San Juan Islands

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San Juan Islands

islands, Washington, United States

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

San Juan Islands, archipelago of more than 170 islands composing San Juan county, northwestern Washington, U.S. The islands are part of a submerged mountain chain in upper Puget Sound near the Canadian border, south of the Strait of Georgia and east of Juan de Fuca Strait. The islands were explored (1790–92) and named by the Spanish Francisco Eliza expedition. The main islands (including Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez) were visited by George Vancouver in 1792 and were occupied for a time by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Following the bloodless “Pig War” of 1859 (precipitated by a marauding British pig in ...(100 of 250 words)

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