Russian Arctic islands
Encyclopedia
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
.
Geography
The islands are all situated within the Arctic CircleArctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
and are scattered through the marginal sea
Marginal sea
The term marginal sea has differing meanings. In one sense the term is equivalent to territorial waters. In another sense the term indicates a partially enclosed sea adjacent to or widely open to the open ocean, but bounded by submarine ridges...
s of the Arctic ocean namely the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
, 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....
, Laptev Sea
Laptev Sea
The Laptev Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the northern coast of Siberia, the Taimyr Peninsula, Severnaya Zemlya and the New Siberian Islands. Its northern boundary passes from the Arctic Cape to a point with co-ordinates of 79°N and 139°E, and ends at the Anisiy...
, East Siberian Sea
East Siberian Sea
The East Siberian Sea is a marginal sea in the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the Arctic Cape to the north, the coast of Siberia to the south, the New Siberian Islands to the west and Cape Billings, close to Chukotka, and Wrangel Island to the east...
, Chukchi Sea
Chukchi Sea
Chukchi Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded on the west by the De Long Strait, off Wrangel Island, and in the east by Point Barrow, Alaska, beyond which lies the Beaufort Sea. The Bering Strait forms its southernmost limit and connects it to the Bering Sea and the Pacific...
and Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
. The area extends some 7000 km (4350 miles) from Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
in the west to the Chukchi Peninsula
Chukchi Peninsula
The Chukchi Peninsula, Chukotka Peninsula or Chukotski Peninsula , at about 66° N 172° W, is the northeastern extremity of Asia. Its eastern end is at Cape Dezhnev near the village of Uelen. It is bordered by the Chukchi Sea to the north, the Bering Sea to the south, and the Bering Strait to the...
in the east .
The largest island is Severny Island
Severny Island
Severny Island is the northern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, lying north of Russia. It has an area of , making it one of the largest islands in the world. It is separated from Yuzhny Island by the narrow Matochkin Strait...
which with an area of about 48 904 km² (349 sq mi) is 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...
's second largest island next to Sakhalin Island
Sakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
and the fourth largest island in Europe
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...
.
Islands
The area includes from west to east :- Victoria IslandVictoria Island (Russian Arctic)Victoria Island is a small Arctic island situated at 80°9'N 36°46'E, halfway between the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard and the Russian archipelago of Franz Josef Land. This westernmost of all Russian Arctic islands is about 14 km² and almost completely covered with ice...
(Остров Виктория; Ostrov Viktoriya), about 14 km² (5.4 sq mi)
- Franz Josef LandFranz Josef LandFranz 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...
(Земля Франца Иосифа; Zemlja Franca-Iosifa), about 16 134 km² (51.7 sq mi)- Wilczek LandWilczek LandWilczek 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...
(Земля Вильчека; Zemlya Vil'cheka), about 2 54 km² (20.8 sq mi) - Graham Bell IslandGraham Bell IslandGraham Bell Island is an island located at 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....
, (Остров Греэм-Белл, Ostrov Graham Bell), about 1 709 km² (273.7 sq mi) - Zemlya GeorgaZemlya GeorgaZemlya Georga, or Prince George Land is an island located at . It is a part of Franz Josef Land, Russia....
(Земля Георга, Zemlya Georga), about 2 821 km² (317 sq mi) - Alexandra LandAlexandra LandAlexandra Land is a large island located in Franz Josef Land, Russian Federation. Not counting detached and far-lying Victoria Island, it is the westernmost island of the Franz Josef Archipelago.The highest point of the island is...
(Земля Александры, Zemlya Aleksandry), about 1 51 km² (19.7 sq mi) - GallyaGallyaHall Island is an island in Franz Josef Land, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia.Hall Island is almost completely glacierized...
(Остров Галля, Ostrov Gallya), about 1 49 km² (18.9 sq mi) - Salisbury IslandSalisbury Island (Russia)Salisbury Island, is an island located in the central area of Franz Josef Land, Russia.Salisbury Island is relatively large and long, having a surface of 960 km²...
(Остров Солсбери; Ostrov Solsberi), about 960 km² (370.7 sq mi)
- Wilczek Land
- Kolguyev IslandKolguyevKolguyev Island is an island in Nenets Autonomous Okrug Russia located in the south-eastern Barents Sea to the north-east of the Kanin Peninsula. The approximately circular-shaped island has a diameter of and is in area. The highest point on the island is at 166 meters...
(о́стров Колгу́ев, Ostrov Kolguev), about 3 497 km² (191.9 sq mi)
- Novaya ZemlyaNovaya ZemlyaNovaya Zemlya , also known in Dutch as Nova Zembla and in Norwegian as , is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean in the north of Russia and the extreme northeast of Europe, the easternmost point of Europe lying at Cape Flissingsky on the northern island...
(Новая Земля, Nowaja Semlja), about 90 605 km² (233.6 sq mi)- Severny IslandSeverny IslandSeverny Island is the northern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, lying north of Russia. It has an area of , making it one of the largest islands in the world. It is separated from Yuzhny Island by the narrow Matochkin Strait...
(о́стров Се́верный, Sewerny ostrov), about 48 904 km² (349 sq mi) - Yuzhny IslandYuzhny IslandYuzhny is the southern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, lying north of Russia. It has an area of , which while smaller than the northern island of Severny, makes it one of the largest islands in the world.-Ecology:...
( Южный остров, Juschny ostrov), about 33 275 km² (106.2 sq mi) - Vaygach IslandVaygach IslandVaygach Island is an island in the Arctic Sea between the Pechora Sea and the Kara Sea.Vaygach Island is separated from the Yugorsky Peninsula in the mainland by the Yugorsky Strait and from Novaya Zemlya by the Kara Strait...
, Вайга́ч, Vaygach), about 3 398 km² (153.7 sq mi)
- Severny Island
- Bely IslandBely IslandBely Island is a relatively large island in the Kara Sea off the tip of the Yamal Peninsula, Siberia, Russia.Bely Island covers an area of . It is covered by tundra, but some dwarf shrubs also grow on this island...
, (Остров Белый, Ostrov Beliy), about 1 810 km² (312.7 sq mi)
- Shokalsky IslandShokalsky IslandShokalsky Island is an island in the Kara Sea, in Russia. It is located on the eastern side of the mouth of the Ob River, off the tip of the narrow northwestern arm of the Gydan Peninsula...
, (Остров Шокальского, Ostrov Shokalsky), about 428 km² (165.3 sq mi)
- Vilkitsky Island (Kara Sea)Vilkitsky Island (Kara Sea)Vilkitsky Island, is an island in the Kara Sea. It is located 40 km northeast of Shokalskogo Island, off the tip of the Gydan Peninsula in North Siberia. This island is bleak and windswept and is covered with tundra. Vilkitsky Island is crescent-shaped and it is divided in two by a narrow...
, (Остров Вильки́цкого; Ostrov Vil'kitskogo), about 154 km² (59.5 sq mi)
- Oleniy IslandOleniy IslandOleniy Island is a single island in the Kara Sea just a few kilometers offshore, north of the coast of one of the arms of the Gydan Peninsula in North Siberia....
, (Остров Олений, Ostrov Oleniy), about 1 197 km² (76.1 sq mi)
- Sibiryakov IslandSibiryakov IslandSibiryakov Island or Sibiryakow Island , also known as Kuz'kin Island , is an island of 800 square kilometres. Its length is 38 km and its maximum width 27 km...
, (Остров Сибирякова, Ostrov Sibiryakova), about 846 km² (326.6 sq mi)
- Arkticheskiy Institut IslandsArkticheskiy Institut IslandsThe Arkticheskiy Institut Islands or Arctic Institute Islands is a compact archipelago of narrow islands covered with tundra vegetation. The islands are located in the Kara Sea, about north of the coast of Siberia, and just south of the nearest island group, the Izvesti Tsik Islands.The distance...
, (Острова Арктического института, Ostrova Arkticheskiy Institut), about 259 km² (100 sq mi)
- Izvestiy TSIK IslandsIzvestiy TSIK IslandsThe Izvestiy TSIK Islands or Izvesti Tsik Islands , also known as Izvestia Islands, is an archipelago composed of two large and two small islands covered with tundra vegetation, shingle and ice...
, (Острова Известий ЦИК, Ostrova Izvetsij TSIK), about 102 km² (39.4 sq mi)
- Vize IslandVize IslandVize Island or Wiese Island is an isolated island located in the Arctic Ocean at the northern end of the Kara Sea, roughly midway between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya, its latitude is 79° 30' N and its longitude 76° 54' E...
(Остров Визе, Ostrov Vize), about 289 km² (111.6 sq mi)
- Ushakov IslandUshakov IslandUshakov Island is an isolated island located in the Arctic Ocean, midway between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya, at the northern limit of the Kara Sea. Its latitude is 80° 48' N and its longitude 79° 29' E....
(Остров Ушакова, Ostrov Ushakova), about 328 km² (126.6 sq mi)
- Nordenskiöld ArchipelagoNordenskiöld ArchipelagoThe Nordenskiöld Archipelago or Nordenskjold Archipelago is a very large and complex cluster of islands in the eastern region of the Kara Sea. Its eastern limit lies west of the Taymyr Peninsula....
(Архипелаг Норденшельда, Arkhipelag Nordenshel'da), about 5 0 km² (0 sq mi)- Litke Islands (острова Литке; Ostrova Litke)
- Tsivolko Islands (острова Циволько; Ostrova Tsivolko)
- Pakhatusov Islands (острова Пахтусова; Ostrova Pakhtusova)
- Vostochnyye Islands (Восточные острова; Ostrova Vostyochnyye, Eastern Islands)
- Vilkitsky Islands (острова Вилькицкого, Ostrova Vilkysky)
- Lafetenyye and Prolifnyye Islands (Ostrova Lafetnyye Prolivnyye)
- Severnaya ZemlyaSevernaya ZemlyaSevernaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait...
(Северная Земля, Severnaja Zemlja), about 36 554 km2 (14 109 square miles)- October Revolution IslandOctober Revolution IslandOctober Revolution Island is the largest island of the Severnaya Zemlya group in the Russian Arctic....
(Остров Октябрьской Революции, Ostrov Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii), about 14 204 km² (78.8 sq mi) - Bolshevik IslandBolshevik IslandBolshevik Island is the southernmost island of the Severnaya Zemlya group in the Russian Arctic, and the second largest island in the group...
(о́стров Большеви́к, Ostrov Bolshevik), about 11 206 km² (79.5 sq mi) - Komsomolets IslandKomsomolets IslandKomsomolets Island is the northernmost island of the Severnaya Zemlya group in the Russian Arctic, and the third largest island in the group. It is the 82nd largest island on earth....
(остров Комсомолец, Ostrov Komsomolets), about 8 812 km² (313.5 sq mi) - Pioneer Island (о́стров Пионе́р, Ostrov Pioner), about 1 527 km2 (589.4 square miles)
- October Revolution Island
- Bolshoy Begichev IslandBolshoy Begichev IslandBolshoy Begichev is an island in the Laptev Sea, Russia. Its area is 1764 km². The island is situated within the Khatanga Gulf , splitting the gulf into two straits....
, (Большой Бегичев, Bolshoy Begishev), about 1 764 km² (295 sq mi)
- New Siberian IslandsNew Siberian IslandsThe New Siberian Islands are an archipelago, located to the North of the East Siberian coast between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea north of the Sakha Republic....
(Новосиби́рские острова, Novosibirskiye Ostrova), about 36 290 km2 (14 008 square miles)- Anzhu IslandsAnzhu IslandsThe Anzhu Islands or Anjou Islands are a geographical subgroup of the New Siberian Islands archipelago. They are located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea in the Russian Arctic. The total area of the islands is approx...
(Oстрова Анжу, Ostrova Anzjoe), about 29 900 km2 (11 541 square miles) - De Long IslandsDe Long IslandsThe De Long Islands are an uninhabited archipelago often included as part of the New Siberian Islands, lying north east of Novaya Sibir. This archipelago consists of Jeannette Island, Henrietta Island, Bennett Island, Vilkitsky Island and Zhokhov Island. These five islands have a total area of...
(Острова Де-Лонга, Ostrova De-Longa), about 228 km² (88 sq mi) - Lyakhovsky IslandsLyakhovsky IslandsThe Lyakhovsky Islands are the southernmost group of the New Siberian Islands in the arctic seas of eastern Russia. They are separated from the mainland by the Laptev Strait , and from the Anzhu Islands group by the Sannikov Strait...
(Ляховские острова, Ostrova Lyakhovskiye), about 6 100 km² (38.6 sq mi)
- Anzhu Islands
- Medvyezhi IslandsMedvyezhi IslandsThe Medvezhyi Islands, or Bear Islands is an uninhabited group of islands at the western end of the Kolyma Gulf of the East Siberian Sea. It is located about to the north of the mouths of the Kolyma River. The coast of Siberia is about to the southwest of the largest island, which is about km...
(Медвежьи острова, Medvyezhi ostrova), about 65 km² (25.1 sq mi)
- Ayon IslandAyon IslandAyon Island is an island in the coast of Chukotka in the East Siberian Sea. The island itself consists mainly of low lying tundra, is populated mainly by Chukchi, who use the tundra as pasture for their reindeer herds.-Geography:...
(Айон, Ayon), about 2000 km² (772.2 sq mi)
- Wrangel IslandWrangel IslandWrangel Island is an island in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. Wrangel Island lies astride the 180° meridian. The International Date Line is displaced eastwards at this latitude to avoid the island as well as the Chukchi Peninsula on the Russian mainland...
(о́стров Вра́нгеля, Ostrov Vrangelya), about 7 608 km² (234.8 sq mi)
- Big DiomedeBig DiomedeBig Diomede Island is an unpopulated island among the Diomede Islands in the middle of the Bering Strait. The island is a part of the Chukotsky District of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of Russia.-Geography:...
(остров Ратманова, Ostrov Ratmanova), about 29 km² (11.2 sq mi)