RAS question
The Bering Strait separates:
Correct answer: (B) Alaska (USA) from Russia (Siberia).
The Bering Strait separates Alaska in the United States from Russia's Siberian side and links the Pacific and Arctic Ocean systems.
Explanation
The answer is Alaska (USA) from Russia (Siberia). NOAA Fisheries describes the Bering Strait as the passage that separates Russia and Alaska at their closest point, about 53 miles, which matches the commonly taught figure of roughly 85 km. This narrow strait connects the Arctic Ocean with the Pacific and, during the Ice Ages, the Beringia land bridge existed here, enabling human migration from Asia to the Americas. That is why the Bering Strait is not just a location-based fact; it is a link between physical geography, ocean connectivity and prehistoric human movement.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) North America from South America is not the pair identified by the Bering Strait; it lies between Alaska and Russia.
- (C) Asia from Australia is too far south for this strait; the Bering Strait lies beside Alaska and Russia's Siberian side.
- (D) Africa from Europe is not supported by the Bering Strait location, which is the Russia-Alaska passage.
Concept
This tests major straits and intercontinental boundaries in World Geography. It recurs in RAS because one strait can combine map location, ocean links and migration history in a single factual item.