Iturup

Iturup (Russian: Итуру́п; Ainu: エトゥオロシ, Etuworop-sir; Japanese: 択捉島, Etorofu-tō) is the largest island of the South Kuril Islands. It is the northernmost island in the southern Kuril/Chishima islands, and though it is presently controlled by Russia, Japan also claims this island (see Kuril Islands dispute). It was Japanese territory until the end of the Second World War, but Japanese residents were forced out following the Soviet invasion in 1945.