Kamchatka Peninsula

The Kamchatka Peninsula (Russian: Камчатка, sometimes transliterated as Kamtchatka) is a volcanic peninsula of 1,250 km long, located in the Russian Far East, east of Russia, and entering the Pacific Ocean. Covering an area of 472,300 km², the region has a multi-ethnic population of 402,500, consisting of Koryaks, Russians, Koryo-Sarams, Chukchi, Itelmen, Kamchadales, Belarusians, Volga Tatars, and Kuril Ainus. The volcanic part of the peninsula has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.

Administratively, the peninsula belongs to the Kamchatka Krai, born on July 1, 2007 from the merger between the Kamchatka Oblast and the Koriakia Autonomous District, approved by a referendum organized in October 2005 among the interested populations.

Geography

At 1,250 km long and up to 440 km wide (97 km at the isthmus), the Kamchatka peninsula is crossed by two volcanic mountain ranges that make it very sensitive to earthquakes, like its neighbor the island of Sakhalin, damaged by an earthquake in the spring of 1995. Separated from Moscow by nine time zones, this gigantic peninsula and its capital were completely off-limits to foreigners for fifty years, until 1990, due to the presence of top-secret military infrastructure. The peninsula is surrounded by the Okhotsk and Bering seas; Between the peninsula and the Pacific Ocean lies the Kuril Trench with a depth of 10,500 m. To the north, Kamchatka is surrounded by the Magadan and Chukotka regions. Kamchatka's natural resources include coal, gold, tungsten, platinum, mica, pyrite, and natural gas.

The Kamchatka River and the central valley through which it flows are surrounded by large chains that include about 160 volcanoes, 29 of which are active. The culminating point of the peninsula is Klyuchevskói, 4835 m high, but the most impressive summit is the Kronotsky volcano, whose perfect cone makes it for many the most beautiful volcano on the planet. The three volcanoes visible from Petropávlovsk-Kamchatsky (Koriakski, Aváchinski and Kozielski) are much more accessible.

Climate

Although the prevailing climate is cold and wet, Kamchatka has a variety of climates ranging from subarctic to temperate.

Average climate parameters of Petropávlovsk-Kamchatski
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	4.4	5.3	6.8	18.1	20.6	27.6	30.0	27.7	24.4	17.8	12.6	7.4	30.0
Average temperature (°C)	−5.1	−4.5	−1.8	2.1	6.6	11.9	15.0	15.9	13.2	7.8	1.0	−3.5	4.9
Average temperature (°C)	-7.6	-7.1	-4.6	-0.6	3.4	8.2	11.5	12.5	9.7	4.9	-1.3	-5.8	1.9
Temp. medium (°C)	−9.8	−9.4	−7.0	−2.6	1.2	5.7	9.3	10.2	7.1	2.6	−3.3	−7.9	-0.3
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	−28.6	−31.7	−24.8	−14.8	−7.2	−5.5	2.5	2.6	−1.1	−7.5	−16.5	−26.0	−31.7
Total precipitation (mm)	118	80	84	90	64	53	62	91	111	174	130	109	1166
Nevadas (cm)	75	111	134	119	51	8	0	0	0	5	15	40	558
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	18	17	17	16	14	14	16	16	13	16	15	16	188
Hours of sun	105.4	115.8	176.7	192.0	192.2	192.0	170.5	176.7	177.0	158.1	123.0	93.0	1872.4
Relative humidity (%)	71	68	68	72	75	79	84	83	79	74	70	71	75
Source #1: Погода и климат
Source No. 2: Hong Kong Observatory

The summer months, when high temperatures range from 15 to 20°C, are very popular with tourists, but the growing trend of winter sports keeps tourism year-round. Volcanoes and glaciers contribute to the formation of Kamchatka's climate, and hot springs have kept alive dozens of species decimated during the last ice age.

Geology

Young land from a geological point of view, since the peninsula was formed less than a million years ago, so the series of volcanoes of Kamchatka continues to grow. The region is subject to great seismic risk: in the spring of 2006, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale affected the Koriakia district.

The geysers valley before the landslide of 2007.

Incessant seismic activity makes us almost certain that brutal convulsions will continue to affect this region in the immediate future. An earthquake, in 1952, reached a magnitude 9 on this scale. Until recently, the only valley of geysers at the junction of the Eurasian Plate was located in the center of Kamchatka. This valley, four hours by helicopter from Petropavlovsk, was the only natural wonder of Kamchatka accessible to visitors. On Sunday, June 3, 2007, around 2:30 p.m. local time, this famous valley, which was part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, was seriously damaged by a landslide. Twenty large geysers and around two hundred hot springs and other thermal phenomena were found in this highly visited place.

Kamchatka volcanoes

The volcanoes of Kamchatka were declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. This natural asset is made up of:

Wildlife

Kamchatka is home to a large number of species. This is the result of the great variety of coexisting climates, the local geomorphology, the large number of rivers, the very rich waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as the low density humanity and the scarce development of the economy. Despite everything, the commercial exploitation of fishing resources and the very old fur trade have caused significant damage to several species.

Bears in natural reserve Kronotski

Among land mammals, Kamchatka is known for the abundance and size of its brown bear populations. In the Kronotski Nature Reserve there is a population estimated at 300-400 individuals per million hectares. Carnivores can also be mentioned, such as the wolf, the arctic fox, other species of fox, the lynx, the wolverine, the sable, the weasel, and the sea otter; species of large ungulates, such as mouflon, reindeer, and elk; and rodents, such as hares, marmots, lemmings, and several species of squirrels.

The peninsula is home to the Steller's sea eagle, the largest eagle on the planet, as well as the golden eagle and gyrfalcon.

Exemplar of Vulpes vulpes beringiana

Kamchatka is probably the region of the world home to the largest number of salmon varieties, particularly of the six anadromous Pacific species: chinoota, sockeye, coho, pink, keta, and chum salmon. Biologists estimate that one sixth to one quarter of Pacific salmon originate from Kamchatka. Kurile Lake is known to be the largest sockeye salmon breeding ground in Eurasia. In response to increasing fishing pressure and the global decline in wild salmon stocks, 2.4 million hectares of the 9 million located along the most productive salmon rivers are in a position to be declared a nature reserve.

Cetaceans that frequent these very rich waters of the Northwest Pacific and Sea of Okhotsk include killer whales, harbor and Dall's porpoises, humpback whales, sperm whales, and fin whales. Less frequent species are the gray whale, the beaked whale and the minke whale. The blue whale frequents the southeast coast in summer.

Among the pinnipeds, the Steller's sea lion, the arctic fur seal, the spotted seal and the common seal are abundant in most of the coasts of the peninsula. To the north, the walrus and the bearded seal are found in the Pacific, while the ringed seal breeds on the pack ice of Koraginsky Bay. The sea otter is found essentially at the southern tip of the peninsula.

Seabird species that frequent the region include: boreal fulmar, kittiwake, puffin, cormorant, gyrfalcon and other species.

The marine fauna is typical of the northern seas and is also very rich. Species of significant commercial importance include Kamtchatka king crab, Santiago conch, squid, saithe, cod, herring, halibut and several species of flatfish.

Ramsar Sites on the Kamchatka Peninsula

There are four Ramsar sites on the Kamchatka peninsula. From north to south, Parapolski Dol, with 12,000 km², Karaguinsky Island, with 1,936 km², the Utkholok Peninsula, with 2,200 km² and the Moroshechnaya River, with 2,190 km². In total, 18,326 km².

Parapolski Dol

The Parapolski Dol Ramsar Site is located in the north of the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Koryak territory. It was declared a Ramsar site in 1994 (61°37'N 165°46'E), with the number 693 and an enormous area of 12,000 km². It is a representative example of a plain "alass" with large, widely meandering rivers. Includes numerous lakes, meanders, rivers, streams, Sphagnum and Eriophorum bogs, and floating swamps located in tundra vegetation. The plant communities of the "alass" they are important as relicts from the tundra-steppe of the Late Pleistocene. The diverse habitats include dense floating vegetation, grasslands, dwarf Siberian pines, and alder forests. The area is very important as a passage, breeding and molting area for a large number of diverse species of waterfowl, and is home to several rare breeding raptor species. The lakes provide spawning grounds for valuable fish species. Human activities are traditional reindeer herding, small-scale logging, and hay gathering.

Karaginsky Island

The Karaginsky Island Ramsar Site, number 694, (58°46'N 163°52'E) is located east of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Bering Sea. It has an extension of 1936 km². Karaginsky Island and associated marine waters are located on an important bird migration route. The dominant vegetation is elfin forests and low-shrub montane tundra. There are more than 500 species of plants, including birch, Siberian dwarf pine, and aspen. The site includes several types of grasslands, alpine tundra communities, more than 40 species of sedges, and stands of birch forest. The site supports large breeding populations of alcids, Laridae (gulls and terns) and Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants), and up to 240,000 migrating waterbirds in spring and 180,000 that shed their skin. Traditional activities include fishing, reindeer herding, hay gathering, fur hunting, mushroom and berry gathering. Commercial fishing is also practiced. There is a weather station on the island.

Utkholok

Utkholok Ramsar Site number 696 (57°40'N 157°10'E) is located on the western coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, encircling Cape Utkholoksky, where the Utkholok and Kvachina. It is a nature reserve. It has an area of 2,200 km² of tunda, wetlands and peat bogs. The vegetation consists of grasslands and tundra with various species of grasses. Habitats include bogs and birch (Betula ermanii) forests, with stands of Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila). The site is important to several species of migratory, breeding, and molting waterfowl, particularly ground geese. Several endangered species of birds, fish, and plants are found at the site. Human activities include reindeer herding, fishing, hunting, and berry and mushroom picking.

Moroshechnaya River

The Moroshechnaya River Ramsar Site, number 695 (56°21'N 156°15'E), was established in 1994 over an area of 2,190 km² on the central-western coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, south of Utkholok. It is a wildlife refuge. It covers the valley of the Moroshechnaya River, with numerous abandoned meandering lakes and a saline lagoon by the Sea of Okhotsk. Principal habitats are treeless raised bogs with lagoons and ridges covered with Sphagnum, Empetrum nigrum and Salix middendorfi. The vegetation is dominated by tundra in flat and flooded areas, peat bogs and grasslands, with stands of Siberian dwarf pine and willow forests. It is an important area for the migration, feeding and breeding of waterfowl, including geese, ducks and seagulls. There is a large population of field geese in the area, many of which molt here. There are about 500,000 ducks and several thousand waders. Human activities include traditional reindeer herding, fishing, hunting, and foraging. In this area, 1,450 km² have been designated as important for birds by BirdLife International.

Economy

Most of the inhabitants reside in the administrative capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The sectors with the greatest economic activity are fishing, forestry, tourism (a booming industry) and the military. The majority of the population, 402,500 inhabitants, are Russians. The most important minority is that of Koriakos who live mainly in the north of the peninsula, in the autonomous region of Koriakia (13,600 people). On October 23, 2005, a referendum was held to merge Kamchatka Oblast and Koriakia Oblast to form Kamchatka Krai. The favorable result implied the effective merger on July 1, 2007.

History

Russia has settled on the Kamchatka Peninsula since the 17th century. Ivan Kamchaty, Semyon Dezhnev, the Cossack Ivan Rubets, and other Russian explorers came to explore this region in the mid-1679s and 1680s. They returned again with accounts describing a Land of Fire (due to the volcanoes), rich in fish and skins.

In 1697, Vladimir Atlásov, founder of the Anadyr colony, led an expedition of 65 Cossacks and 60 Youkaguirs to explore the peninsula. He built two forts along the Kamchatka River that became markets for fur trappers. From 1704 to 1706, the colonies of Verjne (top) and Nizhny (bottom) Kamchatsky were founded.

From 1711, Kamchatka became a quasi-autonomous region. In 1713, there were approximately 500 Cossacks living in the region. Its cruelty and its abuses, well known, caused many protests, later motivated open rebellions of the indigenous inhabitants. The uprisings became commonplace and reached their peak when in 1731 the colony of Nizhny Kamchatsky was razed by the natives and its inhabitants murdered. The remaining Cossacks rallied and put down the rebellion with rifles and cannons.

The indigenous population, estimated at 20,000 at the turn of the 18th century, had fallen to just 8,000 by 1750.

Around Petropavlosk in 1787

The founding of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in 1740 by the Danish explorer Vitus Bering marked the beginning of a significant outward “opening” of Kamchatka, more than when the existing government began sending deportees. On the other hand, the Russian government encouraged the settlement of new immigrants by offering them land. In 1812, the indigenous population was still decreasing and comprised less than 3,200 inhabitants, while the Russian population had increased at the same time and had passed to 2,500.

In 1854, the French and the British, who were at war with the Russians in the Crimea, attacked Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Surprisingly, 988 men equipped with only 68 rifles managed to defend the post against 6 ships equipped with 206 guns and 2,540 French and British soldiers. Despite this heroic defense, Petropavlosk was abandoned after the withdrawal of the Franco-British forces. The following year, after a second armed force attacked the port, they found it deserted. The ships shelled the city and left.

The city of Petropávlovsk-Kamchatski with Mount Koriakski at the bottom.

The next fifty years were less auspicious. The military port was moved to Oust-Amour, and in 1867 Alaska was sold to the United States, rendering Petropavlovsk's role as a trading post for explorers and merchants in transit to the American territories obsolete. In 1860 the Primorski (Maritime) Region was created and Kamchatka was placed under its jurisdiction. In 1875, the Kuril Islands were ceded to Japan in exchange for the restitution of the island of Sakhalin to Russia. The Russian population of Kamchatka stagnated at around 2,500 until the early XX century, while the indigenous population reached 5,000.

In 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War, two Japanese ships entered Avacha Bay (en:Avacha Bay) and took Petropavlovsk. The city had again been abandoned to the aggressors, since it had been judged indefensible. In 1927, the Japanese left the peninsula, and Kamchatka became fully Soviet again. World War II affected Kamchatka little except in 1945, as a preparation base for the liberation of the Kuriles. After the war, Kamchatka was declared a military zone. It was then forbidden to Russians until 1990 and to foreigners until 1992.