Our country is incredibly large and rich in islands - they are found in all seas washing the Russian territory. Most of them are located in the Arctic region, in the seas of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. In the Far East, the largest is located - Sakhalin.
Most of these lands are poorly populated due to their remoteness. We have compiled a rating of the top 10 largest islands in Russia, where many sailors dream of getting.
List
- 10. Bolshoi Lyakhovsky Island (Novosibirsk Islands), 4,600 km²
- 9. New Siberia Island (Novosibirsk Islands), 6,200 km²
- 8. Wrangel Island, 7 670 km²
- 7. Komsomolets Island (Severnaya Zemlya), 9,600 km²
- 6. Bolshevik Island, (Severnaya Zemlya), 11,312 km²
- 5. October Revolution Island (Severnaya Zemlya), 13,708 km²
- 4. Kotelny Island (Novosibirsk Islands), 23,200 km²
- 3. South Island (Novaya Zemlya), 33,275 km²
- 2. North Island (Novaya Zemlya), 48,904 km²
- 1. Sakhalin Island, 76,600 km²
10. Bolshoi Lyakhovsky Island (Novosibirsk Islands), 4,600 km²
The Russian archipelago is located in the Arctic Ocean. They discovered the island back in 1646, but then it was considered part of the New Earth. And only in 1712 the first reliable information appeared about the island. But despite all this information, the official version remains that the island was discovered in 1770 by the merchant Ivan Lyakhov.
Since 2012, military exercises are often held on this territory, and even a base has been built where military equipment and property are brought. Island Area Big Lyakhovsky is 4 600 km².
9. New Siberia Island (Novosibirsk Islands), 6,200 km²
Another, but larger island, which is part of the Russian archipelago Novosibirsk islands. Its area is 6,200 km². The island was discovered in 1806, the first to be found by Russian industrialists who studied the area.
Flora and fauna are not rich here. Of the animals found mainly bears, deer and arctic foxes. Of the fish, only two species. This island differs from others in that it has a dense river network. Also on the island are a huge number of lakes.
8. Wrangel Island, 7 670 km²
This is a famous island, whose history is amazing. It is named after the great navigator Ferdinand Wrangel. At the moment, the indigenous people are completely absent there, with the exception of station workers and the military, who live there on a rotational basis.
All residents dispersed as soon as the island was taken under the protection of UNESCO and forbidden to hunt. But they say that until now there lives one resident who has remained faithful to his homeland.
Most of the island's area is occupied by mountains, so the scenery here is extraordinary. Climate on the island Wrangel very severe, even summer is famous for its severe frosts. If you calculate the total number of days without frost, then in a year you get no more than 25.
Flora and fauna do not pamper scientists with a variety of species, but it is here that the largest genus of polar bears lives. Also here are the largest walrus rookeries in the Arctic.
In these places, the remains of the latest species of mammoths were discovered. Scientists are doing everything to keep this wildlife intact.
7. Komsomolets Island (Severnaya Zemlya), 9,600 km²
Island Komsomolets belongs to the archipelago of Severnaya Zemlya and is its northernmost part. More than half of the island is covered by glaciers, the largest of them is the Academy of Sciences glacier, its area is almost 6,000 km², while the area of the whole island is 9,600 km². The thickness of the glacier reaches 500 m and a height of 740 meters above sea level.
For the first time, the territories of Komsomolets Island were explored in 1930 under the leadership of Ushakov. They wanted to rename the island and even wrote an order, but the decision was canceled. The territory could be called an island St. Mary
6. Bolshevik Island, (Severnaya Zemlya), 11,312 km²
Of the three islands of North Earth, the island Bolshevik ranks second in area, which is 11,312 km². The island is covered with rough terrain, the highest point reaches 940 m. More than 30% of the total area belongs to glaciation. There are few lakes, but a large number of rivers.
The opening date of this island is equivalent to the discovery of the whole of the Northern Earth, but it was studied in detail only after almost 17 years in 1930. Since 1979, exploration of gold has been actively conducted on the island. In this regard, the Bolshevik island was considered very resourceful and did not fail. Over 540 tons of precious metal were found here.
At present, several polar stations are located in this territory, two of which are considered closed.
5. October Revolution Island (Severnaya Zemlya), 13,708 km²
Island named after October revolution has an area of 13,708 square kilometers. This is the central island of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. It has the island of Krasnoyarsk Territory. It is washed by the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. The island is covered with glaciers, has many fairly large rivers, and numerous gold deposits have been found in the bowels of the earth.
At the moment, the island is uninhabited, the flora is not rich. But the gold reserves hidden in the earth can change the zero population and become a factor in the formation of workers' settlements.
4. Kotelny Island (Novosibirsk Islands), 23,200 km²
Island Area Boiler room 23,200 square kilometers. The boiler room was opened in the 18th century by a Russian merchant. The island is located in the waters of the East Siberian Sea and the Laptev Sea. It is covered by hills, mainly soil contains shale and limestone.
Included in the archipelago of the Novosibirsk islands and belongs to Yakutia. During the Soviet era, the island housed a military base abandoned after the collapse of the Republics. Now the base is actively being restored and functioning, and a special airport operates on the island.
3. South Island (Novaya Zemlya), 33,275 km²
Island South is part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. Unlike its uninhabited neighbor, the North Island, almost three thousand people live on the South. The area of the island is 33 275 square kilometers.
There was a myth that after a series of nuclear weapons tests, the islands of the archipelago are completely lifeless, but this is not so. In addition to quite abundant flora and fauna, people live on the island, and live quite comfortably. There is a culture house, shops, military units and residential buildings. The island is under the jurisdiction of the Arkhangelsk region.
2. North Island (Novaya Zemlya), 48,904 km²
Island Northern, part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, has an area of 48,904 square kilometers. Northern is part of the Arkhangelsk region. About half of the area is occupied by glaciers.
The island became the home base of the Russian military, in addition, on the North is an important port. Previously, there were several settlements on the island, but now they are all abandoned by residents. Even earlier, the island served only as a transhipment point for fishermen and stray sailors.
1. Sakhalin Island, 76,600 km²
Island Sakhalin located in the Pacific Ocean, near Japan. The area of Sakhalin is 76,600 square kilometers. The remoteness of the island from major European cities and countries makes it very distinctive, and the beauties of nature attract tourists and travelers.
This largest island of Russia is washed by the waters of two seas - the Japanese and Okhotsk. Despite its location far from the center of Russia, the island has become home to more than half a million people, and in this indicator even surpasses some of the major cities of the leading powers.
According to various estimates, the island was populated by people about 20 thousand years ago. In tsarist times, the island was a place of exile for criminals. Now it is inhabited by peaceful and hardworking people, most of whom live in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.