Population
The only permanently inhabited locality is the village of Nikolskoye on the northwest end of Bering Island, with an estimated population of 613 as of 2009. The population consists almost entirely of Russians and Aleuts. The majority of the islands' area, as well as much of the adjacent marine habitat (14,088 square miles (36,488 km2)), is taken up by the Komandorsky Zapovednik, a natural preserve. The economy is based primarily on fishing, mushroom gathering, the administration of the zapovednik, ecotourism, and government services.
The village has a school, a satellite tracking station and a dirt airstrip south of the village.
The other settlements on the two islands are small villages or scattering of houses:
- Severnoye
- Podutesnaya
- Gladkovskeya
- Lisennova
- Peschanka
- Preobrajenskoe Settlement at Peschanaya Bay on Medniy Island - abandoned
- Glinka
Read more about this topic: Commander Islands
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