Uelen

Uelen (Russian: Уэлéн; Chukchi: Увэлен, Uvèlèn; Siberian Yupik: Улыӄ, Ulyḳ; Naukan Yupik: Олыӄ, Oleq; Iñupiaq: Ualeq; also known as Whalen in older English-language sources and Ugelen on United States Coast and Geodetic Survey charts) is a rural locality (a selo) in Chukotsky District, just south of the Arctic Circle in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in the Russian Far East. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 720. Located near Cape Dezhnev where the Bering Sea meets the Chukchi Sea, it is the easternmost settlement in Russia and the whole of Asia. It is located in the Western Hemisphere, but the International Date Line curves around it, so it remains in a Russian time zone (UTC+12:00). Uelen is also the closest Asian settlement to North America. It is on the northeast corner of the Uelen Lagoon, a roughly 15 by 3 kilometres (9 by 2 miles) east-west lagoon separated from the ocean by a sandspit. Municipally, Uelen is subordinated to Chukotsky Municipal District and is incorporated as Uelen Rural Settlement.