Recursive islands and lakes
A recursive island or lake is an island or lake that is itself within an island or lake.
Recursive islands
Islands in lakes
| Rank | Island | In lake | Country | Size |
| 1 | Manitoulin Island | Lake Michigan–Huron | Canada | 2,766 |
| 2 | René-Levasseur Island | Manicouagan Reservoir | Canada | 2,020 |
| 3 | Olkhon Island | Lake Baikal | Russia | 730 |
| 4 | Isle Royale | Lake Superior | United States | 535 |
| 5 | Ukerewe Island | Lake Victoria | Tanzania | 530 |
| 6 | St. Joseph Island | Lake Michigan–Huron | Canada | 365 |
| 7 | Drummond Island | Lake Michigan–Huron | Canada | 347 |
| 8 | Idjwi | Lake Kivu | Congo | 340 |
| 9 | Ometepe | Lake Nicaragua | Nicaragua | 276 |
| Zapatera | Lake Nicaragua | Nicaragua |
Islands in lakes on islands
| Rank | Name | In lake | On island | Country | Size |
| 1 | Samosir | Lake Toba | Sumatra | Indonesia | 630 |
| Gatter Island | Lake Hazen | Ellesmere Island | Canada | ||
| Glover Island | Grand Lake | Newfoundland | Canada | 178 | |
| Volcano Island | Lake Taal | Luzon | Philippines | ||
| Pomona Island | Lake Manapouri | South Island | New Zealand | ||
| Unknown name | West Lake | Brownsea Island | United Kingdom | ||
| Belle Isle | Windermere | Great Britain | United Kingdom | ||
| Derrywarragh Island | Lough Neagh | Ireland | United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland | ||
| Sveta Marija | Veliko jezero | Mljet | Croatia | 0.48 |
Islands in lakes on islands in lakes
| Rank | Name | In lake | On island | In lake | Country | Size | coordinates |
| 1 | Treasure Island | Lake Mindemoya | Manitoulin Island | Lake Michigan–Huron | Canada | 0.44 | |
| Kakawaie Island | Lake Kagawong | Manitoulin Island | Lake Michigan–Huron | Canada | |||
| Ryan Island | Siskiwit Lake | Isle Royale | Lake Superior | United States | |||
| unnamed island | second lake | Drummond Island | Lake Michigan–Huron | United States | |||
| Small Islands | Mackaysee Lake | Chambers Island | Green Bay, Lake Michigan | United States | |||
| unnamed island | Frith Lake | Kelvin Island | Lake Nipigon | Canada | 49°52'28.8"N 88°40'52.8"W | ||
| unnamed island | Tyllyjärvi | Kaamassaari | Lake Inari | Finland | 68°54'46.3"N 27°55'16.7"E |
Islands in lakes on islands in lakes on islands
| Rank | Name | In lake | On island | In lake | On island | Country | Size | Coordinates | Comment |
| 1 | Small islet | Not specified | Not specified | Nettilling Lake | Baffin Island | Canada | 0.04 | There are more islands in lakes on the 'level 2' island in Nettling Lake. | |
| 2 | Small islet | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Victoria Island | Canada | 0.016 | The sometime cited name Inception Island is not an official name | |
| 3 | Small islet | Not specified | Glover Island | Grand Lake | Newfoundland | Canada | 0.01 | There are several other, even smaller, islets in the lake |
Until 2020, Vulcan Point was an island that existed in Main Crater Lake on Volcano Island in Lake Taal on Luzon in the Philippines. Main Crater Lake evaporated during the 2020 Taal Volcano eruption.