Kamchatka is a peninsula that is one of the richest in the world in terms of recreational and natural resources. Glaciers and volcanoes, mineral and thermal springs, the famous Valley of Geysers and untouched by civilization in most places, the fauna and flora created the prerequisites for the development of sport fishing and eco-tourism. The interest not only in domestic, but also in foreign travelers is caused by turbulent rivers and the active activity of volcanoes, mountain peaks more than four thousand meters high and the waters of coastal seas with rich ichthyofauna.
Geographical position
The Kamchatka Peninsula on the map of Russia is located in its easternmost part. Its territory stretched from northwest to southeast for more than one and a half thousand kilometers.
The geographical position of the Kamchatka Peninsula on the map is between Chukotka and the Kuril Islands. From the west, its territory is washed by the Sea of Okhotsk, and from the east - by the waters of the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
All this territory with the Commander Islands adjacent to it is the Kamchatka Territory - a subject of the Russian Federation. Moreover, the total area of this region is 472.3 thousand square meters. The administrative center of the subject is the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Climate
Kamchatka is a peninsula whose weather conditions are influenced by vast expanses of water. The cold currents of the seas (Bering and Okhotsk) significantly reduce the average annual temperature of air masses. This has a particularly adverse effect on the warm season.
The absence of severe frosts in winter and heat in summer are those weather conditions that are characteristic of the southern part of the territory under consideration. The Kamchatka Peninsula, whose climate in the coastal areas has a marine character, has a large number of rainy and foggy days.
Moving inland and to the north, you can notice a change in weather conditions. The climate of these areas is more continental. It is influenced by the land of the Asian continent. Mountain ranges protect this territory from sea air masses. These factors influence the lengthening of the winter characteristic of these latitudes and the reduction of the summer period.
Another feature of the Kamchatka climate is the location of the territory in the zone of cyclonic intensive activity. In this regard, strong winds often blow on the peninsula. Cyclones bring rainfall. Most of them fall in the southern regions of Kamchatka (up to 1200 millimeters during the year).
Natural phenomena
Kamchatka is a peninsula where a special combination of climatic and physical-geographical conditions contributes to the emergence of dangerous hydrological processes. These include mudflows and avalanches, catastrophic and sharp rises in river levels after a large amount of rainfall, as well as channel deformations, mash phenomena, etc.
Kamchatka is a peninsula that is part of the so-called fire belt, which includes volcanic ridges. Mountain-forming and other geological processes often occur here. Their result is earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Relief
The entire surface of the Kamchatka Peninsula is a territory on which alternating parallel strips of volcanic ridges and lowlands occur. So, along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk there are hummocky tundra, swamps and ridges overgrown with forest. This is the territory on which the West Kamchatka Lowland is located. To the east of it stretches the largest system of mountains of the peninsula - the Middle Ridge. It is divided by gorges and river valleys. The northern part of the Middle Ridge has preserved traces of active volcanic activity, which was observed here relatively recently.
The highest point of this mountain range is Ichinskaya Sopka. This is an active volcano (3621 m), the top of which is covered with a powerful ice cap. The Kamchatka Peninsula, whose relief beyond the Middle Ridge passes into a vast hollow, carries water from this territory to the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk of two rivers - Kamchatka and Bystroy. Next is the Vostochny ridge. He stretched for six hundred kilometers. The Kamchatka Peninsula, the relief of which in this area includes a mountain range, is represented by the following ranges:
- Ganalsky, with peaked peaks and serrated ridges. - Valaginsky, which includes the active Kizimen volcano (the highest point is located at an altitude of 2485 km); - Kumoche and Tumrokom (in the north).
The next zone of the peninsula is most visited by tourists. It is here that the Eastern Volcanic Region is located. The territory stretched from the southern part of the peninsula (from Cape Lopatka) to the northern. This area ends with the Shiveluch volcano (it is active).
Kamchatka Peninsula, whose volcanoes are concentrated in this area, is very attractive for tourists. Here are concentrated the natural attractions of the region, as well as most of the cold mineral and thermal springs.
Kamchatka rivers
The peninsula is characterized by a rather dense hydrographic grid. A little more than six thousand rivers, both large and small, flow on its territory. Basically, their length does not exceed two hundred kilometers. Only seven rivers of Kamchatka carry their waters for more than 300 km. The largest river of the peninsula is considered Kamchatka. It has a length of more than seven hundred and fifty kilometers.
Almost all rivers have a stormy character. Many of them have rapids and waterfalls. The largest rivers of the peninsula are the Bolshaya and Kamchatka. They are navigable only in the estuary lower part.
In volcanic areas are the so-called dry rivers. Water in their channels appears only during the melting snow.
Kamchatka lakes
Numerous reservoirs of the peninsula have a different origin. Lakes of lowlands and floodplain areas of rivers are often swampy. One of these is Nalychevo. On the hills of the lake are hollows of hilly terrain. The largest of them are Dvukhurtochnoe and Nachikinskoe reservoirs.
Many lakes formed as a result of volcanic activity. Some of them (Karymskoe, Kurilskoe, etc.) are located in depressions that arose during the lowering of certain sections of the earth's crust, or in explosive craters. There are lakes located in volcanic craters (Kangar, Ksudach, Uzon), as well as in tectonic depressions (Askabachye).
The largest on the peninsula is the reservoir formed in the river valley, which was blocked by lava flows. This is the Kronotskoe lake.
Flora
Where the Kamchatka Peninsula is located, strong winds blow and a short summer is observed. These factors, as well as the isolation of the territory from the mainland and loose volcanic soils, have given a special character to the vegetation of the harsh region. The species composition of the flora is not very rich. There are a little over a thousand fern and flowering plants. Among them there are species that are not found anywhere else.
Forests on the peninsula occupy one third of its area. Here grows white and stone birch, alder and spruce, Kuril larch and willow, mountain ash and poplar, hawthorn and bird cherry. Berry bushes are represented by honeysuckle and lingonberry, blueberry and shiksha. Cranberries are found in marshy areas.
In areas of highlands dwarf species of alder, birch and willow grow. Common hellebore is common. On the high plateaus you can find only unpretentious tundra vegetation.
Fauna
The natural areas of the Kamchatka Peninsula are favored by bighorn sheep and brown bear, wild deer and elk. There is a groundhog and a hare, a muskrat and an otter, a sable and a mink, a fox and an arctic fox, a wolverine and a squirrel, a lynx and a wolf. In the coastal territories of the seas there are sea lions and seals, as well as lahtak. On the Commander Islands you can meet a seal and sea otter.
Among the birds there are species that remain in the winter on the peninsula. However, some birds fly away to warmer climes. The list of constantly living in these places includes grouse and golden eagles, crows and cuckoos, eagles and magpies. Wintering swans can be found on the peninsula.
Grain and char, as well as mykizha, constantly live in the numerous rivers of Kamchatka. Salmon species of fish come here to spawn. In some lakes you can find crucian carp. In the seas surrounding the peninsula, flounder and cod, pollock and herring are caught.
Tourism
Kamchatka Territory is a peculiar mountainous region of Russia. Here you can see ecologically clean wildlife with fauna and flora, not touched by human activity. The attention of travelers will be attracted by the unique phenomena of the peninsula, natural monuments and the original culture of its few nationalities.
Tourist routes of Kamchatka, as a rule, pass through areas isolated from civilization, where wild mountain nature is located. There is a high probability that the weather will suddenly worsen, a gale-force wind will blow and heavy rain will fall.
Features of rest in Kamchatka
Those who are planning to spend their holidays in the easternmost region of Russia should bear in mind that there is no way to get to the main tourist sites by public transport. Any means (air or ground) can be delivered to the destination only individually. In this case, you will need to pay for the return flight. If you decide to relax on your own, then keep in mind that Kamchatka is the territory of modern mountain building processes. Permanent relief changes and many magnetic zones of anomalous nature occur on the peninsula. That is why it is not worth relying on maps and satellite navigation when navigating routes. In the event of an emergency or emergency, you can only rely on yourself.
A feature of the rest in Kamchatka is also that there are no permanent short excursions and routes on the peninsula. The only exceptions are small cruise trips along the Azacha Bay. Helicopter tours with a visit to the Valley of Geysers are also held here.