# Countries with exactly one island state/province **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2022, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556 "2022-09-14T10:35:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/1 "2022-09-14T10:35:10Z")
I got to wondering which countries have a single state/province/region/1st level administrative unit that’s an island or island group. The island state must have the exact same status as the country’s mainland states, so those considered autonomous or overseas regions are out. Three obvious ones immmeditately came to mind (I’m sure you can guess which those three were) and after some thought and research, I came up with this list: 1. Australia - Tasmania 2. Canada - Prince Edward Island 3. China - Hainan 4. Ecuador - Galapagos 5. Russia - Sakhalin Oblast 6. Sweden - Gotland 7. USA - Hawaii Obviously, the question is are there any more? And of course the followup question, what countries have exactly two island states/provinces? (The states/provinces must be on separate islands or groups.) So far I’ve only come up with two: 1. Italy - Sicily, Sardinia 2. Spain - Balearic Is, Canary Is Note: Denmark (Faroes, Greenland) and Portugal (Azores, Madeira) are out since they call their islands Autonomous Regions. If you want to ignore the autonomous regions of Denmark and just consider the regular regions, the two only on islands share the island of Zealand, so Denmark still doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/2 "2022-09-14T10:48:44Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > China - Hainan You just had to go there, didn’t you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/3 "2022-09-14T10:58:39Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > You just had to go there, didn’t you? Nope, I’ve never been to Hainan. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/4 "2022-09-14T11:09:10Z")
I guess the Labrador part of Newfoundland and Labrador disqualifies it as an island province? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/5 "2022-09-14T11:12:19Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Denmark (Faroes, Greenland) and Portugal (Azores, Madeira) are out since they call their islands Autonomous Regions. What’s the difference between province/state and autonomous region in your framework? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/6 "2022-09-14T11:16:39Z")
I was going to say France (Corsica) is an obvious one, but then I saw that Guadalupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Reunion are all legally of them same status as the metropolitan regions, ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/7 "2022-09-14T11:21:52Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > USA - Hawaii Wouldn’t Rhode Island count, which would make it two? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/8 "2022-09-14T11:24:07Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Wouldn’t Rhode Island count, which would make it two? Might be a whoosh — but just to clarify, most of Rhode Island state is on the mainland. It does include a small island with that name, but it’s just one of many islands in the general area, some much larger (like Long Island, in New York State). ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/9 "2022-09-14T11:28:46Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > What’s the difference between province/state and autonomous region in your framework? The countries in question call them that, distinguishing them from the mainland regions. I’m sure they have their reasons, so I defer to them. > [@hogarth](#): > > I guess the Labrador part of Newfoundland and Labrador disqualifies it as an island province? Indeed it does. Labrador is actually larger than the island, so most of the province is on the mainland. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/10 "2022-09-14T11:29:22Z")
I find things like that annoying. It’s like the Chicago suburb named, “Blue Island”. It’s neither remotely blue nor is it remotely close to being an island. It got that name because ONE GUY, a politician, said this almost ninety years ago: "In 1834, the Chicago Democrat observed “the ridge, when viewed from a distance, appears standing in an azure mist of vapor, hence the appellation, Blue Island.” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/11 "2022-09-14T11:29:54Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I find things like that annoying. Me, too! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/12 "2022-09-14T11:41:24Z")
Concerning the Canary Islands, they are not a province, but two. One is the province of Las Palmas, comprising the islands Fuerteventura, Lanzarote y Gran Canaria, the other is the province Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which comprises the islands Tenerife, La Palma (yes, La Palma is not in Las Palmas, and is not to be confused with Palma de Mallorca either, which is in the Balearic Islands), La Gomera and El Hierro. Then both provinces together, plus some rocks and stuff that is not inhabited, constitute the Autonomous Region of the Canary Islands, one of several that make up the Kingdom of Spain (to give it its official title). The Balearic Islands, on the other hand, are both an autonomous region and a single province. Like Madrid, for instance, or like Ceuta and like Melilla and like Cantabria/Santander. So maybe the distinction between province, state and autonomous region is not so clear cut everywhere as you assume. I guess the situation with the Azores is similar, but I don’t know enough about Portugal to tell for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/13 "2022-09-14T11:48:08Z")
Now if you want a really confusing situation, look at Cyprus. One island, one state. Except the part of the island the state does not control, but which only Turkey recognizes as a souvereign state. And British military bases, and [enclaves and exclaves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus#Administrative_divisions)! All in one island, a big part of which is out of bounds for visitors! ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/14 "2022-09-14T12:04:38Z")
South Korea has [Jeju province](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeju_Province). It’s a “special self-governing province” which apparently means it has more authority over its own affairs than a “normal” province does. And to avoid duplicated effort, here are some that I looked at that do not qualify: - Equatorial Guinea divides the island of Bioko into [Bioko Norte and Bioko Sur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subdivisions_of_Equatorial_Guinea). - Tanzania divides the Zanzibar archipelago into [five regions,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Tanzania) none of which is its own island. - The [Andaman and Nicobar Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islands) are a “union territory” of India, which means that (unlike the full-fledged “states” of India) they do not have their own government. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/15 "2022-09-14T12:11:55Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > The [Andaman and Nicobar Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islands) are a “union territory” of India, which means that (unlike the full-fledged “states” of India) they do not have their own government. Also Lakshadweep? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/16 "2022-09-14T12:19:27Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > So maybe the distinction between province, state and autonomous region is not so clear cut everywhere as you assume. Based on my research, I concluded that the 1st level administrative unit in Spain is the Autonomous Region. Provinces are 2nd level units. The fact that some Autonomous Regions only have one province is irrelevant. And the fact that the island groups were called Autonomous Regions did not disqualify them. In Portugal, the mainland has three Regions as 1st level units. The two island groups are Autonomous Regions. I assume they have a reason for this distinction, but I don’t know what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/17 "2022-09-14T12:30:48Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Based on my research, I concluded that the 1st level administrative unit in Spain is the Autonomous Region. Provinces are 2nd level units. But in Canada, a province is a sovereign body, with constitutionally guaranteed powers. It’s not a “2nd level unit”. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/18 "2022-09-14T12:37:51Z")
I said for Spain, the Province is the 2nd level unit. For Canada, the Province obviously is the 1st level unit. Each country has their own way of subdividing and the term for the 1st level is not the same for each. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/19 "2022-09-14T12:44:23Z")
São Tomé - one island district: Príncipe Estonia - two island counties: Hiiu and Saare ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556/20 "2022-09-14T12:50:30Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > São Tomé - one island district: Príncipe I thought of this one too but I wasn’t sure whether a country that was _entirely_ on islands was really in the spirit of the game, since the OP mentions “mainland states”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-with-exactly-one-island-state-province/971556.md?page=2)