The most extreme points of the RF. Extreme geographical points of Russia: northern, southern, western and eastern

The length of the territory of the Russian Federation is the largest in the world. Hence the world's largest changes in climate and living conditions, which can be observed moving from the mountains of the Caucasus, where the southernmost point of Russia is located, to Rudolf Island in the Arctic, where the northernmost point is located. The distance from the westernmost (Baltic Spit) to the extreme in the east (Ratmanov Island) approaches 10 thousand km and is unthinkable for any other state on the planet.

From the international date line

To the east, in the Bering Strait, the two islands are separated by a border between two continents, two parts of the world, two oceans, two largest countries, and even between two dates. Most from all four corners of the world have their own originality, but the eastern one is a particularly vivid story.

The two islands are like brothers: rocks with flat tops protruding from the ocean, only one is larger, the other is much smaller. On different sides of the state border they are called differently. Russian names are given in honor of travelers who participated in the most important sea expeditions of the 18th century: the name of the large (Russian) island is Ratmanov Island, the small (American) is Krusenstern Island. The Americans adopted the name of the saint, on the day of whose commemoration they were discovered by the Bering expedition: Big Diomede - Russian, Small - American.

On Ratmanov Island, border guards live at the outpost, from which a new day begins, and the Russian land begins from it. 169 ° 02 "W. long. - these are the coordinates of the extreme eastern point of the country, located on the eastern coast of the island in the middle of the sea, and the extreme mainland point from which Russia begins is located 38 minutes to the west, on

Sand spit divided in half

Section of the state border between Russia and Poland, where the westernmost point is located Russian territory, passes through an amazing natural formation - the Baltic sand spit, which arose between the waters of Gdansk and due to the specifics of the climatic and geological conditions of this region of the Baltic. The southernmost point of Russia, in the Caucasus Mountains, has the same natural uniqueness that attracts tourists, although only lovers of extreme recreation can reach it. The area around the Baltic Spit has always attracted vacationers who value convenience.

But the border guards from the Narmeln outpost, located closest to the point with coordinates 54 ° 27′45 ″ s. sh. 19°38′19″ in. not to rest, they guard the state border around the clock.

Continental and insular

If we analyze the extreme points of Russia, the extreme southern point is mountainous, Dagestan is the only one that has an unambiguous interpretation, in other directions there are two types: mainland and island.

The situation is similar with the westernmost point of Russia at the border post Narmeln. The island character is given to it by belonging to the Kaliningrad region, which is a Russian region, separated from the main territory and surrounded by other countries, but with access to the sea. Such formation is scientifically called a semi-exclave.

The main, mainland Russia on the western side begins from a point with a longitude of 27 ° 19’E and located on the eastern bank of the Pededze River in the Pskov region.

Among the ice

The northern side of the Taimyr Peninsula, Cape Chelyuskin (77 ° 43 "N), is not only the extreme northern Russian point, here is the edge of the whole - Asia, here is the edge of the largest continent of the planet - Eurasia. These are places with a harsh climate and cruel conditions life, although this is how you can characterize the entire vast Russian coast of the Arctic Ocean.

The island extreme northern point is located even closer to the North Pole - like Cape Fligeli, located in its northeast, like the entire archipelago - Franz Josef Land, was discovered, explored and named by the participants of the Austro-Hungarian polar expedition, which took place in late 1870s.

Cape Fligeli (81° 49" N) is the only named point close to the northernmost Russian one, which is slightly higher, at the tip of the island closest to the pole.

In general, all the extreme (western, eastern, northern, southern) points of Russia are not distinguished by accessibility (the western one is the most accessible, although it is located in the border zone), but only very purposeful and motivated explorers can reach the northern edge of the Russian land.

Bazarduzu and Ragdan

41 ° 12 "N. latitude - the southernmost point of Russia has such a latitude mark. In the days of the USSR, few people were interested in such a geographical mark, everyone knew Kushka - the extreme southern point Soviet Union. It turned out that Russia begins in the south, in the stunningly beautiful mountains of Dagestan. The border with neighboring Azerbaijan whimsically winds along the mountain spurs of the Caucasian ridge, and it is very difficult to designate a specific geographical point object.

Very close to it is the magnificent mountain peak Bazarduzu (4466 m), the highest in Dagestan. This is a favorite place for climbers - experienced and beginners, in these fantastic places you can find a route of any category of difficulty.
But even closer to such a significant point is Mount Ragdan. At a distance of about two kilometers from its peak, on one of the slopes, at an altitude of 3500 m, is the southernmost point of Russia, the highest of all four directions.

Russia is located in the north of the Eurasian continent and occupies about a third of its territory (31.5%). The extreme northern and eastern points of the mainland are at the same time the extreme points of Russia. The country is located in two parts of the world and occupies the eastern sector of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Russia is washed by the seas of three oceans: the Atlantic, the Arctic and the Pacific.
The border between Europe and Asia within Russia is drawn along Ural mountains and along the Kuma-Manych depression. Only slightly more than 1/5 of the country's area belongs to Europe (about 22%). At the same time, the European territory of Russia is often understood to mean the entire territory lying west of the Urals (about 23% of the area). In any case, the Asian part of Russia accounts for more than 3/4 of the country's territory. The 180th meridian passes through Wrangel Island and Chukotka, therefore, the eastern outskirts of Russia lies in the Western Hemisphere. The geographical center of Russia is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Evenki Autonomous Okrug on Lake Vivi. In Tuva, near Kyzyl, is the center of Asia.
The Russian Federation is the largest state in the world in terms of territory, the country's area is 17 million 75 thousand 400 km2 (one eighth of the world's territory). The area of ​​Russia is 1.7 times the area of ​​Europe and 1.8 times the area of ​​the United States, 2 times the area of ​​China and 29 times the area of ​​the largest European state - Ukraine.

Extreme northern point
The extreme northern point of Russia on the mainland is located far beyond the Arctic Circle at Cape Chelyuskin (77 ° 43 "N).
Cape Chelyuskin, which is the northernmost point of the Taimyr Peninsula and the Eurasian continent, was first reached by man in 1742. Then the expedition led by Semyon Ivanovich Chelyuskin named the Cape East-Northern. It took place as part of the Great Northern Expedition, which was approved by the Admiralty Board, which considered that it was necessary to explore in detail the north of Russia from Pechora to Chukotka and make a description of those places. In honor of Semyon Chelyuskin, a polar navigator and explorer of the north of Russia, the cape was named already in 1842, when the centenary of his expedition was celebrated.

Chelyuskin's travel journal, in which he shares his impressions of his journey on dog sleds, the difficult journey he and his comrades made, and their arrival at the cape, is still kept in St. Petersburg, in the archives of the Navy.
The northernmost point of the Taimyr Peninsula has a harsh climate. Winter here is year-round, the snow practically does not melt, and the temperature in July and August usually does not exceed +1C°.
The second person to visit this cape was the geologist and geographer from Sweden, Niels Nordenskiöld. The third was the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen, who on September 9, 1893 sailed past Cape Chelyuskin in a heavy snow storm on the Fram ship.

At present, the station is called a radiometeorological center, where from 8 to 10 people spend the winter. A number of residential buildings and scientific pavilions have been built. Some of the buildings are abandoned and not in use. The northernmost airfield of continental Eurasia, Cape Chelyuskin, is also located here, which is serviced by the Khatanga United Aviation Enterprise. From the airfield, only a helipad remained, serviced by the military.
In 1932, a polar station was equipped on the cape, to which an observatory was later added. Now the station has been transferred to the status of a meteorological station. About 10 people constantly winter on it. Communication with the mainland and civilization is provided by the Cape Chelyuskin airfield with a helipad.

And one more island point: Cape Fligely on Rudolf Island in the archipelago of Franz Josef Land is located even further north - 81 ° 49 "N, the distance from Cape Fligely to the North Pole is only 900 km.
Rudolf Island is the northernmost of the Franz Josef Land islands. Cape Fligeli on the island is the northernmost point of land belonging to Russian Federation, at the same time the northernmost point of Europe. The island administratively belongs to the Arkhangelsk region. Area 297 km². Almost completely covered by a glacier.

The island, like the entire Franz Josef Archipelago, was discovered in 1873 by the Austro-Hungarian expedition of the explorer J. Payer, and was named after Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria. In 1936, the base of the first Soviet air expedition to North Pole. From there, in May 1937, four heavy four-engine ANT-6 aircraft delivered the Papanin team to the top of the world.
The meteorological station on Rudolf Island was opened in August 1932 as part of the program of the Second International Polar Year. 4 people remained for the first wintering, led by N.F. Balabin. A year later, the station was mothballed, and again work continued in the summer of 1936. Initially, the station was equipped as a base for the 1937 air expedition to the North Pole. Airfields were equipped near the station and on the ice dome of the island. In the period from April 1942 to 1947, it was mothballed again. The last period of work is 1947-1995.

Extreme southern point
According to the first version, the extreme southern point is located southwest of Mount Bazardyuzyu in the eastern part of the Main, or Watershed, ridge of the Greater Caucasus, on the border of Dagestan and Azerbaijan. The latitude of the point is 41 ° 11 "N. The distance between the extreme northern and southern points exceeds 40 ° along the meridian, and the northern mainland point is 36.5 ° away from the southern one. This is just over 4 thousand km.

All directories indicate - Bazardyuzyu (4466 m *) - the highest of the mountain peaks of the Republic of Dagestan and neighboring Azerbaijan. 41°13′16″ N sh. 47°51′29″ E e.

However, there is another version: The extreme southern bend of the border between the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan is located a few kilometers southwest of Bazardyuzyu peak. Mountain Ragdan is closer to the southern point of Russia (41 ° 12 "N) And the village of Kurush is the southernmost settlement ....

The peak on the left is Bazarduzu, on the right is Ragdan

The Usukhchaya Valley is unique in terms of having the epithets “most”, “most”, “most”. Here is the easternmost glacier of Dagestan - Tikhitsar. And the southernmost glacier of Dagestan and Russia - Charyn also lies in the river basin. Mount Ragdan rises near the Charyn glacier - the southernmost point of the Russian Federation. One of the longest and highest rocky walls of the Caucasus is the Western Face of Erydag - the pride of our wall-climbers. Finally, the highest peak of Dagestan - Bazarduzi (4466 m) also adjoins the Usukhchay valley. One more natural phenomenon of the valley can be noted. From the crest of Erydag, the Charaur waterfall, the highest in Dagestan, breaks down to a depth of 300 meters.

Mount Ragdan (41°12" N) is closer to the southern point of Russia, but it can only be found on large-scale maps.
Such a length of the territory from north to south, combined with the latitudinal position, determines the uneven supply of heat to the surface of the country and the formation within it of three climatic zones (Arctic, subarctic and temperate) and ten natural areas(from arctic to temperate deserts). The main part of the territory of Russia is located between 70 and 50 ° N. latitude. About 20% of the territory lies beyond the Arctic Circle. The area of ​​the regions of the North is 10 million km2, in this respect only Canada can serve as an analogue.

Westernmost point
The extreme western point of Russia is located in the Kaliningrad region on the sandy Baltic Spit of the Gdansk Bay of the Baltic Sea at 19 ° 38 "30" E. But due to the fact that the Kaliningrad region is separated from the rest of Russia by the territory of other states and is an enclave, the extreme western point has turned into a kind of "island" point.

They also call the western point of the compact part of Russia, that is, without taking into account the Kaliningrad region, in the Pskov region, just north of the junction of the borders of Estonia, Latvia and Russia (27 ° 17 "E).

Extreme eastern point
The extreme eastern point of Russia on the mainland is located at Cape Dezhnev (169 ° 40 "W) - Ratmanov Island in the Bering Strait is located even further east - 169 ° 02" W.

Cape Dezhnev, one of the most brutal places on the Chukotka Peninsula. Here the rocks are piled one on top of the other, there are often fogs and a piercing wind is constantly blowing. From this point to the extreme western point of America - Cape Prince of Wales - 86 kilometers.
Despite the remoteness from civilization, these places have attractions. Lighthouse named after Semyon Dezhnev and an old cross, installed nearby, an abandoned settlement of whalers of the XVIII-XX centuries - Naukan (it was disbanded during Soviet power). However, those who climb into these parts go to look at the unique fauna: there are countless bird colonies, there is a walrus and seal rookery, in spring you can see polar bears with cubs. Sometimes killer whales and gray whales swim close to the shore.

Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnev in 1648 rounded the Chukotka Peninsula from the north and proved that it was possible to get from Europe to China through the northern seas. He passed through the strait separating America from Eurasia 80 years earlier than Vitus Bering, but then little was known about the Russian pioneers in the Old World. Therefore, glory went to Bering. However, in 1879, restoring justice, the Swedish Arctic explorer Niels Nordenskiöld named the extreme eastern point of Eurasia - Cape Dezhnev, after the Russian navigator. Until that time, the cape was called Vostochny.
How to get there: the nearest village Uelen is located 10 kilometers from Cape Dezhnev, and the nearest airport is located in Provideniya Bay, where planes fly from Anadyr.

Ratmanov Island has an irregular shape (about 9 km long, 5 km wide) and an area of ​​about 10 square meters. km; practically it is a large rock with a flat top. Just 4 km 160 m is the island of Kruzenshtern (formerly Small Diomede), with an area of ​​​​about 5 square meters. km, which belongs to the United States. There is also Fairway Rock. The name of Diomede was given to this archipelago by Vitus Bering, who approached the big island on the boat "Saint Gabriel" on August 16, 1728 on the day of St. Diomede. But even before this name, Ratmanov Island already had a name - Imaklik (translated from the Eskimo - "surrounded by water"), which was given to it by the Eskimos, who lived on it for more than two thousand years. By the way, the Eskimos called the island of Kruzenshtern (the former Little Diomede) Ingalik, which means "opposite".
The story of getting the island named after Ratmanov is as follows. In 1816, the famous navigator Otto Kotzebue, while exploring the Bering Strait, mistakenly counted not three islands in the Diomede archipelago (as it had been mapped since 1732), but four islands. He decided to give the “newly discovered” island the name of his colleague, naval officer Makar Ratmanov, with whom he took part in a round-the-world expedition a few years earlier. When the mistake was discovered, they decided to leave the name of Ratmanov on the map, and from the middle of the 19th century, Big Diomede changed its name.

Western (big) - Ratmanov Island

The island is like a gable roof, with a vast, gentler northern slope. From south to north, as if bending it in the middle, a river flows with marshy banks, and closer to the raised edges, placers of bare stones and bizarre remnants begin. The southern ramp is smaller but steeper. The remnants on it are more numerous and the steep banks are higher. The junction of both slopes forms a small ridge, the highest point of which is called Mount Roof. The island occupies a key position on the border of Asia and North America and two oceans - the Pacific and the Arctic. From it you can see a huge area of ​​water. For tens of kilometers to the west, north and east, it is easy to trace the movements of marine animals and the flights of birds.
The brave Inupik Eskimo sailors lived on the islands. Through them, the exchange trade of Asian and American Eskimos went on, they were at the center of all the events of the Northern Bering Sea and, creating their own culture, they adopted a lot from the cultural traditions that already existed on both continents. In 1948, with the beginning of the Cold War between the USSR and the USA, the inhabitants of the island were resettled to the mainland.

Now there is a Russian border outpost on Ratmanov Island. On the island of Kruzenshtern there is a village with a population of 600 people. Between these islands is the Russian-American border, as well as the international date line. Getting to Ratmanov Island is not just difficult, but extremely difficult. And not only because it is actually a state border, but also due to weather conditions - 300 days a year the island is shrouded in thick fog. The shortest way: from Anadyr by helicopter via St. Lawrence. But this is only after obtaining permission from the SVRPU. But it's worth it!
The distance between the western and eastern outskirts of Russia is 171 ° 20 "or almost 10 thousand km. With a huge extent of the territory from west to east, the degree of continentality of the climate changes, which entails the manifestation of sectoriality in changing nature. There are 10 time zones within the Russian Federation . highest point Russia is Mount Elbrus (5642 m), located in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic on the border with the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. The lowest absolute height was noted in the Caspian depression (-28 m).

Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth, with an area of ​​53.893 million km², which is 36% of the land area. The population is more than 4.947 billion (2010), which is about 3/4 of the population of the entire planet.

Origin of the name of the continent

Initially, various names were given to the largest continent in the world. Alexander Humboldt used the name "Asia" for all of Eurasia. Carl Gustav Reuschle used the term "Doppelerdtheil Asien-Europa" in 1858 in his Handbuch der Geographie. The term "Eurasia" was first used by the geologist Eduard Suess in the 1880s.

Geographic location of the mainland

The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere between approximately 9° W. and 169° W. while some of the Eurasian islands are located in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of continental Eurasia lies in the Eastern Hemisphere, although the extreme western and eastern ends of the mainland are in the Western Hemisphere.

Contains two parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border line between Europe and Asia is most often drawn along the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Emba River, the northwestern coast of the Caspian Sea, the Kuma River, the Kuma-Manych Depression, the Manych River, the eastern coast of the Black Sea, the southern coast of the Black Sea, the Strait Bosphorus, the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, the Strait of Gibraltar. This division has developed historically. Naturally, there is no sharp boundary between Europe and Asia. The continent is united by the continuity of land, the current tectonic consolidation and the unity of numerous climatic processes.

Eurasia stretches from west to east for 16 thousand km, from north to south - for 8 thousand km, with an area of ​​≈ 54 million km². This is more than a third of the total land area of ​​the planet. The area of ​​the Eurasian islands is approaching 2.75 million km².

Extreme points of Eurasia

mainland points

• Cape Chelyuskin (Russia), 77°43′ N sh. - extreme northern mainland point.
• Cape Piai (Malaysia) 1°16′ N sh. - extreme southern mainland point.
• Cape Roca (Portugal), 9º31′ W d. - the extreme western mainland point.
• Cape Dezhnev (Russia), 169°42′ W d. - extreme eastern mainland point.

island points

• Cape Fligeli (Russia), 81°52′ N sh. - the extreme northern island point (However, according to the topographic map of Rudolf Island, the coast stretching in the latitudinal direction to the west of Cape Fligeli lies several hundred meters north of the cape at coordinates 81 ° 51′28.8 ″ N 58 ° 52′00 ″ E. (G)(O)).
• South Island (Cocos Islands) 12°4′S sh. - the southernmost point of the island.
• Monchique Rock (Azores) 31º16′ W d. - the extreme western island point.
• Ratmanov Island (Russia) 169°0′ W d. - the extreme eastern island point.

Largest peninsulas

• Arabian Peninsula
• Peninsula Asia Minor
• Balkan Peninsula
• peninsula
• The Iberian Peninsula
• Scandinavian Peninsula
• Taimyr Peninsula
• Chukotka Peninsula
• Peninsula Kamchatka
• Peninsula Indochina
• Hindustan Peninsula
• Peninsula Malacca
• Yamal Peninsula
• Kola Peninsula
• Peninsula Korea

Geological characteristics of the continent

Geological structure of Eurasia

The geological structure of Eurasia is qualitatively different from the structures of other continents. Eurasia is composed of several platforms and plates. The continent was formed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras and is the youngest geologically. This distinguishes it from other continents, which are the heights of ancient platforms formed billions of years ago.

The northern part of Eurasia is a series of plates and platforms formed during the Archean, Proterozoic and Paleozoic periods: the East European platform with the Baltic and Ukrainian shields, the Siberian platform with the Aldan shield, the West Siberian plate. The eastern part of the mainland includes two platforms (Sino-Korean and South China), some plates and areas of Mesozoic and Alpine folding. The southeastern part of the mainland is an area of ​​Mesozoic and Cenozoic folding. The southern regions of the mainland are represented by the Indian and Arabian platforms, the Iranian plate, as well as areas of the Alpine and Mesozoic folding, which also prevail in southern Europe. Territory Western Europe include zones of predominantly Hercynian folding and slabs of Paleozoic platforms. The central regions of the continent include zones of Paleozoic folding and plates of the Paleozoic platform.

In Eurasia, there are many large faults and cracks that are found in Siberia (Western and Lake Baikal), Tibet and some other areas.

History

The period of formation of the mainland covers a huge period of time and continues today. The beginning of the process of formation of ancient platforms that make up the continent of Eurasia occurred in the Precambrian era. Then three ancient platforms were formed: Chinese, Siberian and East European, separated by ancient seas and oceans. At the end of the Proterozoic and in the Paleozoic, the processes of closing the oceans separating the land masses took place. At this time, the process of land growth around these and other platforms and their grouping took place, which ultimately led to the formation of the Pangea supercontinent by the beginning of the Mesozoic era.

In the Proterozoic, the process of formation of the ancient platforms of Siberian, Chinese and East European Eurasia took place. At the end of the era, the land area south of the Siberian Platform increased. In the Silurian, extensive mountain building occurred as a result of the connection of the European and North American platforms, which formed the large North Atlantic continent. In the east, the Siberian platform and a number of mountain systems united, forming a new mainland - Angara. At this time, the process of formation of ore deposits took place.

A new tectonic cycle began in the Carboniferous period. Intensive movements led to the formation of mountainous areas that connected Siberia and Europe. Similar mountainous regions were formed in the southern regions of modern Eurasia. Before the beginning of the Triassic period, all the ancient platforms were grouped and formed the mainland Pangea. This cycle was long and divided into phases. In the initial phase, mountain building took place in the southern territories of present-day Western Europe and in the regions of Central Asia. In the Permian period, new major mountain-building processes took place, in parallel with the general uplift of the land. As a result, by the end of the period, the Eurasian part of Pangea was a region with large folding. At this time, the process of destruction of old mountains and the formation of powerful sedimentary deposits took place. In the Triassic period, geological activity was weak, but in this period the Tethys Ocean gradually opened in the east of Pangea, later in the Jurassic dividing Pangea into two parts, Laurasia and Gondwana. In the Jurassic period, the process of orogeny begins, the peak of which, however, fell on the Cenozoic era.

The next stage in the formation of the continent began in the Cretaceous, when the Atlantic Ocean began to open. Finally, the Laurasia continent was divided in the Cenozoic.

At the beginning of the Cenozoic era, northern Eurasia was a huge land mass, which was composed of ancient platforms, interconnected by regions of the Baikal, Hercynian and Caledonian folding. In the east and southeast, this massif was joined by areas of Mesozoic folding. In the west, Eurasia was already separated from North America by the narrow Atlantic Ocean. From the south, this huge massif was propped up by the shrinking Tethys Ocean. In the Cenozoic, there was a reduction in the area of ​​the Tethys Ocean and intense mountain building in the south of the continent. By the end of the Tertiary period, the continent took on its modern shape.

Physical characteristics of the mainland

Relief of Eurasia

The relief of Eurasia is extremely diverse, it contains some of the largest plains and mountain systems in the world, the East European Plain, the West Siberian Plain, and the Tibetan Plateau. Eurasia is the highest continent on Earth, its average height is about 830 meters (the average height of Antarctica is higher due to the ice sheet, but if we consider the height of the bedrock as its height, then the continent will be the lowest). In Eurasia, there are the highest mountains on Earth - the Himalayas (ind. Abode of snows), and the Eurasian mountain systems of the Himalayas, Tibet, Hindu Kush, Pamir, Tien Shan, etc. form the largest mountainous region on Earth.

The modern relief of the continent is due to intense tectonic movements during the Neogene and Anthropogenic periods. The East Asian and Alpine-Himalayan geosynclinal belts are characterized by the highest mobility. Powerful neotectonic movements are also characteristic of a wide band of structures of different ages from Gissar-Alay to Chukotka. High seismicity is inherent in many regions of Central, Central and East Asia, the Malay Archipelago. The active volcanoes of Eurasia are located in Kamchatka, the islands of East and Southeast Asia, in Iceland and in the Mediterranean.

The average height of the continent is 830 m, mountains and plateaus occupy about 65% of its territory.

The main mountain systems of Eurasia:

• Himalayas
• Alps
• Hindu Kush
• Karakoram
• Tien Shan
• Kunlun
• Altai
• Mountains of Southern Siberia
• Mountains of North-Eastern Siberia
• Western Asian highlands
• Pamir-Alai
• Tibetan Plateau
• Sayano-Tuva Highlands
• Deccan Plateau
• Central Siberian Plateau
• Carpathians
• Ural mountains

Major plains and lowlands of Eurasia

• the East European Plain
• West Siberian Plain
• Turan lowland
• Great Plain of China
• Indo-Gangetic Plain

The relief of the northern and a number of mountainous regions of the continent was affected by ancient glaciation. Modern glaciers have been preserved on the islands of the Arctic, in Iceland and in the highlands. About 11 million km² (mainly in Siberia) is occupied by permafrost.

Mainland geographic records

In Eurasia there is the highest mountain of the Earth - Chomolungma (Everest), the largest lake - the Caspian Sea and the deepest - Baikal, the largest mountain system by area - Tibet, the largest peninsula - Arabian, the largest geographical area - Siberia, the lowest point sushi - Depression of the Dead Sea. The cold pole of the northern hemisphere, Oymyakon, is also located on the continent. Eurasia also contains the largest natural region of the Earth - Siberia.

Historical and geographical zoning

Eurasia is the motherland ancient civilizations Sumerian and Chinese, and the place where almost all the ancient civilizations of the Earth were formed. Eurasia is conditionally divided into two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The latter, due to its size, is divided into smaller regions - Siberia, the Far East, the Amur Region, Primorye, Manchuria, China, India, Tibet, Uyguria (East Turkestan, now Xinjiang as part of the PRC), Central Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Persia, Indochina, Arabia and some others. Other, less well-known regions of Eurasia - Tarkhtaria (Tartaria), Hyperborea are almost forgotten today and are not recognized.

The climate of the mainland Eurasia

All climatic zones and climatic zones are represented in Eurasia. In the north, the polar and subpolar climatic zones predominate, then the temperate zone crosses Eurasia with a wide strip, followed by the subtropical zone. The tropical belt on the territory of Eurasia is interrupted, stretching across the continent from the Mediterranean and Red Seas to India. The subequatorial belt protrudes to the north, covering India and Indochina, as well as the extreme south of China, while the equatorial belt covers mainly the islands of southeast Asia. Climate zones maritime climates are found predominantly in the west of the continent in Europe, as well as the islands. Monsoon climate zones prevail in the eastern and southern regions. With a deepening inland, the continentality of the climate grows, this is especially noticeable in the temperate zone when moving from west to east. The most continental climate zones are found in Eastern Siberia (see Sharply continental climate).

nature on the continent

natural areas

All natural zones are represented in Eurasia. This is due to the large size of the mainland and the length from north to south.

The northern islands and high mountains are partly covered by glaciers. The zone of polar deserts extends mainly along the northern coast and a significant part of the Taimyr Peninsula. Next comes a wide belt of tundra and forest-tundra, occupying the most extensive areas in Eastern Siberia (Yakutia) and the Far East.

Almost all of Siberia, a significant part of the Far East and Europe (northern and northeastern), is covered with coniferous forest - taiga. Mixed forests are located in the south of Western Siberia and on the Russian Plain (central and western parts), as well as in Scandinavia and Scotland. There are areas of such forests in the Far East: in Manchuria, Primorye, Northern China, Korea and the Japanese Islands. Deciduous forests predominate mainly in the west of the mainland in Europe. Small patches of these forests are found in eastern Asia (China). In the southeast of Eurasia, there are massifs of moist equatorial forests.

The central and southwestern regions are predominantly occupied by semi-deserts and deserts. In Hindustan and Southeast Asia, there are areas of light forests and variable-humid and monsoon forests. Subtropical and tropical forests of the monsoon type also prevail in eastern China, and their temperate counterparts in Manchuria, the Amur Region and Primorye. In the south of the western part of the continent (mainly the Mediterranean and on the Black Sea coast) there are zones of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs (forests of the Mediterranean type). Large areas are occupied by steppes and forest-steppes, occupying the southern part of the Russian Plain and the south of Western Siberia. Steppes and forest-steppes are also found in Transbaikalia, the Amur region, their vast areas are in Mongolia and northern and northeastern China and Manchuria.

In Eurasia, areas of altitudinal zonation are widespread.

Fauna, animal world

A large, northern, part of Eurasia belongs to the Holarctic zoogeographic region; the smaller, southern one, to the Indo-Malay and Ethiopian regions. The Indo-Malay region includes the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, together with the adjacent part of the mainland, the islands of Taiwan, the Philippine and Sunda, South Arabia, along with most of Africa, is included in the Ethiopian region. Some southeastern islands of the Malay Archipelago are classified by most zoogeographers as part of the Australian zoogeographic region. This division reflects the features of the development of the Eurasian fauna in the process of changing natural conditions during the end of the Mesozoic and the entire Cenozoic, as well as connections with other continents. To characterize modern natural conditions, the ancient extinct fauna known only in the fossil state, the fauna that disappeared in historical time as a result of human activity, and modern fauna are of interest.

At the end of the Mesozoic, a diverse fauna formed on the territory of Eurasia, consisting of monotremes and marsupials, snakes, turtles, etc. With the advent of placental mammals, especially predators, lower mammals retreated south to Africa and Australia. They were replaced by proboscis, camels, horses, rhinos, which inhabited most of Eurasia in the Cenozoic. The cooling of the climate at the end of the Cenozoic led to the extinction of many of them or retreat to the south. Proboscis, rhinos, etc. in the north of Eurasia are known only in a fossil state, and now they live only in South and Southeast Asia. Until recently, camels and wild horses were widespread in the interior arid parts of Eurasia.

The cooling of the climate led to the settlement of Eurasia by animals adapted to harsh climatic conditions (mammoth, aurochs, etc.). This northern fauna, the center of formation of which was in the area of ​​the Bering Sea and was common with North America, gradually pushed the heat-loving fauna to the south. Many of its representatives have died out, some have survived in the composition of the modern fauna of the tundra and taiga forests. Searing climate hinterland mainland was accompanied by the spread of the steppe and desert fauna, which survived mainly in the steppes and deserts of Asia, and partially died out in Europe.

in eastern Asia, where climatic conditions did not undergo significant changes during the Cenozoic, many pre-glacial animals found refuge. In addition, through East Asia there was an exchange of animals between the Holarctic and Indo-Malay regions. Within its limits, far to the north, such tropical forms as the tiger, the Japanese macaque, and others penetrate.

The distribution of modern wild fauna across the territory of Eurasia reflects both the history of its development and the features of natural conditions and the results of human activity.

On the northern islands and in the extreme north of the mainland, the composition of the fauna almost does not change from west to east. The fauna of the tundra and taiga forests has minor internal differences. The farther to the south, the differences in latitude within the Holarctic become more and more significant. The fauna of the extreme south of Eurasia is already so specific and so different from the tropical fauna of Africa and even Arabia that they are assigned to different zoogeographic regions.

The fauna of the tundra is especially monotonous throughout Eurasia (as well as North America).

The most common large mammal in the tundra is the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). It is almost never found in Europe in the wild; this is the most common and valuable domestic animal in the north of Eurasia. The tundra is characterized by arctic fox, lemming and white hare.

Eurasian countries

The list below includes not only states located on the Eurasian continent, but also states located on islands classified as Europe or Asia (an example is Japan).

• Abkhazia
• Austria
• Albania
• Andorra
• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brunei
• Butane
• Vatican
• Great Britain
• Hungary
• East Timor
• Vietnam
• Germany
• Greece
• Georgia
• Denmark
• Egypt (partially)
• Israel
• India
• Indonesia (partially)
• Jordan
• Ireland
• Iceland
• Spain
• Italy
• Yemen
• Kazakhstan
• Cambodia
• Qatar
• Kyrgyzstan
• Republic of China (Taiwan)
• Kuwait
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Lithuania
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg Malaysia
• Maldives
• Malta
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Pakistan
• State
• Palestine
• Poland
• Portugal
• The Republic of Korea
• Republic
• Kosovo
• Macedonia
• Russia
• Romania
• San Marino
• Saudi Arabia
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Syria
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
• Turkmenistan
• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Turkey
• Uzbekistan
• Ukraine
• Philippines
• Finland
• France
• Croatia
• Montenegro
• Czech
• Switzerland
• Sweden
• Sri Lanka
• Estonia
• South Ossetia
• Japan

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Russia is the largest country in terms of size on the entire planet Earth. Its territory exceeds one sixth of the entire land mass. The easternmost point of Russia is defined in two ways and is divided into extreme island and extreme continental points. Let's consider each of them.

The extreme eastern mainland point of Russia: eternal cold

Russia occupies the entire northeastern part of the mainland. Accordingly, its borders coincide with the borders of Eurasia. Therefore, the extreme eastern mainland point, like Eurasia, is Cape Dezhnev (169 ° 40 "W) on the Chukotka Peninsula. The Swedish scientist A. Nordenskiöld in 1879 renamed this place in honor of the Russian navigator Semyon Dezhnev. Until this year, the cape was called It was S.I. Dezhnev who was the first to pass through the northern seas, rounding the Chukchi Peninsula, and stopping at this cape.

Very close to the US border. Alaska is located 80 km from Cape Dezhnev. The arctic climate with harsh natural conditions does not leave room for the development of the industry, so the population is small, mainly - these are the indigenous people of these places - the Eskimos. The only settlement on the cape is the village of Uelen.

The main attraction is a sixteen-meter lighthouse-obelisk in honor of S. Dezhnev, placed at a hundred-meter height. In its niche is a bust of a navigator and a cast-iron commemorative plaque. The obelisk itself is covered with marble chips.

In addition to it, there is also an old cross made of wood. This is the very first monument in honor of the great discoverer Dezhnev. Rare travelers who decide to visit this point on the map mark the village of Naukan, where whalers lived and worked. It was disbanded at the end of the 20th century, when the Soviets came to power.

On Cape Dezhnev, walruses and seals are found in abundance. For them, here expanse. Scientists have noted more than 40 species of birds living on the cape. Killer whales and whales can often be seen from the shore. Also, the "inhabitants" of the cape are polar bears and cubs. An unusual natural feature of this place - a height of about 740 m - makes the cape look like a large sheer cliff, steeply plunging into the sea.

Until the middle of the 19th century, Fort Ross, located in Northern California, was the extreme eastern point of Russia. After the Russian Empire sold this settlement, its status was taken by Russian Alaska. In 1867, Alaska was ceded to the United States. Then the border began to be located between the two islands of the Diomede archipelago - Big and Small.

Ratmanov Island, otherwise Big Diomede, bears the honorary title of the most eastern island point of the Russian Federation. Administratively, it belongs to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and is surrounded by two seas - the Bering and Chukchi. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthis island is about 10 sq. km, the coordinates on the map are 65 ° 47' northern latitude and 169 ° 01' western longitude.

The island is located in the Bering Strait. Its nature is harsh: huge rocks and a piercing cold wind. Therefore, the permanent population on about. Ratmanov is not. More habitable is the northern half of Diomede, which is famous for its large bird colonies.

Ratmanov Island is a strategically important geographical object. The border of the Russian state with North America passes here, and border guards are serving at the outpost. They not only protect the borders of Russia, but also take care of the preservation of the marine biological resource.

Almost 4 km from the Big Diomede is the Little Diomede, which belongs to the territory of the United States of America. Its second name is Krusenstern Island.

The history of the island begins in 1648. The great Russian explorer and discoverer of the North Seas S.I. Dezhnev was the first to visit him, spending some time with the indigenous peoples and studying their way of life and culture. The first expedition to Kamchatka in 1728, led by V. Bering, became the official date for the discovery of the island, which was named Diomede, in honor of St. Diomede. At the beginning of the XIX century. Lieutenant Otto Kotzebue gave the island the name of the famous navigator M.I. Ratmanov.

The indigenous inhabitants of the island are the Eskimos, native speakers of the Inupik language. Until the beginning of the 20th century, barter trade was carried out with the peoples of Asia and North America.

Interesting facts about the Diomede Islands

The original name of Ratmanov Island is Imaklik. From the language of the Eskimos it is translated as "surrounded by water."

Between the Big and Little Diomede is the date line. Therefore, moving from one island to another, you can meet New Year 2 times.

The time difference between the extreme western and extreme eastern points of Russia is 12 hours 35 minutes.

The highest point of Ratmanov Island is Mount Roof. Its height is 505 meters.

The last inhabitants of Big Diomede Island - the Eskimos - were evicted to the mainland in 1948 at the beginning of the Cold War.

300 days a year on the territory of the island it is difficult to see something: dense fog.

The easternmost point of Russia can be defined as Cape Dezhnev or Ratmanov Island. The first case is the extreme point, the second is the border of the state. These places attract extreme travelers with their natural power, unusualness and beauty.

February 18, 2014

The grandiose territory of Russia

Russia is rightfully considered the largest country in the world. Here, on its territory, there are three climatic zones and ten natural zones. From east to west, the length of the country is 10 thousand kilometers and 10 time zones.

Russia is the largest state in the world. When the New Year is already celebrated in the east, the evening of the previous day is just beginning in the western regions. The extreme eastern point of the country is Cape Dezhnev, located on the Chukotka Peninsula. There is an ancient cross and a lighthouse named after the pioneer. Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnev was the first navigator to sail through the Bering Strait. But all the glory, unfortunately, went to Bering, who did it 80 years later. Only 200 years later, a Swedish explorer named the easternmost cape of Russia after Dezhnev. Not far from the cape there is Ratmanov Island, on which there is a mountain range called the Roof, on the slopes, which was inhabited by local residents - the Eskimos.

The northernmost point of Russia

The western extreme point of Russia is 10 thousand kilometers away from the eastern one and is located in the Kaliningrad region. It is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The Kaliningrad region is divided with Russia by the territory of other countries and is a kind of Russian island among other Baltic states. Therefore, sometimes it is sometimes not taken into account and they say that the most extreme point of Russia in the west is located in the Pskov region at the junction of the borders of three countries - Latvia, Russia and Estonia. In determining the length of the state from east to west, one and the other point should be taken into account.

The northernmost point of Russia is located beyond the Arctic Circle, on the Taimyr Peninsula. It was there that the Great Northern Expedition was created in order to explore the territory of the country. Then the cape was called East North, but after 100 years it was named after the famous navigator Semyon Chelyuskin. It is winter on the peninsula almost the whole year and the snow does not melt at all. Even in the very middle of summer, the mercury column in the thermometer does not rise above +1 degree Celsius. There is a polar meteorological station here, where only 10 people are constantly present. Helicopters provide communication with the mainland. They also deliver food and necessary things here.

Southern point of Russia

In the south, the extreme point of Russia is located on Mount Bazarduzu on the border of Azerbaijan and Dagestan. It is more than 3.6 thousand kilometers away from the northern edge. There are beautiful mountains in the North Caucasus, on the tops of which eternal glaciers lie. Many nationalities live there, very fond of their harsh land, they cultivate plots of land suitable for agriculture or breed sheep. According to another version, the southernmost point is located on another mountain called Ragdan. At its foot there is also the southernmost village - Kurush.

Many climbers make their ascents in the mountains of the Caucasus. There are many outwardly impregnable peaks here, the conquest of which gives climbers joy and pride. Russia is the largest country in the world. over its large area. There is also the tundra, with its permafrost, in which day and night last for half a year, and endless steppes and centuries-old taiga. It is in our country that the border between Europe and Asia runs along the Ural Mountains.

Russians can be proud of their country, its mountains and steppes, seas and lakes. Between north and south, its length is 4 thousand kilometers. Between west and east - 10 thousand. This territory belongs to all residents of Russia.