How close is Russia to Alaska

Answer:

The narrowest distance between mainland Russia and mainland Alaska is approximately 55 miles. However, in the body of water between Alaska and Russia, known as the Bering Strait, there lies two small islands known as Big Diomede and Little Diomede. Interestingly enough, Big Diomede is owned by Russia while Little Diomede is owned by the US. The stretch of water between these two islands is only about 2.5 miles wide and actually freezes over during the winter so you could technically walk from the US to Russia on this seasonal sea ice.

To learn more about the Russian history in Alaska, please visit Sitka National Historical Park and Old Sitka State Historical Park. 

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.

Where are the United States and Russia the Closest Geographically?

The closest geographic point between the borders of the United States and Russia lies in the Bering Strait located in the Pacific Ocean.  

Located between midland Siberia and the state of Alaska are two small islands. The Chukchi Sea lies to the north and the Bering Sea to the south.

Separating the two islands is the International Date Line (IDL) which is also the border between Russia and the United States.  

A mere 2.4 miles (3.8 kilometers) separates the two islands.  

The larger island is known as Big Diomedes is the easternmost point in Russia.  The smaller island is known as Little Diomedes and is within the United States’ border.

Little Diomedes is  0.6 kilometers (0.4 mi) from the International Date Line. Big Diomedes is 1.3 kilometers (0.81 mi) west of the IDL.

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.

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.

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.

During the winter months, an ice bridge spans the two islands although travel between the two is not allowed. The ice retreats northward by the summer and the waters during the summer are completely ice free.

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.).

Big Diomedes has no permanent residents but the island houses a Russian weather station. Big Diomedes is the easternmost point in Russia.

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Do you know how far is Alaska from Russia? Alaska and Russia are parted by the Bering Strait. It is approximately 55 miles from the narrowest point of the barrier. Big Diomede Island and Little Diomede Island are the two islands in Russia administered by the United States because they extend to the eastern hemisphere. These two islands are in the middle of the Bering Strait. These two Diomede islands decrease the distance separating Russia and Alaska. The difference between these two Diomede islands is just three miles (4.8 kilometers).

How Far Is Alaska From Russia

Alaska is a big country. From east to west, Alaska covers a lot of ground, making the distance between Russia and Alaska bigger. However, the closest distance between mainland Alaska and mainland Russia is only 55 miles. The distance is even shorter from Russia’s Big Diomede Island and the U.S’s Little Diomede Island and is just 2.4 miles.

If one measure from Alaska’s southeastern border near Annette to the most southern point on Russia’s west coast, near Botchinsky State Nature, Preserve, the distance is 3,700 miles.

However, the area between Russia and Alaska is covered by two water bodies of the Pacific Ocean, The Bering Sea, and some parts of the Chukchi Sea. The Pacific Ocean’s northernmost part is the Bering Sea, and it splits into a shallower area both in the north and east. In the south and the west, it has a deep section. Direct access from the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean is given by the Bering Strait.

Moreover, in the northernmost Russian territory and the Alaska territory lies the Chukchi Sea. The icy water in between both Russia and Alaska remains frozen for much of the year. The waterbody between Alaska and Russia is only navigable between July and October. There are not many landmasses or islands between Alaska and Russia. Only Wrangel Island is the most prominent one of Russia from Alaska. These are the only small islands available near the middle of America.

There are many facts that you should know about the crossing from Russia to Alaska.

1. The Bering Strait Crossing

The Bering Strait bridge can be used to move from Russia to Alaska. This bridge shares some portion of it with the Bering Strait crossing and the rest with the two Diomede Islands on the eastern side. This gives a link between Russia and Alaska. The connecting points for the two islands from Russia are Chukotka and the Seward Peninsula from Alaska. The Kamchatka peninsula is across the borders of the ocean and is the nearest to the Seward Peninsula. This results in a single bridge of about 40 kilometers (20 miles) from mainland Alaska to these Diomede islands.

2. Traveling by Air from Alaska to Russia

The distance between the airports of Russia and Alaska is almost 2,949 miles. It can be almost 5.27 hours of the journey, even if the airplane travels at a speed of 560 miles per hour. If someone travels from Vladivostok in Russia to Provideniya or Vancouver in Canada, they can board a plane from Nome in Alaska. The map of Alaska and China has measured 5,277 km from Alaska to Vladivostok.

3. Can You See Russia from Alaska

Russian region from Alaska region can be seen from Big Diomede Island to Little Diomede Island. The mainland of Russia can also be seen clearly from Big Diomede Island on a bright clear day. From the high elevation points of Cape Prince of Wales, located in the westernmost point of Alaska, you can see a glimpse of mainland Siberia.

It will be a distant view from over 50 miles, but it is proof that you can see Russian land from Alaska land. Sarah Palin admitted that Russia is their next-door neighbor, and Russian land can be seen from an island in Alaska southwest of Diomedes.

Can Anyone Reach Russia by Swimming or By Driving

One can easily swim from Russia to Alaska. To date, many people have done it. Lynne Cox is known for being the first person to swim between the USA and the Soviet region. Her act was a gesture to the world for Cold World War-Era peace. She swam across the Big and Little Diomede Islands in 1987.

Lynne Cox reached Russia from Alaska in just two hours in 38-degree water.

Can you drive from Russia to Alaska? The answer is simply no. The Bering Strait is a lot shallow for more than 50 meters deep. However, it is not shallow enough to tackle in a car or truck. But, long ago, about 10,000 years ago, it was a different story.

After the end of the last Ice Age, the water levels dropped about hundreds of feet as the water froze into the massive ice glaciers. Due to this, the massive seafloor was exposed between modern-day Russia and Alaska. In recent days, it created a land bridge that scientists believe can migrate humans to America. So, unless you have an off-road vehicle, it is impossible to drive between Alaska and Russia. However, if you want to reach the Asian continent in your car, you can load your car to a ship and sail across the other side of the city.

There are no official immigration officers in either of the continent’s borders. So, if you walk into the countries, there will be no one to check you in or out of the countries.

Summary

To travel more into Russia, you need to get Travel Permission from Chukotka Autonomous Region, far from the eastern part of Russia. After you get permission from this region, you can only travel to Russia and explore the area. You can get your answer for How far is Alaska from Russia only after you reach this part of the world with a valid document.

If you walk to the countries, kayak, or swim across the Bering Strait, you will be arrested on the opposite side and deported from the country you arrived at. These two countries of the north are known to patrol their borders with dogs. So. I guess no one wants to meet these dogs of the north after a 55-mile swim and a long way walk.

However, you can cross the two islands on foot in the winter season. An ice bridge connects the two islands during the winter season, allowing travelers to cross it on foot.

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