Aleutian Islands

The Aleutian Islands (a name derived from the proper name of the ethnic group that inhabited them, «Aleuti») is an archipelago of volcanic islands, a chain of more than 300 small volcanic islands that describe a wide arc of about 1900 km that goes from the southwest of Alaska (United States) to the Kamchatka peninsula (Russia). The islands are located between the Bering Sea to the north and the North Pacific Ocean to the south.

The main population center is Unalaska, on the island of the same name.

Most of the archipelago is part of the state of Alaska, although the westernmost ones (the Commander Islands) are part of Russia. The islands are located north of the Pacific Ring of Fire and contain 57 volcanoes.

The islands are about 37,800 square kilometers and have about 16,000 inhabitants, less than half of whom are aboriginal Eskimos (Aleuts).

Geography

The Aleutian Islands, known prior to 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are made up of the following five US-administered island groups or sub-archipelagos:

• Fox Islands, the most eastern archipelago and the largest islands of the Aleutianas, with the islands, from west to east, from Umnak, Unalaska, Amaknak, Akutan, Akun, Unimak and Sanak.

• Islands of the Four Volcanoes, includes, from west to east, the islands of Amukta, Chagulak, Yunaska, Herbert, Carlisle, Chuginadak, Uliaga and Kagamil Island.

• Andreanof Islands, with 3,924.7 km2 and a total population in 2000 of 412 persons. It is composed, from west to east, by the Gareloi, Tanaga, Kanaga, Adak, Kagalaska, Great Sitkin, Atka, Amlia and Seguam Islands.

• Rata Islands, a set of uninhabited islands with an area of approximately 934.6 km2. The most important islands are from west to east, Kiska, Little Kiska, Segula, Rat or Kryssei, Khvostof, Davidof, Little Sitkin, Amchitka and Semisopochnoi.

• Near Islands, the smallest and western archipelago, with the Attu and Agattu Islands and the Semichi Islands (with the Alaid, Hammerhead, Lotus, Nizki and Shemya Islands).

Russia, for its part, exercises sovereignty over the western part of the archipelago, through the Commander Islands.

Physiographically, they are a section of the larger Pacific Frontiers province, which in turn is part of the larger Pacific mountain system.

History

The islands were administered by Russia from their discovery in the 18th century until their sale along with the rest of Alaska to the United States in 1867.

During World War II, Japan invaded the islands of Attu and Kiska in 1942, from which it was expelled the following year.