How big is Sakhalin Island? Why did it become the territory of Russia?

Sakhalin island, called sakhalin island (сахалин), is an easternmost island between tatar strait and the Sea of Okhotsk. Combined with Kuril Islands to form Sakhalin State. Russia seized power after the Opium War and is now under the jurisdiction of Sakhalin State of the Russian Federation. Its name comes from Manchu, which is usually called Sakhalin Island in Chinese and Huatai (からふと) in Japanese. China called this island Kuy Island in Ming Dynasty, and later pronounced it Sakhalin Island. In Ainu language, the island is called kamuy kar put ya mosir, which means "the island created by God at the mouth of the river", while in Japanese, the name Huatai comes from the Chinese character corresponding to kar put, which means "the mouth of the river".

Sakhalin Island is located in the east of the estuary of Heilongjiang (amur river), facing the Sea of Okhotsk in the east and north, and facing the mainland across tatar strait in the west. The south of Zonggu Strait is separated from Japan.

It is 948km long from north to south and 6 ~ 160km wide from east to west, covering an area of 76400km (equivalent to two islands in Taiwan Province Province). The population is about 660,000. The northern part is low and flat, with many lagoons along the coast; The south-central part is dominated by mountains, the west is the West Sakhalin Mountains, and the east is the East Sakhalin Mountains. Lopajing Mountain, the main peak, is 1609 meters above sea level, which is the highest point in the whole island. The climate is cold in winter and cool and foggy in summer. The annual precipitation in plain area is 500mm, and that in mountainous area is 1200mm. The main rivers are Temi River and Polonaise River. Rich in forest resources; There are many mineral deposits, such as oil, natural gas and coal.

South Sakhalinsk is the largest city on the island. Sakhalin Island has a population of about 660,000, which is mainly composed of four ethnic groups: Nevh, Auroch, Avonh and Nanai.

Historically, China once called Sakhalin Island Kuwu or Gu?, sahaliyan ula angga Hada (Manchu) in Russia, and the next place in the north (referring to the north of Hokkaido) or Huatai (からふと) in Japan. Some people think that19th century, Russia passed the ".

The south bank of Sakhalin Island was originally settled by Japanese fishermen, and the first Russians lived in the north of the island in 1853. 1855, Russia and Japan signed an agreement to share island sovereignty, but 1875, Russia acquired all Sakhalin islands at the expense of the Kuril Islands. As a result of the Russo-Japanese War, Japan acquired some islands south of 50 degrees north latitude in 1905 (Portsmouth Treaty) and named them Japan Huatai Island. 19 18 After the Russian Revolution, Japan occupied the whole Sakhalin Island, but withdrew it in 1924. 1925 Soviet troops drove Belarusian troops out of the northern part of the island. At the end of World War II, Soviet Russia recovered the southern part of Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands, and repatriated all Japanese residents.

The island is 948 kilometers (589 miles) long from north to south, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) wide and covers an area of 76,400 square kilometers (29,500 square miles). Most of them are mountainous areas, and Lopatine Mountain is the highest elevation, 65,438+0,609 meters (5,279 feet). The vegetation in the north is tundra, small birch forest and willow forest, and the dense deciduous forest in the south. Fishing is the main economic activity along the coast, and most of the aquatic products are crabs, herring, cod and salmon. Other economic pillars include oil in the north, coal and logging in the south, including papermaking. Due to mountainous terrain and cold climate, agriculture is underdeveloped. Residents are mainly Russians; /kloc-there were a lot of immigrants in the 1960 s, and South Sakhalinsk was the main residential area and administrative center of Sakhalinsk. The population is about 68 1 000( 1994).