Unalaska Island facts for kids
|
Native name:
Nawan-Alaxsxa
|
|
|---|---|
Map of the island
|
|
 Unalaska
Location in Alaska
Unalaska in Alaska
|
|
| Geography | |
| Location | Aleutian island archipelago, United states and Russia |
| Coordinates | 53°40′24″N 166°38′54″W / 53.67333°N 166.64833°W |
| Archipelago | Fox Islands |
| Major islands | Unalaska |
| Area | 1,051 sq mi (2,720 km2) |
| Length | 128 km (79.5 mi) |
| Width | 56 km (34.8 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 6,680 ft (2,036 m) |
| Highest point | Mount Makushin |
| Administration | |
|
United States
|
|
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Aleutians West Census Area |
| Largest settlement | Unalaska, Alaska (pop. 4432) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 5,638 (2019) |
| Pop. density | 1.83 /km2 (4.74 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Aleut and other Native Alaskan groups |
Unalaska (Aleut: Nawan-Alaxsxa, Russian: Уналашка) is a volcanic island. It is part of the Fox Islands group. These islands are in the Aleutian Islands chain. Unalaska is located in the US state of Alaska.
The island covers about 1,051 square miles (2,722 square kilometers). It is about 79 miles (128 km) long and 35 miles (56 km) wide. The city of Unalaska, Alaska is partly on this island. It also covers all of nearby Amaknak Island. The important Port of Dutch Harbor is on Amaknak Island. In 2000, about 1,759 people lived on Unalaska Island. This number does not include Amaknak Island.
Unalaska is the second-largest island in the Fox Islands. It is also the second-largest in the Aleutian Islands. Unalaska's coastline looks very different from other Aleutian Islands. It has many inlets (narrow arms of the sea) and peninsulas (land almost surrounded by water). Three long, deep bays cut into the coast. These are Beaver Inlet, Unalaska Bay, and Makushin Bay. There are also many smaller bays and coves.
The land on Unalaska is rough and has many mountains. For most of the year, snow covers the higher parts of the island. The highest point on Unalaska is an active volcano. It is called Mount Makushin.
The name Unalaska comes from the Aleut language. There are a few ideas about where the name came from. The most likely idea is that it comes from the Russian word Ounalashka. This Russian word is an old version of the Aleut word nawan Alaskax. This means "near the mainland."
History of Unalaska Island
Native people called Unangan or Aleuts have lived on Unalaska for at least 10,000 years. The first Westerners to see the island arrived in 1741. They were led by Vitus Bering. By 1759, about 3,000 Aleuts lived on Unalaska island.
A Russian settlement was built in 1759. But four years later, the Aleuts destroyed it. They also destroyed four merchant ships. About 162 Russian settlers died in these attacks. The people who survived stayed until 1764. Then, other Russians rescued them. This event led to serious conflicts where many Aleuts lost their lives. By 1787, many Aleut seal hunters were forced to work for the Russian American Company. They had to hunt seals for their fur. By 1840, only 200 to 400 Aleuts still lived on the island.
In 1788, two Spanish explorers visited the coast of Alaska. They were Esteban José Martínez and Gonzalo López de Haro. They explored as far as Unalaska Island. This was the farthest west the Spanish ever explored in that area.
Also in 1788, the English explorer James Cook visited the island. He wrote its name as Oonalashka in his journal.
On May 31, 1988, in Moscow, President Ronald Reagan spoke about Unalaska. He mentioned how Americans and Russians met on the island in the 1800s. He used this as an example of early friendship between the US and Russia.
On December 8, 2004, a Malaysian cargo ship called Selendang Ayu ran aground. This happened off Unalaska Island. It caused a large oil spill.
Unalaska is also the setting for Cindy Dyson's novel And She Was. The book shares much of the island's interesting Aleutian history.
Images for kids
-
The City of Unalaska, Alaska
-
Unalaska Island in 1972
-
Selendang Ayu ran aground off Unalaska in 2004, spilling approximately 350,000 gallons of oil
See also
In Spanish: Isla Unalaska para niños
