Taymyr Peninsula

Taymyr Peninsula ( _ru. Полуостров Таймыр, Таймырский полуостров) is a peninsula in Siberia that forms the most northern part of mainland Asia. It lies between the Yenisei Gulf of the Kara Sea and the Khatanga Gulf of the Laptev Sea in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia.

Lake Taymyr and the Byrranga Mountains are located within the vast Taymyr Peninsula.

The peninsula is the site of the last known naturally occurring muskox outside of North America, which died out about 2,000 years ago. [ [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051006085912.htm Science Daily] ] They were successfully reintroduced in 1975. [ [http://www.safariclubfoundation.org/humanitarian/sensory/recordbook/dsp_AnimalDetail.cfm?Detail=BOVIDS Safari Club Foundation Recordbook entry on Bovids] ]

Cape Chelyuskin, the northernmost point of the Eurasian continent, is located at the northern end of the Taymyr Peninsula.

Population

The isolated location of Nganasan people enabled them to maintain shamanistic practices even in the 20^th century. [Hoppál 2005]

Economy

MMC Norilsk Nickel conducts mining operations in the area. The company conducts smelting operations in the area of the city of Norilsk, near the peninsula. The nickel ore concentrate and other products of the company are transported over a short railroad to the port city of Dudinka on the Yenisei River, and from there by boat to Murmansk and other ports.

Climate

The coasts of the Taymyr Peninsula are frozen most of the year; between September and June on average. The summer season is short, especially in its northeastern shores (Laptev Sea).

The climate in the interior of the penisula is continental. Winters are harsh, with frequent blizzards and extremely low temperatures.

References

Bibliography

* The title means “Shamans in Eurasia”, the book is written in Hungarian, but it is published also in German, Estonian and Finnish. [http://www.akkrt.hu/main.php?folderID=906&pn=2&cnt=31&catID=&prodID=17202&pdetails=1 Site of publisher with short description on the book (in Hungarian)]

External links

* [http://photocity.ru/Album79/idx.php photos]