Bering Strait
The Bering Strait opens between Cape Dezhnev on the Chukchi Peninsula and Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska. This narrow passage measures roughly 53 miles at its thinnest point, separating Asia from North America. The water here reaches a maximum depth of only about 164 feet, making it one of the shallowest straits connecting two oceans. It borders the Chukchi Sea to the north and the Bering Sea to the south. Scientists believe this body of water first formed between 4.8 million and 7.4 million years ago. A narrowing event occurred approximately 900,000 years ago, which may have contributed to longer ice ages by altering ocean currents. Today, the region supports sparse populations of Yupik, Inuit, and Chukchi people who share cultural and linguistic ties across the international boundary.
Paleo-Indians likely entered North America during periods when lower ocean levels exposed a wide land bridge known as Beringia. Glaciers locked up vast amounts of water, revealing stretches of sea floor both within the present strait and in the shallow seas surrounding it. This view has remained the dominant scientific theory for several decades since its proposal. Researchers continue to study how these ancient groups moved across the exposed terrain without boats or modern technology. The existence of numerous successful crossings recorded since the early 20th century suggests that human passage through this region was physically possible under certain conditions. The shallow depth of the strait allowed for easier traversal compared to deeper oceanic passages elsewhere.
European geographers speculated about a Strait of Anián existing between Asia and North America starting from at least 1562. Semyon Dezhnyov probably passed through the strait in 1648, though his report never reached Europe. Danish-born Russian navigator Vitus Bering entered the waters in 1728, giving the strait its name. Mikhail Gvozdev became the first European to cross from Asia to America in 1732. James Cook visited the area during his third voyage in 1778. American vessels hunted bowhead whales here by 1847. Captain Max Gottschalk crossed from Siberia to Shishmaref, Alaska on dogsled via Little and Big Diomede islands in March 1913. He was the first documented modern voyager to make this journey without using a boat. Swimmer Lynne Cox completed a 2-mile swim between the Diomede Islands in 1987 during the final years of the Cold War. She received congratulations jointly from American president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
A physical link between Asia and North America nearly materialized in 1864 when a Russian-American telegraph company prepared an overland line connecting Europe and America via the east. The project was abandoned after the undersea Atlantic Cable proved successful instead. French engineer Baron Loicq de Lobel proposed a bridge-and-tunnel connection from eastern Russia to Alaska in 1906. Czar Nicholas II authorized work on what would become known as the Trans-Siberian Alaska railroad project, but no construction ever began. Russia approved a US$65-billion TKM-World Link tunnel project in August 2011 if it were to be completed. This tunnel would become the world's longest crossing. China considered building a China-Russia-Canada-America railroad line that would include an underwater tunnel through the Bering Strait. These proposals face unprecedented engineering, political, and financial challenges despite their ambitious scope.
During the Cold War, the Bering Strait marked the border between the Soviet Union and the United States. Big Diomede Island belongs to Russia while Little Diomede Island is part of the US, separated by only about 2.4 miles. Indigenous people traditionally crossed back and forth for routine visits, seasonal festivals, and subsistence trade before the conflict intensified. The border became known as the Ice Curtain during this period. It remained completely closed with no regular passenger air or boat traffic allowed. Since 2012, the Russian coast has been designated a closed military zone requiring special permits for foreign visitors. All arrivals must occur through airports or cruise ports near Anadyr or Provideniya. Unauthorized travelers who land on shore after crossing may face arrest, brief imprisonment, fines, deportation, and future visa bans even if they possess valid documentation.
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Common questions
What is the Bering Strait and where does it open?
The Bering Strait opens between Cape Dezhnev on the Chukchi Peninsula and Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska. This narrow passage measures roughly 53 miles at its thinnest point, separating Asia from North America.
When did scientists believe the Bering Strait first formed?
Scientists believe this body of water first formed between 4.8 million and 7.4 million years ago. A narrowing event occurred approximately 900,000 years ago, which may have contributed to longer ice ages by altering ocean currents.
Who was the first European to cross the Bering Strait from Asia to America?
Mikhail Gvozdev became the first European to cross from Asia to America in 1732. Danish-born Russian navigator Vitus Bering entered the waters in 1728, giving the strait its name.
How deep is the water in the Bering Strait compared to other oceans?
The water here reaches a maximum depth of only about 164 feet, making it one of the shallowest straits connecting two oceans. The shallow depth of the strait allowed for easier traversal compared to deeper oceanic passages elsewhere.
What happened during the Cold War regarding the border between Big Diomede Island and Little Diomede Island?
Big Diomede Island belongs to Russia while Little Diomede Island is part of the US, separated by only about 2.4 miles. Since 2012, the Russian coast has been designated a closed military zone requiring special permits for foreign visitors.