Kuril Islands
geographical name
Ku·ril Islands ˈkyu̇r-ˌēl 
ˈku̇r-;
kyu̇-ˈrēl,
ku̇-
variants or Kurile Islands
islands in the Pacific between Russia (southern Kamchatka) and Japan (northeastern Hokkaido); belonged 1875–1945 to Japan; now controlled by Russia with Japan claiming the southernmost islands area 6023 square miles (15,600 square kilometers)