Apart from being a fun word to say out loud, an archipelago is a sight for sore eyes in the open sea.
Click start to play today’s Word Search, where you can spot an “archipelago” among other natural geological features.
Defined as an “expanse of water with many scattered islands”, archipelagos can be found in lakes or rivers, too. But because they are shaped by the forces of Nature, such as erosion or rising and falling sea tables, they tend to offer dramatic, breathtaking scenery.
Here are some of the world’s most amazing archipelagos:
1. Tierra del Fuego, South America
Literally translating to “land of fire”, Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago at South America’s southernmost tip, and is a land shared by Chile and Argentina. Its main island is home to the Argentine resort town of Ushuaia, which is known as “the end of the world”, since it is the gateway to the Earth’s frozen continent, Antarctica. At Tierra del Fuego, the last of the Andes mountains collapse into the sea; it is a dramatic landscape of snowy peaks rising from turbulent waters. It is also home to the mystical Patagonian forests that sweep across the land, full of massive cypress trees. Sometimes, you can even spot pudu-pudu, a deer that’s only 20 inches tall!
2. Svalbard, Norway
Head to the opposite end of the Earth and you will find another archipelago. Meaning “cold edge”, Svalbard is a group of islands between Norway and the North Pole. Although it is large geographically, it is home to only about 2,500 permanent residents. The archipelago has no trees – it’s too cold – but during its four months of perpetual daylight, you can find Arctic wildflowers blooming all across the stark landscape.
3. The Dodecanese, Greece
Off the coast of Turkey are the Dodecanese islands that are renowned for their varied and spectacular terrain – azure waters, pristine beaches and medieval architecture. They also boast of a 3,000-year history of culture, having been ruled by Egyptians, Iranians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, Italians and then the Greeks again! The archipelago once featured the Colossus of Rhodes, an ancient Wonder of the World that saw an enormous statue of the Greek deity Helios standing guard over the island’s harbour.
Have you ever visited an archipelago? Play today’s Word Search and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
