The Aleutian Chain

The Aleutian Islands are a chain of more than 300 small volcanic islands forming an arc in the Northern Pacific Ocean, extending westward from the Alaska Peninsula. They are the westernmost part of the U.S. (Adak, Alaska is the westernmost town in the 50 states, by direction of travel), and by definition, also the easternmost (Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska is the easternmost point in all of U.S. territory, by longitude). Other names used to describe the chain include the "Alaskan Archipelago" and the "Alaskan Bush." The islands, with their 57 volcanoes, are in the northern part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Alaska Marine Highway passes through the islands.