Baranof Island

Baranof Island
Native name:
Sheet’-ká X'áat'l
Islands of the Pacific Northwest Coast
Baranof Island is located in Alaska
Baranof Island
Baranof Island
Location in Alaska
Geography
LocationABC islands of Alaska
Coordinates56°57′05″N 134°56′52″W / 56.95139°N 134.94778°W / 56.95139; -134.94778
ArchipelagoAlexander Archipelago
Area1,607 sq mi (4,160 km2)
Length100 mi (200 km)
Width30 mi (50 km)
Highest elevation5,390 ft (1643 m)
Administration
United States
StateAlaska
Demographics
Population8532 (2000)
Pop. density2.05/km2 (5.31/sq mi)

Baranof Island[a] is an island in the northern Alexander Archipelago in the Alaska Panhandle, in Alaska. The name "Baranof" was given to the island in 1805 by Imperial Russian Navy captain U. F. Lisianski in honor of Alexander Andreyevich Baranov.[1] It was called Sheet’-ká X'áat'l (often expressed simply as "Shee"[2]) by the native Tlingit people. It is the smallest of the ABC islands of Alaska. The indigenous group native to the island, the Tlingit, named the island Shee Atika. Baranof island is home to a diverse ecosystem, which made it a prime location for the fur trading company, the Russian American Company. The Russian occupation of Baranof Island impacted not only the indigenous population and the ecology of the island, but also led to the United States' current ownership over the land.


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  1. ^ Orth, Donald J. (1967). Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Geological Survey, Professional Paper 567. Washington: United States Government Printing Office.
  2. ^ Orth, Donald J. (1967). Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Geological Survey, Professional Paper 567. Washington: United States Government Printing Office. Spelled "Shi" in Orth's citation of Hodge.