Alexander Archipelago

The Alexander Archipelago (Russian: Архипелаг Александра) is a 300-mile-long (480 km) archipelago (group of islands) in North America lying off the southeastern coast of Alaska. It contains about 1,100 islands, the tops of submerged coastal mountains that rise steeply from the Pacific Ocean. Deep channels and fjords separate the islands and cut them off from the mainland. The islands shelter the northern part of the Inside Passage as it winds its way among them.

The islands have steep, irregular coasts and dense evergreen and temperate rain forests; most are accessible only by boat or by airplane. The vast majority of the islands are part of the Tongass National Forest.