The main features of the geography of the Vologda Oblast are plainness, forest cover and boggy. The diverse natural conditions and resources of this region have allowed researchers to identify 33 different types of landscapes here. For such a relatively small territory, this is a very solid figure!
In this article, we will examine in detail the geography of the region: climate, relief, soil, surface water. What minerals are mined in the Vologda Oblast? You will also find the answer to this question here.
General geography of the Vologda region: borders and sizes
Vologda Oblast is a region in the north of the European part of Russia. Its total area is 145 thousand square kilometers. The territory of the Vologda Oblast is stretched in a sub-latitudinal direction (from west to east) by almost 700 kilometers.
The relief is mostly low, there are many lakes and marshes. The climate is temperate continental, with fairly long winters and short summers. A fairly large part of the territory of the Vologda Oblast is covered with forests (about 75-80%). The natural conditions and resources of this region will be described in more detail in the following sections.
Administratively, the Vologda Oblast is divided into 26 municipal districts and two urban districts. Several serious social problems can be identified in the region. First of all, this is the lack of a sound regional policy: almost all income and economic activity are directed only to two cities of the Vologda Oblast - Cherepovets and Vologda. The remaining (peripheral) areas suffer from socio-economic and demographic degradation. Secondly, the region has a rather low level of medicine and education.
Terrain features
Orographically, the Vologda Oblast is part of the vast East European Plain. The drawing of the local relief is a series of swampy lowlands, minor hills and low ridges. Various landforms of glacial origin are also not uncommon here. Average altitudes are 150-200 meters. In the extreme south-east of the region, the hilly hill of Northern Uvala rises .
It is precisely through the territory of the Vologda Oblast that the watershed of three large drainage basins — the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and the Caspian — passes.
Geologically, the territory is located on a very ancient Precambrian platform. But here it is blocked by a powerful layer of moraine-type deposits. This geological feature explains the significant reserves of non-metallic mineral resources in the Vologda Oblast. Sand and clay are found everywhere.
The Belozersky ridge is quite picturesque and interesting in the region. This relief structure took shape not so long ago - in the era of the last glaciation (about 12-15 thousand years ago). Within the ridge there are a number of beautiful lakes and nature reserves.
Climatic conditions
The climate of the Vologda Oblast is temperate continental. Moreover, the continental climate increases with the eastward movement. The frost-free period of the year is 190-210 days. Humidity decreases from west to east of the region.
The region is famous for its snowy beautiful winters. Indeed, snow cover here can last up to 160 days. It begins to form in early November, and is completely destroyed only in the second half of April.
In the region, mainly westerly and northerly winds blow. Sharp climate fluctuations from year to year are not observed here. The winter season is quite long and cold (average January temperatures are from –10 to –14 degrees). Summer is short, rainy and cool. It is during the warm season that about 70% of annual precipitation falls. Transitional seasons in the Vologda Oblast are not very pronounced.
As for regional differences, the western part of the region suffers from frequent and abrupt weather changes, which are caused by regular changes in air masses. Summer is accompanied by constant drizzling rains that come from the Atlantic. For tourism and travel in the Vologda region, the most ideal month of the year is August. Although at the end of summer there may already be the first night frosts.
Water resources of the region: rivers and lakes
The territory of the Vologda Oblast is rich in full-flowing rivers and numerous lakes. The largest waterways of the region are the Sheksna, Mologa and Andoma rivers in the west, Unzha and Kostroma in the south. The center and eastern parts of the region belong to the basin of the Northern Dvina and its large tributaries.
The rivers of the Vologda Oblast are of a flat type, with wide valleys and floodplains. The channels are complicated by numerous sand rifts and small islands. The flow in the rivers is predominantly smooth. The only exception is Sukhona, flowing from Lake Kubensky.
By the way, the local lakes play a large role in regulating the water regime of the Vologda rivers. Thanks to them, the level of spring floods decreases on most of the rivers. In total, there are at least four thousand lakes in the region. The largest of them are Beloye, Kubenskoye, Onega, Vozhe. Also in the region there are large reservoirs. About 12% of the territory is swampy. Most of the swamps are concentrated in the western regions with high humidity.
Numerous lakes, a dense network of rivers and canals have determined the development of water tourism in this region of Russia. Kayaking and rafting are very popular here. Dozens of water routes of varying complexity have already been developed in the region. On large lakes they sail on yachts and sailing regattas.
Soil and flora
Soils of the Vologda Oblast are represented by podzolic in the north, sod-podzolic in the south. Swamp soils are also common (in the wetlands of the region).
The flora of the region as a whole is typical of the natural zone of the taiga. Most of the forests are coniferous formations, which are mainly represented by spruce forests. The most popular tree species are: Siberian spruce, European spruce , Scots pine, Sukachev larch, Siberian fir and others. The so-called secondary forests, formed on the site of large-scale felling, are often formed by deciduous trees - birch, aspen, alder. In the west of the Vologda Oblast there are forests of oak, ash and maple.
The local natural landscapes and ecosystems are protected in the Russian North National Park, as well as within other protected sites (there are 188 in total).
Minerals of the Vologda Oblast: fuel resources
Fuel mineral resources include gas and oil, peat, oil shale and other minerals from which energy is obtained. Back in the 60s of the last century, three potential oil and gas areas were discovered in the Vologda Oblast. Work on a direct search for oil and gas fields continued in the mid-90s. At the moment, geological surveys are ongoing, and the prospects for the industrial development of oil and gas bearing areas are being evaluated.
The extraction of another fuel resource has long been engaged in several enterprises. This resource is peat. Fuel in the Vologda Oblast was discovered in more than 2000 deposits. The total reserves of local deposits reach 5.5 million tons. Peat deposits are scattered almost throughout the region, although their greatest concentration is characteristic of the western and southwestern regions. A very small percentage of peat extracted in the region is used as energy fuel. Its main masses are used for agricultural needs. Peat, as you know, is used as fertilizer, as well as bedding material for livestock.
Building materials
Minerals of the Vologda Oblast are not limited to fuel mineral resources. A wide variety of building materials is actively mined in the region: dolomites, limestones, marls, etc. All these rocks are used to make various building materials. The most famous limestone deposit in the region is Verkhny Volskoye. Here annually up to 100 thousand tons of raw materials are extracted.
In the Vologda Oblast, sand and clay are being actively developed. The largest deposits of sand and gravel materials: Abakanovskoye, Berezovskoye, Prisheksninskoye, Komelovskoye and others. Refractory, fusible and coloring clays are mined in the region.
Promising for the development of mineral resources of the area
In addition to oil and gas, there are other promising minerals for development in the Vologda Oblast. These are gold, bauxite and diamonds.
So, in the north-eastern part of the region is located Ilez Square, which is recognized as promising for the search for diamond deposits. CJSC Vologdageologorazvedka and Kraton carried out thorough survey work and discovered the so-called explosion tubes. In them, in turn, minerals were found that are companions of diamonds.
Another promising resource for mining in this region is gold. Back in the 80s, geologists discovered the gold content of the local rivers Vagi and Kuben. And already in 1994, it was found that placer gold occurs practically throughout the Vologda Oblast.
Population and cities
Vologda Oblast is considered the most Russian region in Russia. The percentage of Russians in the ethnic composition of the population is almost 97%, which is an absolute record for the country. In addition to the Russian ethnic group, Vepsians are also living here - the indigenous people of Finno-Ugric origin.
Over 70% of Vologda residents live in urban areas. There are 15 cities in the region. But only in two of them the population exceeds 100 thousand people.
All cities of the Vologda Oblast are listed below:
- Vologda.
- Cherepovets.
- Babaevo.
- Vytegra.
- Totma.
- Great Ustyug.
- Gryazovets.
- Falcon.
- Kadnikov.
- Kirillov.
- Krasavino.
- Ustyuzhna.
- Nikolsk.
- Kharovsk.
- Belozersk.
Vologda - the "capital" of the region
The city of Vologda is not only an administrative, but also a cultural center of the Vologda Oblast. Interestingly, this is not the most populated city in the region. So, in Cherepovets there are almost seven thousand more inhabitants.
Vologda is an ancient city. The first mention of it in the annals dates back to 1147. In Vologda, 224 monuments of architecture, culture and antiquities have been identified and taken under state protection.
Among the most famous and visited city attractions are the Vologda Kremlin, St. Sophia Cathedral with an observation deck on the bell tower, the Kazan Church, the Stone Bridge. In the historical part of Vologda, a huge number of unique and very beautiful monuments of wooden architecture have been preserved. Vologda oil and the Vologda lace became original symbols of the city.
Conclusion
The Vologda Oblast is located in the north of the European part of Russia. The climate of the region is temperate continental. This area is characterized by long snowy winters and short rainy summers. The relief of the region is mostly flat, in some places it is complicated by low ridges and elevations.
In the Vologda Oblast there is a dense network of rivers and canals. There are many lakes and swamps in the region. The forest cover of the region is about 75%.
Minerals of the Vologda Oblast, which are of great industrial importance for the region, are peat, clay, table salt, as well as rich building materials. Diamond deposits have been discovered in the eastern regions of the region.