Discover

'Nelson Island' or 'Qaluyaaq Island' (''Qaluyaaq'' in Central Yup'ik) is an island in western Alaska, at . It is 68 km (42 miles) long and 32-56 km (20-35 miles) wide. It is separated from the Alaska mainland to its east by a narrow channel and from Nunivak Island to its southwest by the Etolin Strait.
Nelson Island has three villages: Tununak in the west, Toksook Bay southeast of Tununak on Kangirlvar Bay and Nightmute in the east. A snowmobile trail connects the Tununak and Nightmute in the winter.
The village of Newtok is in the process of being moved to Nelson Island, due to erosion of the water table in the area where Newtok is currently located.
The natives are Yupiit who maintain a predominately traditional diet, fishing and hunting musk ox and caribou.
Nelson Island was named after Edward William Nelson, a Smithsonian Institution naturalist who studied the island and people there in 1878.