There exists a geographic point where two of the largest countries in the world are separated by less than three miles.
Russia (ranked as the largest country in the world at 6,601,670 square miles) and the United States (ranked as the fourth largest country in the world at 3,677,649 square miles) are only separated by a short distance but time wise are 21 hours apart.
How close is the United States to Russia?
How far apart the United States is to Russia varies depending on whether you look at the distance between the mainlands or look at the distance between ocean islands belonging to either country. Alaska is the U.S. state that is closest to Russia.
Distance between mainland Alaska and mainland Russia
The closest distance between mainland Alaska and mainland Russia is approximately 53 miles (85 kilometers) across the Bering Strait. This narrow body of water separates peninsulas of the two countries, connecting the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean.
The westerly tip of Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula and the easterly tip of Alaska’s Seward Peninsula are the geographic parts of both countries’ mainlands that are closest.
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Where is Alaska closest to Russia?
The closest geographic midpoint between the borders of the United States and Russia is in the Bering Strait, located in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, just south of the Chukchi Sea.
This geographic point lies between the two islands that are the closest lands between the United States and Russia. Known as the Diomede Islands, this pair of islands is located between the coast of Alaska, United States, and midland Siberia which is part of Russia.
What is the shortest distance from the United States to Russia?
Little Diomede belongs to the United States, and Big Diomede is part of Russia, separated by a mere 2.4 miles (3.8 kilometers).
This area is the closest country to the United States without sharing a border. Big Diomedes in Russia is only 40 kilometers (25 miles) from mainland Alaska.
The International Date Line (IDL) runs between these islands, marking an international boundary. Big Diomede, the larger island, is the easternmost point of Russia, located 1.3 kilometers (0.81 miles) west of the IDL. Little Diomede, the smaller island, is within the United States’ border, situated 0.6 kilometers (0.4 miles) from the IDL.
Separated by 21 Hours During Standard Time
Since the IDL separates the two islands, they are also referred to as Tomorrow Island and Yesterday Isle. Tomorrow Island (Big Diomedes) is 21 hours ahead of Yesterday Isle (Little Diomedes) during standard time although some people erroneously think these two islands are separated by 23 hours.
The reason for the 21-hour time difference is because Little Diomede is in the same timezone as mainland Alaska which is UTC (coordinated universal time) minus 9 hrs (although during daylight saving time the time offset of Alaska is eight hours). Big Diomede is in the Kamchatka time zone which is UTC+12. So, during standard time, this would be -9 – 12 which equals to a 21-hour difference.
Who were the Diomede Islands Named After?
The islands were named after the Greek saint Diomede by Danish-Russian navigator Vitus Bering who sighted the islands on August 16, 1728, the feast day of the saint.
Populations of Little Diomede and Big Diomede islands
Based on the 2010 US Census, about 115 Inupiat people live on the western shore of Little Diomedes in the village of Diomedes (also known as Iŋaliq.). The island is known for its rugged and mountainous terrain, as well as its unique location at the edge of the Arctic Ocean.
Big Diomedes has no permanent residents but the island houses a Russian weather station. Big Diomedes is the easternmost point in Russia. The island is also known for its rugged terrain and extreme climate, with harsh winds and freezing temperatures year-round.
Political Separation of the Diomede Islands
The political separation occurred when the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 and a new border was drawn between the two islands. During the Cold War, the section of the Bering Straight that passes between the two islands was nicknamed the “Ice Curtain”.
About 52 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the islands have a mild temperature during the summer months, averaging about 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. During the winter, temperatures dip below freezing, averaging 6 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Only geographic place where you could technically walk from the United States to Russia
During the winter months, an ice bridge spans the two islands although travel between the two is not allowed. The seasonal ice retreats northward by the summer and the waters during the summer are completely ice free.
This article was originally written on July 3, 2024 and has since been updated.
