| Shiretoko Peninsula | |
|---|---|
 A satellite image of the Shiretoko Peninsula | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Rausu, Shari and Rausu |
| Elevation | 1,661 m (5,449 ft) |
| Coordinates | 44°4′33″N 145°7′21″E / 44.07583°N 145.12250°E |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 70 km (43 mi) SW-NE |
| Width | 25 km (16 mi) NW-SE |
| Area | 1,230 km2 (470 sq mi) |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Ainu sir etok, "the end of the Earth" or "the place where the Earth protrudes" |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
 Northeastern corner of the archipelago | |
| Country | Japan |
| State | Hokkaidō |
| Regions | Abashiri Subprefecture and Nemuro Subprefecture |
| Districts | Menashi District, Shari District and Shibetsu District |
| Range coordinates | 44°5.8′N 145°9.2′E / 44.0967°N 145.1533°E |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Island arc |
| Type of rock | Volcanic |
| Official name | Shiretoko |
| Criteria | Natural: (ix), (x) |
| Reference | 1193 |
| Inscription | 2005 (29th Session) |
| Area | 71,100 ha (176,000 acres) |
The Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島, Shiretoko-hantō) is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. It is separated from the Russian Kunashir Island by the Nemuro Strait. The name Shiretoko is derived from the Ainu word sir etok, meaning "the end of the Earth"[1] or "the place where the Earth protrudes". The towns of Rausu and Shari are found on the peninsula.
The Shiretoko Peninsula was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, in recognition of the peninsula being the southernmost point where sea ice usually forms in the Northern Hemisphere.[2]
- ^ Hunt, Paul (1988). "33. Shiretoko". Hiking in Japan: An Adventurer's Guide to the Mountain Trails (First ed.). Tokyo and New York: Kodansha International Ltd. pp. 200–205. ISBN 0-87011-893-5.
- ^ "Shiretoko Peninsula". NASA Earth Observatory. Archived from the original on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2008-07-09.