Shikotan

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Disputed Island
Shikotan
Other names: Russian: Шикотан; Japanese: 色丹島
NASA picture of Shikotan Island
NASA picture of Shikotan Island
Geography
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates 43°48′N 146°45′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 Island conflict). 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 activity is fishery and sea hunting, 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.

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