Near Islands

Near Islands

Native name: Sasignan tanangin Near Islands Near Islands (in circle) on map of Alaska Coordinates: 52°48′02″N 173°07′54″E / 52.80056°N 173.13167°E / 52.80056; 173.13167Coordinates: 52°48′02″N 173°07′54″E / 52.80056°N 173.13167°E / 52.80056; 173.13167
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Total islands	15
Major islands	Attu, Agattu
Area	441.618 sq mi (1,143.785 km2)
Length	25 mi (40 km)
Country
United States
State	Alaska
Demographics
Population	>47 (as of 2000)
Ethnic groups	Aleut

Map of the western Aleutian Islands, showing the Near Islands on the left: Attu Island (1), Agattu Island (2), Alaid Island (3), Nizki Island (4), and Shemya Island (5).

The Near Islands or Sasignan Islands (Aleut: Sasignan tanangin^[1]) are the smallest and westernmost group of the Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska.

Geography

The largest of the Near Islands are Attu and Agattu. Besides a few rocks in the channel between Attu and Agattu, the other important islands are the Semichi Islands to their northeast, notable among which are Alaid, Nizki and Shemya.

About 20 miles to the east-southeast from Shemya are small rocky reefs known as the Ingenstrem Rocks.

The total land area of all of the Near Islands is 1,143.785 km² (441.618 sq mi), and their total population was 47 persons as of the 2000 census. The only populated islands are Shemya and Attu.

History

The islands were named Near Islands by Russian explorers in the 18th century because they were the nearest of the Aleutian Islands to Russia. They are the farthest of the islands from mainland Alaska.

During the Second World War, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the Near Islands in 1942. American forces retook the islands during the Aleutian Islands Campaign in 1943.

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  Topographic map sheet

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  Near Islands in 2008

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  United States troops hauling supplies on Attu Island in May 1943.

References

1. ^ Bergsland, K. (1994). Aleut Dictionary. Fairbanks: Alaska Native Language Center. 

Other sources

• Near Islands: Blocks 1147 thru 1170, Census Tract 1, Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska United States Census Bureau