Kotelny Island
The Kotelny Island (Russian Остров Котельный, Ostrow Kotelny; Yakut арыы Олгуйдаах, Olguidaach Aryy ) is the largest of the New Siberian Islands in the Russian Arctic. With an area of approximately 23,200 km ², it belongs, although largely unknown to the 50 largest islands in the world. Administratively, the island is part of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia ).
History
The Soviet Union and after its dissolution in 1991 the Russian Federation had on the island polar stations and since 1949 the airfield Temp, 535 km from Tiksi away, set up and maintained. However, these were abandoned in 1993. In September 2013, a Russian naval squadron arrived, led the battle cruiser Piotr Veliky, the flagship of the Northern Fleet, one with an escort of three nuclear icebreakers off the island. Several large landing and transport ships and tankers should ensure that both the base and the airport can be put back into operation.
The New Siberian Islands had been uninhabited for 20 years, but due to climate change changed their strategic importance. Russia hopes that the reopening of the support point better control of shipping routes through the Arctic waters earlier than almost impassable applicable. These are now open to traffic during the summer months and open up many merchant ships a substantial time savings over the passage through the Suez Canal. In addition, natural resources are assumed both on the ocean floor as well as on the islands.
Geography
Of this amount, the actual Kotelny Island 11,665 km ² and the neighboring Faddejewski Island 5300 km ². With this she has grown together over the millennia by sand nourishment, so that between the two islands now a - as Bunge country ( Земля Бунге ) designated - 6200 km ² is land bridge. Bunge country that has, at its highest point, only 8 m, flooded in phases, whereby the main island and Faddejewski be separated.
The highest point of the island is Malakatyn - Tas with 374 m on Kotelny. Longest river is 205 km of Balyktach.
Fauna and Flora
On the island there are various mosses, lichens, and grass species. Arctic foxes inhabit the islands and there are traces of extinct animals such as mammoths.
Discovery history
As the first European to Russian traders Ivan Liakhov should have entered in search of mammoth bones and ivory Kotelny beginning of the 18th century, the discovery of Faddejewski Island goes back to Yakov Sannikov, 1805 the new country discovered and 1808-1810 Kotelny together with Matvei Gedenstrom explored and mapped. On the island of the Baltic German physician and researcher Hermann is buried by Walter, who was killed in the Imperial Russian Polar Expedition in 1902. The remains of Walter were buried on 29 July 2011 in a ceremony in the presence of members of the government of the Republic of Sakha, the Estonian ambassador to Russia and members of Hermann von Walter again.
Climate
On the island there Kotelny - polar climate. The average annual temperature is -14.3 ° C, the warmest month is July with about 2.5 ° C, the coldest February with -29.8 ° C. The annual rainfall is 131 mm and is distributed almost evenly throughout the year, with a slight maximum in July and August.