The Easternmost Point in North America Is Actually West of Alaska

In the contiguous United States, the farthest east anyone can travel Sail Rock, Lubec, Maine (coordinates: 44°48′45.2″N 66°56′49.3″W).  The furthest east you can travel is Point Udall, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (coordinates 17°45′19″N 64°33′54″W). Both these spots are not actually the easternmost point of the United States. That designation belongs to the state of Alaska, which also happens to have the westernmost point of the United States with Amatignak Island (coordinates 51°16′7″N 179°8′55″W). “Wait. What?” you may be asking. “How can Alaska have both the easternmost and westernmost points in the United States?” In short, it has to do with hemispheres and the 180^th Meridian.

Divison Between Western and Eastern Hemispheres

The circle that the prime meridian and 180th Merdian make divide Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. The U.S falls almost completely in the Western Hemisphere. There are plenty of islands and territories on the eastern half of the planet: Saipan, Guam, and Wake Island, to name a few. All of these Pacific islands sit on the other side of the 180th meridian, which separates the eastern hemisphere from the west, and are technically east of the mainland United States.

Where Are the Aleutian Islands?

The Aleutian Islands are a series of 14 large and 55 small volcanic islands belonging to the American state of Alaska and the Russian territory of Kamchatka Krai. The islands occupy 6,821 square miles and extend 1,200 miles from Alaska to the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Aleutian Islands demarcate the Pacific Ocean's boundary to the south and the Bering Sea to the north. The islands stretch across the longitude 180° and thus consist of the US's westernmost region by longitude (Amatignak Island) and the easternmost region by longitude (Semisopochnoi Island). The islands lie on the northernmost region of the Pacific Ring of Fire Read More

Most Eastern Point in the United States

Alaska’s Aleutian Islands arc right up to the edge of the Western Hemisphere at the 180th Meridian making Amatignak Island (51°16′7″N 179°8′55″W), Alaska the westernmost point in the U.S. Longitudinally, Alaska also has an easternmost point, Semisopochnoi Island (51°57′42″N 179°46′23″E), as the Aleutian Islands cross the 180º Meridian, into the Eastern Hemisphere. That makes Alaska the most northern, western, and eastern state, longitudinally, in the U.S.

Where Does The Aleutian Range Start And End?

The Aleutian Range is a 1,600-mile-long volcanic mountain range located in the southwestern part of the US state of Alaska. The range begins at Lake Chakachamna, extends west along the Alaska Peninsula, and ends at Unimak Island. Although a submerged section below the Aleutian Islands is sometimes considered an extension of the range, the Aleutian Range officially only includes the peaks on Unimak Island and the mainland. The highest peak in the range is Mount Redoubt, an active volcano with an elevation of 10,200 feet above sea level. The Aleutian Range is part of an active volcanic belt in the Pacific Ocean. Read More