Big Diomede, Russian island in Bering Strait, Chukotka
Big Diomede is an island in the Bering Strait that covers 29 square kilometers and rises steeply from the water. The cliffs climb up to 505 meters and form a rough coastal profile of rock and snowfields.
When the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, the new border ran between the two islands and divided Inupiat territory. The Cold War then brought Soviet troops who stayed until the end of the Soviet Union.
The Russian name Ratmanow honors a naval officer, while western sources mostly use the English designation. People once lived here until the military closed the island after the Second World War and relocated all inhabitants to the mainland.
The island lies in a military restricted zone and remains closed to visitors, with only weather stations operating here. From Little Diomede 4 kilometers away, you can see the rock walls and the helipad on the northern shore.
The date line separates this island from its American neighbor, so a glance across the strait shows a one day difference. On clear days you can look from a December 21 to a December 20.
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