Diomede Islands

The Diomede Islands are two small, rocky islands located in the middle of the Bering Strait between mainland Alaska and Siberia. One island, called Big Diomede, belongs to Russia and is part of Chukotka. The other, Little Diomede, belongs to the United States and is part of Alaska. Though close together, these islands are separated by the International Date Line, making Big Diomede almost a full day ahead in time compared to Little Diomede. Because of this unique time difference, Big Diomede is sometimes called “Tomorrow Island,” while Little Diomede is called “Yesterday Island.” These islands offer a fascinating example of how geography and international borders can create interesting differences in time and culture.

Etymology

The Diomede Islands are named after the Greek Saint Diomedes. The islands were first seen by the Danish-born Russian navigator Vitus Bering on August 16, 1728 (according to the Julian calendar), which is celebrated as the saint's day by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Location

The Diomede Islands are two rocky islands that lie very close to each other but are separated by an international border, which also defines the International Date Line in that area. The two islands are about 2.4 miles apart at their closest points.

Big Diomede Island is the easternmost point of Russia. The Diomede Islands are sometimes talked about as possible spots for a bridge or tunnel (Bering Strait crossing) across the Bering Strait. In winter, an ice bridge usually forms between the two islands.

History

The Diomede Islands were once mountaintops in the Bering land bridge. The first European to reach the Bering Strait was the Russian explorer Semyon Dezhnev in 1648. Danish navigator Vitus Bering discovered the islands in 1728, naming them after St. Diomede. In 1732, a Russian geodesist, Mikhail Gvozdev, measured the islands’ location.

The islands mark the boundary between the United States and Russia, set by the 1867 Alaska Purchase. During the Cold War, they were part of the border between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1987, swimmer Lynne Cox swam between the islands, earning praise from leaders of both countries. Today, Little Diomede is home to a small Inupiat community, while Big Diomede is occupied mainly by military personnel.