{{Short description|Part of the Kuril Islands}} thumb|Map of Kuril Islands in which the Lesser Kurils are shown in red. The '''Lesser Kuril Chain''' ({{langx|ru|Малая Курильская гряда}}, {{langx|ja|<ruby>小<rt>しょう</rt></ruby><ruby>千島<rt>ちしま</rt></ruby><ruby>列島<rt>れっとう</rt></ruby>}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|Shō Chishima Rettō}}; {{IPA|ja|ɕo̞ː t͡ɕiɕima̠ ɾe̞t̚to̞ː}}), is an island chain in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The islands are administered as part of Yuzhno-Kurilsky District of Sakhalin Oblast, Russia, and many sources consider the chain to be geographically part of the Kuril Islands. However, the Japanese government claims that these islands are not part of the Kuril Islands and are instead minor islands of Hokkaido.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/russia/territory/overview.html |title=Northern Territories Issue |work=www.mofa.go.jp}}</ref>
The Lesser Kuril Chain lies northeast of the Nemuro Peninsula in Hokkaido, near the southwestern end of the Greater Kuril Chain, from which it is separated by the South Kuril Strait. It consists of Shikotan, the Habomai Islands and several small islands lying close to the Shikotan. The chain parallels, but is much shorter than, the Greater Kuril Chain, from which the Lesser Kurils lie to the south-east.
The length of the Lesser Kuril island chain is about {{Convert|100|km|abbr=on}}, and the total land area is {{Convert|360.85|km2|abbr=on}}. The islands' highest point is a mountain summit on Shikotan, {{Convert|412|m|abbr=on}} above sea level.
The islands of the chain, along with neighbouring Kunashir, have been recognised as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) by BirdLife International because they support populations of various threatened bird species, including many waterbirds, seabirds and waders.<ref name=bli> {{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lesser-kuril-ridge-and-kunashir-island-iba-russia-(asian)|title= Lesser Kuril Ridge and Kunashir Island|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 7 February 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- class="highlight" !align=center|Name !align=center|Area,<br /> km<sup>2</sup> !align=center|Maximum height, m !align=center|Latitude !align=center|Longitude |-align=center !colspan=6 class="bright"|<big>'''''Lesser Kuril Chain'''''</big> |- align=right | Shikotan || 264,13 || 412 || 43°48' || 146°45' |- align=right | Polonsky Island || 11,57 || 16 || 43°38' || 146°19' |- align=right | Oskolki || 0,2 || 38 || 43°35' || 146°25' |- align=right | Zeleny Island || 58,72 || 24 || 43°30' || 146°08' |- align=right | Tanfilyev Island || 12,92 || 15 || 43°26' || 145°55' |- align=right | Yuri || 10,32 || 44 || 43°25' || 146°04' |- align=right | ''Dyomin Islands'' || 0,7 || 34 || 43°25' || 146°10' |- align=right | Anuchin Island || 2,35 || 33 || 43°22' || 146°00' |}
== See also == * Greater Kuril Chain
== References == {{Reflist}}
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Category:Islands of the Kuril Islands Category:Important Bird Areas of the Kurile Islands Category:Seabird colonies
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