Bolshevik Island (, ) is an island in Severnaya Zemlya, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russian Arctic. The island is named after the Bolsheviks of the Soviet Union.
History
The island, together with the eastern coast of what was named Emperor Nicholas II Land, was discovered by
Boris Vilkitsky at the time of the 1913 Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition. Its insularity, however, wasn't proven until 1931, when
Georgy Ushakov and Nikolay Urvantsev charted the archipelago during their 1930–32 expedition.
Prima Polar Station,[ Фотогалерея: 2004 - "Полярное Кольцо" - Местонахождение: 17 мая, Северная Земля, о.Большевик, м.Баранова, п/ст Примах] currently the only Polar station operating in Severnaya Zemlya, is located in this island near Cape Baranov.
Geography
It is the southernmost
island and the second largest island in the group. The area of this island has been estimated at .
The island is mountainous reaching a height of 935 m. About 31% of Bolshevik Island, totaling over , is covered by
, the largest are Leningrad Glacier, Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky Glacier, Kropotkin Glacier, Mushketov Glacier and Aerosyomki Glacier. Most of these ice formations do not reach the sea, ending in
moraines in valleys or
having a sparse vegetation of
moss and
lichen.
[ (translated as "North Land). . Accessed May 2011]
Parts of the shore of the island are deeply indented, with Mikoyan Bay in the northopening to the Shokalsky Strait, as well as such as Akhmatov Fjord, Thaelmann Fjord, Spartak Fjord and Partizan Fjord. Cape Unslicht (Mys Peschanyy) is the northernmost point of Bolshevik Island
The group formed by the smaller Maly Taymyr and Starokadomsky islands is located further offshore off the southeastern end.
===Image gallery===
(78°11’N, 103°7’E)]]
(78°11’N, 103°7’E)]]
(78°11’N, 103°7’E)]]
(79°30‘N, 103°12‘E)]]
at one of the world's most spectacular iceberg roads]]
Weather conditions
The weather on the island is extremely cold; the annual average temperature is .
See also
-
List of islands of Russia
-
List of research stations in the Arctic
External links
