Big Diomede Island

Big Diomede Island, Russia's farthest eastern point, is only a two-mile swim away in the center of the Bering Strait. Big Diomede Island belongs to Chukotka, according to a Russian Federation order, although there are no local population left, only a Russian border guard base. The locals were largely Eskimos fifty years ago, who afterwards moved to Chukotka's mainland or the American island.

On The Big Diomede Island, one of the region's largest bird sanctuaries, with over 4 million specimens, is found.

Iupiat were the first people to live on the island. "The people of the Diomede and King Islands are Inupiat," according to the First Alaskans Institute.

In 1648, Russian adventurer Semyon Dezhnyov became the first European to reach the islands. In August 16, 1728, Vitus Bering landed on the Diomede Islands, the day the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates the martyr St. Diomede.

Location: Bering Strait

Area: 29 km²