Ten Most Unusual Islands of the World

Islands are the most interesting places to visit in this world, as they are dotted with many picturesque landscapes,
beaches and reefs. There are very few islands known to the tourists. But in reality there are several other interesting islands dotted all around the globe.

Here is a list of some of the not so popular unusual islands, to help you with the knowledge of their existence.

The foremost on our list is Snake Island, which is located off the coast of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The island has been given such a name because of the numerous number of venomous pit vipers found at this place. The Golden Lancehead Pit Viper, which is on the verge of extinction in other parts of the world, is found in large numbers at this island.

 The snake is considered to be one of the most venomous snakes on earth as it is believed that their bite can even melt the human flesh. The belief associated with this snake may be true or just a legend. But the island is certainly not be visited by normal tourists.  Only Discovery Channel teams can come to this island, as they are known to explore such places.

Bishop Rock, which is located off the English coast, on the eastern part of north Atlantic, is regarded as one of the smallest island in the world. It holds a historic lighthouse, structured in the year 1851, which tower to a height of about 49 m. Apart from this lighthouse, you will find nothing in this island. The lighthouse involves 10 levels and a lamp at its summit. 

Hashima in Nagasaki Prefecture is an uninhabited island, which was once a densely populated mining centre and was abandoned in the year 1974.  The name Hashima itself means island in Japanese language. The island has a mystifying appearance with the untouched ruins of the old apartments. The island was recently featured in the James Bond movie, named Skyfall. 

  

Ascension Island, which comes under the British Overseas Territory, is a volcanic island, located in the equatorial waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This isolated island is situated at a distance of about 1,600 km from the coast of Africa and about 2,250 km from the coast of South America. 

The Icelandic Island of Surtsey came into existence with an undersea volcanic eruption in the year 1963. After the end of the volcanic eruption, the lava cooled in the sea and the rocks rose above the sea surface. This newly formed island was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2008. By now, the island has an outgrowth of various species of coastal plants and is also inhabited by diverse species of birds. The scientists studying this island have recorded the loss of some its parts, in the last few decades.

With an area of about 49 sq. km, the Bouvet Island is located in the South Atlantic Ocean to the north of Antartica. It was discovered in the year 1739 by Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier and is considered to be the world’s most isolated island. There are no human inhabitants on this island and due to the enormous existence of seabirds at this place, it was declared as a nature reserve in 1971. The island is administered by Norwegian government.   

  

Hart Island in Long Island Sound, New York was established as a public cemetery by the local authorities in the year 1869. The bodies of unidentified and unclaimed persons were buried at this place. Earlier, the place also held a mental asylum, which involved several isolation zones for mentally discharged people. Since 1869, the island has recorded the burials of about 750,000 bodies.  

Gorgona Island is located at a distance of about 35 km from the Pacific Coast of Colombia. It is weparated from the mainland by a deep underwater depression. Before, the island became a popular place for imprisonment and was also compared to San Francisco's Alcatraz. Due to the unique biodiversity of the island, it was declared as a national Natural Park in 1984.

Uros Islands are an unusual one, as it is made of dried totora reeds matted together. They were built about 500 years ago by the Uru people of Peru’s Lake Titicaca. The dense roots of Totora reefs that grow on the lake are interlinked together to form a natural layer called Khili. Maintaining these islands requires a huge effort. Such islands are said to last as long as 30 years.

Vulcan Point Island is one of the most unusual islands in the world, as it is located inside a crater of the Taal Island, which is a volcanic island in Taal Lake of Luzon Island.