Islands Overview

The Small Island Developing States are a group of nations rich in culture, biology, and geology. The populations of these nations can range from a few thousand to several million. Some islands have a ethnic and linguistic diversity that rivals nations many times their size. Most islands are home to various plant and animal species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Some Small Island States consist of a single land mass, while others encompass an extensive archipelago. Their diversity makes categorization beyond simple geography very difficult, though their physical sizes and locations often make them vulnerable to environmental changes in ways that larger, continental countries are not. One important characteristic that holds true for all Small Island States, is that they all have a very real interest in addressing the environmental challenges that are currently facing the world. Please take the time to review the regional groups of Small Island States, and over the coming weeks, Islands First will add descriptions of each individual island. We think you'll agree that these places are worth protecting and it would be an enormous human tragedy if these unique nations were lost.