Russia is incredibly close to Alaska, separated by approximately two miles at the narrowest point in the Bering Strait. This geographic reality results from the boundary between the two nations running through this unique maritime passage in the far north. The proximity creates an unusual set of circumstances involving geography, international law, and time.
The Closest Point: Diomede Islands
The minimal distance is found between the two Diomede Islands, which sit directly in the middle of the Bering Strait. Big Diomede is Russian territory, while the smaller, Little Diomede, belongs to the United States as part of Alaska. The separation between these two islands is 2.4 miles (3.8 kilometers) at their closest points, marking the shortest distance between the two nations.
Little Diomede is inhabited by a small community of Iñupiat people in the village of Diomede, located on the western shore facing Russia. Big Diomede has no permanent native population; the Soviet government relocated the indigenous residents to mainland Russia during the Cold War. Today, the Russian island serves as the site of a weather station and a base for Russian Border Guard troops.
This short stretch of water is sometimes referred to as the “Ice Curtain,” referencing the political barrier that has existed since the Cold War. During winter, an ice bridge often forms between the islands, making it theoretically possible to walk from the United States to Russia. However, doing so is strictly forbidden and illegal.
The Bering Strait: Geography and Distance
The Diomede Islands are situated within the Bering Strait, the narrow waterway connecting the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi Sea to the Bering Sea in the Pacific Ocean. While the islands are only 2.4 miles apart, the distance between the continental mainlands of Asia and North America is significantly greater. The strait’s narrowest point between the two continents is approximately 53 miles (85 kilometers), stretching from Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska to Cape Dezhnev in Russia.
The strait is a relatively shallow body of water, averaging 98 to 164 feet (30 to 50 meters) in depth. Its shallow nature and northern location mean that in winter, the region is subject to severe storms and is covered by ice fields. Historically, low sea levels during the Ice Ages exposed the floor of the strait, creating a land bridge known as Beringia that allowed for the migration of animals and humans between the continents.
The International Date Line
The line dividing the two Diomede Islands is not only the international boundary but also the location of the International Date Line (IDL). The IDL is an imaginary line that runs roughly along the 180° longitude line, determining where one calendar day ends and the next begins. This geographical arrangement results in a stark time difference between the two closely located landmasses.
Because Big Diomede is on the Russian side and Little Diomede is on the American side, they are separated by nearly a full day. Due to the time zones defined by each nation, Big Diomede is 21 hours ahead of Little Diomede for most of the year. This temporal gap has led to the islands being nicknamed “Tomorrow Island” (Big Diomede) and “Yesterday Island” (Little Diomede).