Проект на тему: "The Diomede Islands"

The Diomede Islands

The Diomede Islands are a pair of rocky islands located in the middle of the Bering Strait between mainland Alaska and Siberia. Though the two islands are only 4 km apart and clearly in a single group, they are separated by the International Date Line which also marks the international border between Russia and the United States. In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States, and the state border crossed the islands. (слайд 1)

Almost a century and a half the islands were Russian, but after Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867, the Diomedes "divorced" and the state border between the two countries began to pass between them. (слайд 2)

The western island of the Eskimos called Imaklik, "surrounded by water," and its current name was given in honor of the Russian navigator Makar Ratmanov. Big Diomede is owned by Russia and Little Diomede is owned by the USA. The first European to reach the Bering Strait was the Russian explorer Semyon Dezhnev in 1648. Danish navigator Vitus Bering, re-discovered the Diomede Islands while leading a Russian expedition, on 16 August 1728, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the martyr St. Diomede .(слайд 3)

The Russian island of Big Diomede also known as Ratmanov Island and the American island of Little Diomede also known as Krusenstern Island. Due to locally defined time zones, Big Diomede is only 21 hours ahead of Little Diomede. Because of this the islands are sometimes called Tomorrow Island (Big Diomede) and Yesterday Isle (Little Diomede). (слайд 4, 5)

The Diomede Islands are often mentioned as likely intermediate stops for the hypothetical bridge or tunnel spanning the Bering Strait.(слайд 6)

During winter, an ice bridge usually spans the distance between these two islands; therefore during such times it is theoretically possible to walk between the United States and Russia. (слайд 7 )

The southern slope is smaller, but steeper. The junction of both skates forms a small ridge, the highest point of which is called - the mountain Roof. The island occupies a key position on the border of Asia and North America and the two oceans - the Pacific and the Arctic. From it you can see a huge water area.(слайд8)

Small Diomedes developed into a small community with 75 inhabitants, with a church and a school. Products and mail are delivered by barges from the mainland. Winds blow consistently from the north. (слайд 9,10)

Ratmanov Island is the geographical point where the New Year in Russia comes first, because when on the island is midnight - on the western border of Russia it is 12 hours and 35 minutes of the previous day.

Since 1989, there is an agreement between the countries on visa-free travel of local residents to each other. The agreement was concluded back in the days when the civilian population lived on the island of Ratmanov, and today Russian soldiers can theoretically take advantage of them, for example, having met the New Year first in Russia, and then again at the same night in the USA. (слайд 11,12)