Graham Bell Island
Encyclopedia
Graham Bell Island is an island located at 80.8663889°N 64.2891667°E in the Franz Josef Archipelago
, Russia
.
Graham Bell Island is one of the largest islands of the group and it is partly glacierized. Its highest point is 509 m.
This island lies east of Wilczek Land
, separated from it by a narrow sound known as Morgan Sound (Пролив Моргана; Proliv Morgana). It is the easternmost island of Franz Josef Land.
Cape Kohlsaat
, the easternmost point of the archipelago at 81°14′N, 65°10′E, lies on Graham Bell Island's eastern shore. Cape Kohlsaat marks the northwestern-most corner of the Kara Sea
, therefore it is a significant geographical landmark
.
This island was named after inventor Alexander Graham Bell
. Graham Bell Island should not be confused with smaller Bell Island
which is also part of the Franz Josef Archipelago and which was also named after the same person.
outpost and to the airfield Greem Bell
(81°09′N 64°17′E) on the Northeastern end of the island. It is the largest airfield in the archipelago. It has a runway 2,100 m (7,000 ft) long. Russian cargo and fighter aircraft have regularly landed here since the 1950s. The runway was usable only in the 8 months with sufficiently frozen ground. Before it was shut down it was also used for tourist helicopter trips around the Russian arctic as a stopover and refueling base. The base was shut down completely in 1994. Today it is unused and falling into ruins which has closed Graham Bell to normal visitors. `
Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land, or Francis Joseph's Land is an archipelago located in the far north of Russia. It is found in the Arctic Ocean north of Novaya Zemlya and east of Svalbard, and is administered by Arkhangelsk Oblast. Franz Josef Land consists of 191 ice-covered islands with a...
, 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...
.
Graham Bell Island is one of the largest islands of the group and it is partly glacierized. Its highest point is 509 m.
This island lies east of Wilczek Land
Wilczek Land
Wilczek Land , is a large-sized island located at . It is a part of Franz Josef Land, Russia.Wilczek Land is the second largest island of the Franz Josef Archipelago. It is almost completely glaciarized except for two narrow areas along its western shores. The highest point on the island is 606...
, separated from it by a narrow sound known as Morgan Sound (Пролив Моргана; Proliv Morgana). It is the easternmost island of Franz Josef Land.
Cape Kohlsaat
Cape Kohlsaat
Cape Kohlsaat is a point on the eastern shore of Graham Bell Island, the easternmost island of Franz Josef Land, Russia. It is also the easternmost limit of the Franz Josef Archipelago....
, the easternmost point of the archipelago at 81°14′N, 65°10′E, lies on Graham Bell Island's eastern shore. Cape Kohlsaat marks the northwestern-most corner of the Kara Sea
Kara Sea
The Kara Sea is part of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia. It is separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya....
, therefore it is a significant geographical landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
.
This island was named after inventor Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
. Graham Bell Island should not be confused with smaller Bell Island
Bruce Island
Bruce Island is an island in Franz Josef Land, Russia. Its area is 191 km². The highest point of the island is 301 m.Except for a very small area at the western shoreline, Bruce Island is completely glacierized....
which is also part of the Franz Josef Archipelago and which was also named after the same person.
History
Graham Bell Island is home to a Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
outpost and to the airfield Greem Bell
Greem Bell
Greem Bell is an ice airfield in Ostrov Greem-Bell, Russia located 1372 km north of Khatanga. It used the internal callsign XLDG . At latitude 81°N, it is Russia's northernmost airfield...
(81°09′N 64°17′E) on the Northeastern end of the island. It is the largest airfield in the archipelago. It has a runway 2,100 m (7,000 ft) long. Russian cargo and fighter aircraft have regularly landed here since the 1950s. The runway was usable only in the 8 months with sufficiently frozen ground. Before it was shut down it was also used for tourist helicopter trips around the Russian arctic as a stopover and refueling base. The base was shut down completely in 1994. Today it is unused and falling into ruins which has closed Graham Bell to normal visitors. `
Adjacent Islands
- Graham Bell Island's northern shore is fringed by clusters of very small islets.
- Ostrov Perlamutrovyy (Pyerlamutrov Island) lies off the southeastern shore of Graham Bell Island.
- Ostrov Trëkhluchevoy lies off its western shore at 80.9517°N 63.0792°E and is only 2 km in length.
- Ostrov Udachnyy is part of a cluster of islets located along the NW shores 81.1417°N 64.1458°E