least seven) other, even smaller, islets in the lake————Baffin IslandCanada3,000One circular island, which is around 60m in diameter——Glover IslandGrand LakeNewfoundlandCanada2,300In a lake 11 km south west to the lake that contains the larger island. There are no other island in this island's lake———Meelpaeg ReservoirNewfoundlandCanada100There are 3 other smaller islands in the same lake.—Arethusa PoolMou WahoLake WānakaSouth IslandNew Zealand225There are two islands in this lake, both less than 25 m across.——Eilean SùbhainnLoch MareeGreat BritainUnited Kingdom225Two islets, each of which is 15m by 15m———Kooryet LakeBanks Island (British Columbia)Canada~100A number of small islets, the largest of which is only 10m across——SamosirLake TobaSumatraIndonesia400——Ostrov LitvinovaOzero NevskoyeSakhalinRussia50There is (at least) one smaller island in the same lake———Jubilee LakeNewfoundlandCanada20Several small islets, the largest of which is about 5 m across——Cayo pajaroLaguna de LecheCubaCuba832There are several other islets in the lake, all about half the area of the specified islet.Vulcan PointMain Crater LakeVolcano IslandLake TaalLuzonPhilippines1.2———Hatchet LakeAdak IslandUnited States————Victoria IslandCanada944

Islands in lakes on islands in lakes on islands in lakes This is a fourth order island. +NameIn lakeOn islandIn lakeOn islandIn lakeCountrySize (km2)CoordinatesNotes—————Lake YathkyedCanada—, 62°39′05″ N, 97°47′15″ W

Recursive lakes Lakes on islands