Wondering about the definition of peninsula? Keep reading to learn the meaning of peninsula, see some examples, and get a better understanding of this geographical glossary term!
What is a Peninsula?
In geography, a peninsula is a piece of land that is connected to a mainland or larger piece of land on only one side, while the other (three) sides are surrounded by water. Essentially, a peninsula is a thin strip of land which juts far out into water.
Common examples of peninsulas include the majority of Florida, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia.
A peninsula can go by many other names, as well, such as a headland (or head), cape, point, island promontory, fork, or a spit. Usually, though, these are smaller versions of peninsulas. Examples of peninsulas using these other terms include:
- Horn Head, Ireland
- Promontorio del Gargano (Gargano Promontory), Italy
- Curonian Spit, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Point of Hellia, Orkney, Scotland, UK
- South Fork and North Fork, Long Island, NY, US
- Cape Peninsula, South Africa
More on Peninsulas
In airport slang, a peninsula might refer to the baggage carousel, as it is usually a raised belt area connected to a wall on one side and surrounded on the other sides by bagonizing passengers waiting for their luggage. However, if using a geography term for the luggage carousel, it is more often termed as a baggage island.
The commonly used plural form of peninsula these days is peninsulas. However, someone overly pedantic, formal, or old school may use the plural peninsulae.
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