Group of 1100 mountainous islands SE of Alaska, USA; chief islands Chichagof, Baranof (Sitka naval base and national monument), Admiralty, Kupreanof, Kuiu, and Prince of Wales.
The Alexander Archipelago is an archipelago, or group of islands, stretching about three hundred miles off the southeastern coast of Alaska. It contains about 1,100 islands, which are the tops of the submerged coastal mountains that rise steeply from the Pacific Ocean. The northern part of the Inside Passage is sheltered by the islands as it winds its way among them.
The islands have irregular, steep coasts and dense evergreen forests.
The largest islands are Chichagof Island, Admiralty Island, Baranof Island, Wrangell Island, Revillagigedo Island, Kupreanof Island, Dall Island and Prince of Wales Island. The Tsimshian people found on Annette Island are not originally from the area, having immigrated to the region from British Columbia in the late 19th century.
Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island and Sitka on Baranof Island are the largest towns on the islands.
Tourism, fishing, and logging are the main industries of the islands. Control of the islands passed from Russia to the United States with the Alaska Purchase in 1867.
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