Curonian Spit
Encyclopedia
The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand-dune
spit
that separates the Curonian Lagoon
from the Baltic Sea
coast. Its southern portion lies within Kaliningrad Oblast
, Russia
and its northern within southwestern Lithuania
. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by the two countries.
, across which is the port city of Klaipėda
on the mainland of Lithuania
. The northern 52 km long stretch of the Curonian Spit peninsula belongs to Lithuania, while the rest is part of the Kaliningrad Oblast
, Russia
(see the map). The width of the spit varies from a minimum of 400m in Russia (near the village of Lesnoy) to a maximum of 3,800 m in Lithuania (just north of Nida).
served as its foundation; winds and sea currents later contributed enough sand
to raise and keep the formation above sea level.
The existence of this narrow shoal
is inherently threatened by the natural processes that govern coastal shoreline features. It depends on a dynamic balance between sand
transport and deposition. If (hypothetically) the source area to the south-west were cut off, say, by a large port construction with a pier
, the Spit would erode and eventually disappear. It is thus a geologically speaking ephemeral coast element. The most likely development, however, is that the shallow bay inside the Spit will eventually fill up with sediment, thus creating new land.
, Neringa, who was playing on the seashore. This child also appears in other myths (in some of which she is shown as a young strong woman, similar to a female version of the Greek Heracles
).
From ca. 800 to 1016, the Spit was the location of Kaup
, a major pagan
trading centre which has not been excavated yet. The Teutonic Knights
occupied the area in the 13th century, building their castles at Memel
(1252), Neuhausen
(1283), and at Rossitten
(1372). The Spit may have been the home of the last living speaker of a now-extinct Baltic language, Old Prussian
.
Significant human impacts on the area began in the 16th century. Deforestation
of the spit due to overgrazing
, timber
harvesting, and building of boats for the siege of Königsberg
in 1757 led to the dunes taking over the spit and burying entire villages. Alarmed by these problems, the Prussia
n government sponsored large-scale revegetation and reforestation
efforts, which started in 1825. Owing to these efforts, much of the spit is now covered with forests. In the 19th century the Curonian Spit was inhabited primarily by Curonians
(Kursenieki) with a significant German minority in the south and a Lithuanian minority in the north. The population of Curonians eventually dwindled due to assimilation and other reasons; it is close to non-existent these days and even before 1945, when the spit had become totally ethnic German. Until the 20th century, most people in the area made their living by fishing. From 1901 to 1946 the village of Rossitten, now Rybachy, became the site of the pioneering Rossitten Bird Observatory
, the world's first, founded by German ornithologist
Johannes Thienemann
there because of the Spit's importance as a bird migration
corridor. The German population was expelled by force after World War II
.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union
, tourism flourished; many Germans
, mostly the descendants of the inhabitants of the area, choose the Curonian Spit (especially Nida, as no visas are needed for Germans in Lithuania) as their holiday destination.
Reforestation may have been 'sponsored' at some point by the Prussian government, but most reports state in the late 19th century George David Kuwert, the owner of a post station in Nida, began the spit’s reforestation.
The Curonian Spit is home to the highest moving (drifting) sand dunes in Europe
. Their average height is 35 meters, but some attain the height of 60 meters. Several ecological communities
are present on and near the Spit, from its outer beaches to dune ridges, wetlands, meadows, and forests. Its location on the East Atlantic Flyway
means it is frequently visited by migratory waterfowl. Between 10 and 20 million birds fly over the feature during spring and fall migrations, and many pause to rest or breed there.
The largest town on the spit is Nida in Lithuania, a popular holiday resort, mostly frequented by Lithuanian and German tourists. The northern shoreline of Curonian Spit is the site of beach
es for tourists. Both the Russian and Lithuanian parts of the spit are national park
s.
The settlements of the Curonian Spit (from north to south) are:
The first six are on the Lithuanian side, while the last three are on the Russian side. The Russian side of the Curonian Spit belongs to Zelenogradsk district of the Kaliningrad Oblast
, while the Lithuanian side is partitioned among Klaipėda city municipality and Neringa municipality
.
There is a single road that traverses the whole length of the Curonian Spit. In the Russian side it goes to Zelenogradsk
, while on the Lithuanian side it goes to Smiltynė
. The spit is not connected to mainland Lithuania. Car ferries
provide a transportation link between Smiltynė
, located on the spit, and the port town of Klaipėda.
Since 2000, the Curonian Spit has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List
under cultural criteria "V" (an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture [...], or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change).
Due to the importance of tourism and fishing for the regional economy, pollution of sea and coastlines may have disastrous effects for the area as both the unique nature and the economy would be damaged. The construction of an offshore oil-drilling facility (the Kravtsovskoye (D-6) oilfield) in the territorial waters of Russia, 22.5 kilometres from the coastline of the Curonian Spit (location) raised concerns over possible oil spills. Between 2002 and 2005 local environmentalists in both Kaliningrad Oblast and Lithuania protested against Lukoil
's plans to exploit the oilfield, objecting to the possible great damage to the environment and tourism (a vital source of income in the area) in case of oil leakage
. These concerns did not engender support in the government of Russia. They were, however, supported by the government of Lithuania, as the oilfield is about four kilometers from the boundary of Lithuanian territorial waters and the prevailing northward current
s means that the Lithuanian coastlines would receive a large part of potential damage in case of leakage. However, opposition to the operation of D-6 met little international support and the oil platform was opened in 2004. During the first decade of the 21st century the two states agreed to a joint environmental impact assessment
of the D-6 project, including plans for oil spill mitigation. The assessment and mitigation project had not been completed as of 2010.
Another concern is that increased tourism destroys the very nature that attracts it. For this reason, various measures have been taken, such as banning tourists from hiking in certain areas of the spit.
Natural hazards are also more dangerous in the Curonian Spit than elsewhere in Lithuania
or the Kaliningrad Oblast
. For example, storms tend to be stronger here. Due to the importance of trees in preventing soil erosion, forest fires that happen in summer are more dangerous to the ecology.
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
spit
Spit (landform)
A spit or sandspit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of longshore drift...
that separates the Curonian Lagoon
Curonian Lagoon
The Curonian Lagoon is separated from the Baltic Sea by the Curonian Spit. Its surface area is . The Neman River supplies about 90% of its inflows; its watershed consists of about 100,450 square kilometers in Lithuania and the Kaliningrad Oblast.-Human history:In the 13th century, the area around...
from the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
coast. Its southern portion lies within Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and its northern within southwestern Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by the two countries.
Geography
The Curonian Spit stretches from the Sambian Peninsula on the south to its northern tip next to a narrow straitStrait
A strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
, across which is the port city of Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
on the mainland of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. The northern 52 km long stretch of the Curonian Spit peninsula belongs to Lithuania, while the rest is part of the Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(see the map). The width of the spit varies from a minimum of 400m in Russia (near the village of Lesnoy) to a maximum of 3,800 m in Lithuania (just north of Nida).
Geologic history
The Curonian Spit was formed about 3rd millennium BC. A glacial moraineMoraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
served as its foundation; winds and sea currents later contributed enough sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
to raise and keep the formation above sea level.
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
is inherently threatened by the natural processes that govern coastal shoreline features. It depends on a dynamic balance between sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
transport and deposition. If (hypothetically) the source area to the south-west were cut off, say, by a large port construction with a pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
, the Spit would erode and eventually disappear. It is thus a geologically speaking ephemeral coast element. The most likely development, however, is that the shallow bay inside the Spit will eventually fill up with sediment, thus creating new land.
Human history
According to Baltic mythology, the Curonian Spit was formed by a giantessGiant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
, Neringa, who was playing on the seashore. This child also appears in other myths (in some of which she is shown as a young strong woman, similar to a female version of the Greek Heracles
Heracles
Heracles ,born Alcaeus or Alcides , was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus...
).
From ca. 800 to 1016, the Spit was the location of Kaup
Mokhovoye
Mokhovoye is a settlement in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located at the south-western corner of the Curonian Lagoon, near Zelenogradsk. It was important in early medieval history as a likely starting point of the Amber Route to the south...
, a major pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
trading centre which has not been excavated yet. The Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
occupied the area in the 13th century, building their castles at Memel
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
(1252), Neuhausen
Guryevsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
Guryevsk is a town and the administrative center of Guryevsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Kaliningrad. Population: -History:...
(1283), and at Rossitten
Rybachy
Rybachy, is a rural settlement in Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast, the northern part of former East Prussia. From the high Middle Ages to 1945, Rybachy was named Rossitten, a German settlement on the Curonian Spit, part of Prussia and then of Germany until the end of World War II...
(1372). The Spit may have been the home of the last living speaker of a now-extinct Baltic language, Old Prussian
Old Prussian language
Prussian is an extinct Baltic language, once spoken by the inhabitants of the original territory of Prussia in an area of what later became East Prussia and eastern parts of...
.
Significant human impacts on the area began in the 16th century. Deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
of the spit due to overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
harvesting, and building of boats for the siege of Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
in 1757 led to the dunes taking over the spit and burying entire villages. Alarmed by these problems, the Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
n government sponsored large-scale revegetation and reforestation
Reforestation
Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....
efforts, which started in 1825. Owing to these efforts, much of the spit is now covered with forests. In the 19th century the Curonian Spit was inhabited primarily by Curonians
Kursenieki
The Kuršininkai are a nearly extinct Baltic ethnic group living along the Curonian Spit. "Kuršininkai" refers only to inhabitants of Lithuania and former East Prussia that speak a Lithuanian language dialect....
(Kursenieki) with a significant German minority in the south and a Lithuanian minority in the north. The population of Curonians eventually dwindled due to assimilation and other reasons; it is close to non-existent these days and even before 1945, when the spit had become totally ethnic German. Until the 20th century, most people in the area made their living by fishing. From 1901 to 1946 the village of Rossitten, now Rybachy, became the site of the pioneering Rossitten Bird Observatory
Rossitten Bird Observatory
The Rossitten Bird Observatory was the world's first ornithological observatory. It was sited at Rossitten, East Prussia , on the Curonian Spit on the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea...
, the world's first, founded by German ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
Johannes Thienemann
Johannes Thienemann
Johannes Thienemann was a German ornithologist and a pioneer bird bander who established the Rossitten Bird Observatory, the world’s first....
there because of the Spit's importance as a bird migration
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
corridor. The German population was expelled by force after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, tourism flourished; many Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, mostly the descendants of the inhabitants of the area, choose the Curonian Spit (especially Nida, as no visas are needed for Germans in Lithuania) as their holiday destination.
Reforestation may have been 'sponsored' at some point by the Prussian government, but most reports state in the late 19th century George David Kuwert, the owner of a post station in Nida, began the spit’s reforestation.
Current state
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Their average height is 35 meters, but some attain the height of 60 meters. Several ecological communities
Community (ecology)
In ecology, a community is an assemblage of two or more populations of different species occupying the same geographical area. The term community has a variety of uses...
are present on and near the Spit, from its outer beaches to dune ridges, wetlands, meadows, and forests. Its location on the East Atlantic Flyway
East Atlantic Flyway
The East Atlantic Flyway is a migration route used by about 90 million birds annually, passing from their breeding areas in United States Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Siberia and northern Europe to wintering areas in western Europe and on to southern Africa. It is one of the eight major flyways used...
means it is frequently visited by migratory waterfowl. Between 10 and 20 million birds fly over the feature during spring and fall migrations, and many pause to rest or breed there.
The largest town on the spit is Nida in Lithuania, a popular holiday resort, mostly frequented by Lithuanian and German tourists. The northern shoreline of Curonian Spit is the site of beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es for tourists. Both the Russian and Lithuanian parts of the spit are national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s.
The settlements of the Curonian Spit (from north to south) are:
- SmiltynėSmiltyneSmiltynė is a part of Klaipėda city municipality in Lithuania. It is located on the northern tip of the Curonian Spit, next to a narrow strait which connects the Curonian Lagoon to the Baltic Sea. Across the 0.5 km wide strait, on the Lithuanian mainland, is the port city of Klaipėda...
- Alksnynė
- JuodkrantėJuodkranteJuodkrantė with permanent population of about 720 people is a quiet Lithuanian seaside resort village located on the Curonian Spit. A part of Neringa municipality, Juodkrantė is the second largest settlement on Lithuania's part of the spit...
- Pervalka
- Preila
- Nida
- Morskoe
- Rybachy
- Lesnoy
The first six are on the Lithuanian side, while the last three are on the Russian side. The Russian side of the Curonian Spit belongs to Zelenogradsk district of the Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
, while the Lithuanian side is partitioned among Klaipėda city municipality and Neringa municipality
Neringa municipality
Neringa municipality or Neringa is a municipality in westernmost Lithuania, in the Curonian Spit. In terms of population, it is the smallest municipality of the country. Until the Lithuanian municipality reform, it was known as Neringa city, although there was never a true city there...
.
There is a single road that traverses the whole length of the Curonian Spit. In the Russian side it goes to Zelenogradsk
Zelenogradsk
Zelenogradsk, is a town and the administrative center of Zelenogradsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, Located on the Sambian coastline near the Curonian Spit on the Baltic Sea...
, while on the Lithuanian side it goes to Smiltynė
Smiltyne
Smiltynė is a part of Klaipėda city municipality in Lithuania. It is located on the northern tip of the Curonian Spit, next to a narrow strait which connects the Curonian Lagoon to the Baltic Sea. Across the 0.5 km wide strait, on the Lithuanian mainland, is the port city of Klaipėda...
. The spit is not connected to mainland Lithuania. Car ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
provide a transportation link between Smiltynė
Smiltyne
Smiltynė is a part of Klaipėda city municipality in Lithuania. It is located on the northern tip of the Curonian Spit, next to a narrow strait which connects the Curonian Lagoon to the Baltic Sea. Across the 0.5 km wide strait, on the Lithuanian mainland, is the port city of Klaipėda...
, located on the spit, and the port town of Klaipėda.
Since 2000, the Curonian Spit has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
under cultural criteria "V" (an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture [...], or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change).
Environmental concerns
There are various environmental concerns related to the Curonian Spit, which is often promoted as a refuge of clean nature.Due to the importance of tourism and fishing for the regional economy, pollution of sea and coastlines may have disastrous effects for the area as both the unique nature and the economy would be damaged. The construction of an offshore oil-drilling facility (the Kravtsovskoye (D-6) oilfield) in the territorial waters of Russia, 22.5 kilometres from the coastline of the Curonian Spit (location) raised concerns over possible oil spills. Between 2002 and 2005 local environmentalists in both Kaliningrad Oblast and Lithuania protested against Lukoil
LUKoil
Lukoil/LUKoil ; ) is Russia's second largest oil company and its second largest producer of oil. In 2009, the company produced 97.615 million tons of oil; ....
's plans to exploit the oilfield, objecting to the possible great damage to the environment and tourism (a vital source of income in the area) in case of oil leakage
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
. These concerns did not engender support in the government of Russia. They were, however, supported by the government of Lithuania, as the oilfield is about four kilometers from the boundary of Lithuanian territorial waters and the prevailing northward current
Ocean current
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of ocean water generated by the forces acting upon this mean flow, such as breaking waves, wind, Coriolis effect, cabbeling, temperature and salinity differences and tides caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun...
s means that the Lithuanian coastlines would receive a large part of potential damage in case of leakage. However, opposition to the operation of D-6 met little international support and the oil platform was opened in 2004. During the first decade of the 21st century the two states agreed to a joint environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
of the D-6 project, including plans for oil spill mitigation. The assessment and mitigation project had not been completed as of 2010.
Another concern is that increased tourism destroys the very nature that attracts it. For this reason, various measures have been taken, such as banning tourists from hiking in certain areas of the spit.
Natural hazards are also more dangerous in the Curonian Spit than elsewhere in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
or the Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
. For example, storms tend to be stronger here. Due to the importance of trees in preventing soil erosion, forest fires that happen in summer are more dangerous to the ecology.