Kuril Islands

• An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred in Japan’s Kuril Islands

ABOUT KURIL ISLANDS

• The Kuril Islands are stretched from the Japanese island of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula separating the Okhotsk Sea from the North Pacific Ocean.
• These are located on Pacific Ring of Fire and contain at least 100 volcanoes, of which 35 are still active, and many hot springs.
• Dispute
  • The Kuril Islands dispute between Japan and Russia is over the sovereignty of South Kuril Islands that comprise of Etorofu island, Kunashiri island, Shikotan island and the Habomai island.