Near Islands

The Near Islands are the smallest and westernmost group of the Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska, at about 52°51′ N 173°11′ E.

The largest of the Near Islands are Attu and Agattu. Besides a few rocks in the channel between Attu and Agattu, the other important islands are the Semichi Islands to their northeast, notable among which are Alaid, Nizki and Shemya. About 20 miles to the ESE from Shemya is the small rocky reefs known as the Ingenstrem Rocks.

The islands were named Near Islands by Russian explorers in the 1700s because they were the nearest of the Aleutian Islands to Russia. The are the farthest of the islands from Alaska.

See also: Near Islands, Alaska, Aleutian Islands, Attu Island, Islet, Semichi Islands, Shemya Island