Information About

Shumagin Islands

Quick Facts

Open in The Map Shumagin Islands on The Map

Shumagin Islands in Detail.

About

S of Alaska Peninsula, including Unga, Popof, Korovin, Nagai, Simeonof, and Big and Little Koniuji Is., plus other smaller islands.

History

Named by Captain Commander Vitus Bering, Imperial Russian Navy (IRN), for one of his sailors, who died of scurvy and was buried here August 30, 1741. Father Veniaminov (1840, v.1, p. 255) reported the Aleut name as "Kagigun" and Golovin said the Aleuts called the islands "Unga," from the name of the largest of the group (1862, voyage 1, p. 174). The name was published in French as "I(les) Choumagin" or "Shumagin Islands" by Admiral Krusenstern (1827, map 20), Imperial Russian Navy (IRN).