Kurile Islands

[ koor-il ahy-luhnz, koo-reel ]

plural noun

1. older spelling of Kuril Islands.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kurile Islands¹

First recorded in 1760–70 as Kuriles

Example Sentences

Waki and his family were among 17, 000 Japanese living on the southernmost Kurile Islands — known in Russia as the Kurils — when Soviet troops invaded after Japan had announced its surrender in World War II. Over the next four years, all of the Japanese either fled or were forcibly evicted.

From Washington Post

A deal over the Kurile Islands with Japan, which would allow the two countries to finally sign a peace treaty formally ending World War II, would also give Russia other large potential benefits, not least the possibility that Japan, a close ally of the United States, would be more receptive to Moscow’s views on issues like missile defense.

From New York Times

Takeshi Osuga, a spokesman for the Japanese prime minister’s delegation in Moscow, told reporters late Tuesday that the fate of the Kurile Islands had been discussed during talks lasting nearly three hours in the Kremlin, but he declined to say whether Mr. Putin had accepted the possibility of returning territory.

From New York Times

The Soviet Union seized the Kurile Islands, some of which lie just a few miles from Hokkaido, in August 1945.

From New York Times

“I will say just one thing. If the authorities decide, against the will of the overwhelming majority of the people, to hand over to the Japanese two, one, even a piece of the Kurile Islands, we will not stop at any action, lawful or unlawful,” he told flag-waving protesters.

From New York Times