Onekotan, Volcanic island in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia.
Onekotan is a volcanic island in the northwestern Pacific Ocean stretching roughly 42 kilometers, with two large stratovolcanoes as its main features. A flat isthmus connects these two volcanic peaks and shapes the entire geography of the place.
The territory came under Russian Imperial control in 1736 when indigenous Ainu inhabitants adopted the Russian Orthodox faith. This marked the beginning of organized settlements and Russian administrative presence on the island.
The name comes from the Ainu language and refers to a settlement that once stood here before people left the island behind.
Reaching the island requires official permits and proper equipment for what will be a challenging journey. The trip involves a main boat ride followed by a rubber dinghy approach to land on the shore.
Inside the Tao-Rusyr Crater sits the Krenitsyn volcano, rising from the center of Lake Koltsevoye. This lake-within-a-crater formation within a volcano is a rare natural arrangement found in few places globally.
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