Unimak Island

Unimak Island(Aleut:Unimax,Russian:Унимак) is the largestislandin theAleutian Islandschain of theU.S. stateofAlaska.

Unimak

Native name: Unimax
Unimak Island from space, September 1992 (viewed fromShuttleEndeavouronSTS-47)
Unimak
Geography
Location	NorthernPacific Ocean
Coordinates	54°46′06″N164°11′12″W
Archipelago	Aleutian Islands
Area	1,571.41 sq mi (4,069.9 km2)
Length	95 km (59 mi)
Width	116 km (72.1 mi)
Highest elevation	9,373 ft (2856.9 m)
Highest point	Mount Shishaldin
Administration
United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Aleutians East
Demographics
Population	35 (2010)
Pop. density	0.02/km2(0.05/sq mi)

Cape Lutkes headland

Geography

It is the easternmost island in the Aleutians and, with an area of 1,571.41 square miles (4,069.93 square kilometers), the9th largest island in the United Statesand the134th largest island in the world.It is home toMount Shishaldin,one of the ten most activevolcanoesin the world. According to theUnited States Census Bureau,64 people were living on Unimak as of the2000 census,all of them in the city ofFalse Passat the eastern end of the island.Cape Lutkeis a headland on the island.Cape Pankofis located at the extreme southwest of the island.

TheFisher Calderais avolcanic craterin the west-central part of Unimak. Some characteristics include manyvolcanic conesand undrainedlakes.It is named for Bernard Fisher, aU.S. Geological Surveygeologistwho was killed inUmnak Pass.

Mount Westdahl,5,426 feet (1,654 m) in elevation, is astratovolcanoof theAleutian Rangeon the island situated at its western end.

Natural history

When theAlaska National Interest Lands Conservation Actwas passed on 2 December 1980, 910,000 acres (370,000 ha) of the island was designated as wilderness.This area is managed by theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Serviceas part of theAlaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

As afaunalextension of theAlaska Peninsula,Unimak has a relatively diverse assemblage of terrestrial mammals, includingAlaska Peninsula brown bearsandporcupine caribou.West of Unimak Island, the largest native mammal in the Aleutians is thered fox.

Buildings

Scotch Cap Lighthousewas built in 1903and was staffed by the US Coast Guard. On April 1, 1946, during the1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake,the lighthouse was struck by atsunami.Even though the lighthouse was 98 feet (30 m) above the sea, the lighthouse slid into the sea, killing five Coast Guard personnel.

TheCape Sarichef Lighthouseand theCape Sarichef Airportare also located on the island.

Shishaldin, Isanotski and Roundtop volcanoes as seen from the Unimak Pass in morning light.

Pogramni (6,569 ft; 2,002 m) volcano as seen from the Unimak Pass in the morning light.

Shishaldin (9,373 ft; 2,857 m) volcano as seen from the Unimak Pass in the morning light.

Isanotski (8,104 ft; 2,470 m) and Roundtop (6,128 ft; 1,868 m) volcanoes as seen from the Unimak Pass in the morning light.

See also

• Islands of Aleutians East Borough, Alaska
• Extreme points of the United States

Further reading

• Titanic and Nautical Resource Center
• Unimak Island: Blocks 1046 through 1049 and 1055 through 1065, Census Tract 1, Aleutians East Borough, AlaskaUnited States Census Bureau