Unimak Island
| Native name: Unimax[1] | |
|---|---|
 Unimak Island from space, September 1992 (viewed from Shuttle Endeavour on STS-47) | |
  | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Northern Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 54°46′06″N 164°11′12″W / 54.76833°N 164.18667°W |
| Archipelago | Aleutian Islands |
| Area | 1,571.41 sq mi (4,069.9 km2) |
| Length | 95 km (59 mi) |
| Width | 116 km (72.1 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 9,373 ft (2,856.9 m) |
| Highest point | Mount Shishaldin |
| Country | |
|
United States | |
| State |
 Alaska |
| Borough | Aleutians East |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 64 (as of 2000) |
| Density | 0.02 /km2 (0.05 /sq mi) |
Unimak Island (Aleut: Unimax[1]) is the largest island in the Aleutian Islands chain of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the easternmost island in the Aleutians and, with an area of 1,571.41 mi² (4,069.9 km²), the ninth largest island in the United States and the 134th largest island in the world. It is home to Mount Shishaldin, one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. According to the United States Census Bureau, there were 64 people living on Unimak as of the 2000 census, all of them in the city of False Pass at the eastern end of the island. Cape Lutke is a headland on the island.
An interesting physical feature is Fisher Caldera, a volcanic crater in the west-central part of Unimak. Some characteristics include many volcanic cones and undrained lakes. It is named for Bernard Fisher, a U.S. Geological Survey geologist who was killed in Umnak Pass.
As a faunal extension of the Alaska Peninsula, Unimak has a relatively diverse assemblage of terrestrial mammals, including brown bears and caribou. West of Unimak, the largest native mammal in the Aleutians is the red fox.
Scotch Cap Lighthouse was built in 1903[2] and was manned by the U. S. Coast Guard. On April 1, 1946, during the 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake, the lighthouse was struck by a tsunami. Even though the lighthouse was 98 feet (30 m) above the sea, the lighthouse slid into the sea, killing five Coast Guard personnel.[3]
Airports
See also
References
- Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bergsland, K. (1994). Aleut Dictionary. Fairbanks: Alaska Native Language Center.
- ↑ http://www.titanic-nautical.com/Lighthouses-AK-Scotch-Cap.html
- ↑ DrGeorgePC website with photos
- Further reading
- Titanic and Nautical Resource Center
- Unimak Island: Blocks 1046 thru 1049 and 1055 thru 1065, Census Tract 1, Aleutians East Borough, Alaska United States Census Bureau
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Unimak Island. |
Coordinates: 54°46′06″N 164°11′12″W / 54.76833°N 164.18667°W