Map of the West Siberian Plain with cities. West Siberian Plain Map of the West Siberian Lowland

WEST SIBERIAN PLAIN, The West Siberian Lowland, one of the largest plains on the globe (third largest after the Amazon and East European plains), in northern Asia, Russia and Kazakhstan. Occupies the entire Western Siberia, stretching from the coast of the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Turgai plateau and the Kazakh small hills in the south, from the Urals in the west to the Central Siberian Plateau in the east. The length from north to south is up to 2500 km, from west to east from 900 km in the north to 2000 km in the south. The area is about 3 million km 2, including 2.6 million km 2 in Russia. The prevailing heights do not exceed 150 m. The lowest parts of the plain (50–100 m) are located mainly in the central (Kondinskaya and Sredneobskaya lowlands) and northern (Lower Obskaya, Nadymskaya and Purskaya lowlands) parts. The highest point of the West Siberian Plain - up to 317 m - is located on the Ob Plateau.

At the base of the West Siberian Plain lies West Siberian Platform. In the east it borders Siberian platform, in the south - with the Paleozoic structures of Central Kazakhstan, the Altai-Sayan region, in the west - with the folded system of the Urals.

Relief

The surface is a low accumulative plain with a fairly uniform topography (more uniform than the relief of the East European Plain), the main elements of which are wide flat interfluves and river valleys; Characterized by various forms of manifestation of permafrost (extended up to 59 ° N latitude), increased swampiness and developed (mainly in the south in loose rocks and soils) ancient and modern salt accumulation. In the north, in the area of ​​distribution of marine accumulative and moraine plains (Nadym and Pur lowlands), the general flatness of the territory is broken by moraine gently ridged and hilly-ridged (North-Sosvinskaya, Lyulimvor, Verkhne-, Srednetazovskaya, etc.) hills with a height of 200–300 m, whose southern border runs around 61–62°N. sh.; they are covered in a horseshoe shape from the south by flat-topped hills, including the Poluyskaya Upland, the Belogorsk Continent, the Tobolsk Continent, the Sibirskie Uvaly (245 m), etc. In the north, exogenous permafrost processes (thermoerosion, soil heaving, solifluction) are widespread, deflation is common on sandy surfaces, in swamps there is peat accumulation. On the Yamal, Tazovsky and Gydansky peninsulas, permafrost is widespread; The thickness of the frozen layer is very significant (up to 300–600 m).

To the south, the area of ​​moraine relief is adjacent to flat lacustrine and lacustrine-alluvial lowlands, the lowest (40–80 m high) and the most swampy of which are the Kondinskaya lowland and the Middle Ob lowland with the Surgut lowland (height 105 m). This territory, not covered by Quaternary glaciation (south of the Ivdel-Ishim-Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Krasnoyarsk line), is a weakly dissected denudation plain, rising to 250 m to the west, to the foot of the Urals. In the area between the Tobol and Irtysh rivers there is a sloping, in some places with ragged ridges, lacustrine-alluvial Ishim Plain(120–220 m) with a thin cover of loess-like loams and loess overlying salt-bearing clays. Adjacent to it are alluvial Baraba Lowland, Vasyugan Plain and Kulunda Plain, where the processes of deflation and modern salt accumulation are developed. In the foothills of Altai there are the Priob Plateau and the Chulym Plain.

For geological structure and mineral resources, see Art. West Siberian Platform ,

Climate

The West Siberian Plain is dominated by a harsh, continental climate. The significant extent of the territory from north to south determines the well-defined latitudinal zonation of the climate and noticeable differences in the climatic conditions of the northern and southern parts of the plain. The nature of the climate is significantly influenced by the Arctic Ocean, as well as the flat terrain, which facilitates the unhindered exchange of air masses between north and south. Winter in polar latitudes is severe and lasts up to 8 months (the polar night lasts almost 3 months); The average January temperature is from –23 to –30 °C. In the central part of the plain, winter lasts almost 7 months; The average temperature in January is from –20 to –22 °C. In the southern part of the plain, where the influence of the Asian anticyclone increases, at the same average monthly temperatures, winter is shorter - 5–6 months. The minimum air temperature is –56 °C. The duration of snow cover in the northern regions reaches 240–270 days, and in the southern regions – 160–170 days. The thickness of the snow cover in the tundra and steppe zones is 20–40 cm, in the forest zone – from 50–60 cm in the west to 70–100 cm in the east. In summer, the westerly transport of Atlantic air masses predominates with invasions of cold Arctic air in the north, and dry warm air masses from Kazakhstan and Central Asia in the south. In the north of the plain, summer, which begins under polar day conditions, is short, cool and humid; in the central part it is moderately warm and humid, in the south it is arid and dry with hot winds and dust storms. The average July temperature increases from 5 °C in the Far North to 21–22 °C in the south. The duration of the growing season in the south is 175–180 days. Atmospheric precipitation falls mainly in summer (from May to October - up to 80% of precipitation). The most precipitation - up to 600 mm per year - falls in the forest zone; the wettest ones are the Kondinskaya and Sredneobskaya lowlands. To the north and south, in the tundra and steppe zones, the annual precipitation gradually decreases to 250 mm.

Surface water

More than 2,000 rivers flowing through the West Siberian Plain belong to the Arctic Ocean basin. Their total flow is about 1200 km 3 of water per year; up to 80% of the annual runoff occurs in spring and summer. The largest rivers - the Ob, Yenisei, Irtysh, Taz and their tributaries - flow in well-developed deep (up to 50–80 m) valleys with a steep right bank and a system of low terraces on the left bank. The rivers are fed by mixed water (snow and rain), the spring flood is extended, and the low water period is long in summer, autumn and winter. All rivers are characterized by slight slopes and low flow speeds. Ice cover on rivers lasts up to 8 months in the north, and up to 5 months in the south. Large rivers are navigable, are important rafting and transport routes and, in addition, have large reserves of hydropower resources.

On the West Siberian Plain there are about 1 million lakes, the total area of ​​which is more than 100 thousand km 2. The largest lakes are Chany, Ubinskoye, Kulundinskoye, etc. Lakes of thermokarst and moraine-glacial origin are common in the north. In the suffusion depressions there are many small lakes (less than 1 km2): in the interfluve of the Tobol and Irtysh - more than 1500, in the Barabinskaya Lowland - 2500, among them many are fresh, salty and bitter-salty; There are self-sedating lakes. The West Siberian Plain is distinguished by a record number of swamps per unit area (the area of ​​the wetland is about 800 thousand km 2).

Types of landscapes

The uniformity of the relief of the vast West Siberian Plain determines a clearly defined latitudinal zonation of the landscapes, although compared to the East European Plain, the natural zones here are shifted to the north; landscape differences within the zones are less noticeable than on the East European Plain, and there is no zone of broad-leaved forests. Due to the poor drainage of the territory, hydromorphic complexes play a prominent role: swamps and swampy forests occupy about 128 million hectares here, and in the steppe and forest-steppe zones there are many solonetzes, solods and solonchaks.

On the Yamal, Tazovsky and Gydansky peninsulas, under conditions of continuous permafrost, landscapes of arctic and subarctic tundra with moss, lichen and shrub (dwarf birch, willow, alder) vegetation on gley soils, peat gley soils, peat podburs and turf soils were formed. Polygonal grass-hypnum bogs are widespread. The share of indigenous landscapes is extremely small. To the south, tundra landscapes and swamps (mostly flat-hilly) are combined with larch and spruce-larch woodlands on podzolic-gley and peat-podzolic-gley soils, forming a narrow zone of forest-tundra, transitional to the forest (forest-swamp) zone of the temperate zone, represented by the subzones northern, middle and southern taiga. What is common to all subzones is swampiness: over 50% of the northern taiga, about 70% - middle, about 50% - southern. The northern taiga is characterized by flat- and large-hilly raised bogs, the middle one - ridge-hollow and ridge-lake bogs, the southern one - hollow-ridge, pine-shrub-sphagnum, transitional sedge-sphagnum and lowland tree-sedge. The largest swamp massif - Vasyugan Plain. Forest complexes of different subzones are unique, formed on slopes with varying degrees of drainage.

Northern taiga forests on permafrost are represented by sparse, low-growing, heavily swampy, pine, pine-spruce and spruce-fir forests on gley-podzolic and podzolic-gley soils. Indigenous landscapes of the northern taiga occupy 11% of the plain's area. Indigenous landscapes in the middle taiga occupy 6% of the area of ​​the West Siberian Plain, in the southern - 4%. What is common to the forest landscapes of the middle and southern taiga is the wide distribution of lichen and dwarf-sphagnum pine forests on sandy and sandy loam ferruginous and illuvial-humus podzols. On loam soils in the middle taiga, along with extensive swamps, there are spruce-cedar forests with larch and birch forests on podzolic, podzolic-gley, peat-podzolic-gley and gley peat-podzols.

In the subzone of the southern taiga on loams - spruce-fir and fir-cedar (including urmans - dense dark coniferous forests with a predominance of fir), small grass forests and birch forests with aspen on sod-podzolic and sod-podzolic-gley (including with a second humus horizon) and peat-podzolic-gley soils.

The subtaiga zone is represented by parkland pine, birch and birch-aspen forests on gray, gray gley and soddy-podzolic soils (including with a second humus horizon) in combination with steppe meadows on cryptogleyed chernozems, sometimes solonetzic. Indigenous forest and meadow landscapes have practically not been preserved. Swampy forests turn into lowland sedge-hypnum (with ryams) and sedge-reed bogs (about 40% of the zone's territory). For forest-steppe landscapes of sloping plains with loess-like and loess covers on salt-bearing tertiary clays, birch and aspen-birch groves on gray soils and malts in combination with forb-grass steppe meadows on leached and cryptogleyed chernozems are typical, to the south - with meadow steppes on ordinary chernozems, places mi solonetzic and solonchakous. There are pine forests on the sands. Up to 20% of the zone is occupied by eutrophic reed-sedge bogs. In the steppe zone, indigenous landscapes have not been preserved; in the past these were forb-feather grass steppe meadows on ordinary and southern chernozems, sometimes saline, and in the drier southern regions - fescue-feather grass steppes on chestnut and cryptogley soils, gley solonetzes and solonchaks.

Environmental problems and protected natural areas

In oil production areas, due to pipeline breaks, water and soil are polluted with oil and petroleum products. In forestry areas there are overcuttings, waterlogging, the spread of silkworms, and fires. In agricultural landscapes, there is an acute problem of lack of fresh water, secondary soil salinization, destruction of soil structure and loss of soil fertility during plowing, drought and dust storms. In the north, there is degradation of reindeer pastures, in particular due to overgrazing, which leads to a sharp reduction in their biodiversity. No less important is the problem of preserving hunting grounds and natural habitats of fauna.

Numerous reserves, national and natural parks have been created to study and protect typical and rare natural landscapes. Among the largest reserves are: in the tundra - the Gydansky Reserve, in the northern taiga - the Verkhnetazovsky Reserve, in the middle taiga - the Yugansky Reserve and Malaya Sosva, etc. In the sub-taiga, the Pripyshminskie Bory National Park was created. Natural parks have also been organized: in the tundra - Oleniy Ruchi, in the north. taiga - Numto, Siberian Uvaly, in the middle taiga - Kondinsky lakes, in the forest-steppe - Bird Harbor.

The first acquaintance of Russians with Western Siberia probably took place back in the 11th century, when the Novgorodians visited the lower reaches of the Ob River. With the campaign of Ermak (1582–85), a period of discoveries in Siberia and the development of its territory began.

The eastern territories of Russian Asia open from the Ural Mountains to the West Siberian Plain. Its settlement by Russians began in the 16th century, from the time of Ermak’s campaign. The expedition's route ran from the south of the plain.

These territories are still the most densely populated. However, we must remember that already in the 11th century the Novgorodians established trade relations with the population on the lower Ob.

Geographical position

The West Siberian Plain is washed from the north by the harsh Kara Sea. In the east, along the border of the Yenisei River basin, it neighbors the Central Siberian Plateau. The southeast is protected by the snowy foothills of Altai. In the south, the Kazakh small hills became the border of flat territories. The western border, as stated above, is the oldest mountains of Eurasia - the Ural Mountains.

Relief and landscape of the plain: features

A unique feature of the plain is that all the heights on it are very weakly expressed, both in absolute and relative values. The area of ​​the West Siberian Plain, very low-lying, with many river channels, is swampy on 70 percent of the territory.

The lowland stretches from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the southern steppes of Kazakhstan and almost all is located within the territory of our country. The plain provides a unique opportunity to see five natural zones with their characteristic landscape and climate conditions.

The relief is typical of low-lying river basins. Small hills alternating with swamps occupy the interfluve areas. The south is dominated by areas with saline groundwater.

Natural areas, cities and plain regions

Western Siberia is represented by five natural zones.

(Swampy area in the tundra of the Vasyugan swamps, Tomsk region)

The tundra occupies a narrow strip in the north of the Tyumen region and almost immediately turns into forest-tundra. In the extreme northern areas you can find massifs of a combination of lichens and mosses of Western Siberia. The area is dominated by swampy terrain, turning into open forest-tundra. Vegetation here includes larch and bushes.

The taiga of Western Siberia is characterized by dark coniferous zones with a variety of cedar, northern spruce and fir. Occasionally you can find pine forests occupying areas between the swamps. Most of the lowland landscape is occupied by endless swamps. One way or another, the whole of Western Siberia is characterized by swampiness, but there is also a unique natural massif here - the largest swamp in the world, the Vasyugan swamp. It occupied large territories in the southern taiga.

(Forest-steppe)

Closer to the south, nature changes - the taiga brightens, turning into forest-steppe. Aspen-birch forests and meadows with coppice appear. The Ob basin is decorated with pine island forests that arose naturally.

The steppe zone occupies the south of the Omsk and southwestern parts of the Novosibirsk regions. Also, the area of ​​distribution of the steppe reaches the western part of the Altai Territory, which includes the Kulundinskaya, Aleiskaya and Biyskaya steppes. The territory of ancient water drainages is occupied by pine forests

(Fields in the taiga of the Tyumen region, Yugra)

The West Siberian Plain provides the opportunity for active land use. It is very rich in oil and almost all of it is lined with production rigs. The region's developed economy attracts new residents. Large cities in the northern and central parts of the West Siberian Plain are well known: Urengoy, Nefteyugansk, Nizhnevartovsk. In the south are the cities of Tomsk, Tyumen, Kurgan, Omsk.

Rivers and lakes of the plain

(Yenisei River on hilly-flat terrain)

Rivers flowing through the West Siberian Lowland flow into the Kara Sea. The Ob is not only the longest river of the plain, but together with its tributary the Irtysh, it is the longest water artery in Russia. However, there are also rivers on the plain that do not belong to the Obi basin - Nadym, Pur, Taz and Tobol.

The territory is rich in lakes. They are divided into two groups according to the nature of their occurrence: some were formed in pits dug by a glacier passing through the lowlands, and some - in places of ancient swamps. The area holds the world record for swampiness.

Plain climate

Western Siberia in its north is covered with permafrost. A continental climate is observed throughout the plain. Most of the plain's territory is very susceptible to the influence of its formidable neighbor - the Arctic Ocean, whose air masses unhindered dominate the lowland region. Its cyclones dictate precipitation and temperature patterns. In areas of the plain where the Arctic, subarctic and temperate zones converge, cyclones often occur, leading to rain. In winter, cyclones generated at the junctions of the temperate and arctic zones soften the frosts in the north of the plains.

More precipitation falls in the north of the plain - up to 600 ml per year. Temperatures in the north in January on average do not rise above 22°C, in the south at the same time frosts reach 16°C. In July in the north and south of the plain, it is 4°C and 22°C, respectively.

The West Siberian Plain (it won’t be difficult to find it on a world map) is one of the largest in Eurasia. It stretches for 2500 km from the harsh shores of the Arctic Ocean to the semi-desert territories of Kazakhstan and for 1500 km - from the Ural Mountains to the mighty Yenisei. This entire area consists of two cup-shaped flat depressions and many wetlands. Between these depressions stretch the Siberian Ridges, which rise 180-200 meters.

The West Siberian Plain is a rather interesting and fascinating point that deserves detailed consideration. This natural object is located almost at the same distance between the Atlantic and the continental center of the mainland. About 2.5 million sq. km covers the area of ​​this huge plain. This distance is very impressive.

Climatic conditions

The geographical position of the West Siberian Plain on the mainland causes interesting climatic conditions. Therefore, the weather in most of the plain is temperate continental. Large Arctic masses enter this territory from the north, bringing with them intense cold in winter, and in summer the thermometer shows from + 5 °C to + 20 °C. In January, on the southern and northern sides the temperature can vary from -15 °C to -30 °C. The lowest winter indicator was recorded in the northeast of Siberia - down to -45 °C.

Humidity on the plain also spreads gradually from south to north. With the beginning of summer, most of it falls on the steppe zone. In mid-summer, in July, the heat takes over the entire south of the plain, and the humid front moves to the north, thunderstorms and showers sweep over the taiga. At the end of August, the rains reach the tundra zone.

Water streams

When describing the geographical location of the West Siberian Plain, it is necessary to talk about the water system. A huge number of rivers flow through this territory, and there are also numerous lakes and swamps. The largest and deepest river is the Ob with its tributary Irtysh. It is not only the largest in the region, but also one of the greatest in the world. In terms of its area and length, the Ob dominates among the rivers of Russia. The Pur, Nadym, Tobol and Taz water streams suitable for navigation also flow here.

The plain holds the world record for the number of swamps. Such a vast territory cannot be found on the globe. The swamps cover an area of ​​800 thousand square meters. km. There are several reasons for their formation: excess moisture, flat surface of the plain, a large amount of peat, and low air temperature.

Minerals

This region is rich in mineral resources. This is largely influenced by the geographical location of the West Siberian Plain. Oil and gas deposits are concentrated here in huge quantities. Its vast wetland areas contain a large reserve of peat - approximately 60% of the total amount in Russia. There are iron ore deposits. Siberia is also rich in its hot waters, which contain salts of carbonates, chlorides, bromine and iodine.

Animal and plant worlds

The climate of the plain is such that the flora here is quite poor compared to neighboring regions. This is especially noticeable in the taiga and tundra zones. The reason for such poverty of plants is long-term glaciation, which does not allow plants to spread.

The fauna of the plain is also not very rich, despite the enormous extent of the territories. The geographical position of the West Siberian Plain is such that it is almost impossible to meet interesting individuals here. There are no unique animals living only in this territory. All species that live here are common to other regions, both neighboring and the entire continent of Eurasia.

The relief of Russia is varied, but most of the territory is characterized by vast flatness and low relief contrast.

From the point of view of geological structure and relief, the territory of Russia can be divided into two main parts, the border of which runs approximately along the Yenisei - the western, which is predominantly flat, and the eastern, where mountains predominate.

Plains

Great Russian Plain (or East European Plain)

Bounded by the Scandinavian ranges in the north, the Carpathians in the west, the Caucasus in the south and the Urals in the east. In the south it passes into the Caspian Lowland.
area: 5 million km2
average height: about 170 m
large rivers: Onega, Pechera, Dnieper, Dniester, Dvina, Don, Volga, Ural
type of vegetation from north to south: tundra, forests, forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert

The Great Russian Plain is the homeland of the Eastern Slavs. This center of modern Russia, the most important cities of the country are located here, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.

West Siberian Plain (lowland)

It occupies most of Western Siberia, limited in the west by the Urals, in the south by the Kazakh small hills, and in the east by the Siberian Plateau. It is distinguished by a flat, weakly dissected swampy surface (lowland swamps cover up to 50% of its territory). The relief of the West Siberian Plain is one of the most homogeneous in the world. area: 3 million km2
large rivers: Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei
vegetation type: tundra, forest-tundra, taiga.
large oil and gas fields
Most of the plain territory belongs to forest zone. During Soviet times, there were many Gulag camps here, in which prisoners were engaged in timber extraction.
average population density: only 6.2 people. per km2
largest cities: Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Tyumen

Central Siberian Plateau

Occupies most of Eastern Siberia, located on the territory between the Yenisei and Lena rivers. Characteristic is the alternation of wide plateaus and ridges. Most of the plateau lies in the taiga zone; areas of permafrost can also be found.
area: 3.5 million km2
rivers: Lena, Amur
average population density: only 2.2 people. per km2
largest cities: Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Chita, Ulan-Ude

Mountain ranges

To the south of the Russian and east of the West Siberian Plains there are systems of mountain ranges.

Greater Caucasus

The Caucasus Range runs from west-north to southeast between the Black and Caspian Seas on the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan. Its length is over 1100 km. There are about 2000 glaciers here.

The Caucasus is one of the largest resort areas (the group of balneological resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters in the North Caucasus) and the center of mountaineering in Russia. The Caucasus is a place of exile for many writers, whose works shaped the romantic ideas of Russians about these mountains.

Here it is the highest mountain in Russia - Elbrus. Its height is 5642 m. It is an isolated two-headed mountain, the cone of an extinct volcano.

Ural

Natural border between Europe and Asia.
Ancient, heavily eroded mountains stretching 2,100 km from north to south, from the Arctic Ocean to the border with Kazakhstan.
The average height does not exceed 600 m.
Highest mountain - (1895 m)
The Urals can be divided into the Southern, Middle, Northern and Polar Urals.
This area was settled under Catherine II, and manufactories for processing iron ore were opened here. In the Urals region, industry adversely affects the environment.
Large cities: Ekaterinburg, Perm.
Between Perm and Yekaterinburg there is a vast pass along which the most important highways and railways pass, connecting the European part of Russia with the Asian part.

Altai

The highest mountain system in southern Siberia, located on the border with Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Its continuation is the system of Western and Eastern Sayan.
The highest mountain in Altai - (4506 m)

Mountains of Southern Siberia

The mountain system of Southern Siberia is formed by the Sayans and the mountains of Transbaikalia.

Kamchatka ridge

The Kamchatka Range with active volcanoes stretches on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Here is the highest peak of the Far East - the active volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4750 m) and numerous mineral and thermal springs and geysers.

Seas and islands

The shores of Russia are washed by the waters of 12 seas of three oceans, but it does not have access to the open ocean.

Arctic Ocean

Arctic seas: Barents, White, Kara, Laptev Sea, East Siberian, Chukotka. Although the seas are used for transport purposes, the ports are blocked by ice for months. The climate is harsh, and fishing is carried out mainly in river mouths. The richest flora and fauna are in the Chukchi Sea.
Along the coast of the Arctic seas passes Northern Sea Route,the shortest sea route (5600 km) between the Far East and the European part of Russia. The duration of navigation is only 2-4 months a year (in some areas longer, but with the help of icebreakers). The Northern Sea Route serves the import of fuel, equipment, food, and the export of timber and natural resources.

White Sea- the only one that lies south of the Arctic Circle.
Ports:
- at the mouth of the Northern Dvina, from the 15th century. The monastery has been known since the mid-16th century. the only seaport, the center of Russian foreign trade

In the Kola Bay in the Barents Sea, the largest ice-free fishing and trading port in Russia was founded only at the beginning of the 20th century. Not far from here is a submarine cemetery.

Atlantic Ocean

Baltic Sea

An inland sea, “cut” into Russia by the Gulf of Finland. The Baltic Sea is of great transport importance.

Ports:
Saint Petersburg- built by Peter I as a “window to Europe”. In order for ships to reach the sea, bridges are opened at night.

– on the shores of the open sea

Black Sea

The Black Sea coast is the most important recreational area in Russia, especially in the east and south, where the Caucasus Mountains approach the sea.
Resorts:

Sea of ​​Azov

Connected to the Black Sea by the Kerch Strait.
The shallowest sea in the world, actually a bay of the Black Sea. Two large rivers, Don and Kuban, flow into the Sea of ​​Azov. The Sea of ​​Azov was very important for Russia in the 19th century, at which time the Russian merchant fleet of the Sea of ​​Azov reached enormous proportions.
Port:
- a harbor founded by Peter I after the capture of Azov, built for the first regular navy in Russian history

Pacific Ocean

Far Eastern seas: Beringovo, Okhotsk, Japanese. These are seas with high bioproductivity, rich in the variety and quantity of fish (valuable salmon fish, whales).
Main port in the Bering Sea: Anadyr, capital of Chukotka
Main port in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk: Main port in the Sea of ​​Japan: opening the way to the Far East, end of the Trans-Siberian Railway

Sea transport

Maritime transport accounts for only 2.9% of total cargo turnover.
Problems: an outdated fleet that does not allow overseas navigation, shallow ports (two thirds) that are not capable of receiving modern large-capacity vessels.

Islands

New Earth

The largest archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. During Soviet times, Novaya Zemlya served as a nuclear testing site for powerful nuclear tests.

Sakhalin island

– the largest island of Russia, located in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Sea of ​​Japan.

Kurile Islands

Volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Sakhalin region.
Since the 19th century, the Russians are still arguing with the Japanese about the ownership of the southern group of islands - Russia refuses to give up part of them (which it agreed to in an agreement reached in 1956) to Japan, and Japan does not recognize the Russian right to own the islands.
The complex issue of the Kuril Islands is a “stumbling block” in Japanese-Soviet (later Japanese-Russian) relations.

Solovetsky Islands

Archipelago in Onega Bay in the White Sea.
The history of the world-famous Solovetsky Monastery goes back to the 13th century. In the 15-16th centuries. The local monastery became one of the centers of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Solovetsky Islands have long been a place of exile for prisoners; the first Soviet Gulag camps were located here. Only since the 90s. 20th century Church life on the island resumed again.

Inland waters

Lakes

There are only about 3 million freshwater and salt lakes scattered across Russia. Russians call the Republic of Karelia “The Country of Lakes”.

Caspian Sea

The largest lake in the world, washing the shores of Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan. Oil, gas and salt are being extracted on the lake, which is constantly worsening the environmental situation in this region.

Baikal - “the pearl of Siberia”

The deepest lake in the world, the eighth largest in the world by area, is located in Eastern Siberia, surrounded by mountains. 20% of all fresh water reserves on the surface of the globe are concentrated here.
The length of Lake Baikal is 636 km, the average width is 48 km, max. depth - 1620 m. The average water temperature in July is 13 ˚С. Only one river flows from Baikal - Angara.
The languages ​​of local peoples designated it as Bai-kul (“rich lake”), or Baigal delai (“big sea”). Baikal has some characteristic differences inherent in the seas: ebb and flow, 27 islands, the great influence of the mass of water on the climate of the region.
Many species of animals and plants live in the lake and on its shores, 3/4 of them are endemic, that is, they live only here.
The lake, which is still fairly clean, is under threat of pollution - due to production at a pulp and paper mill, a hydroelectric power station in Irkutsk and the planned construction of an oil pipeline along the lake’s shore.

Ladoga lake

The largest lake in Europe. It is located near St. Petersburg.
During the siege of Leningrad, the only route leading along the lake was through which it was possible to supply the city with food and take residents away from the city. In the northern part of Lake Ladoga there is Valaam island with the famous monastery.

Lake Onega and Kizhi Island

In Lake Onega there is a small island of Kizhi. A unique monument of Russian architecture has been preserved here, an ensemble of wooden churches, church buildings and houses, which is included in the list of World Cultural Heritage and is under the protection of UNESCO. The oldest of its buildings were created already in the 14th century.

Lake Peipsi

Lake Peipus is located on the border with Estonia. On the ice of Lake Peipsi, a glorious battle between Russian troops led by Prince Alexander Nevsky and the Livonian knights took place in 1242.

Rivers

In Russia there are 120,000 rivers more than 10 km long. Most of them relate to Arctic Ocean basin.
The largest rivers are in Siberia: Ob with Irtysh, Yenisei, Lena
The longest river in Russia: Ob with Irtysh- 5,410 km (13 times longer than the Vltava)
The most abundant river in Russia: Yenisei– 585 cubic meters km/hour

Volga

The Volga can be considered the central river of the European part of Russia. Russians call her “mother”.
It's at the same time the longest river in Europe(3530 km). The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea.
Since ancient times, large-scale transportation has been carried out along the Volga, and it was here that peasant uprisings broke out under the leadership of S. T. Razin and E. I. Pugachev. In the 18th century A huge army of barge haulers worked on the Volga.
Large and ancient cities on the Volga: Tver, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Volgograd, Astrakhan (port)
The Volga is connected by canals with the Don, Baltic and White seas.

River transport

It is used when sailing along natural (rivers, lakes) and artificial (canals, reservoirs) routes. River transport accounts for only 2% of freight and passenger traffic, since river transport is one of the seasonal modes of transport and its importance since the early 90s. falls.
The largest waterways: Volga with Kama, Ob with Irtysh, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, White Sea-Baltic and Volga-Don shipping canals.

White Sea-Baltic Canal

The White Sea-Baltic Canal connects the White Sea and Lake Onega. It was built in the USSR during the first five-year plans by prisoners of Soviet camps. The total length is 227 km.

Fishing is very common on Russian rivers and seas, summer and winter. This hobby is part of the lifestyle of the older and younger generations of Russian men. In winter, fishermen use special devices to make a hole in the ice.
Employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations often have to rescue amateur fishermen who are carried out to sea on broken ice floes.

List of natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Russia

26 titles, including 10 objects according to natural criteria

Virgin Komi forests;

Lake Baikal;

Volcanoes of Kamchatka;

Golden Mountains of Altai;

Western Caucasus;

Central Sikhote-Alin;

Ubsunur Basin;

Wrangel Island;

Putorana Plateau;

The West Siberian Lowland, stretching across Russia, in Western Siberia, is one of the three largest plains in terms of area on our planet. The natural resources mined in its regions are truly limitless.

The West Siberian Plain has a significant territory in Russia (here it occupies 2.6 million km 2 out of the total area of ​​more than 3 million km 2) and is partially included in the expanses of Kazakhstan. The West Siberian Lowland (as the plain is also called) has a length from the northern to the southern borders of approximately 2500 km, and from the western borders to the eastern borders - from 1 thousand to 2 thousand km.

Its boundaries:

• in the south direction: with the Turgai dining country and Saryarka;
• in the north parts: with the Arctic Ocean;
• in the western direction: with the Urals;
• in the east: with the Central Siberian plateau along the Yenisei river valley;

Theory of education, age of the plain

The plain is based on a young platform. It was formed in the Paleozoic (570-240 million years ago), while the Altai ranges were formed during the Caledonian (490-360 million years ago) mountain building.

West Siberian Plain - characteristics and features.

Stages of formation of the West Siberian Plate:

1. It began to form in the Upper Jurassic period (152-157 million years ago). Then, during the breaking and degeneration of the plate, a gigantic territory (approximately between the Urals and the Siberian platform) sank, which led to the emergence of a sedimentation (in which sedimentation occurs) basin. In the process of its development, the West Siberian plate was repeatedly captured by the sea, advancing on land as a result of the subsidence of the earth's crust or rising sea levels.
2. At the end of the Lower Oligocene (the period from 33.9 to 23.03 million years ago), the sea left the West Siberian Plate, and it began to represent a giant lacustrine-alluvial (alluvial) plain.
3. In the middle and late Oligocene and Neogene (23.03 - 2.58 million years ago) in the north, the plate rose, but at a later time (from 2.6 million years ago) it sank.

The plate developed during the subsidence of vast areas, which indicates the likelihood of oceanization that was not completely completed, and this is emphasized by very strong swampiness.

Relief and landscape

The West Siberian Plain has a very uniform topography. Its predominant part is below 100 m above sea level. Alluvial-lacustrine and accumulative (formed as a result of uneven accumulation of river, lake, marine and other sediments, products of volcanic activity) reliefs are more common.



In the southern part, denudation relief is observed (formed during the transfer of weathered rocks from elevated areas to lower ones).

Characterized by extensive floodplains and huge swamps, mainly in the north. The relief formed by the influence of glaciers and sea advances on land is noted north of the Ob River. Severe swampiness. Salt accumulation is observed mainly to the south. In the north, the homogeneous flat-flat relief is broken by elevations up to 200-300 m.

The accumulation of peat is typical for swamps. The sandy upper layers are subject to deflation (the fluttering and blowing away of particles of loose rocks and snow by the wind, as well as their transfer and grinding during transfer). Permafrost (the thickness of the frozen layer is up to 600 m) is observed in Yamal and other peninsulas.

To the south, the area of ​​relief created by the activity of glaciers is adjacent to lacustrine and lacustrine-sediment plains. Between the Tobol and Irtysh rivers there is the sloping Ishim Plain.

The landscape contains natural areas:




Tectonic structure of the plain

The tectonic structure of the plain is based on the young West Siberian plate. Its foundation was formed from densely distributed Paleozoic sediments. They have on top loose continental and marine Mesozoic-Cenozoic rocks more than 1 km thick.

The most recent deposits are in the southern part, they are anthropogenic - lacustrine and alluvial, often hidden by loess (mountain loose porous rocks) and loess-like loams.



In the north deposits:

• glacial;
• marine;
• ice-sea (sometimes more than 4 km thick).

Climate

The West Siberian Lowland has a continental climate, typical of the interior regions of large continents. On the plain, zonality by latitude is clearly visible. The characteristics of the weather regime are strongly influenced by the Arctic Ocean.

The nature of the winter climate in the plain

Observed indicators:

	Polar latitudes	central part	South part
Duration winter, months	Up to 8; around 3 ― polar night	Around 7	5-6
Average January t, ᵒ С	– 23 – 30	–19 –22	–18 –22
Time of snow cover	8-9 months	Fluctuates between the values ​​of numbers in other latitudes	5-6 months

Features of the summer climate

In summer, Atlantic air masses come from the west. At the same time, cold air comes from the Arctic, and warm and dry air flows from the southern regions, Central Asia.



Character of summer in plain areas:

• northern: short, cool, with plenty of precipitation;
• central: warm and moderately humid;
• southern: arid, with no moisture; Dry winds and dust storms are typical.

The air in mid-summer usually warms up to values: from +5 ᵒC in the north to +22 ᵒC in the south. Precipitation occurs mainly in summer, the largest amount being up to 600 mm per year. This is observed in forests. In other zones, to the south and north, the amount of precipitation becomes less, reaching up to 250 mm throughout the year.

Rivers

More than 2 thousand rivers drain the plain. Their total length is over 250 thousand km. The total water flow is 1200 km 3 per year. The rivers are fed by melted snowwater and rainwater. Therefore, water flow is most voluminous in the summer and spring months (70-80% of the annual amount). In winter, the rivers freeze, at this time the annual flow is about 10% of the total volume.

Large rivers of the plain are navigable. They have significant reserves of hydropower resources.

All rivers of the plain are characterized by low flow speed and slight slopes.

Ob

This is a very significant, high-water river, one of the greatest waterways on earth. The length of the Ob is 3676 km. The basin area is approximately 3 million km2. After connecting with the Irtysh River, the Ob water flow acquires a width of up to 3-4 km. Near the mouth it reaches 10 km, the depth reaches 40 km.



Main tributaries of the Ob:

• Irtysh;
• Vasyugan;
• Northern Sosva;
• Chumysh;
• Ket;
• Big Yugan;

and others.

Irtysh

This is the most significant tributary of the Ob. Its length is 4248 km. The basin area is 1643 km2. It begins in the mountains of Mongolia. Over a long period, the Irtysh has practically no tributaries. Then, in the taiga area, the Tobol, Ishim and other large rivers flow into it.

Yenisei

It flows near the eastern border of the West Siberian Lowland. This waterway is the most abundant in Russia. Length - 4091 km. The basin area is about 2.6 km2. The river begins in the Tuva Republic. There are rapids in the middle and upper currents. Lower down, when the Lower Tunguska flows into the Yenisei, the speed of water movement weakens. Islands of sand loom in the riverbed.

The Yenisei River flows into the Kara Sea bay, called the Yenisei Bay. In the lower reaches the depth of the river reaches 50 km. Therefore, sea vessels can rise through waters further than 700 km without interference.



The main tributaries of the Yenisei:

• Angara;
• Lower Tunguska;
• Podkamennaya Tunguska.

The Krasnoyarsk and Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power stations were built on the river.

Pelvis

Flows in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. It starts at Sibirskie Uvaly from the raised bog. It flows into the Tazovskaya Bay and forms a multi-branch delta. Length - 1401 km. The basin area is 150 thousand km2. The width of the channel in the lower reaches reaches 1 thousand m, depth - up to 14.5 m.

Lakes

The West Siberian Plain is unusually rich in lakes, there are approximately 1 million of them. Their total area exceeds 100,000 km 2.

The largest lakes:

• Vats;
• Malye Chany;
• Kulundinskoe;
• Sartlan

and others.

There are many lakes that are salty, bitter-salty and self-salting (with a very high salt content). In the north of the lowland there are often lakes of thermokarst origin. There are many small lakes, each with an area less than 1 km2.

Flora

Due to the vast area of ​​the West Siberian Plain, many types of vegetation can be distinguished, growing in various natural zones.



Some are listed in the table:

polar desert	yellow semolina; poppies; blue forget-me-not
Tundra	orange lights; blueberry; underbel; purple myts; prince; white bells; alder; marsh wild rosemary; buttercups; cloudberry; valerian rosea; cowberry
Forest-tundra of Siberia	bearberry; a huge amount of green mosses; dwarf birch; centarium bush; underbel; lichens; klyadonia bush
Open Woods	low-growing trees; cloudberry; cranberry; blueberry
Mountain-forest belt	Siberian fir (prevails); pine; larch; aspen; birch; Kurai willow; myricaria; sea ​​​​buckthorn; bush cinquefoil; Rowan; currant
Aspen-birch forests	aspen; warty birch; orchids; violets; cyanosis; meadowsweet; burnet; tansy; strawberries
Taiga	pine; birch; cedar; larch; juniper; poplar; hemlock; alder; rose hip; blooming Sally; cowberry; cranberry; wild rosemary; waxweed; lichens;
Steppe	alfalfa; sagebrush; thyme; bloodroot; bird cherry; cane; band burs; irga; birch

Fauna

The fauna is also very diverse.

About 500 species of vertebrates have been identified here, of which the following species:

• mammals - 80;
• birds - 350;
• amphibians - 7;
• fish - 60.



You can roughly describe the fauna in the table:

polar desert	Due to permafrost, wildlife in this area is limited. Meet: lemming; arctic fox; polar bear; owl; duck; gull; deer
Tundra	The same animals are found in the polar desert, and others: wolf; killer whale; wolverine; sea ​​lion; white hare; seal; ermine; muskox; white partridge; beluga whale; tundra swan; loon; oatmeal crumble; White Crane; peregrine falcon; lark;
Forest-tundra of Siberia	The following animals live in the polar desert: sable; capercaillie; woodpecker; sandpiper; elk; marten; weasel; ermine; fox; wolf; partridge; otter; lynx; goose; swan; great snipe; crane; thrush
Open Woods	Many forest-tundra inhabitants are noted (the first 5 in the table) and: squirrel; Brown bear; nutcracker; grouse;
Mountain-forest belt	There are inhabitants of open forests, as well as: roe; Mountain goat; deer; mink; lynx; wolverine; otter; chipmunk; crossbill; jay
Aspen-birch forests	water rat; white hare; brown hare; squirrel; elk; badger; Brown bear
Taiga	Abundant with the previously listed representatives of the fauna - rodents, predators, birds
Forest-steppe zone	There are different types of rodents, also: flying squirrel; elk; weasel; boar; ermine; ferret; fox; muskrat; boar; badger; roe; duck; swan; black grouse;

The ichthyofauna is extremely rich.

Here are just some types of fish:




The groundwater

The West Siberian artesian megabasin is a huge reservoir of fresh groundwater with an area of ​​almost 3 million km 3 . Geological reserves of fresh groundwater for domestic and drinking purposes amount to over 65 thousand km 3 .

Two hydrogeological levels of the internal basin have been identified, separated by a thick layer of clayey marine sediments.



In the upper level in the central areas of the basin and to the north the waters are mostly fresh, which can be used for water supply. In the southern direction, the waters of the reservoir have a more diverse chemical composition. They are mineralized to 10-15 g/l, which is associated with the continental salinization that occurred.

In the lower level of the artesian basin, the water-carrying layers are saturated, flowing to the surface along the edges of the basin, in the Ob-Yenisei interfluve. In this place, up to several hundred meters deep, there is fresh water suitable for human drinking and household needs.

From the edges to the central part of the basin, the clay component of sediments increases, the water exchange process worsens, and the mineral component of groundwater increases (80 g/l). There are hot (reaching 150 °C) waters at a distance of 2,500-3 km in depth.

Natural areas

The West Siberian Plain is so large that it contains 5 natural zones plus mountainous and low-mountain regions.



They all have specific features and are quite clearly separated:

Zones	Peculiarities
Tundra	Celebrated in the north of the Tyumen region Area - approximately 160,000 km 2 No forests There are tundras of moss, lichen-sphagnum, lichen and others
Lesotundra	It is located in a southern direction relative to the tundra with an area of ​​about 100-150 km, representing a contiguous zone with signs of both taiga and tundra Combines swamps, woodlands, bushes
Forest (can also be called taiga or forest-swamp)	The strip is about 1000 km long. Includes geographically up to 62% of the entire Western Siberia The taiga is divided into subzones according to cardinal directions: northern, southern, middle The predominant forests in this zone are dark coniferous An important element is the marshes, here are the greatest wetlands in the world
Forest-steppe	Forest and steppe plant communities are present There are meadows and swamps Salt marshes noted Birch and mixed forests (aspens with birches) grow Forbs observed
Stepnaya	In the west of the Altai Territory, the south of Omsk, in the Novosibirsk region Characteristic: flat terrain, grassy vegetation, minimum trees
Altitudinal zone	It is due to the significant height of the mountains. This includes low mountain and mountain areas: Kuznetsk Alatau, in the mountainous region of Sayan and Altai; Mountain Shoria in the south of the Kemerovo region; the city of Salair, Kemerovo region; Altai is characterized by the presence of black taiga, as well as a “linden island” of about 150 km 2

Minerals

The West Siberian Plain abounds in all kinds of minerals. Within its boundaries, 140 very large deposits have been discovered.



Found in the depths:

• gold;
• platinum;
• titanium;
• iridium;
• chromium;
• zirconium;
• bronze;
• molybdenum;
• silver;
• barium;
• mercury;
• manganese;
• coal;
• natural gas;
• peat;
• limestone;
• cesium;
• brown coal;
• strontium;
• calcium;
• tungsten;
• scandium;
• oil;
• ore.

Oil is produced everywhere in Western Siberia; in 2017, 340 wells were in operation. Swamps provide good soil for maintaining natural gas reserves, storing coal deposits and other valuable hydrocarbons. In the vastness of the Middle Ob Lowland, very large reserves of shale, oil, and gas have been explored.



The Taz-Pur lowland is a significant region for the production and processing of natural gas and oil. The Yamal Peninsula is fraught with colossal reserves of “black gold”, polymetallic and gas sources. Brown coal, potassium salts, and iron ore are also mined here.

Prevailing altitudes

Most of them are not higher than 150 m. The lowest areas of the plain reach 50-100 m. They can be observed mainly in the northern direction. Lowlands such as the Purskaya, Nizhneobskaya and Nadymskaya, with the Kondinskaya and Sredneobskaya hidden in its central part, are the lowest in the described geographical territory.

The highest point of the plain is located on the Priobsky plateau. It is located at an elevation of 317 m.

Regions

On the territories of the plain there are the Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, as well as several regions:

• Tomskaya;
• Tyumen;
• Kemerovo;
• Omsk;
• Novosibirsk.

Industry is active in these regions, and enterprises for the extraction and processing of minerals have been established. The areas often have large areas, often with abundant swamps. The Russian regions of Kurgan, Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsk, as well as the Kazakh regions of Akmola, Pavlodar, Kustanai and others are also partially located here.

Large cities located on the plain and their features

The largest city is Novosibirsk (about 1 million 500 thousand inhabitants). This is a major transport hub of the country, one of the centers of scientific and cultural life.

Other significant cities of the West Siberian Lowland:




There is industry, mechanical engineering. There is an international airport.

Ecological situation and specially protected natural areas

The West Siberian Plain has not been spared environmental problems:



In oil production regions	Due to violations of the integrity of pipelines, oil and its refined products enter water and soil
In forestry areas	excessive deforestation; Forest fires; silkworm pestilence; turning land into swamps
In agricultural landscapes	fresh water deficit; disruption of soil structure and disappearance of their fertility as a result of plowing, drought, and the influence of dust storms secondary soil salinization
In the north	Degradation of plant pastures of reindeer due to excessive grazing of animals

The problem of preserving spaces for hunting and habitats for fauna in nature is also a pressing issue.

For the purpose of preserving and studying natural landscapes, natural parks, reserves and similar objects have been established, for example:

• nature reserves: Malaya Sosva, Verkhnetazovsky, Gydansky;
• natural parks: Kondinskie Lakes, Oleniye Streams, Sibirskie Uvaly;
• National parks: Pripyshminskie Bors and others.

The importance of the plain in Russia and the world

The West Siberian Plain is one of the largest plains on planet Earth. Here, in the depths of the earth, countless deposits of minerals are stored. Huge water resources are concentrated here. The total area of ​​the swamps exceeds 600 thousand km 2, and this is much larger than the territories of France, Spain or Switzerland.

More than 60% of the region's oil treasures are concentrated in the swamps, and they are also the richest source of fresh water. Enormous reserves of peat in swamps are capable of sequestering carbon, thereby preventing the development of the greenhouse effect.

Most of the lowland area is covered with taiga. The forest potential of the West Siberian Lowland is very valuable for the development of the timber industry. These resources are increasingly involved in the sphere of economic development every year. The export of wood and lumber from Russia to other countries is increasing in volume.



There is reason to believe that Western Siberia for Russia is the most prosperous region in terms of natural resources. The region's mineral resources are of commercial value and are extremely important to the global economy. They are transported by rail and pipelines to the European part of Russia and further to other countries.

The natural landscapes in Russia are magnificent and unique. The beautiful West Siberian Lowland, which has taken over almost the entire area of ​​Western Siberia, is a plain with the richest mineral, water and forest resources. It is a very valuable region for the Russian Federation and other countries of the world.

Article format: Lozinsky Oleg

Video about the West Siberian Plain

Features of the nature of the West Siberian Plain: