Wrangell Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the Alaskan island. For the Russian island, see Wrangel Island.

Wrangell Island is an island in the Alexander Archipelago in the Alaska Panhandle of southeastern Alaska. The island is 48 km (30 miles) long and 8–23 km (3–14 miles) wide. It has a land area of 544.03 km² (210.05 sq mi). It is separated from the mainland by a narrow strip of water which is known as the Blake Channel.

This island is named after Ferdinand Wrangell, a Russian explorer and government official.

The island contains the city of Wrangell, Alaska. Wrangell Island is heavily forested and contains an abundance of wildlife. The only other community is Thoms Place on the island's southwest side, across the Zimovia Strait from Etolin Island. Wrangell Island's total population was 2,401 at the 2000 census.

The island and surrounding areas also contain many recreational areas. The island is located at the mouth of the Stikine River, which provides many of the recreational opportunites in the area.