Place details
Place namePribilof Islands
Other namesFur Sea Islands
CountryUnited States
Latitude57.4
Longitude-170.233
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
A small island group in the Bering Sea that includes St. Paul, St. George, and two islets, about 300 miles (500 km) west of the mainland and 180 miles north of the Aleutian Islands. The islands were first visited in 1786 by Gavril Pribylov, a Russian sea captain, who discovered their fur seal rookeries. The Pribilof Islands are the world's largest fur seal sanctuary. The indigenous population is made up of Aleuts, who are closely related to the Eskimo.