Image: x/@RedWalrus
Two Islands 4km Apart Have 20-Hour Time Difference
29 Feb 2024
Image: x/@CopernicusEU
Two neighbouring tiny islands occupying the same strait are just 4 kilometres apart but separated by nearly an entire day
Image: oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov
The Diomede islands - two little landmasses known as Big Diomede and Little Diomede - are separated by the US-Russian boundary
Image: earthobservatory.nasa.gov
Russia has claimed the larger of the two islands, an empty plot of land, and the US the smaller, inhabited landmass
Image: x/@sobore
The International Date Line (IDL) also separates the two islands. So, Big Diomedes is 21 hours ahead of Little Diomede, as per NASA
Image: x/@RedWalrus
And because of their time difference, the two islands have been nicknamed “Yesterday” (Little Diomede) and “Tomorrow” (Big Diomede) islands
Image: earthobservatory.nasa.gov
Big Diomede has an area of 10 square km and is part of the Chukotskiy autonomous district in Russia
Image: x/@sobore
It has no permanent population but is the site of an important Russian weather station
Image: x/@sobore
To the east lies Little Diomede Island, a part of Alaska, inhabited by Chukchi people who are skilled seafarers
Image: jpl.nasa.gov
Little Diomede has a small permanent community - about 115 people according to the 2010 US Census
Image: visibleearth.nasa.gov
The town is located on a small beach on the island's western side, meaning that Russia's Big Diomede and even the mainland are visible from the homes
Image: x/@RedWalrus
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