Shikotan

Disputed island Other names: Russian: Шикотан; Japanese: 色丹島
NASA picture of Shikotan Island
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates	43°48′N 146°45′E / 43.8°N 146.75°E / 43.8; 146.75
Archipelago	Kuril Islands
Total islands	1
Area	225 square kilometres (56,000 acres)
Highest point	Mount Tomari 412 metres (1,350 ft)
Administered by
Russia
Oblast	Sakhalin
Claimed by
Japan
Prefecture	Hokkaidō
Russia
Oblast	Sakhalin

Shikotan, both in Russian (Шикотан) and Japanese (色丹島), and one of the bigger islands of the Kuril Islands, is located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. Although this island is a part of Russia, Japan maintains a claim to it along with the other three southermost Kuril islands (see Kuril Islands dispute). It is one of the islands Russia agreed to transfer to Japan in the event of a peace treaty between the two countries. The name of "Shikotan" derives from the Ainu language and means "land with big communities."

The total land area of Shikotan is 225 km². The island is hilly, averaging 300 meters in elevation. The shores of the island are very indented and covered with oceanic meadows. The highest altitude is 412 m. The island is formed by the volcanic rock and sandstone of the Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic periods. There are two extinct volcanoes on Shikotan: Mount Tomari and Mount Notoro.

Shikotan's Vegetation consists mostly of Sakhalin fir, larch, deciduous trees, bamboo underbrush and juniper brushwood.

There are two Settlements - Malokurilskoye (Formerly Shikotan) and Krabozavodskoye (Formerly Anama).

The primary economic activities are fisheries and fishing, with the principal marine products being cod, crab and kelp.

An earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused major damage on the island's coastline on October 4, 1994.

[edit] See also

• Kuril Islands dispute
• Shikotan District, Hokkaido

[edit] External links

• Kuril Island Network - A volunteer group dedicated to raising awareness of the habitat on the Kurils
• [1] - Satellite image of Shikotan
• Ainu speaker and activist explains the meaning of the South Kuril island names