Lesser Kuril Chain

The Lesser Kuril Chain (Russian: Малая Курильская гряда, Japanese: しょうクリルれっとう or 小千島列島), is an island chain in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The islands are administered as part of Yuzhno-Kurilsky District of Sakhalin Oblast, Russia, and many sources consider the chain to be geographically part of the Kuril Islands. However, the Japanese government claims that these islands are not part of the Kuril Islands and are instead minor islands of Hokkaido Prefecture.[1]

Малая Курильская гряда на схеме Курильских островов (tr. "The Lesser Kuril Ridge in relation to the Kuril Islands") (Lesser Kurils shown in red)

The Lesser Kuril Chain lies northeast of the Nemuro Peninsula in Hokkaido, near the southwestern end of the Greater Kuril Chain, from which it is separated by the South Kuril Strait. It consists of Shikotan, the Habomai Islands and several small islands lying close to the Shikotan. The chain parallels, but is much shorter than, the Greater Kuril Chain, from which the Lesser Kurils lie to the south-east.

The length of the Lesser Kuril island chain is about 100 km (62 mi), and the total land area is 360.85 km² (139.32 sq mi). The islands' highest point is a mountain summit on Shikotan, 412 m (1,352 ft) above sea level.

The islands of the chain, along with neighbouring Kunashir, have been recognised as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) by BirdLife International because they support populations of various threatened bird species, including many waterbirds, seabirds and waders.[2]