Shiretoko Peninsula 3.33

Shiretoko Peninsula is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. It is separated from Kunashiri Island of Russia by the Nemuro Strait. The name Shiretoko is derived from the Ainu word sir etok, meaning "the end of the Earth" or "the place where the Earth protrudes". The towns of Rausu and Shari are found on the peninsula.The Shiretoko Peninsula was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, in recognition of the peninsula being the southernmost point where sea ice usually forms in the Northern Hemisphere.GeographyFrom Shiretoko Cape at the tip of the peninsula, a series of volcanoes run down the peninsula, including Mount Shiretoko, Mount Unabetsu, and Mount Iō. It is part of the Chishima volcanic zone. The highest peak is Mount Rausu. The peninsula is 70km long and 25km wide at its base. It covers some 123000haThe peninsula is bounded on the northwest side by the Sea of Okhotsk and the southeast side by the Pacific Ocean. To the east, Kunashiri Island runs parallel to the peninsula. The Kunashiri can be seen from Shiretoko Peninsula. Kunashiri has been occupied by Russia since September 1, 1945, and disputed by Japan.