The Russian Arctic islands are a number of islands groups and sole islands scattered around the

Arctic Ocean The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans. It spans an area of approximately and is known as the coldest of all the oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, a ...

Geography

The islands are all situated within the

Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle is one of the two polar circles, and the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth. Its southern equivalent is the Antarctic Circle. The Arctic Circle marks the southernmost latitude at w ...

and are scattered through the

marginal sea This is a list of seas of the World Ocean, including marginal seas, areas of water, various gulfs, bights, bays, and straits. Terminology * Ocean – the four to seven largest named bodies of water in the World Ocean, all of which have "Ocean ...

s of the

, namely, the

Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; no, Barentshavet, ; russian: Баренцево море, Barentsevo More) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territo ...

Kara Sea The Kara Sea (russian: Ка́рское мо́ре, ''Karskoye more'') is a marginal sea, separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and from the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. ...

Laptev Sea The Laptev Sea ( rus, мо́ре Ла́птевых, r=more Laptevykh; sah, Лаптевтар байҕаллара, translit=Laptevtar baỹğallara) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the northern coast of Siberia, th ...

East Siberian Sea The East Siberian Sea ( rus, Восто́чно-Сиби́рское мо́ре, r=Vostochno-Sibirskoye more) is a marginal sea in the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the Arctic Cape to the north, the coast of Siberia to the south, the New Si ...

Chukchi Sea Chukchi Sea ( rus, Чуко́тское мо́ре, r=Chukotskoye more, p=tɕʊˈkotskəjə ˈmorʲɪ), sometimes referred to as the Chuuk Sea, Chukotsk Sea or the Sea of Chukotsk, is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded on the west b ...

and

Bering Sea The Bering Sea (, ; rus, Бе́рингово мо́ре, r=Béringovo móre) is a marginal sea of the Northern Pacific Ocean. It forms, along with the Bering Strait, the divide between the two largest landmasses on Earth: Eurasia and The Ameri ...

. The area extends some from

Karelia Karelia ( Karelian and fi, Karjala, ; rus, Каре́лия, links=y, r=Karélija, p=kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə, historically ''Korjela''; sv, Karelen), the land of the Karelian people, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for ...

in the west to the

Chukchi 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 ...

in the east. The largest of the Arctic islands is

Severny Island Severny Island (russian: Се́верный о́стров, Severnyy ostrov, Northern Island) is a Russian Arctic island. It is the northern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. It was historically called Lütke Land after Friedrich Benjamin ...

, with an area of about . It is

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

's second largest island next to Sakhalin Island, and the fourth largest island in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

History

The

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

officially claimed the Arctic islands to its north in a Note of the Russian Government of 20 September 1916 - this covered the islands of Henrietta, Jeannette, Bennett, Herald, Edinenie, New Siberia, Wrangel, Novaya Zemlya, Kolguev, Vaigach and others. On 15 April 1926, the Soviet Union reaffirmed this claim.

Islands

The area includes from west to east:
Islands Web Site * Victoria Island (Russian Arctic), Victoria Island (Остров Виктория; Ostrov Viktoriya), about *

Franz Josef Land , native_name = , image_name = Map of Franz Josef Land-en.svg , image_caption = Map of Franz Josef Land , image_size = , map_image = Franz Josef Land location-en.svg , map_caption = Location of Franz Josef ...

(Земля Франца Иосифа; Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa), about **

Zemlya Georga Zemlya Georga, or Prince George Land (russian: Земля Георга; ''Zemlya Georga'', "George Land"), is the largest island in Franz Josef Land, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russian Arctic. Zemlya Georga was named by Frederick George Jackson after ...

(Земля Георга, Zemlya Georga), about **

Wilczek Land Wilczek Land (russian: Земля Вильчека; , german: Wilczek-Land), is an island in the Arctic Ocean at . It is the second-largest island in Franz Josef Land, in Arctic Russia. This island should not be confused with the small Wilczek I ...

(Земля Вильчека; Zemlya Vil'cheka), about **

Graham Bell Island Graham Bell Island (russian: Остров Греэм-Белл, ''Ostrov Greem-Bell'') is an island in the Franz Josef Archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, and is administratively part of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Geography Graham Bell Island is ...

, (Остров Греэм-Белл, Ostrov Graham Bell), about **

Alexandra Land Alexandra Land (russian: Земля Александры, ''Zemlya Aleksandry'') is a large island located in Franz Josef Land, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russian Federation. Not counting detached and far-lying Victoria Island, it is the westernmost i ...

(Земля Александры, Zemlya Aleksandry), about **

Gallya Hall Island (russian: Остров Галля; Ostrov Gallya) is an island of the Russian Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land. History Hall Island was discovered on 30 August 1873, by the Austro-Hungarian North Pole expedition, and named ...

(Остров Галля, Ostrov Gallya), about **

Salisbury Island Salisbury Island may refer to: * Salisbury Island (California), United States * Salisbury Island (Nunavut), Canada *Salisbury Island (Russia) *Salisbury Island (Western Australia), Australia *Iona Island (New York), once known as Salisbury Island ...

(Остров Солсбери; Ostrov Solsberi), about *

Kolguyev Island Kolguyev Island (russian: о́стров Колгу́ев) is an island in Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Russia, located in the south-eastern Barents Sea (west of the Pechora Sea) to the north-east of the Kanin Peninsula. Origin of the name There ...

(о́стров Колгу́ев, Ostrov Kolguev), about *

Novaya Zemlya Novaya Zemlya (, also , ; rus, Но́вая Земля́, p=ˈnovəjə zʲɪmˈlʲa, ) is an archipelago in northern Russia. It is situated in the Arctic Ocean, in the extreme northeast of Europe, with Cape Flissingsky, on the northern island, ...

(Новая Земля, Novaya Zemlya), about **

(остров Сeверный, Severny ostrov), about **

Yuzhny Island Yuzhny (russian: Южный остров, lit. southern island) is the southern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, lying north of Russia. It has an area of , which while smaller than the northern island of Severny, makes it one of the larg ...

( Южный остров, Yuzhny ostrov), about **

Vaygach Island Vaygach Island (russian: Вайга́ч, ''Vajgač''; Nenets: Вай Хабць, romanized: ''Vai Habcj’'') an island in the Arctic Sea between the Pechora Sea and the Kara Sea. Vaygach Island is separated from the Yugorsky Peninsula in the ...

, Вайгaч, Vaygach), about *

Bely Island Bely Island (also spelled as Belyy and Beliy, russian: Белый остров, Tundra Nenets: Сэр’’ ӈо, ''Sėr’’ ŋo'') is a relatively large island in the Kara Sea off the tip of the Yamal Peninsula, Siberia, Russia. Close to th ...

, (Остров Белый, Ostrov Beliy), about *

Shokalsky Island Shokalsky Island (russian: Остров Шокальского) is an island in the Kara Sea, in Russia. It is located on the eastern side of the mouth of the Ob River, off the tip of the narrow northwestern arm of the Gyda Peninsula. It is separ ...

, (Остров Шокальского, Ostrov Shokal'skogo), about *

Vilkitsky Island (Kara Sea) Vilkitsky Island, (Russian: Остров Вильки́цкого; Ostrov Vil'kitskogo) is an island in the Kara Sea. It is located 40 km northeast of Shokalsky Island, off the tip of the Gyda Peninsula in North Siberia. This island is not ...

, (Остров Вильки́цкого; Ostrov Vil'kitskogo), about * Oleniy Island, (Остров Олений, Ostrov Oleniy), about * Zapovednik Islands (Острова Заповедник), about ** Dikson - Sibiryakov Islands, (Диксон-Сибиряковский острова), about ** The

Islands, (Острова Карского моря), about *** Sverdrup Island, (Остров Свердруп, Ostrov Sverdup) *** Arkticheskiy Institut Islands, (Острова Арктического института, Ostrova Arkticheskogo Instituta), about 259 km2 (100 sq mi) ***

Izvestiy TSIK Islands The Izvestiy TSIK Islands or Izvesti Tsik Islands (russian: Острова Известий ЦИК), also known as Izvestia Islands, is an island group in the Kara Sea, Russian Federation. Geography The archipelago includes two large and two small ...

, (Острова Известий ЦИК, Ostrova Izvetsiy TsIK), about 102 km2 (39 sq mi) *** Uedineniya Island, (Остров Уединения, Ostrov Uedineniya) *** Sergei Kirov Islands, (Острова Сергея Кирова, Ostrova Sergeya Kirova) *** Voronina Island, (Острова Воронина, Ostrova Voronina) ***

Taymyr Island Taymyr Island () is a large island in the coast of the Kara Sea. Its length is and its average width about . This island is located west of the Taymyr Gulf in an area of skerries right off the western coast of the Taymyr Peninsula. The narrow str ...

, (Остров Таймыр, Ostrova Taymyr) ***

Kolchak Island Kolchak Island or Kolchaka Island (russian: остров Колчака, ''ostrov Kolchaka''), is an island in the Kara Sea located in a coastal area of skerries NE of the Shturmanov Peninsula. It is near the southern end of the Nordenskiöld Arc ...

, (Остров Колчака, Ostrov Kolchaka) *** Minina Skerries, (Шхеры Минина, Shhery Minina) and number of smaller islands. **

Nordenskiöld Archipelago The Nordenskiöld Archipelago or Nordenskjold Archipelago (russian: Архипелаг Норденшельда, Arkhipelag Nordenshel'da) is a large and complex cluster of islands in the eastern region of the Kara Sea. Its eastern limit lies ...

(Архипелаг Норденшельда, Arkhipelag Nordenshel'da), about *** ''Litke Islands'' (острова Литке; Ostrova Litke) *** ''Tsivolko Islands'' (острова Циволько; Ostrova Tsivolko) *** ''Pakhatusov Islands'' (острова Пахтусова; Ostrova Pakhtusova) *** ''Vostochnyye Islands'' (Восточные острова; Ostrova Vostochnyye, Eastern Islands) *** ''Vilkitsky Islands'' (острова Вилькицкого, Ostrova Vilkitskogo) *** ''Lafetenyye and Prolifnyye Islands'' (Ostrova Lafetnyye i Prolivnyye) * Vize Island (Остров Визе, Ostrov Vize), about *

Ushakov Island Ushakov Island (russian: Остров Ушакова, ''Ostrov Ushakova'') is an isolated island located in the Arctic Ocean, Russian Federation. The average yearly precipitation ranges from at a height of and between and around the highest po ...

(Остров Ушакова, Ostrov Ushakova), about *

Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya (russian: link=no, Сéверная Земля́ (Northern Land), ) is a archipelago in the Russian high Arctic. It lies off Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula, separated from the mainland by the Vilkitsky Strait. This archipelago s ...

(Северная Земля, Severnaja Zemlja), about **

October Revolution Island October Revolution Island (Russian: Остров Октябрьской Революции, ''Ostrov Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii'') is the largest island of the Severnaya Zemlya group in the Russian Arctic. It is named after the October Revolution ...

(Остров Октябрьской Революции, Ostrov Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii), about **

Bolshevik Island __NOTOC__ Bolshevik Island (russian: о́стров Большеви́к, ) is an island in Severnaya Zemlya, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russian Arctic. The island is named after the political faction of the same name. History The island, together with ...

(о́стров Большеви́к, Ostrov Bolshevik), about **

Komsomolets Island Komsomolets Island in Severnaya Zemlya Komsomolets Island (russian: остров Комсомолец) is the northernmost island of the Severnaya Zemlya group in the Russian Arctic, and the third largest island in the group. It is the 82nd lar ...

(остров Комсомолец, Ostrov Komsomolets), about ** Pioneer Island (остров Пионeр, Ostrov Pioner), about *

Bolshoy Begichev Island Bolshoy Begichev (russian: Большой Бегичев, translation= Big Begichev) is an island in the Laptev Sea, in the Sakha Republic, Russia. Geography The area of the island is . Bolshoy Begichev is located within the Khatanga Gulf (russi ...

, (Большой Бегичев, Bolshoy Begichev), about *

New Siberian Islands The New Siberian Islands ( rus, Новосиби́рские Oстрова, r=Novosibirskiye Ostrova; sah, Саҥа Сибиир Aрыылара, translit=Saña Sibiir Arıılara) are an archipelago in the Extreme North of Russia, to the north o ...

(Новосиби́рские острова, Novosibirskiye Ostrova), about **

Anzhu Islands The Anzhu Islands or Anjou Islands ( rus, Анжу Oстрова, r=Anzhu Ostrova; sah, Анжу Aрыыларa, translit=Anju Arıılara) are an archipelago and geographical subgroup of the New Siberian Islands archipelago. They are located betwe ...

(Острова Анжу, Ostrova Anzhu), about **

De Long Islands The De Long Islands ( rus, Острова Де-Лонга, r=Ostrova De-Longa; sah, Де Лоҥ Aрыылара, translit=De Loñ Arıılara) are an uninhabited archipelago often included as part of the New Siberian Islands, lying north east of ...

(Острова Де-Лонга, Ostrova De-Longa), about **

Lyakhovsky Islands The Lyakhovsky Islands ( rus, Ляховские острова, r=Lyakhovskiye ostrova; sah, Ляхов арыылара) are the southernmost group of the New Siberian Islands in the Arctic seas of eastern Russia. The islands are named in hono ...

(Ляховские острова, Ostrova Lyakhovskiye), about *

Medvyezhi Islands The Medvezhyi Islands, or Bear Islands (russian: Медве́жьи острова́; sah, Эhэлээх арыылар, ''Eheleex Arıılar'') is an uninhabited group of islands at the western end of the Kolyma Gulf of the East Siberian Sea. H ...

(Медвежьи острова, Medvyezhi ostrova), about *

Ayon Island Ayon Island is an island in the coast of Chukotka in the East Siberian Sea. The island itself consists mainly of low-lying tundra, and is primarily populated by the Chukchi people, who use the tundra as pasture for their reindeer herds. Geograp ...

(Айон, Ayon), about *

Wrangel Island Wrangel Island ( rus, О́стров Вра́нгеля, r=Ostrov Vrangelya, p=ˈostrəf ˈvrangʲɪlʲə; ckt, Умӄиԓир, translit=Umqiḷir) is an island of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is the 91st largest island in the w ...

(остров Врaнгеля, Ostrov Vrangelya), about *

Big Diomede , image_name = Bigdiomecropped.jpg , image_caption = Big Diomede seen from its nearest neighbor, Little Diomede , map_caption = , locator_map_size = , nickname = , location = Bering Strait , coordinates = , archipelago =Diomede Isla ...

(остров Ратманова, Ostrov Ratmanova), about

References

* ''Islands of the Arctic'', by J. A. Dowdeswell and M. J. Hambrey. , Cambridge University Press, 2002

External links

An article about the land and the people of Arctic Russia
{{coord, 74, 46, 32, N, 57, 33, 46, E, source:svwiki_region:RU_type:landmark, display=title Islands of the Arctic Ocean Islands of Russia