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Abandoned Islands in the World
Have you ever ask yourself why some of the Islands which people used to live in have been since abandoned? In this article we are bringing to you some of the notable abandoned islands around the world along with the stories and reasons behind their abandonment.
Below is the list of the abandoned Islands.
1. Hashima Island (Japan)
Also known as: Battleship Island (Gunkanjima)
Reason for Abandonment:
Hashima island was once a thriving coal mining facility operated by Mitsubishi from 1887 until its closure 1974, Hashima was home to thousands of workers. It became one of the most densely populated places on earth. However, when petroleum replaced coal as Japan’s primary energy source, the mines closed and the population left. The island has since become a haunting symbol of rapid industrialization and abandonment.
2. Poveglia Island (Italy)
Location: Venetian Lagoon
Reason for Abandonment:
Poveglia island is infamous as one of the most haunted places in the world, it was used as a quarantine station during the Black Plague in the 18th century. Later, Poveglia served as an asylum in the early 20th century, where it’s rumored unethical experiments were conducted. After the asylum closed in 1968, the island was completely abandoned. Due to its dark past, no one lives there today.
3. North Brother Island (USA)
Location: East River, New York City
Reason for Abandonment:
This island once housed a quarantine Riverside Hospital, treating patients with contagious diseases, including the infamous “Typhoid Mary.” It’s most infamous for being the quarantine site of “Typhoid Mary” (Mary Mallon), the first identified asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever in the U.S. Later used as a drug rehabilitation center. The facility was closed in the 1960s, and the island has been off-limits ever since, now serving as a bird sanctuary.
4. Isla de las Muñecas (Island of the Dolls), Mexico
Nestled in the canals of Xochimilco
Reason for Abandonment:
Though not completely abandoned, this eerie island became famous after its sole inhabitant, Don Julián Santana, began hanging dolls all over the island to ward off evil spirits after allegedly finding a drowned girl in a canal. The island’s caretaker began this tradition to appease the spirit of a drowned girl, creating a haunting atmosphere. After his death (under mysterious circumstances), the island was left largely untouched, with thousands of decaying dolls still hanging in trees — a tourist curiosity but uninhabited.
5. Okunoshima (Japan)
Also known as: Rabbit Island
Reason for Partial Abandonment:
Okunoshima was used as a poison gas production site during World War II, the island was removed from maps for secrecy. After the war, the factories were destroyed, and people left. Today, it’s uninhabited by humans but known for being home to hundreds of wild rabbits — descendants of test animals or pets released after the war. Okunoshima is now known as “Rabbit Island” due to the hundreds of friendly rabbits that inhabit it, attracting tourists from around the world.
6. Deception Island (Antarctica)
Also known as volcanic caldera
Reason for Abandonment:
Deception island was once used as a whaling station and later as a research base, the island’s volcanic activity led to the evacuation and abandonment of several facilities after eruptions in 1967 and 1969. Some buildings remain buried under ash, and today, it’s only visited seasonally by scientists and it’s a hauntingly beautiful destination for adventurous travelers.
7. Ross Island (India)
Location: Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Reason for Abandonment:
Ross island was once the administrative capital of the British in the Andamans, Ross Island was abandoned after an earthquake in 1941. The Japanese briefly occupied it during WWII. After the war, it was never fully reoccupied. Today, nature has overtaken the ruins — making it a silent testimony to colonial history.
8. Kadaikudi Island (India)
Reason for Abandonment:
Kadaikudi, a small island village off Tamil Nadu, was reportedly abandoned due to constant flooding and poor access to clean water. The residents moved inland, leaving the island to wildlife and weather.
9. Hirta (St Kilda Archipelago, Scotland)
Reason for Abandonment:
Hirta, the remote island was inhabited for over 2,000 years, but in 1930, the population was evacuated due to harsh living conditions, lack of modern conveniences, and food scarcity. Today, it’s a World Heritage Site with restored buildings and a seasonal military presence. (Also known as the ghost town).
10. Isle of Ada Kaleh (Romania/Turkey)
Reason for Abandonment:
Ada Kaleh submerged during the construction of the Iron Gates Dam on the Danube River in 1970. It was a vibrant Ottoman Turkish community before being evacuated. Remnants were relocated, but the island itself now lies underwater.
Conclusion
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