The Bering Strait links the icy Arctic Ocean with the Bering Sea and separates the continents of Asia and North America at their closest point (Cape Dezhnev and Alaska) and is approximately 65° 40′ north, slightly south of the polar circle.

Although the Strait’s narrowest point is about 53 miles (85 km) wide, there are two islands in its center, Little Diomede (U.S.) and Big Diomede (Russia), which bring the distance of these two nations only 2.5 (4 km) miles apart at their closest point.