What is a phantom island and how do they end up on maps?

A phantom island is a supposed landmass that appeared on historical maps for years before being proven nonexistent. These errors typically stem from early navigational mistakes, misidentified icebergs or fog banks, unverified reports, or intentional fabrications. Emerald Island is a classic example, appearing on maps for over a century despite multiple expeditions failing to find it.

What we know

• A phantom island is a purported island that appeared on maps but was later found to not exist. [2]
• Phantom islands usually originate from early sailors' navigational errors, mistaken observations, misinformation, or deliberate fabrication. [2]
• Unlike lost lands that were supposedly swallowed by the sea, phantom islands are found to have never existed at all or not been islands. [2]
• Emerald Island was reported south of Macquarie Island in 1821 but was never found by later expeditions, though it persisted on some maps until 1987. [5]

Where to go next

• what caused itWhat caused sailors to invent or misidentify phantom islands?
• how it workedHow did cartographers eventually remove fake islands from maps?
• a case in pointWhat are some specific examples of famous phantom islands?
• compared withHow do lost lands differ from phantom islands?
• the bigger pictureWhat is the history of cartography and mapmaking errors?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a phantom island inspire a modern rock album?The concept of a phantom island serves as the title and thematic inspiration for the twenty-seventh studio album by Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

Sources

• [1]phantom island (Wikidata Q129264) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Phantom island · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Phantom Island (album) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Lists of islands · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Emerald Island (phantom) · CC BY-SA 4.0