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shown here]] Kamchatka Peninsula () is a 1,250-kilometer long Peninsula in the Russian Far East , with an area of 472,300 km&2. It lies between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea Of Okhotsk to the west. Immediately offshore along the Pacific coast of the peninsula runs the 10,500 meter deep Kuril-Kamchatka Trench . The Kamchatka Peninsula, the Commander Islands , and Karaginsky Island constitute the Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation . The majority of the 402,500 inhabitants are Russians , but there are also about 13,000 Koryaks . More than half of the population lives in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (198,028 people) and Yelizovo (41,533). GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
The Kamchatka River and the surrounding Central Valley are flanked by large Volcanic Belt s, containing around 160 Volcano es, 29 of them still active. Thus, the peninsula has perhaps the highest density of volcanoes and associated volcanic phenomena in the world, with 19 active volcanos being included on the UNESCO World Heritage List . The highest volcano is , Avachinsky , and Kozelsky . In the center of Kamchatka is Eurasia's only Geyser Valley ; it was partly destroyed by a massive mudslide in June 2007. Owing to the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench , deep-focus seismic events and tsunamis are fairly common. A pair of Megathrust Earthquake s Occurred Off The Coast on October 16 , 1737 , and on November 4 , 1952 , in the magnitude of ~9.3 and 9.0 respectively. A Chain Of More Shallow Earthquakes were recorded as recently as April 2006 . Kamchatka receives up to of precipitation per year. The summers are moderately cool, and the winters tend to be rather stormy with rare amounts of lightning. The southernmost point of Kamchatka Peninsula is Cape Lopatka . TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC FAUNA Kamchatka boasts diverse and abundant wildlife. This is due to climates ranging from temperate to subarctic, diverse topography and geography, many free-flowing rivers, proximity to highly productive waters from the northwestern Pacific Ocean and the Bering and Okhotsk Sea s, and to the low human density and minimal development. Nonetheless, commercial exploitation of marine resources and a history of fur trapping has taken its toll on several species. Among terrestrial mammals, Kamchatka is best known for the abundance and size of its , Arctic and other Fox , Lynx , Wolverine , Sable , several species of Weasel , Ermine and River Otter ; several large ungulates, such as Bighorn Sheep , Reindeer , and Moose and rodents, including Hares , Marmot , Lemming and several species of Squirrel . The peninsula is the breeding ground for Steller's Sea Eagle , one of the largest eagle species, along with the Golden Eagle and Gyr Falcon . Kamchatka contains probably the world's greatest diversity of is recognized as the biggest spawning-ground for Red Salmon in Eurasia. In response to pressure from poaching and to worldwide decreases in salmon stocks, some along nine of the more productive salmon rivers are in the process of being set aside as a nature preserve. Cetaceans that frequent the highly productive waters of the northwestern Pacific and the s, Dall 's and Harbor Porpoise s, Humpback Whales , Sperm Whale s and Fin Whale s. Less frequently, Grey Whale s (from the Eastern population), Beaked Whale s and Minke Whale s are encountered. Blue Whale are known to feed in summer off of the southeastern shelf. Among pinnipeds, Steller's Sea Lion s, Northern Fur Seals , Spotted Seals and Harbor Seal s are abundant along much of the peninsula. Further north, Walrus es and Bearded Seal s can be encountered on the Pacific side, and Ribbon Seal s reproduce on the ice of Karaginsky Bay . Sea Otters are concentrated primarily on the southern end of the peninsula. Seabirds include Northern Fulmar s, thick and thin-billed Murre s, Kittiwakes , tufted and horned Puffins , red-faced, pelagic and other Cormorants , and many other species. Typical of the northern seas, the marine fauna is likewise rich. Of commercial importance are Kamchatka Crab , Scallop , Squid , Pollock , Cod , Herring , Halibut and several species of Flatfish . HISTORY AND EXPLORATION Muscovite Russia claimed the Kamchatka Peninsula in the 17th century. Ivan Kamchaty , Simon Dezhnev , the Cossack Ivan Rubets and other Russian explorers made exploratory trips to the area during the reign of Tsar Alexis , and returned with tales of a ''land of fire'', rich with fish and fur. In 1697, Vladimir Atlasov , founder of the Anadyr settlement, led a group of 65 Cossack s and 60 Yukaghir natives to investigate the peninsula. He built two forts along the Kamchatka River which became trading posts for Russian Fur trappers. From 1704 to 1706, they settled the Cossack colonies of ''Verkhne-'' (upper) and ''Nizhne-'' (lower) ''Kamchatsky''. Far away from the eye of their masters, the Cossacks mercilessly ruled the indigenous Kamchadal . |
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