Revillagigedo Island facts for kids
 Revillagigedo
Location in Alaska
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| Geography | |
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| Coordinates | 55°38′03″N 131°17′51″W / 55.63417°N 131.29750°W |
| Archipelago | Alexander Archipelago |
| Area | 1,063.65 sq mi (2,754.8 km2) |
| Length | 50 mi (80 km) |
| Width | 35 mi (56 km) |
| Highest elevation | 4,592 ft (1,399.6 m) |
| Highest point | Mt. Reid |
| Administration | |
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United States
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| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Ketchikan Gateway Borough |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 13950 (2000) |
| Pop. density | 5.06 /km2 (13.11 /sq mi) |
Revillagigedo Island, often called Revilla by people living there, is a large island in Alaska, a state in the United States. It is part of a group of islands known as the Alexander Archipelago. This island is located in the southeastern part of Alaska.
It is a big island, stretching about 89 kilometers (50 miles) from north to south. It is also about 48 kilometers (35 miles) wide from east to west. Revillagigedo Island covers an area of over 2,750 square kilometers (1,060 square miles). This makes it one of the largest islands in the United States.
Where is Revillagigedo Island?
Revillagigedo Island is surrounded by water, separating it from other land areas.
- To the east, the Behm Canal separates it from the main part of Alaska.
- To the west, the Clarence Strait lies between it and Prince of Wales Island.
- To the south, the Revillagigedo Channel and Nichols Passage separate it from Annette Island.
A Bit of History
For a long time, Revillagigedo Island was the traditional home of the Tlingit people. By the 1800s, two Tlingit groups, the Saanyaa Ḵwáan and Taantʼa Ḵwáan, lived on different parts of the island.
The first European to see the island was a Spanish explorer named Jacinto Caamaño in 1792. The island got its name the next year from George Vancouver. He named it after Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo. This person was then the viceroy of New Spain, which is now Mexico.
Life on the Island
According to a count in 2000, about 13,950 people lived on Revillagigedo Island. The main cities on the island are Ketchikan and Saxman. There are also smaller communities like Ward Cove and the historic place of Loring.
The people on the island work in several important industries.
- Fishing: Many people work in fishing, catching seafood from the ocean.
- Canning: Fish and other foods are processed and put into cans here.
- Logging: This involves cutting down trees for wood.
- Tourism: Visitors come to see the island's natural beauty.
Some logging communities on the island live on special barges. These barges can move around the waterways. This helps them access different areas of the island where logging roads are located.
See also
In Spanish: Isla de Revillagigedo para niños
