Native name: Sheet’-ká X'áat'l | |
|---|---|
 Islands of the Pacific Northwest Coast | |
  Baranof Island Location in Alaska | |
| Geography | |
| Location | ABC islands of Alaska |
| Coordinates | 56°57′05″N 134°56′52″W / 56.95139°N 134.94778°W |
| Archipelago | Alexander Archipelago |
| Area | 1,607 sq mi (4,160 km2) |
| Length | 100 mi (200 km) |
| Width | 30 mi (50 km) |
| Highest elevation | 5,390 ft (1643 m) |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| State | Alaska |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 8532 (2000) |
| Pop. density | 2.05/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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- ^ Orth, Donald J. (1967). Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Geological Survey, Professional Paper 567. Washington: United States Government Printing Office.
- ^ 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.