Chichagof Island has the highest population of bears per square mile of any place on Earth.

The communities of Hoonah, Pelican, Tenakee Springs, and Elfin Cove are all located on the northern half of Chichagof Island, in the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area.

The island's southern half comprises the northern part of the City and Borough of Sitka.

The primary economic sources for all these communities come from either Chichagof Island or the waters and fjords surrounding it.

This island is named after Admiral Vasili Chichagov, a Russian Arctic explorer who never visited Alaska.