The East Siberian Mountains or East Siberian Highlands ( rus, Восточно-Сибирское нагорье) are one of the largest mountain systems of the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
. They are located between the
Central Yakutian Lowland
The Central Yakutian LowlandJohn Kimble (ed.), ''Cryosols: Permafrost-Affected Soils'' or Central Yakutian Lowlands (russian: Центральноякутская равнина; sah, Саха сирин ортоку намтала), also known as ...
Far Eastern Federal District
The Far Eastern Federal District (russian: Дальневосто́чный федера́льный о́круг, ''Dalnevostochny federalny okrug'') is the largest of the eight federal districts of Russia but the least populated, with a p ...
and Northeast
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...
. The whole area of the East Siberian System has a very low population density. The territory of the mountain system is one of the
Great Russian Regions
The Great Russian Regions (russian: Ландшафт России) are eight geomorphological areas in the Russian Federation displaying characteristic forms of relief. Seven of them are east of the Urals.
Geography
* Central Siberian Plateau ...
.
In some areas of the East Siberian Mountains, such as the
Kisilyakh Range
The Kisilyakh Range ( rus, Кисиляхский хребет; sah, Киһилээх) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The nearest city is Batagay, and the nearest airport Batagay Airport.
The mo ...
kigilyakh
Kigilyakh or kisiliyakh ( rus, кигиляхи; sah, киһилээх, meaning "stone person") are tall, pillar-like natural rock formations looking like tall monoliths standing more or less isolated. Usually they are composed of granite or ...
s, the rock formations that are highly valued in the culture of the
Yakuts
The Yakuts, or the Sakha ( sah, саха, ; , ), are a Turkic ethnic group who mainly live in the Republic of Sakha in the Russian Federation, with some extending to the Amur, Magadan, Sakhalin regions, and the Taymyr and Evenk Districts ...
.
Geography
The East Siberian System consists of several separate sections of mountain ranges rising to the north and south of the Arctic Circle. The main group of ranges stretches for a distance of nearly from the Lena River valley to
Cape Dezhnev
Cape Dezhnyov or Cape Dezhnev (; ), formerly known as East Cape or Cape Vostochny, is a cape that forms the easternmost mainland point of Asia. It is located on the Chukchi Peninsula in the very sparsely populated Chukotka Autonomous Okrug o ...
, at the eastern end of the
Chukotka Peninsula
The Chukchi Peninsula (also Chukotka Peninsula or Chukotski Peninsula; russian: Чуко́тский полуо́стров, ''Chukotskiy poluostrov'', short form russian: Чуко́тка, ''Chukotka''), at about 66° N 172° W, is the eastern ...
. Although it reaches a width of roughly , the highland region is almost cut in half by the East Siberian Lowland that stretches to the north in the central area. To the southwest the boundary is not clearly delimited, as it overlaps with the system of the
South Siberian Mountains
The South Siberian Mountains ( rus, Южно-Сибирские горы) are one of the largest mountain systems of the Russian Federation. The total area of the system of mountain ranges is more than 1.5 million km². The South Siberian Mountain ...
. Owing to the mountainous terrain, large swathes of the East Siberian system are uninhabited. The largest city is Magadan.Google Earth
Ranges
*
Verkhoyansk Range
The Verkhoyansk Range (russian: Верхоянский хребет, ''Verkhojanskiy Khrebet''; sah, Үөһээ Дьааҥы сис хайата, ''Üöhee Chaangy sis khaĭata'') is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Russia near the settle ...
Kular Range
The Kular Range (russian: хребет Кулар, ''Khrebet Kular''; sah, Кулар сис, Kular Sis) is a range of mountains in far North-eastern Russia. Administratively the range is part of the Eveno-Bytantaysky National District of the Sa ...
Ulakhan-Bom
The Ulakhan-Bom (russian: Улахан-Бом; sah, Улахан Бом, meaning "Big Obstacle") is a range of mountains in far North-eastern Russia, a southern prolongation of the Verkhoyansk Range, part of the East Siberian System. Administra ...
**
Kyllakh Range
The Kyllakh Range (russian: Кыллахский хребет; sah, Кыыллаах) is a range of mountains in the Russian Federation. Administratively the mountain chain belongs to the Sakha Republic. It is the smallest of the ranges which are ...
*
Suntar-Khayata Range
Suntar-Khayata Range (russian: Сунтар-Хаята, sah, Сунтаар Хайата) is a granite mountain range rising along the border of the Sakha Republic in the north with Amur Oblast and Khabarovsk Krai in the south.
The R504 Kolyma H ...
*
Yana-Oymyakon Highlands
The Yana-Oymyakon Highlands ( rus, Яно-Оймяконское нагорье; sah, Дьааҥы хаптал хайалара), also known as Oymyakon Highlands ( rus, Оймяконское нагорье),Soviet General Topographic Maps P-5 ...
Yana Plateau
The Yana Plateau ( rus, Янское плоскогорье, sah, Дьааҥы хаптал хайалара) is a mountain plateau in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. Google Earth
The plateau lies in an uninhabited ar ...
**
Nelgesin Range
The Nelgesin Range ( rus, Нельгесинский хребет) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The nearest city is Batagay to the north of the range.
The nearest airport is Batagay ...
**
Tirekhtyakh Range
The Tirekhtyakh Range ( rus, Тирехтяхский хребет; sah, Тирэхтээх) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The nearest city is Batagay to the north of the range.
The ...
*
Kyundyulyun
The Kyundyulyun ( rus, Кюндюлюн or Горы Кюндюлюн; sah, Күндүлүн) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The nearest airport is Ust-Kuyga Airport, located in Ust-Yansky Distr ...
*
Chersky Range
The Chersky Range (, ) is a chain of mountains in northeastern Siberia between the Yana River and the Indigirka River. Administratively the area of the range belongs to the Sakha Republic, although a small section in the east is within Magadan ...
Kisilyakh Range
The Kisilyakh Range ( rus, Кисиляхский хребет; sah, Киһилээх) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The nearest city is Batagay, and the nearest airport Batagay Airport.
The mo ...
Moma Range
The Moma Range (russian: Момский хребет, ''Momsky Khrebet''; sah, Муома сиһэ) is a range of mountains in far North-eastern Russia. Administratively the range is part of the Sakha Republic of the Russian Federation.''Momsky ...
**
Ulakhan-Chistay Range
The Ulakhan-Chistay Range (russian: Улахан-Чистай; sah, Улахан Чыыстай сис) is a range of mountains in far North-eastern Russia. Administratively the range is part of the Sakha Republic of the Russian Federation.''Ula ...
Silyap Range
The Silyap Range ( rus, Силяпский хребет; sah, Силэп) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The nearest city is Ust-Nera.
Geography
The Silyap Range rises in the central ar ...
Upper Kolyma Highlands
The Upper Kolyma Highlands ( rus, Верхнеколымское нагорье) is a highland area in Magadan Oblast, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The biggest town in the highlands is Susuman.
There are large deposits of gold, tin and ...
Kyun-Tas
Kyun-Tas ( rus, Кюн-Тас; sah, Күн Таас) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.
The Kyun-Tas is one of the mountain areas of Yakutia where there are kigilyakh rock formations.
Geography
The ...
*
Polousny Range
The Polousny Range ( rus, Полоусный кряж; sah, Полоуснай томтороот) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.Полоусный кряж (Polousny Range) / Great Soviet Encyc ...
*
Kondakov Plateau
The Kondakov Plateau ( rus, Кондаковское плоскогорье; sah, Кондаков хаптал хайалаах сирэ) is a mountain plateau in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The town of Chokurdakh i ...
*
Suor Uyata
The Suor Uyata ( rus, Суор-Уята; sah, Суор Уйата) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. The village of Andryushkino, a small inhabited locality of the Lower Kolyma District, is located ...
*
Ulakhan-Sis Range
The Ulakhan-Sis Range ( rus, Улахан-Сис; sah, Улахан Сис) is a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.
Yukaghir Highlands
The Yukaghir Highlands ( rus, Юкагирское нагорье) are a mountainous area in the Sakha Republic and Magadan Oblast, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.
The area is named after the Yukaghir people.
Geography
The Yukaghir High ...
Oloy Range
The Oloy Range ( rus, Олойский хребет) is a mountain range in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.Ush-Urekchen
The Ush-Urekchen ( rus, уш-урекчен), or ''Ushurakchan'' ( rus, Ушуракчан), is a mountain range in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and Kamchatka Krai, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.
Maymandzhin Range
The Maymandzhin Range ( rus, Майманджинский хребет) is a mountain range in Magadan Oblast, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.Google Earth
*
Anadyr Highlands
The Anadyr Highlands ( rus, Анадырское нагорье, r=Anadyrskoye Nagorye) are a mountainous area in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.
Geography
The Anadyr Highlands are one of the two main mountai ...
Anyuy Range
The Anyuy Mountains (russian: Анюйский хребет; ''Anyuyskiy Khrebet''), also known as South Anyuy Range are a range of mountains in far north-eastern Russia. Administratively the range is part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. ...
**
Ilirney Range
The Ilirney Range (russian: Илирнейский кряж) is a range of mountains in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russian Far East. Administratively the range is part of Bilibino District. The village of Ilirney is located southwest of the centr ...
Chukotka Mountains
The Chukotka Mountains ( rus, Чукотское нагорье) or Chukotka Upland ''(Чукотская горная страна)'' is a mountainous area in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.Chantal Range
The Chantal Range (russian: Чантальский хребет) is a range of mountains in far North-eastern Russia. Administratively the range is part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation. The area of the range is desolate ...
Shelag Range
The Shelag Range, Shelag Ridge (russian: Шелагский хребет) is a range of mountains in far North-eastern Russia. Administratively the range is part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation. The area of the range is ...
*
Dzhugdzhur Mountains
The Dzhugdzhur Mountains (russian: Джугджу́р) or Jugjur Mountains, meaning 'big bulge' in Evenki, are a mountain range along the western shores of the Sea of Okhotsk in the far east of Siberia.
The mountains are quite deserted, the ...
*
Koryak Mountains
The Koryak Mountains or Koryak Highlands () are an area of mountain ranges in Far-Eastern Siberia, Russia, located in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and in Kamchatka Krai, with a small part in Magadan Oblast. The highest point in the system is the ...
**
Ichigem Range
The Ichigem Range (russian: Ичигемский Хребет) is a range of mountains in Magadan Oblast and Kamchatka Krai, Russian Far East.
Administratively most of the range falls within the Penzhinsky District of Kamchatka Krai, but the ...
**
Olyutor Range
The Olyutor Range (russian: Олюторский хребет) is a range of mountains in Kamchatka Krai, Russian Far East. Administratively the range is part of Olyutorsky District.Google Earth
The range is a mainland prolongation of the subme ...
**
Ukelayat Range
The Ukelayat Range (russian: хребет Укэлаят) is a range of mountains in Kamchatka Krai, Russian Far East. The range is part of the Koryak Highland system and administratively it belongs to Olyutorsky District.Google Earth
The nam ...
Rarytkin Range
The Rarytkin Range (russian: хребет Рарыткин; ckt, Ръарыткын) is a range of mountains in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russian Far East. Administratively the range is part of Anadyr District.Google Earth
Geography
The Raryt ...
The main rivers of the vast region are the Yana, Indigirka, Kolyma and its tributary
Omolon
The Omolon (russian: Омолон; sah, Омолоон) is the principal tributary of the Kolyma in northeast Siberia. The length of the river is . The area of its basin is . The Omolon freezes up in October and stays under ice until late May t ...
, as well as the Anadyr.Геоморфология России (Geomorphology of Russia) /ref>
Climate, flora and fauna
The world's lowest temperatures for inhabited places have been recorded in this region. In the south of the East Siberian Mountain System lies the area of the famous Oymyakon Depression, where record low temperatures are registered, even though the region is about to the south of the geographic
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...
.
The lower elevations of the ranges, as well as the valleys, are largely covered by
taiga
Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruc ...
.Herbert Hesmer. ''Einwirkungen der Menschen auf die Wälder der borealen kühlen Zonen der Alten Welt'', Ch. Sowjetunion (Taiga), p. 188 Rivulets and humid areas in lower altitudes of most of the ranges of the system provide a habitat for the
Siberian Salamander
''Salamandrella keyserlingii'', the Siberian salamander, is a species of salamander found in Northeast Asia. It lives in Wet woodland, wet woods and riparian groves.
Distribution
It is found primarily in Siberia east of the Sosva River and t ...
, a species known for surviving deep freezes —as low as .
Northeast Siberian taiga
The Northeast Siberian taiga ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0605) is an area of "sparse taiga forest" between the Lena River and the Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia, Russia. The ecoregion's internal borders form a patchwork of territory constituting t ...
See also
*
Moma Natural Park
Moma Natural Park or Moma Nature Park (russian: Момский природный парк, ''Momsky Pryrodny Park''; sah, Аан Айылгы, ''Aan Aiylgy'') is a protected area of the Momsko-Chersk Region of Yakutia in the upper part of the Mo ...