- the largest island of the Russian Federation and the northernmost component of the Japanese archipelago: divided between Russia and Japan in 1905, the southern half (Southern Sakhalin ) becoming the Japanese prefecture of Karafuto until its restoration to Russia after World War II. 28,000 square miles (72,520 square kilometers).
- an island in the Sea of Okhotsk, off the SE coast of Russia north of Japan: fishing, forestry, and mineral resources (coal and petroleum). Capital: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Pop: 546 500 (2002). Area: 76 000 sq km (29 300 sq miles)
