Mysterious chickens - paradise for any romance traveler. Incompleteness, desert, geographical separation, acting volcanoes, not only "beach climate", buying information - not only do not scare, but also strengthen the desire to get on the misty, fire-drying islands - the former military fortresses of the Japanese army, still hiding deep underground Many secrets.
Kuril arc narrow chain of islands like openwork bridge, connects two worlds - Kamchatka and Japan. Curiles are part of the Pacific Volcanic Ring. Islands - top of the highest facilities of volcanic ridges protruding from water only 1-2 km, and depths in the depths of the ocean for many kilometers.

In total, there are over 150 volcanoes on the islands, of which 39 existing ones. The highest of them volcano Alaid - 2339 m, located on the island of Atlas. With volcanic activity, the presence of numerous thermal sources on the islands is associated with some of them therapeutic.

Specialists compare the Kuril Islands with a huge botanical garden, where representatives of various flora are neighboring: the Japanese-Korean, Manchurian and Okhotsk-Kamchatka. Here we grow together - polar birch and thousand-year TIS, larch with fir and wild grapes, cedar stabel and velvet tree, weaving ribbed lian and carpet thickets lingers. Traveling through the islands, you can visit various natural zones, get from the pristine taiga to the subtropical thickets, from the moss tundra in the jungle giant herbs.
The seabed around the islands is covered with thick vegetation, in the thickets of which they find a refuge numerous fish, mollusks, marine animals, and crystal clear water gives the opportunity to fans of underwater travel well to navigate in the jungle sea cabbage, where unique finds are also happening - sunken ships and Japanese military equipment - reminders of military events in the history of the Kuril archipelago.

South Kurilsk, Kunashir

Geography where you can get
The Kuril Islands - the islands chain between the Kamchatka peninsula and the Island of Hokkaido, slightly convex arc separating the Okhotsk Sea from the Pacific Ocean.
The length is about 1200 km. The total area is 10.5 thousand km². South of them is a state border Russian Federation With Japan.
The islands form two parallel ridges: a large Kuril and Small Kuril. Include 56 islands. Have important military-strategic and economic importance. Kuril Islands come to the Sakhalin region of Russia. The southern islands of the archipelago - ITUURUP, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai Group are disputed by Japan, which includes them in the composition of Hokkaido Prefecture.

Kuril Islands belong to the districts of the Far North
The climate on the islands of sea, pretty severe, with a cold and long winter, cool summer, high humidity. The mainland monsonic climate undergoes significant changes here. On the southern part of the Kuril Islands, frosts can reach -25 ° C, average temperature February - -8 ° C. In the north part of winter softer, with frosts up to -16 ° C and -7 ° C in February.
In winter, Aleutian bary minimum affects the islands, whose action weakens by June.
The average temperature of August on the southern part of the Kuril Islands is +17 ° C, on the North - +10 ° C.

island ITUP, White Rocks Kuril Islands

List of Kuril Islands
List of islands of more than 1 km² in the direction from north to south.
Name, Square, km², Height, Latitude, Longitude
Large Kuril Gang
Northern Group
Atlasova 150 2339 50 ° 52 "155 ° 34"
Schisha 388 189 50 ° 45 "156 ° 21"
Paramushir 2053 1816 50 ° 23 "155 ° 41"
Antsiferov 7 747 50 ° 12 "154 ° 59"
Maca Kanrushi 49 1169 49 ° 46 "154 ° 26"
Onekotan 425 1324 49 ° 27 "154 ° 46"
Harimkathan 68 1157 49 ° 07 "154 ° 32"
Chirincatan 6 724 48 ° 59 "153 ° 29"
Ecarma 30 1170 48 ° 57 "153 ° 57"
Shiashkotan 122 934 48 ° 49 "154 ° 06"

Medium group
Raikok 4,6 551 48 ° 17 "153 ° 15"
Matua 52 1446 48 ° 05 "153 ° 13"
Frames 67 948 47 ° 45 "153 ° 01"
O-Va Ushishir 5 388 - - -
Riponkich 1.3 121 47 ° 32 "152 ° 50"
Yankich 3.7 388 47 ° 31 "152 ° 49"
Keta 73 1166 47 ° 20 "152 ° 31"
SIMUSHIR 353 1539 46 ° 58 "152 ° 00"
Brutona 7 800 46 ° 43 "150 ° 44"
O-va Black Brothers 37 749 - - -
Chirp 21 691 46 ° 30 "150 ° 55"
Brother Chirpoov 16 749 46 ° 28 "150 ° 50" Kuril Islands

South Group
Urup 1450 1426 45 ° 54 "149 ° 59"
ITUURUP 3318.8 1634 45 ° 00 "147 ° 53"
Kunashir 1495,24 1819 44 ° 05 "145 ° 59"

Small Kuril Gang
Shikotan 264,13 412 43 ° 48 "146 ° 45"
Polonsky 11,57 16 43 ° 38 "146 ° 19"
Green 58.72 24 43 ° 30 "146 ° 08"
Tanglifyeva 12.92 15 43 ° 26 "145 ° 55"
Yuri 10.32 44 43 ° 25 "146 ° 04"
Anumina 2.35 33 43 ° 22 "146 ° 00"

volcano Aphsonpuri Kuril Islands

Geological structure
The Kuril Islands is a typical ensematic island arc on the edge of the Okhotsk Plate. It is located above the subduction zone, in which the Pacific cooker is absorbed. Most of the islands of Goris. The greatest height 2339 m - Atlas Island, Alaid volcano. The Kuril Islands are located in the Pacific Volcanic Fire Ring in the High Seismic Activity Zone: out of 68 volcanoes 36 are active, there are hot mineral springs. Care of large tsunami. Tsunami is most famous on November 5, 1952 at Paramushir and Shikotanian Tsunami on October 5, 1994. The last of the major tsunami occurred on November 15, 2006 on the Simushira.

South Kuril Bay, Kunashir Island

Earthquake
In Japan, an average of 1,500 earthquakes per year is fixed, i.e. 4 earthquakes per day. Most of them are associated with the movement in the earth's crust (tectonics). 223 destructive earthquakes and 2000 - the middle force are noted in the 15th century: this is, however, not complete numbers, since the special tools of the earthquake began to be recorded in Japan only since 1888. A significant proportion of earthquakes falls on the area of \u200b\u200bthe Kuril Islands, where they are often manifest in the form of fruitry. Captain Snow, which produced the marine beast here for many years, at the end of the last century has repeatedly observed similar phenomena. For example, on July 12, 1884, in 4 miles to the west of the stones of Mediterranean, the gusty noise and shuddered the vessel continued at about two o'clock with intervals of 15 minutes and a duration of 30 seconds. Unrest of the sea at that time was not noticed. The water temperature was ordinary, about 2.25 ° C.
Between 1737 and 1888 In the area of \u200b\u200bthe islands, 16 devastating earthquakes were noted, for 1915-1916. - 3 catastrophic earthquakes in the middle part of the ridge, in 1929 - 2 such earthquakes in the north.
Sometimes these phenomena are conjugate with underwater lava eruptions. Destructive blows of earthquakes sometimes raise a huge wave (tsunami), repeating several times. With tremendous force, it fell on the shore, complementing the destruction from the shock of the soil. We can judge about the wave height, for example, on the occasion of the Natalia vessel, sent by Lebedev-Swallow and Shelekhov under the command of the navigator Petushkov on the 18th island: "January 8, 1780, a cruel earthquake was made; The sea rose so highly that GUKOR (vessel A.S.), who was in the harbor, was in the middle of the island ... "(Berch, 1823, p. 140-141; Lateev, p. 11). A wave caused by the earthquake of 1737 reached a height of 50 m and hit the shore with a terrible force, breaking the rocks. In the second strait, several new rocks and rocks rose. During the earthquake on about. Simushira in 1849, all sources of groundwater dried out, and his population was forced to move to other places.

paramushir Island, Ebeko Volcano

menndeleev Volcano, Kunashir Island

Mineral springs
With volcanic activities, the presence on the islands of numerous hot and highly mineralized sources is connected. They are available in almost all islands, especially in Kunashir, Itupe, Ushishir, Raikok, Shikotan, Ekharma. On the first of them are not enough boiling sources. On other hot keys have a temperature of 35-70 ° C. They come out in different places and have different flows.
On about. Raikok is a source with a temperature of 44 ° C beats the soles of high rocks and in the cracks of the frozen lava forms batho-like pools.
On about. Ushishira The powerful boiling source goes into the volcanic crater, etc. The water of many sources is colorless, transparent, contains most often sulfur, places deposited along the edges of yellow grains. For drinking purposes, the water of most sources is unsuitable.
Some sources are considered healing and in the populated islands are used to treat. Gases secreted by volcanoes on cracks are often rich in sulfur pairs.

Damn finger Kuril Islands

Natural resources
On the islands and in coastal zone Industrial reserves of non-ferrous metals, mercury, natural gas, oil. On the island of ITUURUP, in the area of \u200b\u200bVolcano Curly, is the richest, from the world famous, mineral deposit. Here at the beginning of the XX century, the Japanese mined a native sulfur. The total gold resources on the Kuril Islands are estimated at 1867 tons, silver - 9284 tons, titanium - 39.7 million tons, iron - 273 million tons. Currently, the development of mineral resources is few.
Of all the coarse straits, non-freezing shipping are only the Strait of Frieze and the Strait of Catherine.

bird Waterfall, Kunashir

Flora and fauna
Flora
Due to the high length of the islands from the north to south Flora, Kuril differs extremely very much. On the northern Islands (Paramushir, Schisha and others) due to the harsh climate, tree vegetation is sufficiently scarce and presented mainly by shrub shapes (stabes): Alder (Olkhach), Birza, Iva, Rowan, cedar staber (keding). On the South Islands (ITUP, Kunashir), coniferous forests of Sakhalin fir, Elutes of Anyansky and Kuril's larch with a large participation of broadcasting breeds are growing: Curchaez's oak, Clain, Ilmov, Calopanax Semi-blade with a large number of rivant Lian: Cherchkin Hydrangea, Aktinidius, Chinese, Wild Grapes, poisonous toxicodenendrine of the East, etc. In the south of Kunashir, there is a single wilderness of magnolia in Russia - Magnolia inversely. One of the main landscape plants is smoked, starting with the middle islands (ketta and south) - a Kuril bamboo, forming impassable thickets on the slopes of mountains and forest edges. All islands as a result of a wet climate distributed high-tech. Different berries are widely represented: watersman, lingonberry, blueberries, honeysuckle and others.
Endemic plants have more than 40 species. For example, Astragal Kavakamsky, Island wormwood, Edelweiss Kurilsky, found on the island of ITUURUP; Ostrodelika ITO and incomplete Curil, growing on the island of a masculine.
The following plants are protected on the island: the following plants: Aralia's half-ended, Flower plants, Mainland, Aralia, Calopanx Semi-blade, Kandyk Japanese, Kalina Wright, Cardiocrine Glen, Peony Front-Operating, Rhododendron Fori, Holochnoka Bolotnika, Low, Pion Mountain, Lichens Glossodium Japanese and Stereloon Nude, Gotable Plants Juniper Sardhent and Tis Pointed, Mossoid Broxifium Savior and Atraticlocarpus Alpine, growing at the Baransky volcano. Kalina Wright, Aralia Stalvoy and Plagiot Cauchean, are guarded on the island of vruip.

volcano Alaid, Atlas Island

Fauna
The brown bear lives on Kunashir, ITUP and Paramushira, and the bear met in Schisha, but during a long-term stay on the island military base, in view of the relatively small size, the bears on the shatus, mostly were knocked out. Schisha is a binding island between Paramushir and Kamchatka, and individual bears are now found there. Fox, small rodents dwell on the islands. A large number of birds: rzhanks, seagulls, duck, cormorants, petrels, albatrosses, sparrows, owls, falcon-shaped and others. Many bird colonies.
The coastal underwater world, unlike islands, not only numerous, but also very diverse. In coastal waters, nerves, kalans, tales, Syvuchi live in the coastal waters. Large commercial importance: fish, crabs, mollusks, squid, crustaceans, trepanga, sea cucumbers, nautical hedgehogs, sea cabbage, whales. Sea, sagging Sakhalin and Kuril, are among the most productive areas of the World Ocean.
On the island of ITUPUP and endemic animals (mollusks): Lakustrine ITUURIUPSKAYA, ITUURIUPSKAYA SHARE (Lake Raidovo), Kurili pearl, on the lake, Kunaschiriyria Synanodontovoid and Town ITUURIUP.
On February 10, 1984, the State Natural Reserve "Kurilsky" was created. 84 species included in the Red Book of Russia live on its territory.

island Kunashir, Bay of Pervukhina

History of Islands
17-18 century
Honor of opening, research and initial development of the Kuril Islands belongs to Russian expeditions and colonists.

The first visit to the islands is attributed to the Gerrich Frieze Dutch, visited in 1643. Vruit. By calling this land of the "Compament Earth" - Company Lant (River, 1885, p. 565), the frieze, however, did not assume that it is part of the Kuril ridge.
The rest of the islands north of a viper to Kamchatka opened and described the Russian "landlocks" and navigators. And Russians opened secondly at the beginning of the XVIII century. Japan at this time were known only o. Kunasiri and Ruda Small Kurilskaya, but they were not part of the Japanese Empire. The extreme northern colonia of Japan was about. Hokkaido.
On the server islands of the Kuril Ridge for the first time, the order of Anadyr Ostrogen was informed, the Pentecot Vl. Atlasov who opened Kamchatka. In 1697, he passed on the West Bank of Kamchatka south to the mouth of the river. Goligina and from here "I saw the sea as if there is a island."
Not knowing that in Japan from 1639, trading with foreigners, Peter I in 1702 gave a task to tie good-neighborly trade relations with Japan. From this time, the Russian expeditions were persistently made south of Kamchatka in search of a trading route to Japan. In 1706, Kazak M. Nadcin clearly saw a sushi in the south from the cape. According to the punishment of Yakutsky, the governor about "proving" of this land, Cossack Ataman D. Antsiferov and Esaul Ivan Kozyrevsky in 1711 passed on about. SURUSYU (SOCHSHIR) and Paramousir (Paramushir), and on return amounted to the "drawing" of all islands. For application southern Islands They took advantage of the stories of Japanese fishermen, thrown into the Kamchatka and seen South Islands.
In the campaign of 1713, Esaul Ivan Kozyrevsky again "spent" the islands for "transhets" (sheds) and amounted to a new "drawing". Geodesists of Jews and Luban passed with shooting on the card in 1720 from Kamchatka to the Sixth Island (Srimusir). After 10 years, the brave leader of the "earthports" V. Shestakov with 25 servilative people visited the five northern islands. Following him, the solid work "for the sake of observation and finding the way to Japan" was performed by Captain Shppberg - Assistant Bering in his second expedition.
During 1738-1739. Shppberg removed on the card and described almost all the islands. According to his materials, they were shown on the "General Map of the Russian Empire" in the academic atlas of 1745. 40 islands under Russian names, for example, Anfinogen Islands, Krasnogorsk, pillars, curve, oily, goat, brother, sister, alder, green, etc. The result of the works of Shppberg first turned out and was put on the map the composition of the entire island ridge. The previously known to the extreme southern islands ("Kompania Land", about. "States") were determined as part of the Kuril Ridge.
For a long time, before that, there was an idea of \u200b\u200ba certain big "land of the Gama" to the east of Asia. The legend of the hypothetical land of Gama was forever dispelled.
At the same years, the Russians got acquainted with the small indigenous population of Islands - Aina. According to the largest Russian geographer of the time S. Krasheninnikova, on about. Sumuyu for the 40s of the XVIII century. There were only 44 souls.
In 1750 floated to about. Simula is the first island nickname. Watchdow. After 16 years (in 1766), Nikita Chikin, Chuprov and Sotnik Yves. Black again tried to find out the number of all islands and the number of people on them.

After the death of Chikin on about. Srimusiru I. Black spent on this island winter. In 1767 he reached about. Etorofu, and then settled on about. Vruit. Returning to Kamchatka in the fall of 1769, black reported that the Russian citizenship was adopted on the 19 islands (including Etorof).
In his actions, Chikin and Black were obliged to be guided by the instructions of the Bolsheverka Office: "When following the distant islands and back ... to describe .... The magnitude of them, the width of the straits, which on the islands, beasts, also rivers, lakes and fish in them. .. to visit the golden and silver ore and pearls ... offended, taxes, robbery ... and other nasty decions of any actions and grinding and prodigal violence, expecting for the jealousy of the highest grace and award. " After some time, the Tyumen merchant Yak. Nikonov, as well as the shipments of the trading company Protodiankonov and other landlords delivered more accurate news about the islands.
For the purpose of durable and final consolidation of the islands and mastering them, the chief commander of Kamchatka BEM offered to build on about. Strong strengthening, create a Russian settlement there and develop the economy. To implement this proposal and the development of trade with Japan, the Yakut merchant Lebedev-Lastochkin equipment in 1775 by the expedition under the superiors of the Siberian Nobleman Antipina. The vessel of the expedition "Nikolai" suffered an accident from about. Vruit. Two years later, to Antipina on about. The vessel was sent from Okhotsk the ship Natalia under the command of the navigator M. Petushkova.
After wintering on the Variety "Natalia" passed to the Bay of Akkeces on about. Hokkaido and met here a Japanese vessel. According to the decision with the Japanese, the Antipin and Translator - the Irkutsk Posad Shabalin appeared in 1779 with the goods of Lebedev-Lastochka on about. Hokkaido in the bay of Akkessy. Strictly remembered the instructions received by the antiypin that "... having met with the Japanese, partitioning, affectionately, decently ... to reveal what Russian goods" things are required and what can be obtained from them, establish prices and whether they wish For mutual bargaining to do on which the island is a contract that would be guided by the future time ... Install peaceful communication with the Japanese, "the merchants were calculated on the trade favorable for both parties. But their hopes were not justified. In the acceius they were transferred to the prohibition of the Japanese not only to trade on about. Hokkaido (Matsmai), but also swim on Etorof and Kunasiri.
Since that time, the Japanese government began to oppose Russian in the southern islands in every way. In 1786, it commissioned the official to examine the islands. Having discovered three Russians on the Etorof and questioning them, Tokunay handed them the order: "The entrance to the Japanese limits of foreign subjects is prohibited in a strictest way. Therefore, I prescribe you to return to your state in most imminent. " The movement of Russian trading people south with peaceful goals was interpreted by the Japanese very differently.

north Curilsk

XIX century
To resume trade negotiations with Japan in 1805, a representative of the Russian-American company Nikolai Rezanov, who arrived in Nagasaki as the first Russian envoy. But he failed. However, Japanese officials who have not satisfied the despotic policy of the supreme power, hints gave him to understand that it would be nice to carry out a power action in these lands, which could post the position from the dead point. This was carried out on the instructions of Rezanov in 1806-1807 by an expedition from two courts under the leadership of Lieutenant Tailov and Michman Davydov. Courts were looted, a number of factories were destroyed, the Japanese settlement burned on Itupe. Later they were judged, but the attack for a while led to a serious deterioration russian-Japanese relations. In particular, it was the reason for the arrest of the expedition of Vasily head.
The first distinction of the possessions of Russia and Japan on the Kuril Islands was made in the Simoda Treatise of 1855
In exchange for the right of ownership of southern Sakhalin, Russia handed over Japan in 1875, all the Kuril Islands.

XX century
After the defeat in 1905 in the Russian-Japanese war, Russia handed over Japan southern part of Sakhalin.
In February 1945, the Soviet Union promised the United States and Great Britain to start a war with Japan, subject to the return of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands.
February 2, 1946. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR on education on the territory of the South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands of the South Sakhalin region as part of Khabarovsk Region RSFSR.
November 5, 1952. The powerful tsunami collapsed on the whole coast of Kuril, Paramushir suffered the strongest. The gigantic wave washed away the city of North-Kurilsk (former. Casivabara). In print, it was forbidden to mention this catastrophe.
In 1956, the Soviet Union and Japan adopted a joint agreement, an officially ending the war between the two states and transferring Japan Kabomai and Shikotan. To sign a contract, however, it did not succeed, because it came out that Japan refuses the rights to Ituup and Kunashir, because of which the United States threatened not to give Japan Okinawa island.

church of the Holy Trinity, South Kurilsk

Problem belonging
At the end of World War II in February 1945, at the Yalta Conference of the Heads of Powers, the countries participating in the anti-Hitler coalition, an agreement was reached on the unconditional return of the southern part of Sakhalin and the transfer of the Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union after the victory over Japan.
On July 26, 1945, within the framework of the Potsdam Conference, the Potsdam Declaration was adopted, which limited Japan's sovereignty to Honshu Islands, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Sikoku. On August 8, the USSR joined the Potsdam Declaration. On August 14, Japan adopted the Declaration Conditions and September 2, 1945 signed an act of surrender confirming these conditions. But directly about the transfer of the Curil Islands of the USSR in these documents was not mentioned.
On August 18 - September 1, 1945, the Soviet troops conducted a Kuril landing operation and took away the South Kuril Islands - Mr., ITUURUP, Kunashir and the Small Kuril Rud.
In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces of February 2, 1946 in these territories, after excluding them from Japan by Memorandum No. 677 of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces of January 29, 1946, the South Sakhalin region was formed as part of the Khabarovsk Territory of the RSFSR, which is January 2 1947 was part of the newly formed Sakhalin region as part of the RSFSR.
On September 8, 1951, Japan signed the San Francis Mirny Agreement, which refused "from all right, law quantities and claims to the Kuril Islands and on that part of Sakhalin Islands and the islands adjacent to him, the sovereignty on which Japan acquired in Portsmouth Agreement on September 5, 1905 G. » When discussing the San Francisco Treaty in the US Senate, a resolution was adopted, containing the following reservation: it is envisaged that the terms of the contract will not mean recognition for the USSR, any rights or claims in the territory belonging to Japan on December 7, 1941, which applied Damage would be damaged by the Rights and Rights of Japan on these territories, as well as will not recognize any provision in favor of the USSR in relation to Japan, contained in the Yalta Agreement. Due to serious complaints about the draft agreement, representatives of the USSR, Poland and Czechoslovakia refused to sign it. The contract was not also signed not submitted at the conference Burma, DRV, India, DPRK, PRC and MPR.
Japan places territorial claims to the South Kuril Islands ITUURUP, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habmioma with a total area of \u200b\u200b5175 km². These islands in Japan are called "Northern Territories". Japan substantiates its claims assesses the following arguments:
According to Article 2 of the Simed Treatise of 1855, these islands were included in Japan and they are the original ownership of Japan.
This group of islands, according to the official position of Japan, is not included in the Kuril Rud (about Tsisima) and, by signing the act of surrender and the San Francis Agreement, Japan did not refuse them.
The USSR did not sign the San Francis Agreement.
However, the Simed Treatise is considered canceled due to the Russian-Japanese war (1905).
In 1956, the Moscow Declaration was signed, on which the state of war was discontinued and the USSR's diplomatic relations and consular relations were established with Japan. Article 9 declarations, in particular, said:
The USSR, going towards the wishes of Japan and taking into account the interests of the Japanese state, agrees to the transfer of Japan of the Islands of the Habomai and Islands of Sycotan in order, however, that the actual transmission of these Islands of Japan will be made after the conclusion of a peace treaty.
On November 14, 2004, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the eve of the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan in Japan, as Russia as the USSR State Recognizes Declaration of 1956 as an existing and ready to maintain territorial negotiations with Japan on its basis.
It is noteworthy that on November 1, 2010, President of the Russian Federation D. A. Medvedev became the first Russian leader who visited the Kuril Islands. President Dmitry Medvedev stressed then that "all the islands of the Kuril ridge is the territory of the Russian Federation. This is our land, and we must equip the churons. " The Japanese side remained irreconcilable and called this visit worthy regret, which in turn caused a response of the Russian Foreign Ministry, according to which there can be no changes in the status of the Curil Islands.
Some Russian official experts, in finding a solution that Japan could be satisfied, and Russia offer very peculiar options. So, academician K.E. Chervenko In April 2012, in the article on the possibility of a final settlement of the territorial dispute between the Russian Federation and Japan, a approach was announced, in which the participating countries of the San Francisal Treaty (states with the right to identify the international legal status of southern Sakhalin with the adjacent islands and all the Kuril Islands) recognize Curiles De facto territory of the Russian Federation, leaving for Japan the right to consider their de Yura (under the conditions of the aforementioned contract) in Russia, not included.

cape Column, Kunashir Island

Population
The Kuril Islands are populated extremely unevenly. The population lives constantly only on Paramushir, Itupe, Kunashir and Shikotan. There is no permanent population on other islands. At the beginning of 2010, there are 19 settlements: two cities (North-Kurilsk, Kurilsk), urban-type settlement (South Kurilsk) and 16 villages.
The maximum value of the population was noted in 1989 and amounted to 29.5 thousand people. IN soviet time The population of the islands was significantly higher due to the high subsidies and the large number of servicemen. Thanks to the military, the islands of Sovysh, Onekotan, Simushir, etc. were inhabited.
As of 2010, the population of the islands is 18.7 thousand people, including 6.1 thousand people in the Kuril City District - 6.1 thousand people (on the only populated island ITUURUP, and others are also included; In the South Kuril City District - 10.3 thousand people. (Kunashir, Shikotan and others. Islands of the Small Kuril Ridge (Khabomay)); In the North Curil City District - 2.4 thousand people (on the only populated island of Paramushir, also includes Schysh, Onekotan, etc.).

ontyotan Island

Economy and development
On August 3, 2006, the Federal Program for the Development of the Islands since 2007 to 2015, which includes 4 blocks: the development of transport infrastructure, fiskering, social infrastructure and solving energy problems, approved. The program provides:
Allocating funds for this program for almost 18 billion rubles, that is, 2 billion rubles per year, which is equivalent to about 300 thousand rubles per resident of the islands, which will increase the population from 19 to 30 thousand people.
The development of the fisheries - currently there are only two fisheries on the islands, and both are state. The Russian Federation proposes to create another 20 new fish resource focus plants. The federal program provides for the creation of the same number of private fishing plants and the reconstruction of one fish processing plant.
On the islands it is planned to build new kindergartens, schools, hospitals, the development of the transport network, including the construction of a modern All-weather airport.
The problem of electricity deficiency, which is four times more expected to the Sakhalin, is planned to be solved due to the construction of power plants working on geothermal sources using the experience of Kamchatka and Japan.
In addition, in May 2011, the Russian authorities declared their intention to additionally allocate 16 billion rubles, doubled, thereby financing the program for the development of the Kuril Islands.
In February 2011, it became known about the plans to strengthen defense Kuril Brigade Air Defense, as well as a moving coastal missile complex with anti-worn missiles "Yahont".

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Source of information and photo:
The team is wetting.
Photo: Tatyana Selena, Victor Morozov, Kapustin Andrey, Artem Demin
The Russian Academy of Sciences. Institute of Geography RAS. Pacific Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Rate: Kotlyakov V. M. (Chairman), Baklanov P. Ya., Komedikov N. N. (Ch. Ed.) And others; Ot. Red.-cartographer Fedorova E. Ya. Atlas of the Kuril Islands. - m.; Vladivostok: IPT "Dick", 2009. - 516 p.
Control natural resources and environmental protection of the MPR of Russia in the Sakhalin region. Report "On the status and environmental protection of the Sakhalin Region in 2002" (2003). Checked June 21, 2010. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011.
Sakhalin region. The official website of the governor and the government of the Sakhalin region. Checked on June 21, 2010. Archived from the source October 7, 2006.
Makeev B. " Kuril problem: Military aspect. " World economy and international relations, 1993, No. 1, p. 54.
Wikipedia website.
Solovyov A. I. Kuril Islands / Glavsevmorput. - ed. 2nd. - M.: Publishing House of Glavsevmorputi, 1947. - 308 p.
Atlas Kuril Islands / Russian Academy of Sciences. Institute of Geography RAS. Pacific Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Rate: Kotlyakov V. M. (Chairman), Baklanov P. Ya., Komedikov N. N. (Ch. Ed.) And others; Ot. Red.-cartographer Fedorova E. I .. - m.; Vladivostok: IPT "Dick", 2009. - 516 p. - 300 copies. - ISBN 978-5-89658-034-8.
http://www.kurilstour.ru/islands.shtml.

The authorities of Russia and Japan since 1945 cannot sign a peace treaty due to the dispute about the belonging to the southern part of the Kuril Islands.

The problem of northern territories (Yap. 北方 領土 問題 Hoppo: Ryu: to Monday) - a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, which Japan considers unresolved since the end of World War II. After the war, all the Kuril Islands passed under the administrative control of the USSR, however, a number of southern islands - ITUURUP, Kunashir and a small Kuril ridge - disputed by Japan.

In Russia, controversial territories are part of the Kuril and South Kuril city districts of the Sakhalin region. Japan claims four islands in the southern part of the Kuril Ridge - ITUURUP, Kunashir, Shikotan and Khabomai, referring to the bilateral treatise on trade and borders of 1855. The position of Moscow is that the South Curiles entered the USSR (which Russia has become a contingency) The results of the Second World War, and Russian sovereignty over them, which has the appropriate international legal design, is not subject to doubt.

The problem of belonging to the southern Kuril Islands is the main obstacle to the complete settlement of Russian-Japanese relations.

ITUP (Yap. 択捉島 Etorofu) - Island of the South Group of Large Ridge of the Kuril Islands, the most large Island Archipelago.

Kunashir(Ain Black Island, Yap. 国後島 Kunasiri :) - The most southernmost island island of the Kuril Islands.

Shikotan (Yap. 色丹島 Sycotane :?, in early sources Sycotan; Title from the Ayn language: "Shi" - big, significant; "Kotan" - the village, the city) is the largest island of the small ridge of the Kuril Islands.

Habomai (Yap. 歯舞群島 Habomai Gunto The group of hubomai includes the islands of Polonsky, fragments, green, tangflix, Yuri, Demin, Anuchi and a row of small. Separated by the Soviet Strait from Hokkaido Island.

History of the Kuril Islands

XVII century
Before the arrival of Russian and Japanese, the islands were inhabited by Aina. In their language, "Kuru" meant "the person who came out of anywhere", from where and then their second name "Kuritsa", and then the name of the archipelago.

In Russia, the first mention of the Kuril Islands refers to 1646, when N. I. Kolobov told about the inhabitant islands of the bearded aina..

Japanese The first information about the islands was obtained during the expedition [Source not specified 238 days] on Hokkaido in 1635. It is not known whether she actually got to Kuril or found out about them indirectly, but in 1644 the card was drawn up on which they were marked under the collective name of the "Thousand Islands". Candidate of Geographical Sciences T. Adashova notes that the map of 1635 "Many scientists consider it very approximate and even incorrect." At the same time, in 1643, the islands were examined by the Dutch headed by Martin Friz. This expedition amounted to more detailed maps and described the land.

XVIII century
In 1711, Ivan Kozyrevsky went to Kuriles. He visited only the 2nd North Islands: Schisha and Paramushira, "but in detail asked those who inhabited their Iinov and Japanese, brought there. In 1719, Peter I sent an expedition to Kamchatka under the leadership of Ivan Jewinov and Fedor Luzin, which reached the south to the island of Simushir.

In 1738-1739, Martyn Shppberg passed along the entire ridge, causing the islands on the map. In the future, the Russians, avoiding dangerous swimming pools to the southern islands, mastered the northern, taxed the local population. For those who did not want to pay and left for the distant islands, they took Amanatov - hostages from among close relatives. But soon, in 1766, South Islands were sent by Ivan Black with Kamchatka. He was ordered to attract Ainov to citizenship without the use of violence and threats. However, he did not follow this decree, mocked them, poaching. All this led to a rebound of the indigenous population in 1771, during which many Russians were interrupted.

The Siberian Nobleman of Antipov with the Irkutsk Translator Shabalin reached great success. They managed to conquer the location of the smokers, and in 1778-1779 they managed to lead more than 1,500 people from ITUP, Kunashir and even Matsui (now Japanese Hokkaido). In the same 1779th Ekaterina II, the decree released the Russian citizenship by the Russian citizenship. But with the Japanese, the relationship was not built: they banned Russian to go to these three islands.

In the "external earthworking of the Russian state ..." 1787, a list of the 21st Island owned by Russia was shown. It included the islands to Matsumi (Hokkaido), whose status was not clearly defined, as Japan had a city in the southern part of it. At the same time, there were no real control even over the islands of South Urupe. There, the Japanese considered the smokers with their subjects, violence was actively used, which caused discontent. In May, 1788 was attacked by the Japanese trading ship who came to Matsumai. In 1799, on the orders of the Central Government of Japan, two outposts were founded on Kunashir and IUTUP, and the guard began to lead constantly.

XIX century
To resume trade negotiations with Japan in 1805, a representative of the Russian-American company Nikolai Rezanov, who arrived in Nagasaki as the first Russian envoy. But he failed. However, Japanese officials who have not satisfied the despotic policy of the supreme power, hints gave him to understand that it would be nice to carry out a power action in these lands, which could post the position from the dead point. This was carried out on the instructions of Rezanov in 1806-1807 by an expedition from two courts under the leadership of Lieutenant Tailov and Michman Davydov. Courts were looted, a number of factories were destroyed, the Japanese settlement burned on Itupe. Later they were tried, but the attack for a while led to a serious deterioration in Russian-Japanese relations. In particular, it was the reason for the arrest of the expedition of Vasily head.

In exchange for the right of ownership of southern Sakhalin, Russia handed over Japan in 1875, all the Kuril Islands.

XX century
After the defeat in 1905 in the Russian-Japanese war, Russia handed over Japan southern part of Sakhalin.
In February 1945, the Soviet Union promised the United States and Great Britain to start a war with Japan, subject to the return of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands.
February 2, 1946. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the inclusion of southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands in the composition of the RSFSR.
1947. Deportation of Japanese and Ainov from the islands in Japan. Evregated 17,000 Japanese and an unknown number of Ainov.
November 5, 1952. The powerful tsunami collapsed on the whole coast of Kuril, Paramushir suffered the strongest. The gigantic wave washed away the city of North-Kurilsk (former. Casivabara). In print, it was forbidden to mention this catastrophe.
In 1956, the Soviet Union and Japan adopted a joint agreement, an officially ending the war between the two states and the Kabomai and Shikotan transmitting Japan. Sign the contract, however, it did not work out: the United States threatened not to give Japan Okinawa Island, if Tokyo refuses the claims to ITUURUP and Kunashir.

Maps of the Kuril Islands

Kuril Islands on english map 1893. Plans of the Kuril Islands, From Sketches Chiefly Mand By Mr. H. J. Snow, 1893. (London, Royal Geographical Society, 1897, 54 × 74 cm)

Fragment of the Japan and Korea map - Location of Japan in the Western Pacific (1:30 000 000), 1945

CARRATI of the Curil Islands based on the NASA spacecraft, April 2010.

List of all islands

View of Habmioma with Hokkaido
Green Island (Yap. 志発 島 Somboot)
Polonsky Island (Yap. 多楽島 Taraku)
Tough Island (Jap. 晶島晶島 Suisyu-Dzima)
Yuri Island (Yap. 勇留島 Yuri)
Anunai Island (Yap. 秋勇留島 Akiyuri)
Demin Islands (Yap. 春苅島 Harukari)
Ostrovka Islands
Rock Kira
The cliff cave (Cancando) - on the rock of the silence rookery.
Rock sail (hockey)
Rock Candle (Rosok)
Fox Islands (Todo)
Cute Islands (Kabuto)
Dangerous bank
Watchtail Island (Homosiri or Tree)

Scala Behapping (odox)
Reef Island (Amagi Syo)
Signal Island (Yap. 貝殻島 Kaigara-Jima)
Rock amazing (Hanaren)
Rock Chaika

The World Politics Review newspaper believes that Putin's main mistake is now "dismissive attitude to Japan." The bold initiative of Russia to settle the dispute over the Kuril Islands would give Japan big grounds for cooperation with Moscow. - So today IA REGNUM. It is expressed by this "dismissive attitude" is clear what - give Japan Curiles. It would seem that the Americans and their European Sanitremes before smoked, which in another part of the world?

Everything is simple. Under the Japanese, the desire to turn the Okhotsk Sea from the inner Rosiysky in the sea, open to the "world community". With large for us the consequences of both military and economic nature.

Well, who was the first one who mastered these lands? Why is Japan consider these islands with their original territories?
To do this, let's look at the history of the development of the Kuril Ridge.

Initially, the islands were inhabited by Aina. In their language, "Kuru" meant "the person who came out of anywhere", from where and then their second name "Kuritsa", and then the name of the archipelago.

In Russia, the Kuril Islands are first mentioned in the reporting document N. I. Kolobov Tsar Alexei from 1646 on the features of the wanders I. Yu. Moskvitin. Also, these chronicles and maps of medieval Netherlands, Scandinavia and Germany testify to the indigenous Russian villages. N. I. Kolobov told about the inhabiting islands of bearded Aina. Ains were gathering, fishing and hunting, lived in small settlements throughout the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.

Based after the campaign of Dezhnev seeds in 1649, Anadyr city and Okhotsk became bases for the study of the Kuril Islands, Alaska and California.

The development of new lands by Russia was civilized and was not accompanied by extermination or displacement of the local population from the territory of their historic homeland, as it happened, for example, with the North American Indians. The arrival of the Russians led to the spread among the local population more effective means of hunting, metal products, and most importantly - contributed to the cessation of bloody inter-barded strings. Under the influence of Russian peoples, these began to join agriculture and move to a settled lifestyle. Trade was revived, Russian merchants flooded Siberia and Far East goods, the existence of which the local population did not even guess.

In 1654, the Yakut Cossack Deadhechin M. Stadukhin visited there. In the 60s, part of the northern Kuril was inflicted by the Russians on the card, and in 1700, Kuriles are applied to C.remizov card. In 1711, the Cossack Ataman D.Anziferov and Esaul I. Kozyrievsky visited Paramushir's Islands. The following year, Kozyrevsky visited the islands of ITUURUP and URUP and reported that the inhabitants of these islands live "self-help."

In 1721, those who graduated from the St. Petersburg Academy of Geodesy and Cartography I. Evreinov and F. Lyzhin in 1721, after which Peter I personally was awarded a report on this swimming and a map.

Russian seafarers Captain Shppberg and Lieutenant Walton In 1739, the first of the Europeans opened the path to the eastern shores of Japan, visited the Japanese Hondo Islands (Honosu) and Matsama (Hokkaido), described the Kuril Rud and caused all the Kuril Islands and the East Coast of Sakhalin on the map.

The expedition found that under the rule of "Japanese Khan" there is only one Hokkaido Island, the rest of the island is beyond. Since the 60s, interest in smokers increases noticeably, Russian commercial vessels stick to their shores, and soon the local population is Aina - on the Islands of Warp and ITUURUP, it was brought to Russian citizenship.

The merchant D.Shebalin of the Office of the Okhotsk port was Dan Agaz "To convert residents of the southern islands into the citizenship of Russia and start bargaining with them." Lowing the Ainov to Russian citizenship, the Russians founded on the islands of wintering, parking, taught the Ainov to use firearms, breed livestock and grow some vegetables.

Many of the Ainov accepted Orthodoxy and learned literacy.
Russian missionaries did everything to spread among the Kuril Ainov Orthodoxy, and taught them the Russian language. Honor of the first in this row of missionaries is the name of Ivan Petrovich Kozyrevsky (1686-1734), in the monasticism of Ignatia. A.S. Pushkin wrote that "Kozyrevsky conquered two Kuril Islands in 1713 and brought the news of the news about trade in the city of Matva. In the texts of the "drawing marine Islands"Kozyrevsky was written:" On the first and other island in the Kamchatka nose, with the self-balanced shown, smoked in the hike and greetings, and other military order, again in the yasual payment led. " Back in 1732, the famous historian G.F.Miller in the academic calendar was noted: "Before this, there were no faith in the inhabitants. But in twenty years, in the command of his imperial majesty, the church and schools are built there, which we are given hope, and this sphere from time to time will be released from their delusion. " The monk Ignatiy Kozyrevsky in the south of the Kamchatka Peninsula on its own funds was laid down the church with the limit and the monastery, in which he himself was later. Kozyrevsky managed to pay in the faith of "local injecting people" - the ITRs of Kamchatka and Kuril Ainov.

Aina caught fish, beat the marine beast, baptized in the Orthodox churches of their children, worn Russian clothes, had Russian names, they spoke Russian and proudly called themselves Orthodox. In 1747, the "newest" smokers from the islands of Schoshu and Paramushir, which had more than two hundred people, through her Tien (Chief), the Storozhev appealed to the Orthodox mission in Kamchatka lasting to send a priest "to approve them in the new faith."

At the order of Catherine II in 1779, all the defeats not established by decrees from St. Petersburg were canceled. Thus, the fact of opening and mastering the Russian Kuril Islands is indisputable.

Over time, the crafts on the smokes were depleted, becoming less and less profitable than the coast of America, and because by the end of the XVIII century, the interest of Russian merchants to the smokers weakened. In Japan, by the end of the same century, interest in smokers and Sakhalin is just awakening, because before that, the Kuriles were almost unknown by the Japanese. Hokkaido Island - according to the testimony of Japanese scientists themselves - was considered an ingenic territory and only a minor part of him was settled and mastered. In the late 70s, Russian merchants reached Hokkaido and tried to make trading with local residents. Russia was interested in purchasing food in Japan for Russian fishing expeditions and settlements in Alaska and the Pacific Islands, but it was not possible to tie the trade, because I banned the Act of Japan's isolation of 1639, which said: "For the future, the Sun will illuminate The world, no one has the right to pester the shores of Japan, at least he even was a messenger, and this law can never be canceled under the fear of death. "

And in 1788, Ekaterina II Schail Strict Association by Russian industrialists on Kurilah so that they "do not concern the islands, under the maintenance of other powers that are", and a year before it was issued a decree on the circulation of the circular expedition for the exact description and application to the map of the islands from Masha to the Kamchatka blades, to "count formally to the ownership of the Russian state". It was prescribed not to allow foreign industrialists to "trade and fields in owned by Russia Places and with local residents do peacefully. But the expedition did not take place due to the Russian-Turkish War started 1787-1791.

Taking advantage of the weakening of the Russian positions in the southern part of Kuril, the Japanese fish workers first appear in Kunashir in 1799, for the next year already on the ITUPE, where Russian crosses are destroyed and illegally put a post with a designation pointing to the affiliation of Japan islands. Japanese fishermen often began to arrive to the shores of southern Sakhalin, led fishery, hurt the Ainov, which was the cause of frequent skirmishes between them. In 1805, the Russian sailors from the Frigate "Juno" and the tender "Avos" were put on the shore of Aniva's bay, a post with the Russian flag was raised, and the Japanese parking on Itupe was ruined. The Russians were welcomed by Aina.

In 1854, with the aim of establishing trade and diplomatic relations with Japan, Nicholas I guides the Vice Admiral E.Putyatina. In his mission also included the distinction between Russian and Japanese possessions. Russia demanded recognizing their rights to the island of Sakhalin and Kuril, has long been revealed. Knowing perfectly, in which serious position was Russia, leading simultaneously war with three powers in the Crimea, Japan put forward unreasonable claims to the southern part of Sakhalin.

In early 1855, in Symod Putyatin, the first Russian-Japanese agreement on peace and friendship signed, in reality, Sakhalin was declared unrequited between Russia and Japan, the border was established between the Islands of ITUURUP and VRP, and the ports of the Simer, Hakodate, were opened for Russian courts. And Nagasaki.

The Simed Treatise of 1855 in Article 2 defines:
"In the continuation of the border between the Japanese state and Russia, to establish between the island of ITUURUP and the Island island. The entire island of ItuluPe is owned by Japan, the whole island of Vrup and the Kuril Islands to the north belongs to Russia. As for the island of Karafuto (Sakhalin), it is still not divided by the border between Japan and Russia. "

The government of Alexander II is the main direction of his policy made the Middle East and Central Asia And, fearing to leave uncertain with Japan in the case of a new exacerbation of relations with England, went on the signing of the so-called St. Petersburg Treatise of 1875, according to which all the Kuril Islands in exchange for recognition of Sakhalin Russian territory went to Japan.

Alexander II, who before that, in 1867 sold Alaska for symbolic and at the time, the amount - 11 million rubles, and this time committed a large mistake, underestimated strategic value Smoked, which were later used by Japan for aggression against Russia. The king naively believed that Japan would become a peace-loving and calm neighbor of Russia and, when the Japanese, justifying their claims, refer to the 1875 treaty, then for some reason they forget (as "forgot" T. Tannze) about his first article: ".. . And the eternal peace and friendship between the Russian and Japanese empire will continue to be installed.

Russia actually lost the exit to the Pacific Ocean. Japan, the imperial ambitions of which continued to increase, actually got the opportunity at any time start the marine blockade of Sakhalin and all Far Eastern Russia.

The population smoked immediately after the establishment of the Japanese authorities described in his notes about the Kuril Islands English Captain Snow:
"In 1878, when I first visited the Northern Islands ... All the northernmost residents have spoken more or less in Russian. All of them were Christians and confessed the religion of the Greek Church. They were visited (and attended to this time) Russian priests, and the church was built in the village of Meroupo on Schushir, the boards for which were brought from America. ... The largest settlements on the northern Kurilah were in the port of Tavano (Urup), Uratman, on the shore of Brouton Bay (Simushir) and the above-described Mayarpo (Schushyr). In each of these villages, except huts and earthlings, there was their own church ... ".

Our famous compatriot, Captain V. M. Golinnov, in the famous "Note of the fleet of the captain of the head ..." mentions Ain, "who called himself Alexey Maksimovich." ...

Then he was 1904, when Japan treacherously attacked Russia.
At the conclusion of a peace treaty in Portsmouth in 1905, the Japanese side demanded that the Sakhalin Island is in the order of contact. The Russian side announced that this is contrary to the agreement of 1875. What did the Japanese respond to this?

War crosses all contracts, you have defeated and let's proceed from the situation that has established today.
Only due to the skillful diplomatic maneuvers of Russia managed to preserve the northern part of Sakhalin after him, and South Sakhalin went to Japan.

At the Yalta Conference of the Heads of Power, the countries participating in the Anti-Hitler Coalition, held in February 1945, was decided after the end of World War II South Sakhalin and all the Kuril Islands to transfer to the Soviet Union, and this was the condition of the USSR to enter the war with Japan - three months after End of war in Europe.

On September 8, 1951, 49 states signed a peace treaty with Japan in San Francisco. The draft treaty was prepared during the Cold War without the participation of the USSR and in violation of the principles of the Potsdam Declaration. The Soviet side proposed to carry out demilitarization and ensure the democratization of the country. Representatives of the United States and the UK stated our delegation that they arrived here not to discuss, but to sign a contract and therefore will not change a single line. USSR, and with him Poland and Czechoslovakia, put their signatures under the contract refused. And what is interesting, article 2 of this contract states that Japan refuses all rights and law upon Sakhalin Island and Kuril Islands. Thus, Japan itself refused the territorial claims to our country, refining it with his signature.

1956, Soviet-Japanese negotiations on the normalization of relations between the two countries. The Soviet side agrees to give up two islands of Shikotan and Habomai Japan and proposes to sign a peace treaty. The Japanese side leans to the adoption of the Soviet proposal, but in September 1956, the United States guides Japan a note, which states that if Japan refuses his claims to Kunashir and ITUUP and satisfies only the two islands, in this case the United States will not give the islands of Ryuku where the main island is Okinawa. Americans put Japan in front of an unexpected and difficult choice - to get the islands from the Americans, you need to pick up all the smokers from Russia. ... either he smoked neither zealous with Okinawa.
Clearly, the Japanese refused to sign a peace treaty on our conditions. Subsequently concluded an agreement on security (1960) between the United States and Japan made it impossible to transfer Japan Shikotan and Khabomai. To give the islands to the American bases, our country, I could not, how to associate yourself with some obligations before Japan in the question of Kurilla.

A worthy answer about the territorial claims to us from Japan was given by A.N. Kosyugin:
- The boundaries between the USSR and Japan should be considered as the result of the Second World War.

This could be put on this point, but I would like to remind you that only 6 years ago, M.S. Gorbachev, at the meeting, the delegation of SPEA also strongly opposed the revision of the borders, emphasizing the borders between the USSR and Japan "legitimate and legally reasonable" .

Kuril archipelago - a chain of 56 large and small islands of volcanic origin. They are part of the Sakhalin region and stretch from north to south from Kamchatka to the shores of the Japanese Hokkaido Island. The largest of them - ITUURUP, Paramushir, Kunashir and Vrup, inhabited only three - ITUURUP, Kunashir and Shikotan, and besides them - a lot of small islets and rocks that stretch out 1200 km.

The Kuril Islands are interesting, above all, by their nature. Volcanoes (most of which are valid), lakes, thermal sources, a variety of landscapes and national parks are a real paradise for photographers and other lovers of beautiful species.

There are practically no infrastructure on the islands on the islands, with transportation, hotels and upupitis here everything is not easy here, however unique nature And landscapes compensate for all inconvenience.

How to get

Getting to the islands of the Kuril archipelago is difficult, but even more difficult to get out. All Kuril transport - airplanes and ferries - tied to weatherAnd they are not always favorable in the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. Flight delays are not numbering for hours, but by days, so planning travel, you should always lay a few spare days for possible waiting.

On Paramyshire (Northern Chickens) get from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on a boat or helicopter. South Kuril Islands come to more popular among tourists from Sakhalin - by plane from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk or ferry from Korsakov.

By plane

Flights from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to South Kurilsk on the island of Kunashir and Kurilsk on the island of ITUPURA are airlines Aurora. On schedule, aircraft are sent every day, but in reality depend on the weather. Time on the way is 1 hour 20 minutes one way, ticket prices - from 400 USD there and back. Keep in mind that the tickets should be purchased in advance, since sometimes they are reappeared a few months ahead. Prices on the page are shown in November 2018.

On a ferryboat

Ferry "Igor Farhutdinov" from the port of Korsakov goes on schedule twice a week to the islands of Kunashir, Shikotan and Ilutuju (this is the same route with several stops). The schedule is very approximate, so you can't buy online tickets in advance, and the sail time varies from several hours to day. Tickets are sold at the Corsakovsky port office in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, it is already impossible to buy them in the port itself.

You can only buy a ticket for one way, the return tickets begin to sell after sailing on the ship itself (you need to sign up for a purchase).

The ferry goes around 20 hours, the conditions there are not the most luxurious, but quite decent: four and double cabins, as well as cabins, suite with amenities in the room, there is an inexpensive restaurant and bar (there are already higher prices), as well as a small library . Ticket price - from 2800 RUB per person.

When moving from Sakhalin to Kunashir, it usually strongly shakes, and many passengers complain about sea disease, so just in case it is worth having a pill with a damp.

Getting permission to enter

To visit the Kuril Islands, you need a pass to the border crossing, it is issued by the Sakhalin branch of the Coast Guard of the FSB in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The application can be submitted on weekdays in the morning from 9:30 to 10:30 (only the passport and its photocopy, which can be done on the spot), the next morning the pass will be ready, it usually does not occur.

When you try to come to the chickens without skipping, at least you are waiting for a penalty (about 500 RUB), and how maximum is the departure back to Sakhalin the same flight.

The pass is issued only to the islands specified in the application, so you need to specify all the places you are going to visit.

Search for flights to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (nearest a / n to Kuril Islands)

Weather on the Kuril Islands

The most comfortable weather for traveling for the Kuril Islands - a period from mid-June to mid-September. In June and July, the least of all the rains, and August is considered the hottest month for local standards - here is about +15 ° C. The southern chickens are consistently cooler to the northern, here in August about + 10 ... + 12 ° C, and on the northern smokes at the same time - up to + 16 ... + 18 ° C due to warm currents.

September and October are the most rainy months in the Kuril archipelago, and the air temperature in October is about + 8 ... + 10 ° C. The humidity in this region is quite high all year round.

In winter, in the south - frosts up to -25 ° C, in the north a little warmer - to -16 ... -18 ° C.

Hotels in Kuril Islands

Tourist infrastructure on the Kuril Islands is not developed. There are several small hotels in Kunashir and one on the ITIUP. The common hotel is about 70 rooms, there are no large hotels, and all low-rise buildings due to the high seismicity of the region.

Through popular online booking systems, you cannot reserve a room - these hotels are not represented there. You need to book directly by phone (online booking forms and even your site is far from each hotel) or through a travel agency.

The average cost of living is about 3000 RUB per day for the room for two. The conditions are pretty Spartan, but the bed and a bathroom in the room have.

Kitchen and restaurants

Cafes and restaurants on the Kuril Islands are a bit, they are all located in cities and usually during hotels. The best is the restaurant in the House of Russian-Japanese friendship in South Kurilsk, where Japanese tourists often stop.

Also in the cities and towns there are small cafes and shops, where you can buy delicious snacks from seafood: squid, octopus, etc. Prices for all, except for fish and seafood, are about 20-30% higher than on the mainland.

Entertainment and attractions

The main attraction of the Kuril archipelago is his wonderful nature. This is a mountain range that rises from the depths of the ocean and shows only their peaks. On the Kuril Islands there are about 40 acting and many extinct volcanoes, the highest of existing volcanoes - Alaid on Atlas Island 30 km from Paramushir Island on North Kurilla. Its height is 2339 m and its outlines and the right form of cone, he resembles the Japanese volcano Fuji.

The Volcano Island Chirincan because of the rocky shore is almost unavailable, it is possible to shoot it only on a boat in a single place - at the highest cliff. The volcano is constantly smoking, and the island itself is notable for the fact that hundreds of birds are going to a bird market.

In the northern part of the island, ITUPU can be seen white rocks - the ridges of the porous structure of volcanic origin stretch 28 km and cut out picturesque canyons. The coast of the cliffs is covered with white quartz and black titanium champions.

On the island of Kunashir partially preserved warehouse of Japanese left boots. In the Japanese army, the left and right boots were kept separately in order to avoid theft, and so that they could not use the enemy if the warehouse detects.

Lakes and thermal sources

Great beauty and lake of the Kuril Islands. Especially picturesque mountain Lake Autumn on the island of Onekotan. It is rounded shape, the shore is framed by the sheer 600-700-meter cliffs. On the island of Kunashir there is a boiling lake Pono. Water here is boil, bubbles, near the shores with a whistle, jets of gas and steam are broken.

On the slopes of the Volcano Baransky there are unique thermal springs and reservoirs, and on the rock plate there is a whole geothermal station generating electricity. There are geysers, lakes, sulfur streams and swimming pools with boiling mud. The most famous hot lake is "Emerald Oko", the temperature of which reaches 90 degrees. It follows the river boiling with hot and sour water, which in one place is broken and falls from an 8-meter height with a hot waterfall.

Water in the sea around islands is crystal clear, and the bottom is covered with vegetation, where fish and other marine inhabitants live. The divers here will be interested in: besides maritime animals, at the bottom you can see sunken Japanese ships and other military equipment.

National parks

On the territory of the Kuril archipelago two national Park. The reserve "Small Kuriles" is located at once on several islands, mostly - on Shikotan, and it also includes part of the water area of \u200b\u200bthe Pacific. The reserve was established in 1982 to preserve the population of rare birds and animals, mostly sea. Here we live seals, northern seals, Gray dolphins, humpback whales and other animals.

What are the interesting Kuril Islands and is it possible to organize a trip to yourself? Who now belongs to Curiles: the essence of the Russia-Japan conflict.

1. Who actually belongs to the Kuril Islands
2. Nature of the Kuril Islands
3. Journey to the Kuril Islands

Sakhalin Ridge Islands, bordering Japan, are considered the eastern miracle of nature. Of course, it is about the Kuril Islands, whose history is just as rich as nature. To begin with, it is worth saying that the struggle for 56 islands located between Kamchatka and Hokkaido began from the moment of opening.

Kuril Islands on the map of Russia

Kuril Islands - History Pages

So, at the end of the 16th day of the 17th century, when Russian navigators have delivered the unexplored lands on the map, which was inhabited, began the process of assigning non-hedied territories. At that time, the Kuril Islands inhabited the people called Ayanami. The Russian authorities tried to attract this people to their citizenship by any methods, not excluding power. As a result, Ayan, together with their lands, after all, moved to the side of the Russian Empire in exchange for cancellation of the filings.

The situation in the root did not suit the Japanese who had their views on these territories. Diplomatic methods to come to resolve conflict failed. Eventually, according to the document from 1855, the territory of the islands is considered unrequited. The situation gained clarity only after the end of the Second World War, when the surprising territory with a harsh climate was officially transmitted.

According to the new world order, the Kuril Islands passed into possession Soviet Union - Winner states. The Japanese who fought on the side of the Nazis, there was no chance.

Who actually belongs to the Kuril Islands?

Despite the results of the Second World War, which secured the right of ownership of the Kuril Islands at the world level for the USSR, Japan still claims to the territory. Until now, a peace treaty has not been signed between the two countries.

What is happening now - in 2018?

Changes the tactics, Japan is compromised and currently disputes the ownership of Russia only to part of the Kuril Islands. It is ITUURUP, Kunashir, Shikotan and a group of hubomai. At first glance, this is a small part of Kuril, because only 56 units in the archipelago! An embarrassment of one point: ITUURUP, Kunashir, Shikotan is the only Kuril Islands, where there is a permanent population (about 18 thousand people). They are closest to the Japanese "border".

The Japanese and world media, in turn, throw on firewood into the firebox of the conflict, mutating the theme and convincing ordinary citizens of Japan that the Kuril Islands are vital and unfairly captured. When, by whom, at what point is not important. The main thing is to create as many potential foci of conflict around one immense, but a bit of the unquest. Suddenly lucky, and somewhere "will burn"?

Representatives of the Russian Federation represented by the President and Foreign Ministry retain calm. But they do not get tired once again recall that we are talking about the territory of Russia, which belongs to it rightfully. Well, in the end, Germany is not making claims to Poland on Gdansk and France - on Alsace and Lorraine?

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Nature of the Kuril Islands

An insistence is not only the history of the development of the islands, but also their nature. In fact, each of the Kuril Islands is a volcano, and the good part of these volcanoes are currently operating. It is thanks to volcanic origin that the nature of the islands is so diverse, and the surrounding landscapes - a paradise for photographers and geologists.

On the Kuril Islands there are many geothermal sources that form whole hot water lakes, highly useful for micro and macroelements. A huge number of animals and birds live on the Kuril Islands, many of which are found only in these parts. Rich I. vegetable worldrepresented by most of the endemics.

Journey to the Kuril Islands 2018

In its parameters, the territory of the Kuril Islands is suitable for traveling as it is impossible. And let the climate is harsh, almost no sunny days, high humidity and abundance of precipitation - weather disadvantages are covered with beauty and surprisingly clean air. So if you are bothering the weather on the Kuril Islands, then it can be survived.

Setting the goal to organize independent holiday In the Kuril Islands in 2018 (at least virtually), we used to reveal Booking.com and found another, more global problem. Currently, there are no hotels in the Kuril Islands - tourism is not developed there.

Getting to the smoke - the task is also not a lung. The nearest airport for flights from Moscow is located in South Sakhalinsk. And then the desperate traveler is waiting cruise on the Kuril Islands. But here she lies next of the test: the only shipping non-freezing straits is the Strait of Frieza and the Strait of Catherine.

But the more interesting will be reached and spend time on the Kuril Islands!

Flights to South Sakhalinsk from Moscow

Just in case you throw you a reference to the calendar low prices On flights to Yuzhno Sakhalinsk. Suddenly you really have one day we will guess to the smoke? If we manage to do it before you, we will definitely tell!

* Prices are there and back

By visiting the Kuril Islands once, you for the rest of my life remember this beauty. After all, not in vain in countries such as Russia and Japan, there are mutual claims about the little, but such a fertile bar of sushi.

Climate of Kuril Islands

Within the framework of the area under consideration, a moderate marine climate prevails, which is rather a cool cool than warm. The main impact on climatic conditions provide baric systems that are usually formed over northern Pacific, Cold Curil Current, as well Sea Okhotsk. South part The archipelago is covered by monsoon atmospheric streams, for example, asian winter anticyclone also dominates there.

Schikotan Island

It is worth noting that the weather in the Kuril Islands is changing enough. Landscapes of local landscaps are characterized by a smaller heat of security than the territories of the corresponding latitudes, but in the center of the mainland. The average minus temperature in winter is the same for each island included in the chain, and ranges from -5 to -7 degrees. In winter, prolonged heavy snowfalls often happen, thaw, elevated cloudy and blizzards. In summer, temperature indicators change within +10 to +16 degrees. The south is the island, the higher the air temperature will be.

The main factor affecting the summer temperature indicator is considered the nature of hydrological circulation inherent in coastal waters.

If we consider the components of the average and northern Group The islands, it is worth noting that the temperature of coastal waters is not raised above five to six degrees, so the lowest summer indicator for the northern hemisphere is characterized for these territories. Throughout the year, the archipelago drops from 1000 to 1400 mm of precipitation, which are evenly distributed over the seasons. You can also talk about everywhere excessive moisture. In the south side of the chain in the summer, the humidity indicator exceeds the ninety percent, because of which the fogs are dense in their consistency. If you carefully consider the latitudes where the Kuril Islands on the map are located, it can be concluded that the area is particularly difficult. It is under regular exposure to cyclones, which are accompanied by excessive precipitation, and may also cause typhoons.

Symushir Island

The territories are inhabited unevenly. Yearly the population of the Kuril Islands lives on Shikotan, Kunashir, Paramushire and Itupe. There is no permanent population in other sections of the archipelago. Total numbers are nineteen settlements, among which sixteen villages, urban-type settlement called Yuzhno-Kurilsk, as well as two major cities, among which Kurilsk and North-Kurilsk. In 1989, the maximum value of the population was recorded, which was equated to 30,000 people.

The high population of the territories during the Soviet Union is due to the subsidies of those regions, as well as a large number of servicemen who were inhabited by the Islands of Simushir, Schisha, and so on.

By 2010, the figure declined significantly. Total territory took 18,700 people, of which approximately 6 100 live within the framework of the Kuril district, and 10,300 in the South Kuril district. The rest of people occupied local villages. The population has significantly decreased due to the remoteness of the archipelago, but the climate of the Kuril Islands has also played, which is far from every person.

Uninhabited Islands of Ushishira

How to get to Kuril

Get here the most convenient through the air. The local airport called "ITUURUP" is considered one of the most important aircraft objects erected in post-Soviet times from scratch. It is built and equipped with modern technological requirements, so he is assigned the status of an international aircraft. The first flight, which later became regular, was adopted on September 22, 2014. They became the aircraft of Aurora, which arrived from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. On board everything was fifty passengers. This event was negatively perceived by the Japanese authorities, which belong to this territory to their country. Therefore, disputes about who belong to the Kuril Islands continue to this day.

It is worth noting that the journey through the smoke needs to be planned in advance. The route drawing up must take into account that the entire archipelago includes fifty-six-six islands, among which ITUP and Kunashir uses the greatest popularity. You can tell them in two ways. It is most convenient to fly by plane, but tickets worth buying a few months before the outlined date, because there are enough flights. The second way is a journey on the ship from the port of Korsakov. The path takes from 18 to 24 hours, but you can purchase a ticket exclusively at Kursah or Sakhalin, that is, online for sale is not provided.

Urup is uninhabited island Volcanic origin

Despite all the difficulties, life on the Kuril Islands is developing and growing. The history of the territories began in 1643, when several sections of the archipelago were examined by Martin Fries and his team. The first information received by Russian scientists is dated 1697, when the campaign of V. Atlasov in Kamchatka took place. All subsequent expeditions under the leadership of I. Kozyrevsky, F. Luzhina, M. Shppberg and others were directed to the systematic development of the area. After it became clear who opened the Kuril Islands, you can familiarize yourself with several interesting facts associated with the archipelago:

1. To get to the chickens, the tourist will require a special permission, since the zone is border. This document is issued exclusively by the Border Office of the FSB Sakhalinsk. To do this, it will be necessary to come to the institution at 9:30 - 10:30 with your passport. Permission will be ready the next day. Therefore, the traveler will definitely stay in the city for one day, which should be considered by planning a trip.
2. Due to the unpredictable climate, visiting the island, you can get drunk here for a long time, because with bad weather, the airport of the Kuril Islands and their ports stop their work. Frequent noise becomes high cloudiness and nebula. At the same time, it is not at all about a couple of time delay of the flight. The traveler should always be ready to spend an extra week or two.


3. For guests, smoked all five hotels. The hotel called "Vostok" is designed for eleven rooms, "Iceberg" - three rooms, "flagship" - seven rooms, "ITUURUP" - 38 rooms, "Island" - eleven numbers. It is necessary to book places in advance.
4. Japanese lands are seen from the windows of local residents, however, the best review opens on Kunashir. To check this fact, the weather should be clear.
5. The Japanese past is closely connected with these territories. There were Japanese cemeteries, plants, the coast from the Pacific Ocean is densely eliminated by fragments of the Japanese porcelain, which existed before the war. Therefore, here you can often find archaeologists or collectors.
6. It is also worth understanding that the controversial Kuril Islands, first of all, is volcanoes. Their territories consist of 160 volcanoes, of which about forty remain in force.
7. Local flora and fauna amazes. A bamboo grows along the motorways here, a magnolia or a tree of mulberries can grow near the Christmas tree. Lands are rich in berry, blueberry, lingonberry, cloudberry, prince, Krasnik, Chinese lemongrass, blueberry, and so on here. Locals argue that the bear can be found here, especially close to the volcano of Taji Kunashir.
8. Practical each local It has at its disposal a car, but there is no refueling in any of the settlements. Fuel supplied inside special barrels from Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.


9. Due to the high seismicity of the region of its territory, they are built up mainly by two- and three-story buildings. Houses of five floors are already considered high spirits and highly rare.
10. While it will be decided, whose Kuril Islands, among Russians living here, will be 62 days a year. Residents of Southern Ridges can use a visa-free regime with Japan. This feature uses about 400 people per year.

The big Kuril arc is surrounded by underwater volcanoes, some of which can be felt regularly. Any eruption is caused by the resumption of seismic activity, which provokes "fruitry". Therefore, local lands are exposed to frequent tsunami. The strongest wave of tsunami tsunami about 30 meters in 1952 completely destroyed the city on the island of Paramushir called North-Kurilsk.

The last century also remembered by several natural catastrophes. Among them, the most famous was the Tsunami of 1952, which happened in Paramyshire, as well as the Shikotanian tsunami of 1994. Therefore, it is believed that such a beautiful nature of the Kuril Islands is also very dangerous for human life, but this does not prevent local cities to develop, and to grow the population.

Unresolved dispute of the Kuril Islands

The problem of the Kuril Islands was concluded in a unresolved controversial issue between the Japanese and Russian parties about who they belong. And it remains open since the time of the Second World War.

The Kuril Islands after the war began to belong to the USSR. But Japan considers the territories of southern smoked, and this is ITUURUP, Kunashir, Shikotan with a group of Habmioma Islands, its territory, without having a legal foundation. Russia does not recognize the fact of the dispute with the Japanese side about these territories, since their affiliation is legal.

The problem of the Kuril Islands is the main obstacle to the peaceful settlement of relations between Japan and Russia.

The essence of the dispute of Japan and Russia

The Japanese demand to return them the Kuril Islands. There, almost the entire population is convinced that these lands are angular Japanese. This dispute between the two states has long been long ago, exacerbated after the Second World War.
Russia is not inclined to give up to the Japanese leaders of the state. The peace agreement to this day is not signed, and it is due to four controversial South Kuril Islands. On the legality of the claims of Japan into the Kuril Islands in this video.

Values \u200b\u200bof southern smoking

Southern chickens have several values \u200b\u200bfor both countries:

1. Military. The southern chickens have military importance, thanks to the only way out in the Pacific Ocean for the Fleet of the country. And all because of the scarce of geographical formations. At the moment, the ships go into the ocean waters through the Sangar Strait, because through the strait of the lapere not pass due to icing. Therefore, submarines are located on Kamchatka - Avachinskaya bay. Military bases currently operating in Soviet times were plundered and left.
2. Economic. Economic importance - in the Sakhalin region a rather serious hydrocarbon potential. And the access to Russia of the entire territory is smoked, allows the use of water there at their discretion. Although its central part belongs to the Japanese side. In addition to water resources, there is such a rare metal, like rhenium. His mining, the Russian Federation is in third place for mining minerals and sulfur. For the Japanese, this territory is important for fishing and agricultural needs. This catchy fish is used by the Japanese to grow rice - they simply pour it into the fields with rice for fertilizer.
3. Social. By and large, there is no special social interest for ordinary people on southern smoke. All because there are no modern megalopolises, people mainly work there and their life takes place in the cabins. Supply deliver airway, and less often water due to constant storms. Therefore, the Kuril Islands are more a military-industrial facility than social.
4. Tourist. In this regard, it is better in the southern smokers. These places will be interested in many people who attract all the present, natural and extreme. It is unlikely that someone will remain indifferent at the sight of a thermal source driving out of the ground, or from lifting to the Calder of the Volcano, and crossing the fumarol field on foot. And about the look-up types and say nothing.

For this reason, the dispute on the belonging of the Kuril Islands does not move from the dead point.

Dispute about Kuril territory

Who owns these four island territories - Shikotan, ITUURUP, Kunashir and the Islands of Habmioma, the question is not from the lungs.

Information of written sources indicates the discoverers of Kuril - Dutch. The Russian first was settled by the territory of Tisima. Shikotan Island and the remaining three are marked for the first time by the Japanese. But after all, the discovery does not give the basis for the possession of this territory.

Schikotan Island

The edge of the world is the island of Shikotan because of the Cape Malokurilian village nearby. He is impressive with his 40-meter cliff into ocean waters. It is called this place the edge of the world due to the opening stunning view of the Pacific vastness.
Shikotan Island is translated as a big city. It stretches by 27 kilometers, in width, it has 13 km, which occupied area is 225 square meters. km. The highest point of the island is the Mountain of the same name, towering at 412 meters. Partially its territory belongs to the State Natural Reserve.

Shikotan Island has a very rugged coastline with multiple bays, capes and rocks.

Previously, they thought that the mountains on the island, these were no longer erupting volcanoes, which the Kuril Islands are replete. But they turned out to be rocks, displaced lithospheric slabs shifts.

A bit of history

Long before the Russians and the Japanese, the Kuril Islands inhabited Aina. The first information from Russians and the Japanese about Kurilah appeared only in the 17th century. The Russian expedition was directed in the 18th century, after which about 9,000 Ainov became citizens of Russia.

A treatise (1855) was signed between Russia and Japan, called Simodist, where the boundaries were established, allowing Japanese citizens to trade on 2/3 of this land. A draw of the territory remained Sakhalin. After 20 years, Russia began to hold this land unprisoned, then losing the south in the Russian-Japanese war. But during the WWI, the Soviet troops were still able to return to themselves the south of Sakhalin Earth and the Kuril Islands in general.
There was still a signing of a peace agreement between states who won the victory and Japan and it happened in San Francisco in 1951. And on him, Japan has absolutely no right to the Kuril Islands.

But then the Soviet side of the signing did not occur that many researchers were considered a mistake. But there were serious reasons for:

• In the document was not designated specifically, which was included in Kuriles. The Americans stated that they need to go to a special international court. Plus, a member of the Japanese state delegation announced that the southern controversial islands were not the territory of Kuril.
• The document also did not point exactly who will belong to Kuriles. That is, so the question at the same time remained controversial.

Between the USSR and the Japanese side in 1956, the declaration was signed by the platform before the main peace agreement. In it, the country of tips goes towards the Japanese and agrees to convey to them only two disputed Islands of Habomai and Shikotan. But with the condition - only after signing a peace agreement.

The declaration contains several subtleties:

• The word "convey" means that they belong to the USSR.
• This transmission will be actually made after the signature will be raised in the world contract.
• This applies only to the two islands smoked.

It was a positive shift between the Soviet Union and the Japanese side, but thereby caused the alarm from Americans. Thanks to Washington pressure, in the Japanese government, ministerial chairs have completely changed and new officials have become preparing for high positions began to prepare the Military Agreement of America and Japan, which began to act in 1960.

After that, from Japan, a call came to give no two offered to the USSR of the island, but four. America presses that all contracts between the country and Japan are not necessary, they allegedly declarative. And the existing and existing military agreement between the Japanese and Americans implies the placement on the Japanese territory of its troops. Accordingly, now they approached Russian territory even closer.

Based on all this, Russian diplomats stated that until all foreign troops were displayed from its territory, it is impossible to even talk about a peaceful agreement. But in any case, we are talking only about the two islands of the territory of Kuril.

As a result, the strengths of America are still located in Japan. The Japanese insist on the transfer of the 4th Kuril Islands, as written in the declaration.

The second half of the 80s of the 20th century is marked by the weakening of the Soviet Union and under these conditions the Japanese side raises this topic again. But the dispute about who will belong to the South Kuril Islands, and remained open countries. In the Tokyo Declaration of 1993, it was said that the Russian Federation is the successor of the Soviet Union, respectively, and previously signed papers should be recognized by both parties. It also indicated the direction to move towards the solution of the territorial affiliation of the controversial four islands of Kuril.

The coming 21st century, and specifically 2004, was marked by a raising this topic again at the meeting of President of the Russian Federation Putin with the Prime Minister of Japan. And again everything happened - the Russian side offers its conditions for signing the peace agreement, and Japanese officials insist that all four South Kuril Islands are submitted to their disposal.

2005 was marked by the readiness of the Russian president to finish the dispute, guided by the 1956 Agreement and transfer two island territories Japan, but the Japanese managers did not agree with this proposal.

In order to somehow reduce the tension between the two states, the Japanese side was invited to help in the development of nuclear energy, the development of infrastructure and tourism, still improving the environmental and situation, as well as safety. The Russian side adopted this proposal.

At the moment, there is no question for Russia - who own the Kuril Islands. Without any doubt, it is the territory of the Russian Federation, based on real facts - according to the results of the Second World War and the generally accepted UN Charter.

The Kuril Islands of Slavs are magnificent natural beauties and lakes. One of these is represented by reservoir in the mountains - autumn located on the island called Onekotan. Surprisingly lake in her view - showing, and coastline I am striking with cliffs of 700 meters high.

The island of Kunashir is famous for the boiling lake, with constantly raging, bubbling water. And the coast of gas and steam fountains with dissertation rush to the surface.

Curiles are considered to be a bird kingdom. In these places found a house of Cayra, stratching, swollen and gulls Maevki.

For romantics here is a truly paradise. Inaccessibility, desert, feature of the location and regularly spewing volcanoes even more strengthen the desire to get into the smokers.

Island territories have 150 volcanic mountains, of which 39 acts. Permanent eruption of volcanoes activate the appearance of thermal geysers that have improved effects.

Huge botanical garden People of science are considered smokili, since here on the same territory, representatives of the Japanese, Korean, Okhotsk, Kamchatka and Manchu Flora are adjacent. Only in these places can be seen near the polar birch and centuries-old TIS, larch and wild grapes with a Christmas tree, cedar and velvet tree, woody liano with a lingonberry.

Within an hour you can enjoy the taiga species in the subtropics and see the moss tundra in the jungle. At the bottom a lot of vegetation, where many species of fish live, as well as mollusks and marine animals. In crystal clean coastal waters, sometime drunk vessels and military equipment of Japan are hidden.

Volcanoes are erupted on the smokers in different ways - and on the full program with a wild lever, breaks and whining smoke with ashes on the surface. And there are serene, they just pour the lava to the outside. New island territories and changing landscape are often formed right in front of the eyes and after earthquakes. Hot streams of lava form a large mountain, moving into a landing on the sea site in a few weeks.

Due to the constant volcanic activity, there are a lot of hot springs on the islands with mineral water. Kunashir Island boasts even a boiling geyser. In large crevices formed from Raikok's frozen lava, there are pools in the form of a bath. The color of the sources of sources is transparent and in the composition of only sulfur, from which yellow grains are deposited in some places.

In conclusion, I would like to say - lovers of all the uncharted and extraordinary here there is something to see, and at the same time and enjoy the clean ecology and beautiful natural species of the Kuril Islands, the sea endless spaces and the underwater inexhaustible world. You can admire the beauties of the Kuril Islands in this video.