Island - Island Formation

The classification of islands based on their foundation—continental crust versus oceanic crust versus corals—as given above has been around in some form since it was first addressed by Darwin in 1840. A study of island formation, however, shows different geologic events contributing to the genesis of different kinds of islands. The following discussion of island origins is limited to islands that do not have the geological characteristics of continents, namely, oceanic islands and coral islands.