The Bering Strait is the water between the land masses of Russia and Alaska. Russia is on the west side of the strait while Alaska is to the east. Canada can be found to the east of the strait with the Pacific Ocean both west and south of the area. The Arctic Ocean lies north of the strait.
The Bering Strait has long been a topic of scientific theory. While only water exists there today, according to scientific theory nomadic tribes from Asia migrated across a land mass that once connected America with Asia. Scientists theorize that glaciers once existed that later melted and made the sea level rise. Before the glaciers melted, a lower sea level would have offered a segment of land for people to cross. If this is the case, humans could have made passage across the strait and populated the Americas by walking from what is now Russia.
The Bering Strait is named after Danish explorer Vitus Bering, who worked as a navigator in the Russian navy. Bering is considered the European discoverer of both Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Sometimes his name is misspelled, and you will see the words Behring Strait.
The population is low on either side of the Bering Strait. The Diomede Islands are located in the center of the Strait; a village on the smaller island has a school -- part of Alaska's Bering Strait school district -- with 1,700 students. On the Alaskan side the Nome Census Area has about 9,000 people. On the Russian side the town of Chukotka has a population of over 53,000.