How close is America to Russia at it's nearest point, ie Alaska?

Answer 1

I was looking this up just last week when I was trying to find out if you could drive across the Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia. Apparantly there are a set of islands in middle of the Bering Strait - the Diomede (sp?) Islands - one is Big Diomede (owned by Russia) and the other Little Diomede (part of Alaska). They are separated by the International Date Line and are about 2 miles apart. As I recall, Michael Palin started one of his regular jaunts around the world from here.

Answer 2

At their closest Alaska and Russia are 2.5 miles apart – the distance between Little Diomede Island, Alaska, and Big Diomede Island, Russia. The two islands straddle the U.S.-Russian maritime border in the middle of the Bering Strait. In mid-winter, when the Bering Strait freezes, it is possible to walk between the two islands – from American to Russia, from today to tomorrow, or from Russia to the United States, from today to yesterday.

Answer 3

Forget the islands in the Bering Straits. The direct distance between the two countries is 58 miles .

Answer 4

Approx 50 miles across the Bering Strait.

Answer 5

See the following extract:-

What is the name of the strait that separates North America from Asia?

The Bering Strait separates North America and Asia.

How wide is Bering Strait? What is the shortest distance from the USA and Siberia?

The shortest distance from the USA and Siberia is 55 miles across Bering Strait from Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska to Cape Dezhnev in Russia. The Diomede Islands lie en route, the larger island owned by Russia.

Can I walk or drive across Bering Strait in winter?

It is not advisable to cross Bering Strait at any time, especially by walking or driving. Air temperatures in the region often are well below freezing, and the elements are quite brutal. Because of tidal and gravity currents, open water is the strait is rough. During fall through spring, sea ice appears in both a smooth form and rough form, so piloting a vehicle over it is not very feasible. Because the territory on either side of the strait is controlled by different nations, special diplomatic permission is required to enter Russia from the US, and vice versa.

p.s.

Alaska and Russia are a mere snowball’s throw away. On a clear day, you can see from here to there, from today to tomorrow – and you can even walk!

At their closest Alaska and Russia are 2.5 miles apart – the distance between Little Diomede Island, Alaska, and Big Diomede Island, Russia. The two islands straddle the U.S.-Russian maritime border in the middle of the Bering Strait. In mid-winter, when the Bering Strait freezes, it is possible to walk between the two islands – from American to Russia, from today to tomorrow, or from Russia to the United States, from today to yesterday. It is even possible to stand on the frozen Bering Strait, with one foot in America and one foot in Russia, straddling the frontiers of distant boundaries and time travel. But don’t try it. You can be taken into custody by border guards. And the frozen Bering Strait can have huge ice ridges as well as open holes of water (polynyas). 55 miles separate the Alaska and Russian mainland at the point where Alaska’s Seward Peninsula and Russia’s Chukotka Peninsula reach out toward each other. Alaskan and Russian Eskimos travel by walrus skin boat between the Alaska villages on St. Lawrence Island and the Chukotka villages near Provideniya. The prevailing theory is that America was first peopled by a land migration across the Bering Strait more than 10,000 years ago, when sea levels dropped in the last ice age leaving a wide swath of land – Beringia or the Bering Land Bridge – connecting the Asia and American continents. The Bering Strait has long served as a lure for those seeking to pursue geographic, travel, cultural and even political adventures that span one of the world’s most out-of-the-way boundaries. People have tried to cross the Bering Strait – and some have succeeded – by walking, swimming, wind-surfing, hot air balloon, skiing, dog sled, kayak and even, unbelievably, by driving (and failing). Gennady Gerasimov, Gorbachev’s spokesman, in one of his many visits to Alaska, once stood on Little Diomede Island in the middle of the Bering Strait, and with great emotion, remarked on being able to stand on American soil and see the Motherland. The 150 residents of Little Diomede Island, Alaskan Eskimos and American citizens, live on a slope that faces west, which means that from their homes, they cannot see Alaska and the United States, but on a clear day, they can see Big Diomede Island and the Russian mainland.

Answer 6

Just looked on Google Earth - Goose and Knownowt are right - just less than 51 miles.

Answer 7

100 miles

Answer 8

About 50 miles I think....land mass to land mass....the border runs through the centre of the sea...so from border to landmass about 20 miles.

Answer 9

2.6 miles exactly
i remember the question from
who wants to be a millionaire

Answer 10

something like 2 miles.