the total area of the preserve is 3,648,679 ha (36,648 km) of which 2,177,398 ha (21,774 km) are marine buffer zone. the land territory includes most of bering island, all of medny island, as well as thirteen smaller islands and rocks. it was created in 1993 to protect the diverse ecosystems of the commander islands and the surrounding marine waters of the bering sea and northern pacific ocean.