Unalaska Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Unalaska is an island in the Fox Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska, at 53°54′N 166°32′W. The island has a land area of 2,720.918 km² (1,050.552 mi²). The city of Unalaska, Alaska covers part of the island and all of neighboring Amaknak Island where the Port of Dutch Harbor is located. The population of the island excluding Amaknak (as of the 2000 census) was only 1,759.

The name Unalaska is Aleut. Several theories about its origin exist; most likely is that the name comes from the Aleut word for near the mainland, nawan Alaskax. This is also the Aleut name for the island.

It is the second-largest island in the Fox Islands group and the Aleutian Islands. The coastline is marked with numerous bays and peninsulas. The island's terrain is rugged and covered with mountains.

On December 8, 2004, the Malaysian cargo ship Selendang Ayu ran aground off Unalaska Island, causing a large oil spill.

President Ronald Reagan, in a May 31, 1988, speech in Moscow, mentioned the meeting of Americans and Russians on this island in the 19th century as an example of early U.S.-Russian friendship.