Location of Kuril Islands in the Western Pacific.

Matua Island as seen from Raikoke.

The Kuril Islands IPA: /kʊˈrɪl/ (Russian: Кури́льские острова́ [kuˈrʲilskiɪe əstrʌˈva], Kuril'skie ostrova) or Kurile Islands in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, are a volcanic island archipelago that stretches approximately 1,300 km (700 miles) northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands in total and many more minor rocks. The Kuril Islands with the disputed islands highlighted The Kuril Island conflict is a dispute between Japan and Russia over sovereignty over the southernmost Kuril Islands. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x913, 407 KB) This is a map showing the location of the Sea of Okhotsk. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x913, 407 KB) This is a map showing the location of the Sea of Okhotsk. ... “Pacific” redirects here. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 568 pixelsFull resolution (1322 × 938 pixel, file size: 114 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Photograph taken by user: Eliezg 00:29, 7 February 2007 (UTC) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 568 pixelsFull resolution (1322 × 938 pixel, file size: 114 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Photograph taken by user: Eliezg 00:29, 7 February 2007 (UTC) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and... Matua is another name for the island of Matsuwa located in the Kurilian archipelago northeast of Japan between Hokkaido and the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. ... Raikoke is a small volcanic island, part of Kuril Islands in Russia, located at . ... Sakhalin Oblast on the map of Russia Flag of Sakhalin Oblast Sakhalin Oblast (Russian: , Sakhalinskaya Oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). ...   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ... “Kamchatka” redirects here. ... Map of the Sea of Okhotsk. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ...

Nomenclature

The Kuril Islands are known in Japanese as the Chishima Islands (Kanji: 千島列島 / Hepburn Romaji: Chishima Rettō [tɕiɕiːma ɺetːoː], literally, Thousand Islands Archipelago), also known as the Kuriru Islands (Kanji: クリル列島 / Hepburn Romaji: Kuriru Rettō [kɯɺiɺɯ ɺetːoː], literally, Kuril Archipelago). The name Kuril originates from the autonym of the aboriginal Ainu: "kur", meaning man. It may also be related to names for other islands that have traditionally been inhabited by the Ainu people, such as Kuyi or Kuye for Sakhalin and Kai for Hokkaidō. Japanese writing Kanji Kana Hiragana Katakana Hentaigana Manyōgana Uses Furigana Okurigana Rōmaji   ) are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana (平仮名), katakana (片仮名), and the Arabic numerals. ... Japanese writing Kanji Kana Hiragana Katakana Hentaigana Manyōgana Uses Furigana Okurigana Rōmaji The Hepburn romanization system ) is named after James Curtis Hepburn, who used it to transcribe the sounds of the Japanese language into the Latin alphabet in the third edition of his Japanese–English dictionary, published... Japanese writing Kanji Kana Hiragana Katakana Hentaigana Manyōgana Uses Furigana Okurigana Rōmaji   ) are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana (平仮名), katakana (片仮名), and the Arabic numerals. ... Japanese writing Kanji Kana Hiragana Katakana Hentaigana Manyōgana Uses Furigana Okurigana Rōmaji The Hepburn romanization system ) is named after James Curtis Hepburn, who used it to transcribe the sounds of the Japanese language into the Latin alphabet in the third edition of his Japanese–English dictionary, published... An ethnonym (Gk. ... The Ainu language (Ainu: , aynu itak; Japanese: ainu-go) is spoken by the Ainu ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō. It was once spoken in the Kurile Islands, the northern part of HonshÅ«, and the southern half of Sakhalin. ... Ainu IPA: /ʔáınu/) (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, northern HonshÅ«, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Sakhalin (Russian: , IPA: ; Japanese: 樺太 ) or サハリン )); Chinese: 庫頁; also Saghalien, is a large elongated island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50 and 54°24 N. It is part of Russia and is its largest island, administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast. ...   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ...

Geography

The Kuril Islands form part of the ring of tectonic instability encircling the Pacific ocean referred to as the Ring of Fire. The islands themselves are summits of stratovolcanoes that are a direct result of the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Okhotsk Plate, which forms the Kuril Trench some 200 km east of the islands. The chain has around 100 volcanoes, some 40 of which are active, and many hot springs and fumaroles. There is frequent seismic activity, including an earthquake of magnitude 8.3 recorded on November 15, 2006, which resulted in tsunami waves up to 5 ft reaching the California coast. Map of Kuril islands, generated by OMC. File links The following pages link to this file: Kuril Islands Categories: GFDL images ... Map of Kuril islands, generated by OMC. File links The following pages link to this file: Kuril Islands Categories: GFDL images ... ... “The Ring of Fire” redirects here. ... A cutaway diagram of a stratovolcano Mount St. ...  The Pacific plate, shown in pale yellow The Pacific Plate is an oceanic tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean. ... The Okhotsk Plate is a continental tectonic plate covering the Sea of Okhotsk, the Kamchatka Peninsula, and Eastern Japan. ... The Kuril-Kamchatka Trench or Kuril Trench is an oceanic trench with a maximum depth of 10500 m (34000 ft). ... Green Dragon Spring at Norris Geyser A hot spring is a place where warm or hot groundwater issues from the ground on a regular basis for at least a predictable part of the year, and is significantly above the ambient ground temperature (which is usually around 55~57°F or... Sulfur deposits near a fumarole A fumarole (Latin fumus, smoke) is an opening in Earths (or any other astronomical bodys) crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emit steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. ... An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust that creates seismic waves. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

The climate on the islands is generally severe, with long, cold, stormy winters and short and notoriously foggy summers. The average annual precipitation is 30–40 inches (760–1,000 mm), most of which falls as snow.

The chain ranges from temperate to sub-Arctic climate types, and the vegatative cover consequently ranges from tundra in the north to dense spruce and larch forests on the larger southern islands. The highest elevations on the island are Alaid volcano (highest point 2339 m) on Atlasov Island at the northern end of the chain and Tyatya volcano (1819 m) on Kunashir Island at the southern end. Species About 35; see text. ... For other uses, see Larch (disambiguation). ... Atlasov Island from space, September 1992 Atlasov Island Located at 50°50′ N 155°30′ E , Atlasov Island, known in Japanese as Oyakoba, is the northernmost island of the Kuril islands, part of the Sakhalin Oblast in Russia. ... Kunashir Island (Кунашир (Kunashir) in Russian, 国後島:Kunashiri in Japanese, Black Island in Ainu language) is the southernmost island in the Kuril chain in Russias Sakhalin Oblast. ...

Landscape types and habitats on the island include many kinds of beach and rocky shores, cliffs, wide rivers and fast gravelly streams, forests, grasslands, alpine tundra, crater lakes and peat bogs. The soils are generally productive, due to the periodic influxes of volcanic ash and, in certain places, due to significant enrichment by seabird guano. However, many of the steep, unconsolidated slopes are susceptible to landslides and newer volcanic activity can entirely denude a landscape. In physical geography, tundra is an area where tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. ... A crater lake that simply goes by the name Crater Lake, in Oregon, USA Heaven Lake (Chonji / Tianchi), North Korea / China Cuicocha, Ecuador Lake formed after 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines Mount Katmai, Alaska, USA Mount Wenchi crater lake, Ethiopia Nemrut, Turkey Volcán Irazú, Costa Rica This page... Wiktionary has a definition of: Bog Virgin boreal acid bogs at Browns Lake Bog, Ohio A bog is a wetland type that accumulates peat, a deposit of dead plant material. ... The Sooty Tern is highly aerial and marine and will spend years flying at sea without returning to land. ... The Chincha guano islands in Peru. ... Denudation is the geological process which involves the erosion and weathering of landscapes, resulting in the physical lowering of the landscape, by such processes as wind, rain, the sun, etc. ...

Marine ecology

Due to their location along the Pacific shelf edge and the confluence of Okhotsk Sea gyre and the southward Oyashio current, the waters around the Kuril islands are among the most productive in the North Pacific, supporting a wide range and high abundance of marine life. The Oyashio Current (also named Oya Siwo, the Kurile current, Japanese 親潮) is a cold subarctic ocean current that flows south and circulates counterclockwise in the western North Pacific Ocean. ...

Invertebrates: Extensive kelp beds surrounding almost every island provide crucial habitat for sea urchins, various mollusks and countless other invertebrates and their associated predators. Many species of squid provide a principle component of the diet of many of the smaller marine mammals and birds along the chain. Invertebrate is a term coined by Chevalier de Lamarck to describe any animal without a backbone or vertebra, like insects, squids and worms. ... Insert non-formatted text hereLink title Families Alariaceae Chordaceae Laminariaceae Lessoniaceae Phyllariaceae Pseudochordaceae For other uses, see Kelp (disambiguation). ... Slate pencil urchin (cidaroid) Group of black, long-spined Caribbean sea urchins, Diadema antillarum (Philippi) Sea urchin roe. ... Classes Caudofoveata Aplacophora Polyplacophora - Chitons Monoplacophora Bivalvia - Bivalves Scaphopoda - Tusk shells Gastropoda - Snails and Slugs Cephalopoda - Squids, Octopuses, etc. ... For other uses, see Squid (disambiguation). ...

Fish: Further offshore, walleye pollock, Pacific cod, several species of flatfish are of the greatest commercial importance. During the 1980s, migratory Japanese sardine was one of the most abundant fish in the summer and the main commercial species, but the fishery collapsed and by 1993 no sardines were reported caught leading to significant economic contraction in the few settlements on the islands. Several salmon species, notably pink and sockeye, spawn on some of the larger islands. For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... Species Pollachius pollachius Pollachius virens Pollock (or pollack, pronounced the same and listed first in most UK and US dictionaries) is the common name used for either of the two species of marine fish in the Pollachius genus. ... Binomial name Gadus macrocephalus The Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) is an important commercial food species. ... Families Suborder Psettodoidei     Psettodidae Suborder Pleuronectoidei     Citharidae     Scophthalmidae (turbots)     Bothidae (lefteye flounders)     Pleuronectidae (righteye flounders)     Paralichthyidae (large-tooth flounders)     Achiropsettidae (southern flounders)     Samaridae Suborder Soleoidei     Soleidae (soles)     Achiridae (American soles)     Cynoglossidae (tonguefishes) The flatfish are an order (Pleuronectiformes) of ray-finned fish, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a... Sardines in the Pacific An open Sardines can Sardines on a plate grilled Sardines For the hide and seek-like game, see Hide and seek. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum, 1792) The pink salmon or humpback salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) (from the Russian gorbuscha--горбуша) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... Sockeye was a punk rock band from Stow, Ohio. ...

Pinnipeds: The Kuril islands are home to two species of eared seal, the Steller sea lion and northern fur seal, both of which aggregate on several smaller islands along the chain in the summer to form several of the largest reproductive rookeries in Russia. A distinct Kuril island subspecies of the common seal (Phoca vitulina stejnegeri) and Largha are also abundant. subfamilies Otariidae Phocidae Odobenidae Pinnipeds are large marine mammals belonging to the Pinnipedia, a family (sometimes a suborder or superfamily, depending on the classification scheme) of the order Carnivora. ... Genera Arctocephalus Callorhinus Eumetopias Neophoca Otaria Phocarctos Zalophus The eared seals (or walking seals), family Otariidae, are the fur seals and the sea lions. ... Binomial name Eumetopias jubatus Schreber, 1776 The Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus also known as the Northern Sea Lion and Stellers sea lion, is a sea lion of the northern Pacific. ... Binomial name Callorhinus ursinus Linnaeus, 1758 Range map The Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus, is an eared seal. ... Binomial name bobbi Linnaeus,, 1758 Common or Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) are true seals of the Northern Hemisphere. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Pinnipeds were a significant object of harvest for the indigenous populations of the Kuril islands, both for food and materials such as skin and bone. The long term fluctuations in the range and distribution of human settlements along the Kuril island presumably tracked the pinniped ranges. In historical times, fur seals were heavily exploited for their fur in the 19th and early 20th centuries and several of the largest reproductive rookeries, as on Raykoke island, were extirpated. In contrast, commercial harvest of the true seals and Steller sea lions has been relatively insignificant on the Kuril islands proper. Since the 1960s there has been essentially no additional harvest and the pinniped populations in the Kuril islands appear to be fairly healthy and in some cases expanding. The notable exception is the now extinct Japanese sea lion which was known to occasionally haul out on the Kuril islands. Raikoke is a small volcanic island, part of Kuril Islands in Russia. ... Binomial name (Peters, 1866) The Japanese Sea Lion (Zalophus japonicus or Zalophus californianus japonicus) is thought to have gone extinct in the 1950s. ...

Sea otters were exploited very heavily for their pelts in the 19th century. Indeed, the pursuit of the valuable otter pelts drove the expansion of the Russians onto the islands and much of the Japanese interest. Their numbers consequently dwindled rapidly. A near total ban on harvest since the mid 20th century has allowed the species to recover and they are now reasonably abundant throughout the chain. Binomial name Enhydra lutris (Linnaeus, 1758) The Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) is a large otter native to the North Pacific, from northern Japan and Kamchatka west across the Aleutian Islands south to California. ...

Cetaceans: The most abundant cetaceans include orcas, harbor and Dall's porpoises. Baird's and Cuvier's beaked whales, fin whales, and sperm whales are also observed. Suborders Mysticeti Odontoceti (see text) The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. ... Binomial name Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 Orca range (in blue) The orca (Orcinus orca), commonly known as the killer whale, and sometimes called the grampus, is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. ... Binomial name Phocoena phocoena Linnaeus, 1758 Harbour Porpoise range The Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is one of six species of porpoise, and so one of about eighty cetacean species. ... Binomial name (True, 1885) Dalls Porpoise range Dalls Porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) is a species of porpoise that came to worldwide attention in the 1970s. ... Binomial name Berardius arnuxii Arnouxs Beaked Whale range Binomial name Berardius bairdii Bairds Beaked Whale range The genus Berardius contains two species of beaked whale, Bairds Beaked Whale and Arnouxs Beaked Whale. ... Binomial name Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823 Cuviers Beaked Whale range Cuviers Beaked Whale is the most widely distributed of all the beaked whales. ... Genera Berardius Hyperoodon Indopacetus Mesoplodon Tasmacetus Ziphius A beaked whale is any of at least 20 species of small whale in the family Ziphiidae. ... Binomial name Balaenoptera physalus (Linneus, 1758) Fin Whale range The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also called the Finback Whale, is a mammal that belongs to the baleen whales suborder. ... Genera Kogia Physeter The sperm whale family or simply the sperm whales is the collective name given to three species of whale, the Sperm Whale, the Pygmy Sperm Whale and the Dwarf Sperm Whale. ...

Seabirds: The Kuril islands are home to many millions of seabirds, including northern fulmars, tufted puffins, murres, kittiwakes, guillemots, auklets, petrels, gulls, cormorants. On many of the smaller islands in summer, where terrestrial predators are absent, virtually every possibly hummock, cliff niche or underneath of boulder is occupied by a nesting bird. Seabirds are birds that spend much of their lives, outside the breeding season at least, at sea. ... Species Fulmar (Linnaeus, 1761) Southern Fulmar (Smith,A, 1840) The two Fulmars are closely related seabirds occupying the same niche in different oceans. ... Binomial name Fratercula cirrhata (Pallas, 1769) The Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) is a medium-sized pelagic seabird about 30 cm in length and weighing about three quarters of a kilogram. ... Genera Alle Uria Alca Pinguinus Cepphus Brachyramphus Synthliboramphus Ptychoramphus Cyclorrhynchus Aethia Cerorhinca Fratercula Auks are birds of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. ... Species Rissa tridactyla Rissa brevirostris The Kittiwakes (genus Rissa) are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae. ... The Guillemots are seabirds in the auk family. ... Genera Uria Alle Alca Pinguinus Synthliboramphus Cepphus Brachyramphus Ptychoramphus Aethia Cerorhinca Fratercula Extinct genera, see Systematics Auks are birds of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. ... The petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. ... “Seagull” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Cormorant (disambiguation). ...

Terrestrial ecology

The composition of terrestrial species on the Kuril islands is dominated by Asian mainland taxa via migration from Hokkaido and Sakhalin Islands and by Kamchatkan taxa from the North. While highly diverse, there is a relatively low level of endemism. Sakhalin (Russian: , IPA: ; Japanese: 樺太 ) or サハリン )); Chinese: 庫頁; also Saghalien, is a large elongated island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50 and 54°24 N. It is part of Russia and is its largest island, administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast. ... Endemic, in a broad sense, can mean belonging or native to, characteristic of, or prevalent in a particular geography, race, field, area, or environment; Native to an area or scope. ...

Because of the generally smaller size and isolation of the central islands, few major terrestrial mammals have colonized these, though red and arctic foxes were introduced for the sake of the fur trade in the 1880's. The bulk of the terrestrial mammal biomass is taken up by rodents, many introduced in historical times. The largest southernmost and northernmost islands are inhabited by brown bear, foxes, martens. Some species of deer are found on the more southerly islands. For other uses, see Red Fox (disambiguation). ... This article is about the animal. ... This article is about the animal. ... Families Many, see text The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Ursus arctos range map. ... For other uses, see Red Fox (disambiguation). ... Species Martes americana Martes flavigula Martes foina Martes gwatkinsii Martes martes Martes melampus Martes pennanti Martes zibellina The Martens constitute genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae. ... This article is about the ruminant animal. ...

Among terrestrial birds, ravens, peregrine falcons, some wrens and wagtails are common. Species See text. ... Binomial name Tunstall, 1771 Global range (shaded green, dark dots on islands) The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), occasionally known in North America as the Duck Hawk, is a medium-sized falcon about the size of a large crow: 380–530 millimetres (15–21 in) long. ... Genera Donacobius Campylorhynchus Odontorchilus Salpinctes Catherpes Hylorchilus Cinnycerthia Thryomanes Ferminia Troglodytes Cistothorus Uropsila Thryorchilus Thryothorus Henicorhina Microcerculus Cyphorhinus Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) Stamp FR 345 of Postverk Føroya, Faroe Islands Issued: 22 February 1999 Artist: Astrid Andreasen The true wrens are members of a mainly New World passerine bird family... Genera Dendronanthus Motacilla The wagtails are a group of small passerine birds with long tails which they wag frequently. ...

History

The Kuril Islands first came under nominal Japanese administration in the Edo period of Japan, in the form of claims by the Matsumae clan. It is claimed that the Japanese knew of the northern islands 370 years ago. (see "The Kuril Islands", John J Stephan, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1974, pp. 50–56). Trade between these islands and Ezo (Hokkaidō) existed long before then. On "Shōhō Onkuko Ezu", a map of Japan made by the Tokugawa shogunate, in 1644, there are 39 large and small islands shown northeast of the Shiretoko peninsula and Cape Nosappu. The Edo period ), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868. ... Matsumae was the name of a town in Hokkaido, Japan, near the port of Hakodate. ...   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ... Location A satellite image of Shiretoko Peninsula The Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島 shiretokohantō), is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. ...

Russia began to advance into the Kurils in the early 18th century. Although the Russians often sent expedition parties for research and hunted sea otters, they never went south of Urup island. This was because the Tokugawa shogunate controlled islands south of Iturup and had guards stationed on those islands to prevent incursions by foreigners. Urup (Japanese 得撫島, Uruppu) is one of the Kuril Islands to the north of Japan. ... Iturup (Russian Итуруп; Ainu エト・オロ・プ; Japanese 択捉島, Etorofu) is the largest island of the Kuriles, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. ...

In 1811, Captain Golovnin and his crew, who stopped at Kunashir during their hydrographic survey, were captured by retainers of the Nambu clan, and sent to the Matsumae authorities. Because a Japanese trader, Takadaya Kahei, was also captured by a Russian vessel near Kunashir, Japan and Russia entered into negotiations to establish the border between the two countries (1813). For the article about the Russian sea explorer, see Vasily Golovnin. ... Kunashir Island (国後島:Kunashiri in Japanese, Кунашир (Kunashir) in Russian, Black Island in Ainu language), a southwestern island of the Kuril Islands, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of the Russian Federation. ... Born in 1769 on Awaji Island, Takadaya Kahei ) was a Japanese merchant credited with transforming the trading outpost of Hakodate in Japans northern island of Hokkaidō into a thriving city. ...

The Treaty of Commerce, Navigation and Delimitation was concluded in 1855, and the border was established between Iturup and Urup. This border confirmed that Japanese territory stretched south from Iturup and Russian territory stretched north of Urup. Sakhalin remained a place where people from both countries could live. In 1875 (Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875)) Japan relinquished all its rights in Sakhalin in exchange for Russian cession of all its rights in the Kuriles to Japan. Sakhalin (Russian: , IPA: ; Japanese: 樺太 ) or サハリン )); Chinese: 庫頁; also Saghalien, is a large elongated island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50 and 54°24 N. It is part of Russia and is its largest island, administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast. ... The Treaty of Saint Petersburg ) was signed in 7 May 1875 between the Empire of Japan and Empire of Russia. ...

During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, Gunji, a retired Japanese military man and local settler in Shumshu, led an invading party to the Kamchatka coast. Russia sent reinforcements to the area to capture and intern this group. After the war was over, Japan received fishing rights in Russian waters as part of the Russo-Japanese fisheries agreement (until 1945). Combatants Russian Empire Montenegro[1] Empire of Japan Commanders Emperor Nicholas II Aleksey Kuropatkin Stepan Makarov â€  Emperor Meiji Oyama Iwao Heihachiro Togo The Russo–Japanese War (Japanese: Nichi-Ro Sensō, Russian: , Chinese: , February 10, 1904 – September 5, 1905) was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of... Shumshu is the northernmost island of the Kuril Islands group. ... Kamchatka Oblast, an oblast in Russia. ...

During their armed intervention in Siberia 1918–1925, Japanese forces from the northern Kurils, along with United States and European forces, occupied southern Kamchatka. Japanese vessels made naval strikes against Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Kamchatka Oblast, an oblast in Russia. ... Petropavlovsk, as seen from Avacha Bay Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Russian: ) is the administrative, industrial, scientific, and cultural center of Kamchatka Oblast, Russia. ...

The Soviet Union reclaimed the South of Sakhalin and the Kuriles by force at the end of World War II (Treaty of San Francisco), but Japan maintains a claim to the four southernmost islands of Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan, and the Habomai rocks, together called the Northern Territories (see Kuril Islands dispute). Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru gives a speech on reconciliation and rapport ) at the San Francisco Peace conference. ... Kunashir Island (国後島:Kunashiri in Japanese, Кунашир (Kunashir) in Russian, Black Island in Ainu language), a southwestern island of the Kuril Islands, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of the Russian Federation. ... Iturup (Russian Итуруп; Ainu エト・オロ・プ; Japanese 択捉島, Etorofu) is the largest island of the Kuriles, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. ... Shikotan (色丹島) (Shikotan in Japanese, Шикотан in Russian), one of the bigger islands of the Kuril Islands, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. ... The Hobomai Rocks (Russian: Хабомай (Khabomai), Japanese: ??? (Habomai)) are a group of islets in the very south end of the Kuril Islands. ... The Kuril Islands with the disputed islands highlighted The Kuril Island conflict is a dispute between Japan and Russia over sovereignty over the southernmost Kuril Islands. ...

Japanese Administration in the Kuril Archipelago

In 1869, the new Meiji government established the Colonization Commission in Sapporo to aid in the development of the northern area. Ezo was renamed Hokkaidō and Kita Ezo later received the name of Karafuto. Eleven provinces and 86 districts were founded by Meiji government and were put under the control of feudal clans. Because the new Meiji government could not sufficiently cope with Russians moving to south Sakhalin, the Treaty for exchange of Sakhalin for the Kuril Island was concluded in 1875 and 18 islands to the north of Uruppu, which had belonged to Russia, were transferred to Japan. The Meiji period ), or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of Emperor Meiji, running, in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912. ... Sapporo redirects here. ...

Road networks and post offices were established on Kunashiri and Etorofu. Life on the islands became more stable when a regular sea route connecting islands with Hokkaidō was opened and a telegraphic system began. At the end of the Taisho era, towns and villages were organized in the northern territories and village offices were established on each island. The Habomai island were all part of Habomai Village for example. In other cases the town and village system was not adopted on islands north of Uruppu, which were under direct control of the Nemuro Subprefectural office of the Hokkaidō government. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Taisho period (大正 Taishō, lit. ... The Hobomai Rocks (Russian: Хабомай (Khabomai), Japanese: ??? (Habomai)) are a group of islets in the very south end of the Kuril Islands. ... Uruppu (得撫島, urupputou) is one of the Kuril Islands to the north of Japan. ... Nemuro (Japanese: 根室市; -shi, Ainu: Ni mu oro) is a city and port located in Nemuro, Hokkaido. ...

Each village had a district forestry system, a marine product examination center, salmon hatchery, post office, police station, elementary school, Shinto temple, and other public facilities. In 1930, 8,300 people lived on Kunashiri island and 6,000 on Etorofu island, and most of them were engaged in coastal and high sea fishing. Kunashir Island (国後島:Kunashiri in Japanese, Кунашир (Kunashir) in Russian, Black Island in Ainu language), a southwestern island of the Kuril Islands, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of the Russian Federation. ...

There were 17,291 Japanese islanders on the Kurils.

Kuril during WW2

• Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku ordered the meeting of the Imperial Japanese Navy Strike force for the Hawaii Operation (Pearl Harbor Attack), during November 22, 1941 in Tankan or Hittokappu Bay, in Etorofu Island, South Kurils. The territory was chosen for its sparse population, lack of foreigners, and constant fog coverage. The Admiral ordered the move to Hawaii on the morning of November 26.

• During July 10, 1943, occurred the first bombardment against Shumushu and Paramushiro Japanese bases. From Alexai airfield 8 B-25 Mitchell from 77th Bomb. Sqdn. took off led by Capt. James L. Hudelson. This mission struck Paramushiro bases principally.

• Another mission, was flown during September 11, 1943, when Eleventh Air Force dispatched eight B-24 Liberators and 12 B-25s. But now the Japanese were alert and reinforced their defenses. 74 crew members in three B-24s and seven B-25 failed to return. Twenty two men were killed in action, one taken prisoner and 51 interned in Kamchatka, Russia.

• 11th Air Force implement other bombing mission against northern Kurils in February 5, 1944, when envoyed six B-24 from 404th Bomber Sqdn. and 16 P-38 from 54th Fighter Sqdn.

• Japanese report why in Matsuwa, military installations were subject of American air strikes between 1943–44.

• The Americans' "Operation Wedlock", diverted Japanese attention north and misled them about U.S. strategy in the Pacific. The plan included air strikes by USAAF and US Navy Bombers and U.S. Navy shore bombardment and submarine operations. Japanese increased their garrison in north Kurils from 8,000 in 1943 to 41,000 in 1944 and maintained more than 400 aircraft in Kurils and Hokkaidō area in anticipation that the Americans might invade from Alaska.

• Americans planners had briefly contemplated an invasion of northern Japan from Aleutians during fall of 1943, but rejected that idea as too risky and impractical. They considered the use of Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, on Amchitka and Shemya Bases, but rejected that idea too. U.S. military maintained interest in these plans when they ordered the expansion of bases in the western Aleutians, and major construction began on Shemya. Plans were put on the shelf for a possible invasion of Japan via the Northern route in 1945.

• In August 18–31, Soviet forces invaded the North and South Kurils. The entire Japanese civilian population of roughly 17,000 was expelled until 1946.<http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/globalconcerns/myweb2/Kuril%20Islands.htm>

• Between August 24 and September 4 1945, the Eleventh Air Force of the United States Air Force sent two B-24's on reconnaissance missions over North Kuril Islands with intention to take photos of the Soviet occupation in the area. Soviet fighters intercepted and forced them away, a foretaste of the Cold war that lay ahead.

Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku Yamamoto (&#23665;&#26412; &#20116;&#21313;&#20845; Yamamoto Isoroku) (April 4, 1884 - April 18, 1943) was the outstanding Japanese naval commander of World War II. Family background Yamamoto was born Isoroku Takano (&#39640;&#37326; &#20116;&#21313;&#20845; Takano Isoroku) in Nagaoka in Niigata. ... For Combined Fleet, please see that article. ... Attack on Pearl Harbor Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date December 7, 1941 Place Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Result Japanese victory On the morning of December 7, 1941, planes and midget submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy commanded by Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, carried out a surprise assault on the... Tankan (&#30701;&#35251;), a shorthand for kigy&#333; tanki keizai kansoku ch&#333;sa (&#20225;&#26989;&#30701;&#26399;&#32076;&#28168;&#35251;&#28204;&#35519;&#26619;, lit. ... Iturup (Ainu &#12452;&#12488;&#12442;&#12523;&#12791;&#12442;; Japanese &#25246;&#25417;&#23798;, Etorofu; Russian &#1048;&#1090;&#1091;&#1088;&#1091;&#1087;) is the biggest island of the Kuriles, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. ... Shumshu is the northernmost island of the Kuril Islands group. ... Paramushir or Paramushiro is the second largest of the Kuril Islands, lying near the north of the archipelago. ... The North American B-25 Mitchell (NA-62) was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. ... The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber that was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft during World War II and still holds the record as the most produced allied aircraft. ... B-25 Mitchell, England, 2001 B_25 Mitchell was a twin_engined, medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation in the United States and used during World War II. By the time production of the plane ended, roughly 10,000 had been built, including PBJ_1 Navy Patrol Bomber and an F-10... Kamchatka Oblast, an oblast in Russia. ... Royal Canadian Air Force B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft, and was used by most of the Allied air forces in World War II. Designed as a heavy bomber, it served with distinction not only in that... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... For the political history of the sovereignty conflict, see Kuril Islands dispute. ...   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ... Official language(s) None[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ... Looking down the Aleutians from an airplane. ... The Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Boeing Model 341/345) was a four-engine heavy bomber flown by the United States Army Air Force. ... Amchitka is a volcanic, tectonically unstable island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. ... Landsat image of Shemya Island. ... For the political history of the sovereignty conflict, see Kuril Islands dispute. ... Royal Canadian Air Force B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft, and was used by most of the Allied air forces in World War II. Designed as a heavy bomber, it served with distinction not only in that... The Kuril Islands The Kuril Islands (Russian: &#1050;&#1091;&#1088;&#1080;&#769;&#1083;&#1100;&#1089;&#1082;&#1080;&#1077; &#1086;&#1089;&#1090;&#1088;&#1086;&#1074;&#1072;&#769;), also known as Kurile Islands, stretch northeast from Hokkaido, Japan, to Kamchatka, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. ... Soviet redirects here. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...

Current Situation and the Economy

Main village in Shikotan

Today, roughly 16,800 people (ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Tatars, Koreans, Nivkhs, Oroch, and Ainu) inhabit the Kuril Islands. About half of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the regional administration. Fishing is the primary occupation. The islands have strategic and economic value, in terms of fisheries and also mineral deposits of pyrite, sulfur, and various polymetallic ores. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 564 pixelsFull resolution (1994 × 1407 pixel, file size: 974 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to ja. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 564 pixelsFull resolution (1994 × 1407 pixel, file size: 974 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to ja. ... This article is about the people. ... The Nivkhs (also Nivkh or Gilyak; ethnonym: Nivxi; language, нивхгу - Nivxgu) are an indigenous people inhabiting the region of the region of the Amur River estuary and on nearby Sakhalin Island. ... Orochs or orochons is a small people of Russia that speak the Oroch (Orochon) dialect of the Southern group of Tungusic languages. ... Ainu IPA: /ʔáınu/) (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, northern Honshū, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ... The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is iron sulfide, FeS2. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... Primarily used in chemistry or mining, polymetal or polymetallic refers to a substance comprised of a combination of different metals. ... An ore is a mineral deposit containing a metal or other valuable resource in economically viable concentrations. ...

In recent times the economic rise of Russia has been seen on the Kurils too. The most visible sign of improvement is the new construction in infrastructure. Construction workers are now working vigorously to build a pier and a breakwater in Kitovy Bay, central Iturup, where barges are still a major means of transport sailing between the cove and ships anchored offshore. A new road has been carved through the woods near Kurilisk, the island's biggest village, going to the site of an airport scheduled to open in 2010 at a cost of 1.26 billion rubles (US$44 million).

Gidrostroy, the Kurils' biggest business group with interests in fishing as well as construction and real estate, built its second fish processing factory on Iturup island in 2006, introducing a state-of-the-art conveyor system.

To deal with a rise in the demand of electricity, the local government is also upgrading a state-run geothermal power plant at Mount Baransky, an active volcano, where steam and hot water were erupting right and left. (reference - http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/2007/09/15/122630/Islands-disputed.htm )

Atlasov Island

The second northernmost, Atlasov Island (Araido to the Japanese), is an almost perfect volcanic cone rising sheer out of the sea, and has led to many Japanese eulogies in haiku, wood-block prints, etc., extolling its beauty, much as they do the more well-known Mt. Fuji. Atlasov Island from space, September 1992 Atlasov Island Located at 50°50′ N 155°30′ E , Atlasov Island, known in Japanese as Oyakoba, is the northernmost island of the Kuril islands, part of the Sakhalin Oblast in Russia. ... Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska photographed from the International Space Station For other uses, see Volcano (disambiguation). ... For the operating system, see Haiku (operating system). ... A woodcut is a method of printing in which an image is carved into the surface of a piece of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with chisels. ... Mount Fuji (&#23500;&#22763;&#23665; Fuji-san, IPA: [&#632;u&#669;isa&#628;]) is the highest mountain on the island of Honshu and indeed in all of Japan. ...

On January 13, 2007, an earthquake of magnitude 8.3 generated an alert of tsunami. January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude ML scale, assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. ... For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ...

Islands

While in Russian sources the islands are mentioned for the first time in 1646, the earliest detailed information about them was provided by the explorer Vladimir Atlasov in 1697. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Kuril Islands were explored by Danila Antsiferov, I.Kozyrevsky, Ivan Yevreinov, Fyodor Luzhin, Martin Shpanberg, Adam Johann von Krusenstern, Vasily Golovnin, and Henry James Snow. 1646 (MDCXLVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Vladimir Vasilyevich Atlasov (according to some accounts, Otlasov) (Russian: )(born between 1661 and 1664—died in 1711), Russian explorer, Siberian Cossack. ... Events September 11 - Battle of Zenta, Prince Eugene of Savoy crushed Ottoman army of Mustafa II September 20 - The Treaty of Ryswick December 2 – St Pauls Cathedral opened in London Peter the Great travels in Europe officially incognito as artilleryman Pjotr Mikhailov Use of palanquins increases in Europe Christopher... Danila Yakovlevich Antsiferov (Данила Яковлевич Анциферов in Russian) (? - 1712) was a Russian explorer. ... Ivan Mikhailovich Yevreinov (Иван Михайлович Евреинов in Russian) (1694 - February 3 O.S. 1724) was a Russian geodesist and explorer. ... Fyodor Fyodorovich Luzhin (Федор Федорович Лужин in Russian) (? - 1727) was a Russian geodesist and cartographer. ... Martin Petrovich Shpanberg (d. ... Ivan Kruzenstern Adam Johann Ritter von (knight of) Krusenstern (born November 19, 1770 in Hagudi, close to Rapla, in the Russian province of Estonia, died August 24, 1846 in Reval, now Tallinn, Estonia) was the Baltic German admiral and explorer in Russian Service who in 1803-1806 led the first... Vasily (Vassili) Mikhailovich Golovnin (&#1043;&#1086;&#1083;&#1086;&#1074;&#1085;&#1080;&#1085;, &#1042;&#1072;&#1089;&#1080;&#1083;&#1080;&#1081; &#1052;&#1080;&#1093;&#1072;&#1081;&#1083;&#1086;&#1074;&#1080;&#1095; in Russian) (4. ...

From north to south, the main islands are (alternative names given in parentheses are mainly Japanese):

North Kurils (Kita-chishima / 北千島)

Atlasov Island — second northernmost island of the Kurils, viewed from space

• Shumshu (Shumushu / 占守島)
• Atlasov (Araido / 阿頼度島)
• Paramushir (Paramushiru, Horomushiro / 幌筵島)
• Antsiferov (Shirinki / 志林規島)
• Makanrushi (Makanru / 磨勘留島)
• Onekotan (Onnekotan / 温禰古丹島)
• Kharimkotan (Harimukotan, Harumukotan / 春牟古丹島)
• Ekarma (Ekaruma / 越渇磨島)
• Chirinkotan (知林古丹島)
• Shiashkotan (Shasukotan / 捨子古丹島)
• Raikoke (雷公計島)
• Matua (Matsuwa, Matsua / 松輪島)
• Rasshua or Rasshya (Rasutsuwa, Rashowa, Rasuwa / 羅処和島)
• Ushishir (Ushishiru / 宇志知島)
• Ketoy (Ketoi / 計吐夷島)
• Simushir (Shimushiru, Shinshiru / 新知島)
• Broutona (Buroton, Makanruru / 武魯頓島)
• Chirpoy (Chirihoi, Chieruboi / 知理保以島)
• Brat Chirpoyev (Chirihoinan / 知理保以南島)
• Urup (Uruppu / 得撫島)

South Kurils (Minami-chishima / 南千島) ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (639x639, 100 KB) Atlasov Island, Kuril Islands, Russia - September 1992 image description here File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (639x639, 100 KB) Atlasov Island, Kuril Islands, Russia - September 1992 image description here File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Atlasov Island from space, September 1992 Atlasov Island Located at 50°50′ N 155°30′ E , Atlasov Island, known in Japanese as Oyakoba, is the northernmost island of the Kuril islands, part of the Sakhalin Oblast in Russia. ... Layers of Atmosphere - not to scale (NOAA)[1] Outer space, sometimes simply called space, refers to the relatively empty regions of the universe outside the atmospheres of celestial bodies. ... Shumshu is the northernmost island of the Kuril Islands group. ... Atlasov Island from space, September 1992 Atlasov Island Located at 50°50′ N 155°30′ E , Atlasov Island, known in Japanese as Oyakoba, is the northernmost island of the Kuril islands, part of the Sakhalin Oblast in Russia. ... Paramushir or Paramushiro is the second largest of the Kuril Islands, lying near the north of the archipelago. ... Antsiferov Island (Russian: ) also known as Shirinki (Russian: ) is a small, uninhabited island in the Kuril Islands group. ... Makanrushi is a small island in northern part of the Kuril Islands, consisting of a dormant or extinct stratovolcano which rises to 1,169 m (3,835 ft) above sea level. ... Onekotan Island (centre) from space, October 1994 Onekotan Island, located near the northern end of the Kuril Islands (49°30′ N 154°30′ E), is another volcanic island that is part of the Ring of Fire that encircles the Pacific Ocean. ... Kharimkotan is a volcanic island lying 13 km from Onekotan in the Kuril Islands group. ... Ekarma is a volcanic island in northern portion of the Kuril Islands. ... Chirinkotan is a small island with an area of 6 km² in the Kuril Islands group, 25km from Ekarma. ... Shiashkotan seen from space Shiashkotan (Russian: ) is a volcanic island, part of Kuril Islands in Russia, located at . ... Raikoke is a small volcanic island, part of Kuril Islands in Russia, located at . ... Matua Island Matua (Russian: ) or Matsuwa is an island in the central Kuril Islands archipelago. ... Rasshua is a volcanic island located in the central Kuril Islands, Russia. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Ketoy (also known as Ketoi) is a volcanic island located in the centre of the Kuril Islands. ... Simushir (Russian: ) is a volcanic island, part of Kuril Islands in Russia, located at . ... Broutona is a small island with an area of 7 km² northern part of the Southern Kuril Islands. ... Chirpoy is the name of twin volcanic islands, Chirpoy and Brat Chirpoev, in the Kuril Islands group. ... Chirpoy is the name of twin volcanic islands, Chirpoy and Brat Chirpoev, in the Kuril Islands group. ... Urup (Japanese 得撫島, Uruppu) is one of the Kuril Islands to the north of Japan. ...

Signalny Rock, viewed from Cape Nosappu, Japan

• Iturup (Etorofu / 択捉島)
• Kunashir (Kunashiri / 国後島)
• Shikotan (色丹島)
• Khabomai Rocks (Habomai Shotō / 歯舞諸島)
  • Moneron (Kaiba / 海馬島)
  • Polonskogo (Taraku / 多楽島)
  • Zelyoni (Shibotsu / 志発島)
  • Yuri (勇留島)
  • Anuchina (Akiyuri / 秋勇留島)
  • Kharkar (Harukaru / 春苅島)
  • Tanfilyeva (Suishō / 水晶島)
  • Signalny (Kaigara / 貝殻島)

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... Iturup (Russian Итуруп; Ainu エト・オロ・プ; Japanese 択捉島, Etorofu) is the largest island of the Kuriles, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. ... Kunashir Island (&#22269;&#24460;&#23798;:Kunashiri in Japanese, &#1050;&#1091;&#1085;&#1072;&#1096;&#1080;&#1088; (Kunashir) in Russian, Black Island in Ainu language), a southwestern island of the Kuril Islands, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of the Russian Federation. ... Shikotan (色丹島) (Shikotan in Japanese, Шикотан in Russian), one of the bigger islands of the Kuril Islands, located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. ... The Khabomai Rocks (Russian: Хабомаи (Khabomai), Japanese: 歯舞諸島 (Habomai Shotō)) are a group of islets in the southernmost Kuril Islands. ... The island Yuri (Iurii) is part of the Russian Kuril Islands. ...

See also

• Chishima Province
• Karafuto
• Organization of Hokkai(North) Army
• Organization of Kita and Minami Fortresses
• Governor-General of Karafuto
• Political Division of Karafuto Province(1905-1945)
• Organization of Karafuto Fortress
• Evacuation of Karafuto and Kuriles

Chishima (千島国, -no kuni) was a province of Japan created during the Meiji Era. ... Sakhalin (Russian: ), also Saghalien, is a large elongated island in the North Pacific, lying between 45° 50 and 54° 24 N. It is part of the Russian Federation and is its largest island. ... Organization of Hokkai(North)Army Commander in North Army Kiichiro Higuchi:-Commanding General,Northern District Army, Commanding General,Northern Army,Commanding General, Fifth Area Army, concurrently Commanding General, Northern District Army Command,with Headquarters in Sapporo,Hokkaido Commander of Regular Armies in North Army Juichiro Mineki:-Commander of 88th Division... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Political Division of Karafuto Province(1905-1945) If the basic inner political division of Karafuto Ken(Province) under Japanese Government administration period (1905-1945): // Karafuto Province Metropolitan Prefecture of Toyohara Capital:Toyohara Metropolitan District of Toyohara Capital:Toyohara Metropolitan County Toyohara-machi(capital:Toyohara) Ootomari Prefecture Capital:Ootomari Ootomari District... Organization of Karafuto Fortress: This if the national defensive unit,conformed by Karafuto fortification instalations, and Karafuto detachment forces unit,the 88th Division. ... The evacuation of Karafuto and the Kuriles refers to the events that took place as the Japanese population left these areas, to the north-west of the main islands of Japan, in August 1945. ...

External links

• http://depts.washington.edu/ikip/index.shtml (Kuril Island Biocomplexity Project)
• Kuril Islands at Ocean Dots.com (includes space imagery)
• Kuril Islands at Natural Heritage Protection Fund
• http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/index.htm
• http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/russia/territory/index.html
• Chishima: Frontiers of San Francisco Treaty in Hokkaido Short film on the disputed islands from a Japanese perspective
• Talking Borders Queen's University Belfast online audio archive
• USGS Map showing location of Magnitude 8.3 Earthquake 46.616°N, 153.224°E Kuril Islands region, 2006 November 15 11:14:16 UTC

Coordinates: 46°30′N, 151°30′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...