Péninsule vs. presqu'île
In French, the words 'péninsule' and 'presqu'île' both refer to landforms connected to a larger landmass and surrounded by water. However, their meanings have subtle differences that influence their use in describing geographical features.
Péninsule
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on the majority of its border while being connected to a mainland from which it extends.
La péninsule Ibérique est occupée par l'Espagne et le Portugal.
(The Iberian Peninsula is occupied by Spain and Portugal.)
La péninsule de Kola se trouve dans le nord-ouest de la Russie, près de la frontière avec la Norvège et la Finlande.
(The Kola Peninsula is located in northwest Russia, near the border with Norway and Finland.)
Presqu'île
A presqu'île, or literally 'almost island', is similar to a peninsula but suggests that the landform is more narrowly connected to the mainland, almost forming an island.
La presqu'île de Quiberon est l'une des attractions touristiques célèbres en Bretagne.
(The Quiberon Peninsula is one of the famous tourist attractions in Brittany.)
La presqu’île de Giens est reliée au continent par deux bras de sable fin qui entourent le double tombolo.
(The Giens Peninsula is connected to the mainland by two fine sandy arms that surround the double tombolo.)
Summary
While both 'péninsule' and 'presqu'île' describe landforms surrounded by water and attached to a larger landmass, 'péninsule' tends to be used for larger and broader land extensions, whereas 'presqu'île' implies a more narrow connection to the mainland, akin to an 'almost island'. The specific usage can vary depending on the geographic context and local naming conventions.