You might think that the easternmost point of the United States is somewhere in Maine, but you would be wrong. It’s actually in Alaska, on a remote island called Semisopochnoi. How is that possible? It’s all because of how we define our global coordinate system.
Semisopochnoi Island is part of the Rat Islands group in the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The island is uninhabited and provides an important nesting area for maritime birds. It’s of volcanic origin, containing several volcanoes including Mount Young. The island has a land area of 85.558 square miles, measuring 11 miles in length and 12 miles in width.
The reason Semisopochnoi Island is considered the easternmost point in the U.S. is because of its location relative to the 180th meridian, which is the line of longitude that defines the boundary between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. At 179°46′ East (+179.7667) (in the Eastern Hemisphere), the easternmost tip of Semisopochnoi is, by longitude, the easternmost land location in the United States and North America. Semisopochnoi is located 14 minutes (0.2333 degrees) or 9.7 miles (15.6 km) west of the 180th meridian.
This might seem confusing, but it’s all about perspective. When we think of the globe, we often imagine it with the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) at the center, dividing the world into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. But the globe is a sphere, and you can rotate it any way you like. If you were to rotate it so that the 180th meridian was at the center, then Alaska would appear to be on the far right, making it the easternmost point in the U.S.
In addition to being the easternmost point in the U.S., Semisopochnoi Island is also an important habitat for wildlife. The island has no native land mammals, but Arctic foxes were introduced to the island during the 19th century for fur farming and removed in 1997. “Most ground-nesting bird species and most burrow-nesting seabirds were extirpated by foxes; Semisopochnoi Island is currently in the early stages of recovery,” according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The island has remained free of Norway rats. “The large least and crested auklet colony near Sugarloaf Head is one of the largest among the nine auklet colonies in the Aleutian Islands,” the agency added.
So, while it might seem strange to think of Alaska as the easternmost point in the U.S., it’s all a matter of perspective. And it’s a reminder of the fascinating complexity of our planet’s geography. So, the next time you’re looking at a map, remember that east and west are not always where you expect them to be.
Relevant articles:
– Semisopochnoi Island – Wikipedia
– The Easternmost Point in North America Is Actually West of Alaska
– Budget Travel | Quiz: What’s the easternmost point of the U.S.?