Shikotan

Infobox Disputed Islands
name = Shikotan


image caption = NASA picture of Shikotan Island
image size = 300px
locator

map_custom = yes
native name =
native name link =
other_names = _ru. Шикотан; _ja. 色丹島
location = Pacific Ocean
coordinates = Coord|43|48|N|146|45|E|type:isle|display=inline
archipelago = Kuril Islands
total islands = 1
major islands =
area = convert|225|km2|acre
length =
width =
coastline =
highest mount = Mount Tomari
elevation = convert|412|m|ft
country claim = Japan
country claim divisions title = Prefecture
country claim divisions = Hokkaidō
country claim capital city = Tokyo
country claim largest city =
country claim largest city population =
country claim leader title =
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country 1 claim = Russia
country 1 claim divisions title = Oblast
country 1 claim divisions = Sakhalin
country 1 claim capital city =
country 1 claim largest city =
country 1 claim largest city population =
country 1 claim leader title =
country 1 claim leader name =
country = Russia
country admin divisions title =Oblast
country admin divisions = Sakhalin
country capital city =
country largest city =
country largest city population =
country leader title =
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population =
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additional info =

Shikotan, both in Russian (Шикотан) and Japanese (色丹島), and one of the bigger islands of the Kuril Islands, is located in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia. Although this island is a part of Russia, Japan maintains a claim to it along with the other three southermost Kuril islands (see Kuril Island conflict).The name of "Shikotan" derives from the Ainu language and means "land with big communities."

The total land area of Shikotan is 225 km². The island is hilly, averaging 300 meters in elevation. The shores of the island are very indented and covered with oceanic meadows. The highest altitude is 412 m. The island is formed by the volcanic rock and sandstone of the Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic periods. There are two extinct volcanoes on Shikotan: Mount Tomari and Mount Notoro.

Shikotan's Vegetation consists mostly of Sakhalin fir, larch, deciduous trees, bamboo underbrush and juniper brushwood.

There are two Settlements - Malokurilskoye (Formerly Shikotan) and Krabozavodskoye (Formerly Anama).

The primary economic activity is fishery and sea hunting, with the principal marine products being cod, crab and kelp.

An earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused major damage on the island's coastline on October 4 1994.

ee also

*Kuril Islands dispute
*Shikotan District, Hokkaido

External links

* [http://www.kurilnature.org Kuril Island Network - A volunteer group dedicated to raising awareness of the habitat on the Kurils]
* [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/kuril/shikotan.htm] - Satellite image of Shikotan
* [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061008f1.html Ainu speaker and activist explains the meaning of the South Kuril island names]