There is such a thing in the Russian Federation, in the Far East autonomous region- Chukotka. Yakutia, Magadan Region and Kamchatka Territory are located nearby. Alaska is nearby, it’s a pity it belongs to the USA (that’s what everyone thinks anyway). We crossed the Bering Strait - here comes America.

The capital of Chukotka is the city of Anadyr. The area of ​​the district is more than 720 thousand km2. The Chukotka District occupies the land between the lower reaches of the Kolyma in the west and Cape Dezhnev on the Chukotka Peninsula, as well as the following fairly large islands: Wrangel, Aion, Arakamchechen, Ratmanova, Geralda and others.
Chukotka, like a rocky wedge, cuts into two oceans: the Pacific and the Arctic. The waves of the East Siberian, Chukotka and Bering seas beat on the coast of Chukotka.

Relief of Chukotka

The mountainous terrain predominates. In the northeast is Chukotka Highlands, in the center - the Anadyr Plateau and the Anyui Highlands, in the southwest - the northern ends of the Kolyma Highlands, in the southeast - the Koryak Highlands. Above the highlands there are individual ridges with peak heights of more than 1 km. The highest point on the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is located on the Anyui Highlands, its height is 1853 m above sea level.

The lowlands are adjacent to sea bays. Chukotka from a geological point of view is a very young region of the earth's surface. Its relief was formed as a result of vertical tectonic movements earth's crust. These movements began during the Neogene period and have not ended to the present day.

Climate

The region is located in the Far North, so the climate is harsh: on the coasts there is humid sea air (cold in winter), in the interior mountainous regions the climate is sharply continental. Winter is very long - up to 10 months a year. Average temperatures in January are down to –40°C (the minimum is naturally even lower), in July – from +5 to +10°C. The soils are permafrost everywhere.

Nature of Chukotka

Chukotka is a land of rivers and streams. The largest and most famous:

• Anadyr (with tributaries Main, Belaya, Tanyurer),
• Velikaya (flows into Onemen Bay of the Bering Sea),
• Bolshaya Anyui and Malaya Anyui (origin in the Chukotka mountain ranges and flow into Kolyma).

Rivers are fed primarily by melting snow or rain; The water is cold, but in most places you can drink it immediately, without boiling. There are also many lakes, mostly of thermokarst origin, mainly located within tectonic depressions. The largest lakes: Krasnoye and Elgygytgyn (maximum depth - 169 m). Within the northern coastal strip there are lakes with salt water. There are three known deposits of mineral thermal energy waters with temperatures up to 80°C (Chaplyginskoye, Lorinskoye and Dezhnevskoye).

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Chukotka is a region of forest-tundra, tundra and arctic deserts. Tundra, low-growing vegetation predominates. On the tops of the mountains and on Wrangel Island - arctic deserts. In the basins of the Anadyr River and others large rivers– island forests (larch, poplar, Korean willow, birch, alder, etc.).

In Chukotka, mainly in the forests, several dozen species of mammals (fox, arctic fox, wolf, wolverine, brown and polar bears) and a couple of hundred species of birds (white and tundra partridges, geese, ducks, swans) live. On the coast there are noisy “bird colonies” - eiders, guillemots, gulls. There are a lot of fish, I don’t want to catch them. So fishing in Chukotka should be successful.

For tourists and extreme sports enthusiasts

The Chukotka region is one of those places in the world that seem to be created to test a person’s “strength.” The edge of permafrost, there is almost always wind and blizzards. Chukotka shows its unique beauty only to those who are ready to face difficulties. The life philosophy of indigenous peoples was formed in this extreme climate. The way of life of people here is initially subordinated to the goal of survival. That’s why, when going to Chukotka, it is very important to understand whether you have fortitude and strength of body, and whether you are physically resilient.

One of the most sparsely populated, mysterious and unexplored regions in the Russian Federation is Chukotka. And really, what do we know about her? Many people don’t even imagine exactly where this peninsula is located. What can we say about other geographical, natural and cultural characteristics this distant land.

Our article will tell you about the geographical location, climate and nature of Chukotka, and will also introduce the reader to the indigenous inhabitants of this peninsula - the Chukchi.

End of the earth...

These are the words that can describe geographical position Chukotka. It really is located on the very edge of Eurasia. Here is the extreme eastern point mainland - Cape Dezhnev.

The tiny territory of the Chukotka Peninsula (total area is only 58,000 sq. km.) is located in two hemispheres of the Earth - Western and Eastern. This, by the way, is the only part of continental Asia that has western longitude in its coordinate system.

By the way, residents of the peninsula are very lucky: they have the right to enter neighboring Alaska without a visa. And this is perhaps one of the most pleasant features of the geographical location of Chukotka. The American coast from here is only 86 kilometers across the Bering Strait.

It is important to separate the peninsula itself and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, which is one of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Chukotka, in administrative terms, is just two districts within the mentioned region - Chukotsky and Providensky.

Relief and minerals of Chukotka

Most of the Chukotka Peninsula is occupied by a low highland of the same name with average absolute heights of 600-1000 meters. Its surface is highly dissected and represented by individual peaks and lonely hills. The Chukotka Plateau acts as the main watershed of the peninsula. One part of the rivers flows from it into the Chukchi Sea, and the other into the Bering Sea.

The highest point of the Chukotka Peninsula is located near Provideniya Bay. This is the Source Mountain (1194 meters). The edge of the highlands here drops steeply to the ocean, forming a series of steep rocky ledges.

The subsoil of Chukotka is quite rich in minerals. Deposits of placer gold, mercury, tin, polymetallic ores, and coal have been explored here. The peninsula has huge reserves of construction raw materials: limestone, sand, gravel and marble.

Climate of Chukotka

Chukotka is a land of permafrost, a harsh but in its own way beautiful peninsula. Winter here seems to last forever. At this time, the peninsula turns into an icy and lifeless desert. But when the short summer comes (2-3 months), Chukotka pleases with quite diverse vegetation and cheerful mountain streams.

The climate of Chukotka is unique in many ways. It was formed in a zone of active influence of two oceans with incredibly complex atmospheric circulation. In this regard, storms, snowfalls and fogs are often observed here. Local residents joke that the weather in Chukotka is bad for one month a year, very bad for two, and bad for nine!

Permafrost is widespread almost everywhere in Chukotka. The only exceptions are thermokarst lakes and valleys of large rivers.

The Chukotka Peninsula is the holder of several Russian climate records. Thus, here is the highest number of days without sun in the country and the maximum number of storms and hurricanes per year.

Rivers and lakes of Chukotka

The territory of the peninsula is rich not only in mineral resources, but also in water resources. The rivers here are special; they are characterized by:

• rapid and high floods;
• prolonged freeze-up;
• very uneven flow;
• pronounced seasonality in changes water regime and nutrition.

The names of the largest rivers of the Chukotka Peninsula are very difficult to remember - Chegitun, Uluveem, Igelkveem, Ioniveem. All local watercourses freeze in September, and open only by the beginning of June. Some rivers freeze to the bottom in winter.

The peninsula has a very developed lake-marsh network. Swamps are concentrated along the beds of large rivers. Lagoon-type lakes are common on the coasts, and moraine lakes in the mountains. The largest bodies of water in Chukotka are lakes Koolen and Yoonai. In winter they are covered with a thick layer of ice up to two meters thick!

Flora and fauna of Chukotka

The Chukotka Peninsula is entirely within the tundra natural zone. However, you should not think that the local vegetation is sparse and monotonous. There are about 900 species of plants and over 400 species of mosses and lichens on the peninsula.

There are very few forests in Chukotka. Occasionally there are tracts of low-growing birch and Daurian larch. Tundra vegetation with alder, sedge, lingonberry, blueberry and other shrubs is typical for this peninsula. Mosses and lichens, which grow everywhere here, can be considered a unique floristic symbol of Chukotka.

The fauna of the peninsula is also quite diverse. Typical animals of Chukotka are reindeer, long-tailed gopher, hoofed lemming, white hare, wolf, sable, lynx, ermine, arctic fox. They live in mountainous areas bighorn sheep, as well as musk oxen - unique and only representatives of their genus.

It is worth mentioning the avifauna of Chukotka. On the coast you can find gulls, guillemots, guillemots, waders, loons and even swans. Lives in the waters of the seas a large number of fish and shrimp. Sometimes whales swim to the shores of Chukotka.

History of Chukotka

The earliest human sites on the peninsula date back to 8-6 millennia BC. The unique archaeological complex “Whale Alley” (an alley of bowhead whale bones dug into the ground), on Itigran Island, dates back to the 14th-16th centuries.

The Chukchi are considered the indigenous people of this peninsula. Although even earlier, more ancient peoples lived here - the Onkilons, Yuits and Yukaghirs. An important role in the formation and development of the Chukchi people was played by their traditional occupation - reindeer herding.

Russians discovered Chukotka in 1648? during the expedition of Semyon Dezhnev. Almost immediately after this, the first clashes began between local residents and uninvited guests from the west. For half a century, Russian Cossacks tried to conquer and pacify the Chukchi “savages”. But in vain. Chukchi, even without having at their disposal firearms, competently and selflessly defended their land.

It was not possible to conquer the Chukchi people by force. Therefore, Catherine the Second in 1778 resorted to cunning. She granted the Chukchi broad rights and liberties, freed them from conscription (yasak) and guaranteed complete independence in all their internal affairs. This policy bore fruit: already in 1788, the first trade fair was successfully held in Chukotka.

Economy and population of Chukotka

Today, about 8 thousand people live on the peninsula. About 80% of the local population of Chukotka are Chukchi. Other nationalities also live here - Eskimos, Yukaghirs, Evenks, Chuvans and Russians.

In administrative-territorial terms, the territory of the peninsula is divided into two regions - Chukotka and Providensky. Within the first there are six villages. In the Providensky district there are five rural settlements and one urban-type settlement of Provideniya, which is home to about 2 thousand people.

The industry of Chukotka is represented by mining (mainly alluvial gold) and thermal energy. The region's agriculture is the most developed. It is represented by reindeer husbandry, fur farming and fisheries. There are two large agricultural enterprises operating on the peninsula - Zapolyarye and Kaper.

Who are the Chukchi and what do we not know about them?

The Chukchi are the indigenous people of Chukotka, a small ethnic group scattered over a fairly large territory. Its total number is only 16 thousand people. About 80% of all Chukchi live within the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

Characteristic anthropological features of the Chukchi: horizontal or oblique eye shape, skin with a bronze tint, large facial features, high forehead, massive nose and large eyes.

• the Chukchi are a very warlike and cruel people;
• representatives of this nationality have an excellent sense of smell;
• the upbringing of Chukchi boys is strict and consists of a number of difficult tests (for example, from the age of five, a young Chukchi is allowed to sleep exclusively while standing);
• the Chukchi are absolutely indifferent to death;
• the Chukchi are ideal warriors, partisans and saboteurs, they brought animal horror and instilled fear in everyone who had to fight with them;
• The basis of the diet of this people is meat, seaweed, berries, shellfish, blood and decoctions of various herbs;
• the Chukchi are skilled craftsmen in carving animal bones;
• Soviet authority desperately and productively came up with funny jokes about the Chukchi, the main goal of the “red ideologists” was this: to turn the militant and proud people into harmless and amusing folklore characters.

Heraldry of Chukotka

As a conclusion to our article, we cannot fail to mention the heraldry of the peninsula. She is very interesting, colorful and a little naive. However, the coats of arms and flags of Chukotka reflect all the specifics of this unique region.

Let's start with the flag of the Chukotka municipal region. On it we see a boat with five oarsmen and a hunter armed with a long spear. The boat floats against the background of the yellow sun. This panel depicts one of the main activities of local residents - hunting for large sea ​​beast(seals, walruses and whales).

But on the coat of arms of the same Chukotka region a walrus is depicted (against the background administrative card district) and six deer, symbolizing another traditional occupation of the Chukchi - reindeer herding.

No less interesting is the coat of arms of the neighboring Providensky district. On it we see images of a whale and a sea anchor. It is no coincidence that both figures are placed on the district coat of arms. The whale symbolizes whaling, traditional for these regions, and the anchor reminds that one of the most important ports of the Russian Arctic is located in the village of Provideniya.

In the Far East of our country is located one of the many constituent entities of Russia, the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Its borders pass through Yakutia, the Magadan region and the Kamchatka region. There is also a maritime border with the United States.

It is also worth noting that all territories of the district belong to the Far North.

Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is a border zone. Therefore, not only a tourist, but also a common person will not be able to enter these territories without permission from the Russian border service or documents allowing one to stay in the border zone.

Flora of Chukotka

The flora of Chukotka may seem rather poor. This is determined by the conditions and climate of these territories. But despite this, the flora of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is quite diverse.

Not often, but still there are light coniferous forests here, in which Daurian larches and dwarf birches grow. Poplar forests are also rare in Chukotka.

Tundras are much more common here, with shrubby alder, dwarf cedar, sedge, cotton grass, blueberries and lingonberries growing in them.

And the main representatives of the flora of Chukotka are mountain and arctic tundras, suitable for the growth of small shrubs, grasses, mosses and lichens.

If we talk about mosses and lichens, it is worth noting that the soil of these places is ideal for their life and growth - about 400 species of both mosses and lichens are found here.

Permafrost has a huge impact on the flora. Due to the fact that it prevents soil moisture, many areas of Chukotka turn into swamps. It also affects the life of all plants - the roots cannot sink deep into the soil, so the plants do not differ in particular height and volume.

It is also worth noting that Chukotka is located in several natural zones - the Arctic desert, southern and hypoarctic tundra, forest-tundra and larch taiga.

Fauna of Chukotka

The fauna of Chukotka can be called arctic. It is unique and very diverse.

Reindeer, long-tailed ground squirrels, and northern pikas are found here. Yellow-bellied and hoofed lemmings and tundra partridges also live in the territories of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

In the mountains you can meet bighorn sheep and unique musk oxen. There are numerous wolves and arctic foxes, wolverines and sables, lynxes and stoats. There are chipmunks, snowshoe hares, foxes, muskrats and minks.

Chukotka conditions and climate have favored marine mammals - walruses, ringed seals, spotted seals, and bearded seals.

The underwater world of Chukotka also deserves special attention. The waters of these territories are inhabited by: dallia, ocean herring, pollock, Pacific salmon, cod, navaga, smelt and flounder. Commercial species are: salmon, char, whitefish, grayling, pike, whitefish and burbot.

The aquatic inhabitants of Chukotka are crabs and shrimps, cephalopods.

Whales also come into some bays: herring, humpback, blue, gray and killer whale.

Many animals are on the verge of extinction, for example: polar bear, gray and bowhead whales, walruses, seals and others.

The world of birds is worthy of attention. Thin- and thick-billed guillemots, guillemots, auklets, and gulls are found here. The tundra is also home to a considerable number of birds - geese, swans, ducks, loons and waders.

Among the insects that survive in harsh climates are mosquitoes, various midges and horseflies.

Climate in Chukotka

The Chukotka climate is extremely harsh. This is especially felt in winter. It happens that the air temperature drops to -60 degrees. The eastern regions are under the influence of strong winds and snowstorms.

Due to the collision of the Asian front and Arctic anticyclones, the weather in Chukotka can change dramatically from harsh and snowy to damp and relatively warm.

Spring is the shortest season of the year in Chukotka. It starts in June and ends in July when summer arrives. During this period, a huge amount of precipitation falls in the form of rain.

The summer period in Chukotka passes very quickly. In many areas, the snow cover does not have time to melt in such a short period of time. Due to the collisions of cyclones and anticyclones, the summer weather cannot be called stable - thaws give way to frosts, and sometimes snow falls. The average July temperature is only +14 degrees.

In mid-August, autumn begins in Chukotka. Its duration is about a month. During this time, nature has time to prepare for the cold and long winter, which will begin in mid-September.

CHUKOTKA AUTONOMOUS (until 1980 - national) DISTRICT is the most northeastern region of Russia. Its closest western neighbor is the US state of Alaska, separated from Chukotka by the Bering Strait.

In 1885, Chukotka was separated into the administrative Anadyr Okrug. And 45 years later, on December 10, 1930, the Chukotka National Okrug was created, this date is a kind of birthday of today’s autonomous okrug, which occupies an area of ​​721.5 thousand square meters. km. The geographical location of the district makes it a unique territory in geopolitical terms.

The district occupies the Chukotka Peninsula, the adjacent part of the mainland and the islands: Wrangel, Aion, Arakamchechen, Ratmanova, Geralda and others. On land, the region borders the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Magadan Region and the Koryak Autonomous Okrug. Chukotka is separated from the US state of Alaska by the Bering Strait.

The southernmost point of Chukotka is Cape Rubicon (62° N); northern - Cape Shelagsky (70° N); eastern - Cape Dezhnev, which is simultaneously the eastern tip of Russia and all of Eurasia (170° W).

Most of Chukotka is located in the eastern hemisphere, and about half of its territory is beyond the Arctic Circle.

The seas of Chukotka and the surface waters of the land represent a huge complex natural resources. Characteristic features of the shelf seas of Chukotka are heavy ice conditions, storms, fogs, and strong tidal currents.

History of territory development

Tens of thousands of years ago, during the Old Stone Age, the first people came to Chukotka.

At that time, the tundra steppes of Northeast Asia and Alaska were connected by a land bridge and represented a single natural region Beringia, where forests grew and herds of mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, bison, and reindeer grazed.

Unlike the mysterious and semi-mythical Atlantis, Beringia, now under water, is a concrete reality. Like Atlantis, it sank into the depths of the sea about 10 thousand years ago. This happened gradually: as the colossal glacial strata of the last Great Glaciation melted, the level of the world's oceans rose, and the vast plain between Chukotka and Alaska was flooded. Since then, the waves of the Bering and Chukchi seas have splashed in its place.

Today, underwater Beringia is of interest to archaeologists, primarily in connection with the problem of the initial settlement of the American continent: in the muddy sediments of the seabed, they expect to find traces of Stone Age pioneers on their way from Asia to America.

The first mention of the Chukchi as a numerous people dates back to 1641-1642. On the Alazeya River they resisted the yasak collectors, which the Cossacks reported in their petition. This was the first news for the Russians about a hitherto unknown nationality.

In 1644, the Cossack Mikhailo Stadukhin went to Kolyma and founded the Nizhnekolyma winter quarters here. He gave more detailed information about the Chukchi: “And along that river Chukchi live the Chukhchi. But those Chukhchi don’t have sable, because they live on the tundra by the sea.”

A new search began for distant lands east of Kolyma. The western edge of the “Chukchi Land” was “found and discovered” from the sea.

In the summer of 1647, the Yakut Cossack Semyon Dezhnev and the clerk of a Moscow merchant, Kholmogory resident Fedot Popov, having organized a partnership of servicemen and industrial people, set sail on Kochs to search for new lands and peoples. But the sailors suffered misfortune: the fragile boats were stopped sea ​​ice. In 1648, they set off again and reached the “Onadyr River” by sea, having lost more than half of their comrades.

In 1649 Dezhnev in the upper reaches of the river. Anadyr founded a winter quarters, on the site of which the Anadyr fort was built in 1652. Attempts to force the Chukchi to pay yasak were made repeatedly, but without much success: the yasak collected by Dezhnev over 10 years was insignificant.

Concerned about the fate of the yasak Koryaks and Yukaghirs, the Senate ordered Major Pavlutsky to bring the Chukchi into Russian citizenship. However, the campaigns organized to conquer the Chukchi were unsuccessful.

The development of Russian trade in the Northeast is directly related to the activities of the semi-state Russian-American company, the beginning of which was laid by G. Shelikhov in the 80s of the 18th century. , and its heyday is associated with the Baranov brothers.

Starting from the second half of the 18th century. The Russian government completely abandoned the policy of forcibly taxing the indigenous peoples of Chukotka with yasak and bringing them into citizenship “by force of arms.”

According to the land management expedition of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the RSFSR, the population of the Chukotka National District in 1938 was 18,390 people, of which 12,101 were Chukchi, 1,280 were Eskimos, and 3,020 visitors. In the district center of Anadyr with a population of 3.3 thousand people. the entire fishing and coal industry of Chukotka was concentrated.

During the Soviet period, in parallel with the economic development, cultural and everyday development of the territory took place. A struggle began to eliminate the economic and cultural backwardness of the region. Cultural bases and “red yarangas” were created everywhere, which carried out explanatory work, anti-religious propaganda, and the fight against shamanism.

Declaring the yaranga a relic of the past, the Soviet government resettled the nomads into stone houses. Contrary to existing jokes, the Chukchi quickly got used to warm houses, began to go to hospitals and use imported equipment. About once every ten years, settlements were enlarged, eliminating dozens of “unpromising” villages and camps.

After Germany's attack on the Soviet Union, work began to speed up the start of tin mining in Chukotka. At the end of 1941, the first tons of defense metal were mined at the Valkumey mine. The mines were located in the area of ​​Pevek, and then Iulin. Prisoners were mainly used as workers in the mines. Since that time, the mining industry has become the basis of the economy of the Chukotka National District.

In 1942, the Fairbanks-Krasnoyarsk air route was established to transport aircraft received under Lend-Lease from the United States to the front. In Chukotka, the route ran through Uelkal - Markovo, where airfields were built in a few months by the heroic work of local residents.

Transition to market economy turned out to be painful for the whole of Russia, but for Chukotka it was simply destructive.

Since the 90s, the era of the “great migration” began in the history of Chukotka. During this time, more than half of the population - the most qualified and enterprising - left the peninsula.

Many see the main cause of the crisis in the fact that the basis of fundamentals - gold mining - has subsided. Previously, Chukotka gave up to 40 tons of gold in good years, now the limit of desire is 14 tons. Today, gold mining in Chukotka is considered unprofitable. Currently there are 48 gold mining enterprises operating here. different forms property - state, joint-stock, artel. If you divide the gold they mined over the year among all workers, you get 200 grams for each. The maintenance of one person in the locations of enterprises annually costs 1.6 kilograms. Now it turns out that the former flagships of the local industry are bankrupt: it is unprofitable to mine tin or tungsten in Chukotka, it is cheaper to buy them abroad.

A look at the ancient and rich past of Chukotka, which was one of the centers of civilization and has gone through more than one catastrophe, allows us to hope that it will overcome today's difficulties.

4. Natural resource potential. Chukotka is perhaps the least studied region of Russia geologically. Over the 70 years of the district’s existence, only 7 percent of its territory has been explored. Local residents joke that there will be enough work for geologists here for the next 100 years. It is this uncertainty that gives rise to numerous myths about the fabulous riches of the region. Some argue that oil gushers are about to emerge from the depths of the permafrost, others talk about fantastic diamond deposits, and still others are skeptical about the extreme scarcity of the region’s raw materials. In fact, all this is nothing more than speculation.

Coal-bearing deposits on the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug are known in 13 coal-bearing regions. The total resource potential of the territory's coals is estimated at 57,475.4 million tons, of which the predicted resources are 56,827.4 million tons (hard coal -86%, brown coal -14%). All Chukotka coals are suitable for use in the fuel and energy complex.

Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is one of the largest “shelf” regions of Russia. Within its boundaries, 5 promising oil and gas basins have been identified: Anadyr, East Khatyr, South Chukotka, North Chukotka and East Siberian.

The identified oil and gas basins are characterized by their inaccessibility, as well as their uneven and relatively low degree of knowledge. Forecast recoverable resources of oil - 500 million tons and gas - 900 billion m3.

In Chukotka, deposits of mercury, chromium, as well as ore occurrences of silver, polymetals, molybdenum, boron, bismuth, titanium, lithium, beryllium, iron, arsenic, antimony, nickel, cobalt, lead, rare and trace elements, zeolites, peat, etc. have been identified. , as well as precious, semi-precious (demantoid, garnet, beryl, topaz, amethyst, rock crystal, axinite, etc.) and ornamental (agate, chalcedony, jasper, listvenite, rodingite, gabbro, etc.) stones.

On the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, 477 gold deposits (471 alluvial and 6 ore), 28 tungsten deposits (17 placer and 11 primary), 83 tin deposits (72 alluvial and 11 ore) were recorded.

Three deposits of mineral thermal power waters have been discovered and studied in the district.

The rivers and seas washing the coast of Chukotka are rich in fish and other seafood. But the remoteness of the district and harsh natural and climatic conditions do not allow them to be used to the fullest.

The climate of Chukotka is very harsh. Local old-timers joke that the weather in Chukotka is bad for one month of the year, very bad for two months, and bad for nine months.

In winter, in the western continental regions of Chukotka, the air temperature often reaches 44-60° below zero.

The average annual air temperature in Chukotka is deeply negative everywhere: from - 4.1°C to - 14°C on the coast East Siberian Sea. In the relatively small territory of Chukotka, average temperatures in July vary from +4 to +14°C, in January - from - 18 to - 42°C.

Indeed, Chukotka holds many climate records: it has the lowest radiation balance for these latitudes, maximum days without sun (Wrangel Island), minimum hours of sunshine (northeast coast), maximum average annual wind speed and frequency of storms and hurricanes in Russia ( Cape Navarin).

The harsh climate of Chukotka significantly affects way of life population. In winter, due to severe snowstorms and frosts, the number of non-working days is 10-15, and on the Arctic and Bering Sea coasts it exceeds a total of a month, or even a month and a half.

Over 900 species of higher plants, more than 400 species of mosses and the same number of lichens grow in Chukotka. Even the flora of Wrangel Island - the northernmost landmass of Chukotka - has no less than 385 plant species, which is significantly more than the flora of any island of equal size in the Arctic zone.

5. Population. The population of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug as of February 1, 2006 is 50,532 people. Population density 0.07 people per 1 sq. km. At the same time, city dwellers make up about 66.0% of the population. About 17,036 people live in rural areas.

IN last years The population is declining, which is associated with migration processes and the outflow of a certain part of the population outside the district. So in 1989, 163 thousand 934 people lived in the district.

National composition: Russians - 66.1%; Ukrainians - 9.4%; indigenous peoples of the North - 20% (including the Chukchi - 10%; Eskimos - 0.9%; Evens - 0.8%; Chuvans - 0.6%); Belarusians - 1.3%; other nationalities - 3.2%.

6. Housekeeping. Due to its geographical location, which is an extreme manifestation of the concept of “north,” Chukotka has a very low “vitality” of the territory. The district objectively cannot count on an abundance of labor resources, therefore the economy of Chukotka is based on primary resource consumption. The processing industry serves local needs and has limited development prospects.

Export items for Chukotka may include coal, gold, silver, platinum group metals, tin and tungsten concentrate, scrap metal, fish, caviar, leather raw materials and products made from it, endocrine-enzyme raw materials, marine animal fat, furs and souvenirs. The rest of the district's farm products are used for local needs. Almost the entire range of industrial and consumer goods is imported to Chukotka.

Industry. The leading industries of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug are: electric power, non-ferrous metallurgy, food industry. Their share in industrial production in 2005 was 89.3 percent.

In 2005, the stability of the socio-economic development of the region was confirmed by the positive dynamics of the main sectoral indicators in industry. Compared to 2004, there was an increase physical volumes for all sectors of the district's economy, the industrial production index in 2005 was 133.8 percent compared to 2004.

In January-February 2006, the physical volumes of thermal energy production and coal production increased compared to the same period in 2005. However, due to a decrease in the volume of electricity generation, the share of which in the total industrial volume was 29.1 percent, the index of industrial production in January-February 2006 generally decreased and amounted to 93.4 percent.

The mineral resource potential of the district is very significant and allows us to consider it as the basis for the long-term development of the Chukotka economy, based on the development of the mining industry.

Industrial production indices by type of activity in 2006 were: in the mining industries 138 percent, in the manufacturing industries 98.1 percent, in the industries for the production and distribution of electricity, gas and water 94.6.

The volume of gross regional product (GRP) has a steady growth trend. Thus, the volume of GRP in 2005 compared to 2000 increased 5 times; annual growth in the volume of GRP was ensured due to an increase in the physical volumes of production of products, works and services.

The growth of GRP is also dictated by the positive dynamics of the development of industries that occupy the largest share in its structure: industry, construction, transport, trade and public catering, roads and utilities.

The region's agriculture is directly related to the way of life of the indigenous inhabitants of the district, and is mainly focused on the development of reindeer husbandry, fishing and the production of sea animals and cetaceans.

Reindeer husbandry

Reindeer husbandry is a key branch of the district's agriculture in terms of the number of people employed in it and the socio-cultural role of the industry.

Reindeer is a unique animal that lives in harsh natural conditions. This is a kind of concentrate of the highly effective nature of the tundra: reindeer meat, bones, blood, endocrine system, etc. are highly energy-rich and biologically active.

Reindeer husbandry can be a virtually waste-free industry. The industry's prospects are associated with the use of the unique properties of raw materials, the production of biostimulants and biologically active substances.

The absence of feed costs in reindeer husbandry, insignificant capital and energy intensity of the industry determine the low production cost of venison.

However, reindeer husbandry, previously considered the most profitable industry, has been unprofitable since the 1970s. The reason is that the cost of venison was tied to the huge costs of maintaining the social infrastructure of the villages. Natural factors also played a significant role against this background. The catastrophic scale tundra fires of the first half of the 90s led to a significant reduction in reindeer pastures, and strong ice formations led to winter starvation of herds and a large loss of reindeer. Due to economic difficulties, losses from herds being trampled by wolves and being killed by wild deer have increased.

Since 2001, Chukotka has had a program of the District Government aimed at stabilizing and developing the region’s agro-industrial complex. As a result, today we can confidently say that agriculture in Chukotka has reached a qualitatively new level.

Today the number of deer in Chukotka is more than 154.3 thousand heads. The increase in the reindeer population in 2005 amounted to 18,258 heads (16.1%).

The total increase in the number of deer in Russia in 2001-2005 amounted to 120 thousand, of which almost 50% were Chukotka. Chukotka has taken second place in Russia in terms of reindeer population.

For the first time in 2004, an exchange of breeding deer was carried out between the Kanchalanskoye and Vaezhskoye farms of the Anadyr region and the Providensky brigades. And a thousand heads of breeding deer from the Koryak Autonomous Okrug were delivered to the Khatyrskoye farm in the Beringovsky district.

It was possible to reduce the incidence of necrobacteriosis in deer by 17% and reduce mortality in herds by 39%. This is the best result in Chukotka over the past 20 years.

All reindeer herding farms in the region are fully provided with the necessary medicines, feed, equipment and fuels and lubricants. The funds were allocated by the District Government.

Marine hunting

Marine hunting is another ancient branch of the economy in Chukotka. Some sources indicate a thousand-year history of this type of activity as the most decisive for this region.

The catch of marine animals is carried out mainly with the help of kayaks, whaleboats and sea vessels. About 50 enterprises and institutions are engaged in marine fishing in the district various shapes property, although the products produced - gray and bowhead whales, beluga whales, walruses, small pinnipeds - are used mainly in the diet of the indigenous population. More than 400 residents of Chukotka are employed in this fishery.

Waste from marine mammal hunting goes to fur farms, while the main resources of marine mammal hunting are not meat, but biologically active substances and enzyme-endocrine raw materials. Deep processing of raw materials (fat, thymus, spleen, adrenal glands and other organs of marine animals) into biologically active substances can provide a significant foreign exchange contribution to the revenue side of the district budget. According to some experts, marine mammal hunting can generate profits that exceed the income from the gold mining industry in Chukotka.

In 2003, the government of Chukotka supplied the sea animal hunters with 7 40-cubic and 20 8-cubic refrigeration chambers, as well as 7 quick-freezing chambers for storing sea animal meat, and installed lines for rendering fat. A leather processing workshop was built and put into operation in the district center.

Over the past 5 years, the material and technical base of agricultural enterprises has been significantly strengthened.

Agricultural producers received:

242 radio stations;

476 weapons, 958 thousand rounds of various calibers and purposes;

41 units of various automotive equipment, - 52 all-terrain vehicles, - 63 tractors,

141 units of snowmobiles,

75 various fishing craft and 122 outboard motors;

Veterinary drugs and vitamin supplements and specialized feed were purchased in the required quantities.

In addition, various construction materials, spare parts, and special equipment were supplied to the enterprises.

Poultry farming

Since 2001, Chukotka Agricultural Corporation LLC has been operating in the district, which reconstructed the only poultry farm in Chukotka, Severnaya, which had not worked for several years. 11 thousand laying hens were brought to Anadyr from Omsk, from which 2 million 685 thousand eggs were obtained in 2002. In August 2004, a new batch of laying hens was imported from Irkutsk in the amount of 17.5 thousand. The number of birds as of March 1, 2006 is 19,146 birds.

The factory ranks first in Russia in terms of egg production (337 eggs per hen). In 2005, a total of 4.5 million eggs were produced in the district.

A significant amount of investment has been made in the development of the food industry in Chukotka. Reconstruction of plants was carried out in Pevek, Chaunsky district, and in the regional center of Bilibino. Lines for the production of bakery and dairy products are installed here.

In January-February 2006, the volume of agricultural output by all agricultural producers amounted to 8 million rubles.

In April 2004, the largest food industry enterprise in Chukotka, the Polyarny food processing plant, opened in Anadyr. It includes 3 workshops: for the production of meat, bakery and dairy products. At full production capacity, Polyarny can produce up to 4 tons of bakery products, 1.5 tons of dairy products and about 500 kilograms of sausages per day. These products can be purchased in the company store. Feature transport complex of Chukotka - complete absence railways and pipelines. In the early 90s, the main cargo transportation in the district was carried out by sea and air; delivery of goods by land accounted for about 10% of the volume of cargo transportation. The sharp increase in air tariffs and the short navigation period have pushed forward cargo transportation by car to first place.

A significant part of the cargo processed at ports is delivered to consumers along road networks and winter roads by road. Currently the total length highways common use in the district is 4932.7 km, of which 1837 km are paved roads, 3095.7 km are winter roads (winter roads), the maintenance and repair of which are carried out by 10 contractors.

The government of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug pays great attention prospects for the development of the district's road network in order to, through the creation of an effective road transport scheme, enable more intensive economic development, alleviate the severity of the problem of northern imports and thereby improve the level and quality of life of the population in the district.

Over the past 5 years, 337 km of improved automobile winter roads with extended service life (Bilibino-Anyuysk, Valunisty-Egvekinot), 4 bridge crossings with a total length of 415 linear meters have been built and put into operation. In order to ensure inter-district transport connections, active construction is underway and reconstruction of highways with access to the seaports of the district, as well as to developed deposits of precious metals. To develop interregional connections, since 2001, the Bilibino–Anyuysk winter road has been improved with access to the border with the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Special attention also pays attention to maintaining the transport and operational qualities of existing roads and structures on them.

To date, bridge crossings over the Palyavaam River on the Pevek (Komsomolsky) - Bilibino highway, and a bridge crossing over the Apapelgin River at 15 km of the Pevek - Apapelgino highway have been put into operation in the region. Produced major renovation highways Pevek - Apapelgino - Yanranai and Egvekinot - Cape Shmidt.

An important task of road workers is to ensure the safety and high-quality maintenance of the existing road network of the district; for the period 2001-2005, 642.7 million rubles were allocated for the maintenance of the network of roads and artificial structures.

The maritime transport scheme of Chukotka includes 5 seaports directly located on its territory: the port of Pevek in the East Siberian Sea and the ports of Provideniya, Egvekinot, Anadyr, Beringovsky in the Bering Sea.

The sea ports of Chukotka do not have their own medium- and large-tonnage fleet, their main task is to process cargo delivered by shipping companies in two directions: western (from Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, St. Petersburg) and eastern (from Vladivostok, Nakhodka, Vanino, Magadan, Petropavlovsk -Kamchatsky and the ports of Sakhalin). These features are associated with ice navigation conditions in the eastern Arctic.

Navigation periods are: in Pevek - from July to October, in Provideniya - from July to November, in Beringovsky and Egvekinot - from July to early and mid-October, respectively, in Anadyr - from July to October. The port of Provideniya can be used year-round, subject to icebreaking support for ship navigation.

The successful conduct of navigation in the last five years is due to the fact of stabilization of the general socio-economic situation, which made it possible to timely advance advances to maritime transport enterprises to carry out the necessary work during pre-navigation periods to ensure that the necessary complex of structures and equipment is in good working order.

The sea trade port of the Beringovsky district of Chukotka handled 113 thousand tons of cargo, the port of Pevek, Chaunsky district - about 86 thousand tons, more than 55 thousand tons were unloaded in Provideniya, and 109.5 thousand tons were unloaded in Egvekinot, Iultinsky district. The total cargo turnover of Chukotka ports over the past five years has increased by more than 30 percent. In 2005, a total of 231 transport vessels were handled by sea ports, and 735 thousand tons of various cargo were processed.

Today, the only means of year-round communication between the populated areas of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (especially in the summer, when the tundra becomes insurmountable for vehicles) and the central regions of the country remains air transport.

FSUE Chukotavia has 10 airports - the main one is Anadyr, including two federal airports - Anadyr and Pevek.

Today, Anadyr Airport, in terms of takeoff and landing characteristics, is capable of receiving all existing aircraft.

On December 9, 2005, a new airport complex was put into operation, capable of serving 340 passengers per hour. A hangar with an insulated floor has also been commissioned for repair work in winter conditions, and work can be carried out simultaneously on two aircraft and three helicopters. New garages for special vehicles (ladders, tankers, heating vehicles, special services, firefighters, etc.) were commissioned, the fleet of which, by the way, was also updated by 90% with the help of the district administration, and many other new premises.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, only “tundra mail” was widespread in Chukotka - all news, thanks to the nomadic lifestyle, spread amazingly quickly, and parcels were transmitted promptly.

It is noteworthy that every new stage in the development of Chukotka began with communications. Thus, the expansion of the Americans in the 19th century gave rise to an attempt to lay a wire telegraph line Yakutsk - San Francisco through Chukotka.

However, the lack of modern telecommunications infrastructure and a unified transport communications environment slowed down the process of Chukotka’s integration into both the Russian and world economies. Previously implemented projects to modernize the telecommunications network in Chukotka were of an emergency nature and concerned exclusively profitable areas, not covering the majority of settlements, and a number of federal and regional programs were not completed, mainly due to financing problems; consumers did not have access to mobile communication services, personal radio calls, access to Internet information resources.

Under these conditions, at the beginning of 2001, the Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug decided to create the Chukotnet telecommunications system. The lead organization for creating the system and at the same time the operator was OJSC Arctic Region Communications. As part of the creation of the Chukotnet system, the television and radio broadcasting network was modernized, which was designed taking into account the implementation of the state broadcasting program for zone A. All network facilities are equipped with equipment and are focused on receiving a digital package of federal and district programs, the broadcast of which is expected through the satellite "Stationar-16" ", as well as local television and radio programs produced in Anadyr.

The television and radio broadcasting network provides reception and broadcasting of the state channels “Channel One” and “Russia”, programs “Radio Russia” and State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company “Chukotka”, the STS television program, supplemented by broadcast windows of the regional television program of the news agency “Chukotka”, programs “Radio Maximum” and the local radio station “ Radio Purga". The Chukotnet system is a dual-use system, open to integration with federal and departmental projects and programs “Electronic Russia”, “Cyber ​​Mail”, etc. and at the same time ensures the implementation of commercial projects as the service market develops.

As a result of the launch of the Chukotnet system, intrazonal traffic of the public telephone network of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug increased by 200%, intercity traffic by 70% and international traffic by 60%. Over 90% of the population of Chukotka received access to modern infocommunication services.

The creation of the Chukotnet system provided a transport environment for solving primary tasks in the communications industry - ensuring the development of an access network based on modern wireless technologies in hard-to-reach areas.

The main provider of communication services in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is OJSC Chukotsvyazinform, 75% of whose shares are federally owned. Today OJSC Chukotkasvyazinform provides local, long-distance and international telephone services, the Internet, telegraph communications, and e-mail.

In 2004, the volume of communication services amounted to 338.3 million rubles. The increase in the volume of communication services was facilitated by the regulation approved in 2004. By the end of December 2004, in 41 settlements of the Autonomous Okrug, equipment for digital reception and broadcast of programs of the Kultura and NTV TV channels was commissioned.

The cellular network is implemented in the NMT-450 standard and provides coverage in the city of Anadyr and adjacent settlements within the radius of the zone. Cellular network subscribers, along with the provision of local, long-distance and international communication services, are provided with automatic roaming throughout the Russian Federation.

Also, a personal radio call network was deployed in the cities of Anadyr and Bilibino. Network subscribers can use automatic roaming in 102 cities of Russia, as well as in a number of capitals of the CIS countries.

At the end of 2005, the total capacity of telephone exchanges was 22 thousand numbers, the density of telephones in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug was 33 per hundred urban residents, and 16 per hundred rural residents. This figure significantly exceeds the Russian average. Today, everyone in a rural locality has the opportunity to install a telephone.

The availability of network subscribers to Zonal and long-distance communication channels was also increased by introducing speech coding technology over the Internet Protocol (VoIP).

7. Problems of territory development.

The Chukotka Autonomous Okrug has many development problems. One of them is environmental. This area has an extremely unfavorable climate. The harsh climate lures migrants from other parts of Russia. Ecological problem creates a demographic problem. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is sparsely populated and sparsely populated. Relocation is also hampered by the lack of connections by paved roads and railways. The demographic problem creates social problem. The district lacks workers, teachers, builders and other specialists so necessary for the improvement of the area.

Conclusion.

The purpose of this work was to talk about the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. This goal has been achieved. From this work you can learn the following: the geographical location of the territory, the history of the development of the territory (its stages, discoverers, explorers, researchers), the natural resource potential of the territory, population, economy (industry, agriculture, transport, communications).

The position of the territory of the Far East on the border of the largest continent and the largest ocean on Earth significantly influenced the characteristics of the region’s natural-territorial complexes and their location. Marine air masses, arriving on land in summer, are colder than the continent.

Therefore, due to the heat spent on warming them up, summer air temperatures over the coast are significantly lower than in the interior parts of the mainland. Sea air brings a lot of moisture, which leads to an increase in precipitation compared to inland areas.

These terms are main reason a sharp shift in the Far East to the south of the borders of natural zones compared to mainland territories.

Using the atlas maps, determine how much further south in the Far East the border of the tundra and taiga zones is compared to Eastern Siberia.

The physical-geographical zoning of the Far East is based on two factors: the structural features of the surface and the nature of vegetation. Let's consider the most typical physical and geographical regions of the Far East: the Chukotka tundra highlands, the Kamchatka young tundra-forested mountains, Sakhalin Island with coniferous-deciduous forests, the Ussuri taiga.

Chukotka Highlands. The climate of the Chukotka Highlands is one of the harshest in the Far East.

Therefore, the Chukotka Plateau is a combination of flat and mountain tundras with a mountainous Arctic desert.

In the north of the Chukotka Peninsula, the mountain tundra rises no higher than 100-200 m; in the south, the tundra is located much higher. Common inhabitants of the tundra are reindeer, arctic fox, lemmings and tundra partridges. Many waterfowl nest in the swampy lowlands. On the coast of the Chukchi Sea there are walrus rookeries, and on the coastal cliffs there are bird colonies.

Kamchatka Peninsula. Kamchatka is a country of natural contrasts, extraordinary originality, and captivating beauty. Mountains, active and extinct volcanoes, vast valleys and lowlands, mountain and lowland rivers, cold and hot mineral springs - all this is on the peninsula.

This is one of the most remote corners of the country from the European center of Russia. About 2/3 of Kamchatka's area is occupied by mountains. This is an area of ​​young folded volcanic mountains with tundra and forest vegetation. Two ridges stretch along the entire peninsula - Sredinny and Vostochny, separated by the Central Kamchatka depression with the Kamchatka River flowing through it. The ridges are topped with volcanic cones with snow caps and glaciers. From time to time, Kamchatka is shaken by volcanic eruptions. There are about 30 active and more than 130 extinct volcanoes on the peninsula. One of the most active and highest volcanoes world - Klyuchevskaya Sopka, its height is 4750 m.

Find the active volcanoes of Kamchatka on the map in the atlas, write their names on the contour map. Remember the names.

Active volcanic activity affects many other features of nature. Thus, as a result of eruptions, soils periodically receive additional portions of primary minerals, which ensures their high fertility.

Forecast volcanic eruptions deals with the science of volcanology. Almost all large volcanoes have special stations where, with the help of modern instruments, they monitor the temperature of rocks, conduct chemical analyzes of gases, and listen to the crater of the volcano. In a few days, it is possible to predict the beginning of increased volcanic activity and warn residents of surrounding towns and villages.

Volcanologists are people in a dangerous profession. Sometimes they have to work on flows of lava that has not yet cooled down, go down into the crater of a volcano, be under “fire” from hot stones, near hot lava with a temperature of about +1300°C.

Climate of Kamchatka characterized by excess humidity throughout the year. The driest and warm place- Central Kamchatka depression.

Explain the distribution of heat and moisture in Kamchatka, comparing the climatic and physical maps of the atlas and textbook.

Rice. 131. Volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula

The Kamchatka Peninsula occupies a subzone of coniferous and birch park forests. The specificity of this subzone is the predominance of small-leaved trees (stone and Japanese birches) over conifers and the widespread occurrence of tall grasses.

Stone birch has gray or reddish bark and a thick curly crown: the height of the trees usually does not exceed 10 m. Due to the curvature of the trunk, stone birch is little used in construction, but is mainly used for firewood and crafts. However, stone birch forests play an important water and soil protection role.

Among the herbs, shelomaynik, cornflower, bear's pipe and other umbelliferous are common.

The mountain ranges are covered with thickets of dwarf cedar and dwarf shrub alder; mountain tundras are located even higher, alpine meadows and the snow zone of Kamchatka glaciers.

Rice. 132. Scheme of monsoon circulation in summer and winter (arrows indicate wind direction, numbers indicate atmospheric pressure, in mb)

The elfin pine forests are inhabited by very large Brown bear, Kamchatka sable, squirrel, chipmunk, lynx, Kamchatka nutcracker, etc. Reindeer live in the mountain tundras, and bighorn sheep graze in the alpine mountain meadows.

Historical reference. The first information about Kamchatka was obtained from the “tales” (reports) of explorers. The honor of discovering Kamchatka belongs to Vladimir Atlasov, who made trips there in 1697-1699. Soon Kamchatka was included in Russia. He also drew up a drawing (map) of Kamchatka and gave a detailed description of it.

As a result of the First (1725-1730) and Second (1733-1743) Kamchatka expeditions under the leadership of the famous Russian navigator Vitus Bering, the division of Asia and North America, the Aleutian and Commander Islands were discovered, maps were compiled, and valuable material about Kamchatka was collected. S.P. Krasheninnikov took part in the Second Kamchatka Expedition, whose work “Description of the Land of Kamchatka” is one of the classic works of geographical literature.

In the 19th century voyages from St. Petersburg to Russian America began with an obligatory stop at Kamchatka and Petropavlovsk. During this period, Petropavlovsk became Russia's main base in the Far East. The city is located on the shores of the unusually beautiful Avacha Bay, a part of Avacha Bay that juts deep into the land. Avachinskaya, Koryakskaya and Vilyuchinskaya hills rise above it.

Sakhalin is the largest island in Russia, its area is 76,400 km 2, its length from north to south is more than 900 km, its greatest width is 160 km, its smallest is 47 km.

What strait separates the island from the mainland and where is the Russian border with Japan?

The island is mountainous, but the mountains are not high - the average height is 500-800 m. The highest point of the island is Mount Lopatina in the East Sakhalin Mountains. Its height is 1609 m above sea level. Sakhalin is located in the seismically active zone of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is why frequent earthquakes occur within its borders. The last one, with a magnitude of 8, occurred in 1995. geological structure Sakhalin consists mainly of sedimentary rocks, which are associated with deposits of oil, gas, and building materials.

A characteristic feature of the climate of Sakhalin- high relative humidity air and frequent winds. Precipitation is clearly distributed over the seasons, which is explained by the dominance of the monsoon circulation.

There are many short, rapids on the island mountain rivers and mountain and valley lakes. Vegetable and animal world The islands are poorer than those on the mainland. But in the adjacent sea waters there are preserved species that have disappeared or are very rare on the mainland, for example, the one and a half meter sea otter and the two-meter fur seal. In the north of the island you can find reindeer moss, and in the far south you can find blooming magnolias.

Two thirds of Sakhalin's territory is occupied by forests. In the north, light-coniferous taiga of Daurian larch with an admixture of birch and alder dominates; in the south - dark coniferous forests of Ayan spruce, fir with an admixture of broad-leaved species - oak, yew. Thickets of bamboo and vines are common throughout the south.

Primorye, or Primorsky Krai, is located in the southern part of the Far East, on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan. Its territory could easily accommodate such European countries as Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland combined. The appearance of the region is characterized by numerous ridges, ridges and isolated hills. Tectonically they are quite young. Almost all the mountains of Primorye belong to the mountainous country of Sikhote-Alin.

The monsoon climate, characteristic of the entire Far East, is most pronounced in Primorye.

In terms of the amount of solar heat, Primorye ranks one of the first places in Russia, not inferior to Black Sea coast Caucasus.

Using the textbook cards, determine how many solar radiation districts of Vladivostok receive information about the duration of the frost-free period there.

Rice. 133. Ussuri Nature Reserve

Abundance of moisture in summer time promotes the development of powerful vegetation cover. Most of the territory of Primorye is occupied by the famous Ussuri taiga, in which coniferous and broad-leaved species are combined in the most bizarre way. Cedar and larch grow next to Manchurian walnut and Amur velvet. Over 250 species of trees and shrubs grow in the forests of the region. Primorye occupies one of the first places in Russia in the number of endemics - plants distributed only in this area. Only here do Amur velvet (cork tree), iron birch, etc. grow. There are many relict plants in the region that have been preserved since the Neogene.

The fauna of Primorye is diverse and rich. Endemics include the Ussuri tiger, the leatherback turtle, the remains of the Neogene fauna and Quaternary period belong to the sika deer, the black Ussuri bear, the Amur goral antelope, the small graceful mandarin duck, stunning beauty its plumage, ground thrush, etc.

Up to hundreds of species of fish live in the lakes and rivers of the region. In coniferous-deciduous forests there are many midges and ticks that cause harm to humans and animals.

Stepan Petrovich Krasheninnikov (1711-1755)

Stepan Petrovich Krasheninnikov - famous traveler, geographer, botanist, ichthyologist, ethnographer, historian and linguist - born in Moscow on October 31 (XI 11), 1711.

In August 1733, S. Krasheninnikov was included in the Kamchatka expedition, whose task was to explore and describe little-known areas of Siberia and Kamchatka. During 1733-1736 S.P. Krasheninnikov studied the nature of Siberia, visited Tobolsk, Altai, Transbaikalia, Irkutsk, Yakutsk. From October 1737 to June 1741, Stepan Petrovich lived and worked in Kamchatka. The result of the expedition work was the publication of the work “Description of the Land of Kamchatka” (1756). It was read by scientists - geographers and historians, and writers, including A. S. Pushkin. A volcano in Kamchatka, a cape on Karaginsky Island, and a cape on Novaya Zemlya are named after the scientist-traveler.

Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky (1839-1888)

N. M. Przhevalsky is a famous Russian traveler, explorer of Central Asia. For his services he was elected an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

He made his first trip to the Ussuri region. After this, he led five large expeditions to Central Asia (from 1870 to 1888). Przhevalsky discovered the giant Altyn-Tag ridge, visited Lake Lop Nor, described the sources of the Yellow River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze, explored the Taklamakan desert, discovered hundreds of species of plants and animals, including wild horse, later called the Przewalski's horse, the Tibetan bear.

During the fifth expedition, N. M. Przhevalsky fell ill and died on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in the city of Karakol.

The expeditions of M. I. Venyukov (1858), N. M. Przhevalsky (1867-1869), V. K. Arsenyev (1906-1910) were engaged in exploring the nature of the region.

Rice. 134. Research of the Far East

Natural uniqueness of the Far East. Valley of Geysers.

Eastern Kamchatka is the only region in Russia with periodically gushing geysers.

The most active volcanoes are on the Eastern volcanic plateau, elevated to 600-1000 m. Numerous geysers are associated with these volcanoes. The Valley of Geysers is the biggest landmark of Kamchatka, which was mentioned in “Description of the Land of Kamchatka” by S.P. Krasheninnikov. Geysers were first described in detail by G.I. Ustinova, an employee of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, in 1941. Having penetrated to the river, which later received the name Geysernaya (a tributary of the Shumnaya River), she discovered several groups of geysers in a deep canyon-like gorge. Among them are Firstborn, Giant, Triple, Fountain, Pearl, Double, etc. - a total of 20 geysers, 10 large pulsating springs and more than 300 small ones, boiling and freely flowing. The largest geyser, the Giant, operates in a very original way. Its eruption does not last long - two minutes, but thick steam continues to rise for another 10-15 minutes, covering the adjacent parts of the valley. In 2007, the Valley of Geysers suffered from a mudflow.

Rice. 135. Autumn in the Primorsky Territory

Grand fir grove(Kamchatka) on east coast Kamchatka is part of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. These are unusually slender and beautiful trees, their height reaches 13 m, trunk diameter is 20-25 cm, the needles contain essential oils and smell pleasant. Botanists classify grand fir as an ancient (pre-glacial) vegetation.

Lake Khanka- the largest in the Far East. Located at an altitude of 69 m above sea level. Its length is up to 95 km, width up to 65 km, area more than 4 thousand km 2, average depth about 4 m. 13 rivers flow into it. The lake is rich in fish. The lake is home to a relict lotus plant, a giant water lily, the leaves of which reach 2 m in diameter, and water chestnut.

Lazovsky (Sudzukhinsky) Nature Reserve(area 116.5 thousand hectares) on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan, in the cedar-broad-leaved forests of which tigers, lynxes, sables, bears, wild boars, sika deer and wapiti, pheasants and hazel grouse live. Part of the reserve is the small (about 30 hectares) Petrov Island, located 1 km from the shore of Xiaohe Bay. Petrov Island is an archaeological and natural landmark of Primorye. It was inhabited several centuries ago. In the relict yew grove, some trees reach 200-300 years old.

Questions and tasks

1. Indicate what main factors form the basis of the physical-geographical zoning of the Far East, and name the most typical natural complexes for it.
2. Compare the natural complexes of the northern and southern parts of the Far East.
3. Describe the natural complexes of Kamchatka.
4. What is the main difference between the natural complexes of the island parts of the Far East and the mainland?
5. On a contour map of the area, place all the geographical objects indicated in the text, underline the names of those that are associated with the names of the researchers of the region.