coastal islands
Land off shorelines
Coastal islands are islands located near a continental or mainland shore, as distinguished from oceanic islands far out at sea.
The term appears in geographic, ecological, and legal contexts: The coastal islands support unique wildlife populations.
Many coastal islands remain connected to mainland ecosystems through shallow waters and sediment transport.
- atollRing-shaped reef island
- caySmall coral island
- sandbarUnderwater ridge of sediment
- archipelagoChain of scattered islands
- island chainSeries of linked islands
barrier island · tombolo · mangroves · volcanic island · coral reefs · tide pools · islet · lagoons · hidden cove · nesting grounds · endemic species · sea stacks · marine reserves · tropical paradise · Galápagos · fishing villages · island life · island hopping