Kirov Islands

The Kirov Islands or Sergey Kirov Islands (Russian: Oстрова Кирова, Ostrova Kirova or Aрхипелаг Сергея Кирова, Archipelag Sergeya Kirova), also known as Kerova Islands, is an archipelago of small islands covered with tundra vegetation. It is located in the Kara Sea, about 140 Km from the coast of Siberia, its latitude is 77° 36' N and its longitude 91° 55' E.

This archipelago, as well as its northermost island (Kirova) is named after Stalin's politburo member Sergey Kirov. Its largest island is Isachenko, with a surface of 168 square Km. This island is named after Russian microbiologist and botanist Boris Isachenko. There is an Experiment station (Polyarnaya Stantsiya) on Isachenko Island.

The sea surrounding the Kirov Islands is covered with pack ice with some polynias in the winter and there are many ice floes even in the summer. The strait between Isachenko and Slozhnyy Island is known as Proliv Aeros”yëmki.

This island group belongs to the Krasnoyarsk Krai administrative division of the Russian Federation. They are also part of the Great Arctic State Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve of Russia.

This group is not to be confused with the other Kirov Islands (Russian: Kirovskiye Ostrova), which are located in the Baltic area near St. Petersburg.

References

* [http://worldmaps.web.infoseek.co.jp/russia_guide.htm Location]

* [http://www.bigarctic.ru/Eng Nature Reserve]

ee also

*Kara Sea