Catherine Archipelago Island

Catherine archipelago is a collective term for the islands in Alaska. Aleutian Islands (possibly from Chukchi aliat, "Island"), a chain of small islands situated in the northern Pacific, and extending approximately 1200 meters west of the tip of the Alaska Peninsula to the Kamchatka peninsula, they are part of the District of Alaska, USA The islands, of which an alternative collective name is Catherine archipelago, made up of four groups - the Fox, Andreanof, rat and in the vicinity - islands. They all contain between 52 ° and 55 ° N. Lat. and 172 ° E and 163 ° W. long.

Catherine Archipelago Alaska

Axis archipelago near the mainland of Alaska is a software development, but near the 129th Meridian its direction changes to the NW This change in the rate equivalent to a curve in the line of volcanic fissures have contributed to make their products for the construction of the islands. Such chains repeatedly bent around the Kuril Islands in the Pacific islands, Japanese chain, the Philippines, & c. The overall increase is the highest in the eastern islands and least in the West. The island chain is really a continuation of the western Aleutian Range on the mainland.

The vast majority of the islands bear evident marks of volcanic origin, and there are numerous volcanic cone on the northern side of the chain, some of them are active, many of the islands, is not entirely volcanic, but contains crystalline or sedimentary rocks, to amber and beds of lignite. Rocky shores and surf-worn and approaches are extremely dangerous, the ground rises immediately from the coasts to steep, bold mountains.

Catherine Archipelago Island Map From satelite

The climate on the islands are sea, with moderate and relatively uniform temperatures and heavy rain. Fog's is almost constant. The summers are much cooler than on the mainland in Sitka, but in winter temperatures on the islands and in Southeast Alaska is nearly the same. The average annual temperature of Unalaska Island, the main island in the group, is about 38 ° F.; to around 30 for January and around 52 ° until August. The highest and lowest temperatures on the islands are 78 ° and 5 °. The average annual rainfall is about 80 cm, and Unalaska Island, with about 250 rainy days a year, is said to be the rainiest place within the territory of the United States. Growing season lasts about 135 days, from early May until late September, but agriculture is limited to the raising of a few vegetables. With the exception of a few stunted Willows islands are virtually destitute of trees, but with a lush growth of grasses, including grasses, sedges and many flowering plants. In less mountainous islands, the raising of sheep and reindeer are as practical. Principal occupation of the locals have always been fishing and hunting, and women weave Wicker work of exquisite subtlety. From the end of the 18th Century Russian fur traders had settlements here for the seal and sea otter and the blue and the arctic fox. During the American regime before the Aleutian Islands fisheries Seal save by the locals have never been legal, but the thinning of the Pribilof crew, the almost complete eradication of the Sea Otter, and the rapid decline of foxes and other animals, threatening the Aleut (as the locals is usually referred to) with hunger. In recent years, enterprising dealers have the foxes by culture and especially to protect the few small islands, and that is furnished employment for the entire community of locals. Fish and marine birds are very abundant.