The name for Alaska is taken from the Aleut words “alaxsxaq”, meaning mainland, or the land in which the water is directed, and “Alyeska” (the great land). At the same time, the Aleut tribes are a diverse set of peoples with many dialects. It is not easy, nor truly proper, to summarize all of these tribes as single entities.
The Aleut island chain, which is home to most of the Aleut people, extends over a thousand miles across the ocean towards Russia. This mountain chain interestingly contains over 50 volcanoes, and the largest city center is just under 5,000 people. The nearest Aleutian island under US control is only 55 miles from the coast of Russia.