Extreme points of Russia (17 photos). The most extreme points of Russia from all four cardinal points

Planet Earth is truly unique. Here are different continents, on which, respectively, are different countries with their geographical features. Eurasia is considered the largest continent. Here, among other countries, Russia is located. In the article, we will consider the geography of Eurasia and the Russian Federation in more detail. Find out where the extreme mainland points of Russia are located.

Eurasia

The Eurasia continent occupies 36% of the total land surface of the Earth (more than 53,500 million sq. km), about 3/4 of the population of the entire planet Earth (about 5 billion) lives on it. The mainland is divided into two parts, Europe and Asia. They are territorially unequal among themselves. The latter makes up more than 80% of the area of the entire continent.

Europe

The northernmost section of this part is Cape Nordkin (Kinnarudden). Located in Norway, it is a rock jutting out into the Barents Sea. The opposite point, the southernmost point, is Cape Marroki. This place is located in the Spanish province of Cadiz, in the Strait of Gibraltar. There is a lighthouse here. The coast of Africa is only 14 km away. Cape Roca (Portugal) - the western point. There is also a lighthouse on it, giving light to ships plowing the expanses of the Atlantic Ocean. The northernmost site is located on the territory of our country, in the Polar Urals.

Asia

extreme points on the continents may coincide with those of some countries. So, for example, it happened with the Russian Federation. Some extreme continental points of Russia coincide with these sections of this part of the continent. There are two of them. The northernmost continental point of Russia is located at Cape Chelyuskin. It is located at the tip of the Taimyr Peninsula. The extreme eastern point of Russia is Cape Dezhnev. It is located in Chukotka. These extreme points of Russia bear the names of the great explorers of the Arctic. In Asia there is Cape Baba. This is the western extreme point of this zone of the mainland. It is located in the northwestern part of the Turkish peninsular formation of Asia Minor. The southern section is Cape Piai. It is the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Malaysia.

RF and Eurasia

Some ancient cartographers considered Russia an independent part of the world, so how wide is it? Our country occupies almost a third of the Eurasian continent, it is the first in the world in terms of territory and the ninth in terms of population. Russia has borders with eighteen countries, ranking first in the world on this indicator. Our country has the longest border in the world, which exceeds the length of the equator, while sea lines are twice as long as land lines. Three oceans wash the Russian Federation: Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic.
Those who have traveled or live in the region of the Ural Mountains have probably seen the corresponding pillars (tourists like to be photographed there), outlining the border between Europe and Asia, parts of the world in which the largest and most notable events have been taking place for many millennia. human history, sometimes having a fundamental influence on the entire globe. The southern borders of Asia and Europe are drawn along the Kuma-Manych depression. If we consider the ratio of the European and Asian parts of the world within Russia, then only 1/5 of it is located in Europe, the rest of the territory falls on Asia. "Yes, we are Asians," said the poet. If we consider his words in a purely geographical context, then he was certainly right.

RF: a brief description of the country

Part Russian Federation includes eighty-five territorial and national-territorial subjects. The state structure is federal. The country is a mixed republic. The capital of Russia is the city of Moscow, the country is headed by the president, the state language is Russian. The state includes various subjects of law, endowed with different powers depending on the status of the entity. The basic units are regions, republics, territories, autonomous districts and regions, cities, including those of federal significance and subordination.

Geography

The territorial center of Russia is located in the region of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, not far from the southeastern part of the shore of Lake Vivi. The center of Asia is located in Tuva, near the capital - Kyzyl. The area of the country is 1/8 of the world territory. It is more than one and a half times the size of Europe and almost twice the size of the United States. A quarter of the equator is the length of the largest country in the world from west to east (about 10,000 km), the length along the north-south line is more than 4,000 km.

Extreme points of Russia. Location on the cardinal points

The extreme eastern point of Russia coincides with the corresponding one in Eurasia, since the country's territory occupies the northeastern part of the mainland. This, as mentioned above, is Cape Dezhnev. Further east is a non-continental point. This is the rocky island of Ratmanov. It is located in the Bering Strait. There is no permanent population on the island. The frontier guards the easternmost border of the country. On the island there is one of the largest bird markets in the region and a large walrus rookery. The northernmost continental point of Russia coincides with the corresponding one in Asia. As you know, this is Cape Chelyuskin. Further north is located on about. Rudolf Cape Fligeli. This is another extreme northern point of Russia. It is part of Franz Josef Land. It is the northernmost point on the non-mainland part of the country. This area is covered by a glacier almost the entire.
In the west, the extreme point of the state is located in an enclave region that does not have common land borders with the Russian Federation, in the Kaliningrad region. It is located on the Baltic Sea, on a narrow part of the land. The Baltic Spit separates the Kaliningrad Bay from the main water area. This part of the land is covered with sandy beaches and dunes. The extreme southern point of Russia is located in the Greater Caucasus, on the border of Dagestan and Azerbaijan, not far from Mount Bazardyuzyu (southwest of it). The mountain peaks of these places, rich fauna create a unique landscape that attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world. There are other extreme points of Russia. For example, the highest mountain peak is located in the Caucasus. This is the famous Mount Elbrus. The summit is located in Karachay-Cherkessia. Lowest Height in Russia, the region of the Caspian depression is considered.

Territory of the Russian Federation. Short description

Our country occupies such a large territory that it fits three climatic zones. In particular, it is temperate, arctic and subarctic. There are ten natural areas- from the northern arctic to semi-deserts and deserts in the south. They make the nature of Russia one of a kind. There are tundra, forest-tundra, forest-steppe, taiga. Mixed forests, and broad-leaved, steppes are also widespread. This is a country of natural contrasts. Mountains and plains, arid and swampy areas are unique landscapes. The country is rich in minerals and natural resources. The deepest lake in the world (Baikal), the largest river in Europe (Volga), the highest peak in the same part of the world (Elbrus) - all this is the Russian Federation. The vast territory of the country, which makes up one fifth of it, lies beyond the Arctic Circle. And some extreme points of Russia coincide with the continental ones. In terms of relief, the country can be conditionally divided into several parts: Fennoscandia (Karelia, Kola Peninsula), East European and West Siberian Plain, Central Siberian Plateau, Ural Mountains, southern and eastern mountain ranges.

Russia is the largest state in the globe. The territory of our country is more than 17 ml.km². The distance between the northern and southern margins is more than 4 thousand km., between the western and eastern about 10 thousand km. In Russia, there are 11 time zones, the time difference between the extreme points of the hour range is 11 hours. 40 minutes. Impressive number! While some Russians in Kaliningrad are preparing their breakfast and getting ready for work, others in Vladivostok have already returned home from work and are sitting down to dinner. An equally striking difference temperature conditions between the northern and southern climatic zones, which in the off-season can be up to 30-40 degrees.

What points of our country are considered the most extreme?

If we take into account the continental territory, then the most extreme points will be:

North: Cape Chelyuskin (Krasnoyarsk Territory).
East: Cape Dezhnev (Chukotka).
South: a point slightly east of Mount Ragdan (Dagestan) It does not appear on maps.
West: an uncharted point located on the coast Baltic Sea near Kaliningrad.

If we take into account the island territory, the extreme points, with the exception of the southern one, will be different:

North: Cape Fligely on the northernmost island of the Franz Josef Land archipelago.
East: frontier post on Ratmanov Island (Chukotka).
West: border post Normenln (Kaliningrad region).

What cities are located in close proximity to the most extreme points of our country?

North: Pevek (Chukotka).
East: Anadyr (Chukotka).
South: Derbent (Dagestan).
West: Baltiysk (Kaliningrad region).

Let's talk about the extreme points of Russia in more detail:

North

The continental northern point is located at Cape Chelyuskin, which is located in the north of the Taimyr Peninsula. This territory was discovered by the famous explorer of the Arctic - Semyon Chelyuskin in the forties of the 18th century. Further north is Cape Fligeli, located on Rudolf Island (Arkhangelsk region), which is considered the northernmost island point of the Russian Federation. Almost the entire territory of the island is covered with a layer eternal ice. The climate here in the full sense of the word is arctic. Medium annual temperature on the island is minus 12ºC. Even in July, the temperature very rarely rises to positive levels. The average daily temperature in July is -1°C, in January -24°C.

Cape Chelyuskin

East

Cape Dezhnev, the easternmost continental territory of the Russian Federation, was discovered by the Russian traveler Semyon Dezhnev in 1648. The cape is a mountain range on the coast of the Bering Strait. The climate is harsh, the temperature in winter can drop below 40ºC, in summer it usually does not exceed plus 8ºC. Numerous colonies of birds settle on the elephants of the hills, which steeply drop into the sea, and walruses and seals arrange their rookeries on the coastal strip. In the spring you can see polar bears here. From Cape Dezhnev, a stone's throw to America - only 86 km separate the easternmost point of Russia from the westernmost outskirts of America Cape Prince of Wales. Despite the remoteness from civilization, tourists often come here - adherents of original travels. They are attracted by the brutal beauty of the local nature and local attractions - an old wooden cross and a lighthouse-monument to Semyon Dezhnev. Further east is the island extreme point - Ratmanov Island, which is washed by the waters of the Bering Strait. There is a border post here. Its employees bear the honorary title of Russians who meet New Year first.

South

The southern outskirts of our country is located not far from the mountain peak of the Caucasus Range - Ragdan (4020m.). The average annual air temperature here, frankly, is far from southern, only plus 4 ° C. Alpine meadows at the foot of the mountain are replaced by sparse vegetation on its slopes. A rare representative of the animal world lives here - the Caucasian snowcock (leopard)

West

The western outskirts of our state runs along the Baltic Spit - a 65-kilometer strip of land between the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Kaliningrad. The spit is divided in the middle by the border with Poland. The westernmost kilometers of the spit are occupied by a border outpost. The Poles turned their part into a real tourist mecca, creating a fashionable resort there. Russian territory long time was classified and practically abandoned. Lovers of “wild” recreation come here, for whom these places are a great opportunity to escape from civilization. They live here in tents or abandoned buildings without amenities, sacrificing comfort for many kilometers of sandy beaches, healing sea air and unique nature.

And today we at TravelAsk decided to go around the whole of Russia… And talk about the most extreme points of the country.

About extreme points

Russia is very big country, it owns an eighth of all the territories of the planet. Therefore, of course, many are interested in where the extreme points of this territory are located.

Since the borders of Russia have already changed several times, its extreme geographical points, respectively, too. In general, they can be divided into mainland or island.

Extreme point in the south

The southernmost point is located at about 3,500 meters above sea level, in Dagestan, two kilometers from Mount Ragdan, on the border with Azerbaijan. Here, by the way, there is still no sign denoting the extreme south of Russia.

The southernmost settlement is the city of Derbent. This is one of the oldest cities in Russia, which we will definitely tell you someday.

Extreme point in the north

The extreme northern point of our country - Cape Fligeli - is at the same time the extreme northern point of Eurasia. It is located on Rudolf Island. People are extremely rare here, because this is one of the most hard-to-reach places on the planet. So, over the past 25-odd years, very few people have been here: except perhaps during the installation of a 300-kilogram larch cross in 2003, which marks the extreme northern point of Russia.

As for the mainland, the extreme place in the north is Cape Chelyuskin in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It is very cold here and the weather is inhospitable: sometimes it snows all year round and the temperature does not rise above zero. That is, imagine, last year's snow simply does not have time to melt, as fresh snow falls.

AT Soviet time several buildings were built on the cape and a polar station was opened, which is now called the radio meteorological center. People work here, and every year about 8-10 people spend the winter. The buildings, however, are not all exploited, and some of them are abandoned. Once there was also its own airfield, but only a helipad remained from it.

And the northernmost city is the harsh Pevek in Chukotka, where winter can last 10 months and even in summer there are sub-zero temperatures. And do you know what is remarkable about Pevek? The rate of population decline)) Imagine, for some 13 years (from 1989 to 2002) the number of inhabitants here has decreased a record: from 12 to 5 thousand. More than twice! Well, around the city are abandoned villages. Now gold is mined here, and earlier a tin deposit was also developed.

Extreme point in the west

The westernmost point is located in the Kaliningrad region on the Baltic Spit. This is the border post Normeln.

The Baltic Spit stretched along the Gdansk Bay, thereby separating the Kaliningrad Bay from it. Nature is really amazing: after all, the width of this coast in some places hardly exceeds 300 meters. Half of this coast belongs to Poland, it is on this border that the extreme western point of Russia is located.

Well, the westernmost settlement is Baltiysk. Since the Russian Navy is located here in the Baltic Sea, the city was closed to the public for a long time. This contributed to the preservation of the unique nature of these places.

Extreme point in the east

The easternmost point of Russia is located on Ratmanov Island. There is no one here except the border guards. Well, like no other) A huge number of birds (there is even an ocher hummingbird!) And walruses do not count. And from here it is only 4 kilometers to the USA, more precisely to the island of Krusenstern, which belongs to the States. Right at your fingertips)) Well, or take a boat to swim)

By the way, negotiations have been held on several occasions to lay a tunnel through Ratmanov Island, which will connect Eurasia and America.

Well, on the mainland, the most extreme point is Cape Dezhnev. On its territory there are settlements of the Eskimos, and indeed, in these harsh places there is definitely something to see. So, the cape was chosen by walruses, seals and many birds, and near the coast you can see humpback whales and killer whales. Such a wild and untouched place…

And there is also an abandoned whaler village Naukan. And the archaeological site of Ekven, where there are more than 2 thousand burials and a settlement dating back to the 1st millennium BC has been partially preserved. In short, all lovers of brutal rest will be interested.

Well, the most eastern city of Russia is Anadyr. And many will surely be surprised that the city has been repeatedly nominated for the title of "The most comfortable city in Russia" and even won prizes.

Highest and lowest point

Well, if we are talking about extremes, then, of course, how not to talk about the lowest point in Russia - this is the coast of the Caspian Sea, which is 28 meters below the level of the World Ocean. By the way, we already talked about this reservoir here.

Well, the highest point in Russia is Elbrus. It is located at an altitude of 5642 meters above sea level, we also talked about it earlier.

The extreme point is considered the most remote place in the north, south, west and east, where the state border or the mainland of the country ends. Extreme points may be continental or include islands or exclaves. Russia occupies the largest area among all the states of the world. Throughout the history of the country, its borders have repeatedly changed. This article presents the most extreme western, eastern, northern, southern geographic points of both the continental part of Russia and taking into account the islands, as well as the most remote cities of the country.

Extreme points of the mainland

The northern point is located on Cape Chelyuskin (77 ° 43 "North latitude), Taimyrsky. The lands lie beyond the Arctic Circle, winter here lasts almost all year round. There is a meteorological station on the cape, the number of temporary population does not exceed ten people.
Southern point - located southwest of Mount Bazarduzu, on the border with Azerbaijan (41 ° 13 "North latitude). According to another version, to the southern point closer mountain Ragdan, but she is depicted only on large-scale maps.
The western point is located on the Baltic Spit in the Baltic Sea near the city of Kaliningrad (19 ° 38 "East longitude).
The eastern point is located on Cape Dezhnev (169 ° 40 "West longitude). The mountain range abruptly breaks off to the sea. In good weather, you can see the western coast of Alaska from the cape.

Extreme points including islands and other lands

The northern point is Cape Fligely (81°50"35"N 59°14"22"E). It is located on Rudolf, which is part of the Franz Josef Land archipelago. Severe weather conditions make the island difficult to visit. There are no settlements, camps or frontier posts here. To mark the extreme point in 2003, a wooden cross was erected on the cape.
The southern point is located southwest of Mount Bazarduzu, on the border with Azerbaijan (41°11"07" north latitude 47°46"54" longitude east). According to another version, Mount Ragdan is closer to the southern point, but it is depicted only on large-scale maps.
The western point is located at the border post Normeln, located on the Baltic Spit in the Kaliningrad region (54 ° 27 "45" north latitude 19 ° 38 "19" east longitude). The lands border on Poland. No more than a thousand people live on the spit.
Eastern point - located on Ratmanov Island, in the Bering Strait (65 ° 47 "north latitude 169 ° 01" western longitude). The state border passes here, on the island itself there is a frontier post.

Extreme cities of Russia

Pevek is the northernmost city of the country (69 ° 42 "North latitude). It is located in Chukotka. After the collapse of the USSR, the settlement began to rapidly die out, today the number of inhabitants does not exceed five thousand. Summer in the city is short and cold, sometimes it does not have time to melt on the hills snow In winter, the temperature drops to -30°C, blizzards often sweep.
Derbent, the southernmost city, is located in Dagestan (42 ° 04 "northern latitude). In addition to its unique geographical location, Derbent stands out for its age. It is the most Old city Russia. The settlement attracts with its proximity to the sea, subtropical forest and vineyards. The lighthouse in the city center is considered the southernmost in the country.
Baltiysk is located in the west (19 ° 55 "east longitude). It is here that the base of the Baltic Fleet is located. The city remained closed until the beginning of the 21st century. Tourists, in addition to the sea and beaches, are attracted by unique architecture. Medieval defensive structures have been preserved here: the Pillau citadel, Fort Shtile . Business card Baltiysk - lighthouse.
Anadyr in Chukotka is the easternmost city in Russia (177°30" east). It has a short summer that lasts two and a half months. Winters are cold, with hurricane-force winds not uncommon. Travelers are greeted upon arrival by houses painted in bright colors. In winter, you can see in the sky see the Northern Lights.Swan Lake Elgygytgyn is distinguished from the sights.The Holy Trinity Cathedral is a unique architectural monument.

Marginal permanent settlements

In the north - the urban-type settlement of Dikson, Krasnoyarsk Territory (73 ° 30 "North latitude).
In the south - the village of Kurush, the Republic of Dagestan (41 ° 16 "North latitude).
In the west - the city of Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region (19 ° 55 "East longitude).
In the east - the village of Uelen, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (169 ° 48 "West longitude).

Extreme heights of the country

The lowest point in Russia is the level of the Caspian Sea (-28 meters below sea level).
The highest point of the country is the top of Mount Elbrus (5642 meters above sea level).
The highest point in the Asian part of Russia -

January 22nd, 2013

We continue to study interesting topics. Here is what he writes to us alex18771

“You can make a series about the extreme points of Russia. For example, it’s not difficult to find the eastern and western.
No one knows where the South campaign is. In any case, no one really writes on the Internet yet."

Well, let's go look for points ..

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, Evenki autonomous region 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 more area 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 the Russian Federation, and at the same time the northernmost point of Europe. The island administratively belongs to the Arkhangelsk region. The area is 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 the North Pole was established on the island. 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 a little more than 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, the southernmost point of the Russian Federation, rises near the Charyn glacier. 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.

Closer to the southern point of Russia is Mount Ragdan (41°12" N), 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 zones (from arctic deserts to deserts of the temperate zone). 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 18th-20th centuries - Naukan (it was disbanded under Soviet rule). However, those who climb into these parts go to look at the unique fauna: countless bird colonies are located here, 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 irregular shape(about 9 km long, 5 km wide) and an area of about 10 sq. 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 Krusenstern (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 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

Island - how gable roof, with an extensive, 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 start 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 because of the 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 climate continentality changes, which entails the manifestation of sectoriality in changing nature. There are 10 time zones within the Russian Federation .
The highest point in 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).

So we walked around our Motherland Russia around :-)

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