île

An île is a landmass completely surrounded by water. In French, the noun is used for any island, from small islets to large islands. The plural is îles. Islands form through volcanic activity, reef growth around volcanic roots (coral atoll formation), sediment deposition, or changes in sea level that leave areas isolated from the mainland. They can be continental (parts of a continental shelf raised above sea level) or oceanic (primarily volcanic). Coastal dune or barrier islands and river or lake islands are common non-oceanic varieties. Artificial islands are created by dredging and land reclamation.

Ecology and biogeography: Islands often host unique ecosystems due to isolation, with endemic species and simplified food webs. The study of island biogeography examines colonization, extinction, and the influence of area and distance on species richness; phenomena such as island dwarfism or gigantism are observed in some lineages.

Human use and toponymy: Islands have long shaped settlement, trade, and culture. They host cities and tourist destinations; governance and jurisdiction can be complex, especially in archipelagos. In French toponymy, île is a frequent element, used in names such as Île-de-France, Île d’Oléron, or Île de la Réunion. The term derives from Latin insula, via Old French ile; the circumflex on î reflects a historical loss of a letter in earlier forms of the word.

The concept of île is universal across languages, with equivalent terms in many language families, and remains a central motif in geography and culture.