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Diomede Islands
Diomede Islands - a unique place. They are a pair of rocky islands in the Bering Strait between mainland Alaska and Siberia. They shared a distance of 3.8 km., The International Date Line and the Russian-US border. Big Diomede (Island Ratmanova) belongs to Russia, and Little Diomede (Little Diomede Island) belongs to the United States.
Both islands are flat-topped, steep slopes and isolated location amid stormy sea mist which envelops them in the warmer months. Sometimes in winter drifting blocks of ice collide in open waters and form the ice bridge connecting the two islands.
The indigenous population of the islands - the Eskimos inhabiting them even 3000 years ago. In 1648, these places reached Russian explorer Semyon Dezhnev. Eighty years later, one of the islands found the Dane Vitus Bering expedition. It happened Aug. 16, 1728, the Day of Remembrance of the martyr St. Diomede.
In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia, and along with Little Diomede. The new boundary lie between the two Diomede Islands.
On the island is home to a small community of Krusenstern of about 75 persons. They have their own church, school and shop. Eskimos ply fishing and crab hunting belugas, walruses, seals and polar bears. Located on the island Ratmanova weather station and base of the Russian border troops.
Big Diomede Island on the left. Little Diomede Island to the right.
The village on the west coast of the island Little Diomede, Alaska.
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Both islands are flat-topped, steep slopes and isolated location amid stormy sea mist which envelops them in the warmer months. Sometimes in winter drifting blocks of ice collide in open waters and form the ice bridge connecting the two islands.
The indigenous population of the islands - the Eskimos inhabiting them even 3000 years ago. In 1648, these places reached Russian explorer Semyon Dezhnev. Eighty years later, one of the islands found the Dane Vitus Bering expedition. It happened Aug. 16, 1728, the Day of Remembrance of the martyr St. Diomede.
In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia, and along with Little Diomede. The new boundary lie between the two Diomede Islands.
On the island is home to a small community of Krusenstern of about 75 persons. They have their own church, school and shop. Eskimos ply fishing and crab hunting belugas, walruses, seals and polar bears. Located on the island Ratmanova weather station and base of the Russian border troops.
Big Diomede Island on the left. Little Diomede Island to the right.
The village on the west coast of the island Little Diomede, Alaska.
©
