FAQs about the Natural History of the Inside Passage

Alexander Archipelago from Space Source: NASA Visible Earth

2. How many islands are there in Southeast Alaska?

The islands off the Southeast Alaska coast are known as the Alexander Archipelago, receiving their name from Alexander Baranov. Baranov was the head of the Russian fur trading company, the Russian-American Company, in the early 1800's. Most sources estimate that there are approximately 1,100 named islands in the Alexander Archipellago. However, Tongass National Forest officials estimate that the total number of islands is approximately 2,000.

The islands are the exposed tops of the submerged coastal mountains rising steeply out of the Pacific Ocean. Deep, fjord-like channels separate the islands and cut them off from the mainland. The northern part of the Inside Passage threads its way among the islands. Six of the islands are over 1,000 square miles each in area: Prince of Wales, Chichagof, Admiralty, Baranof, Revillagigedo, and Kupreanof islands.

The islands of the Alexander Archipelago and the 600-mile mainland coast of Southeast Alaska have nearly 10,000 miles of shoreline. Overall, Alaska has 6,640 miles of coastline and as measured on the most detailed maps available, has 33,904 miles of shoreline, including islands.

Additonal Resources:

Alaska Department of Commerce
Tongass National Forest

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