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An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago literally means "chief sea", from Greek arkhon (leader) and pelagos (sea).
Archipelagoes usually occur in the open sea; less commonly, a large land mass may neighbour them. Archipelagoes are often volcanic, forming along mid-ocean ridges or hotspots, but there are many other processes involved in their construction, including erosion and deposition.
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