The southern section of the island is covered by an ice dome named Kupol Samoylovicha (Купол Самойловича).

[1] This island is part of the Zemlya Zichy subgroup of the Franz Joseph Archipelago.

It is separated from Rainer Island in the east by a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) narrow sound and from Jackson Island in the South by a 6 km (3.7 mi) wide sound.

[2] This island should not be confused with Alexandra Land, also in the Franz Josef Archipelago.

There are four small islets off Karl Alexander Island's northeastern shores: