Which of the following is the largest island in the world (excluding the continent of Australia)?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests basic world geography knowledge about major landmasses on Earth. It focuses on the largest island, but with the important geographical convention that Australia is treated as a continent rather than an island. Recognising Greenland as the largest island helps learners distinguish between continents and islands in physical geography.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the largest island in the world.
• By standard convention, Australia is considered a continent and is therefore excluded.
• Options include Comoros, Greenland, Maskali, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• We are comparing total land area of individual islands or island groups.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is to recall the ranking of islands by land area. Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has an area of over 2 million square kilometres, making it the largest island under the usual definition. The other options are much smaller archipelagos or island groups, which can be eliminated once Greenland is recognised.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that Australia, though surrounded by water, is classified as a continent, so it is not counted as an island for this question. Step 2: Recall that Greenland is widely listed as the largest island in the world under this convention. Step 3: Compare the other options: Comoros is a small island nation in the Indian Ocean, Maskali is a very small island, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a set of smaller islands in the Bay of Bengal. Step 4: Since none of these come close to Greenland in area, Greenland must be selected as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard atlases and geography references clearly show Greenland's area as being over 2 million square kilometres, making it much larger than any other island except Australia, which is treated separately as a continent. Comoros, Maskali, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands all have areas in the range of only a few thousand square kilometres or less. This confirms that Greenland holds the record as the largest island under conventional definitions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Comoros: Comoros is a small volcanic archipelago in the Indian Ocean and is nowhere near the size of Greenland in area.
Maskali: Maskali is a tiny island and cannot compete with large landmasses like Greenland.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Although important Indian island groups, their combined area is still far smaller than Greenland.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent misunderstanding is to treat Australia as the largest island without noting that geography texts classify it as a continent. Another pitfall is confusing the most populated islands or politically important islands with the largest by area. Always pay attention to whether a question uses the conventional definition that separates continents from islands when ranking their sizes.

Final Answer:
Hence, the largest island in the world (excluding Australia as a continent) is Greenland.