Kamtchatka

The Kamtchatka ( Камчатка ) is a ic Péninsule Volcan 1.250 kilometers length located in Siberia at the east of the Russia which advances in the Pacific Ocean. Of a surface of 370.000 km ², the area has a population of 402.500 inhabitants, primarily Russian with a minority Koryak S. the volcanic part of the peninsula is registered on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO since 1996. On an administrative level the peninsula is consisted the Kraï of Kamtchatka born July 2007 of fusion between the Oblast of Kamtchatka and the autonomous district of Koriakie, approved by a referendum organized in October 2005 near the populations concerned.

Geography and geology

The peninsula is surrounded by the seas of Okhotsk and Bering; it was " découverte" by the Danish explorer Vitus Bering at the 18th century. Between the peninsula and the Pacific Ocean extends the Fosse from Kouriles a depth from: 10500 meters. The climate is cold and wet. In north, Kamtchatka is bordered by the area of Magadan and the autonomous region of Tchoukotka. The north of Kamtchatka constitutes the autonomous region of Koriakie. The natural resources of Kamtchatka include the coal, the Or, the Tungstène, the Platine the Mica, the Pyrite and the Natural gas.

The river Kamtchatka and the central valley, in which this one runs, are bordered by large chains including/understanding approximately 160 Volcan S of which 29 are active. The area is subjected to a fort seismic risk: in spring 2006, an earthquake of 7,9 on the scale of Richter touched the Koriakie. The seism of 1952 had reached a magnitude 9 on this scale.

The culminating point of the peninsula is the Klioutchevskaïa Sopka (4835 m) but the most impressive top is the Kronotsky volcano, whose perfect cone makes say to some which it is about most beautiful of the volcanos of planet. Three visible volcanos since Petropavlovsk-Kamtchatski - Koryaksky, Avachinsky and Kozielski - are them much more accessible.

In the center of Kamtchatka, was to recently the only valley of Geyser S of the whole of the Eurasian Plaque. This valley, at 4 hours of helicopter of Petropavlovsk, was the single natural wonder of Kamtchatka accessible to the visitors. On Sunday, June 3, 2007 towards 14:30 local, this famous valley which belonged to the natural heritage of the humanity of UNESCO was completely destroyed following a Landslide. On the seven square kilometers of this very visited site were 20 large geysers and approximately two hundred sources of warm water and other phenomena thermal.

Young ground from the geological point of view, the peninsula was drawn up less than one million years ago. The chain of volcanos of Kamtchatka continues its growth. A ceaseless seismic activity lets predict that brutal upheavals will continue to affect in a near future this area.

Fauna

Kamtchatka lodges a great number of species. It is the result of the large variety of coexistent climates which go from the Climat subarctic to the moderate Climat, to the local Topographie, with the great number of rivers, very rich water of the North-West of the Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk like to the human weak density and the weak development of the economy. Despite everything the commercial exploitation of the fishing resources and the very old trade of the furs resulted in important taking away on several species.

Among the terrestrial mammals, Kamtchatka is known for abundance and the size of its populations of Brown bear S. In the Natural reserve of Kronotsky it has a population estimated at 300-400 there individuals per million hectares. One can also quote carnivores such as the wolf, the Arctic Renard, other species of fox, the lynx, the Glouton, the Zibeline, the Belette, the Hermine, and the Sea otter; species the large ones ongulés such as the Moufflon, the Reindeer and the moose and of the rodents as well as the Hare S, the Marmot, the Lemming S and several species of squirrel S.

The peninsula is the place of reproduction of the eagle of sea of Steller, largest of the eagles of planet as well as Golden eagle and Faucon gerfaut.

Kamtchatka is the area of the world which undoubtedly shelters the greatest number of varieties of Saumon in particular the six species Anadrome S of the Pacific: royal or chinook, red or sockeye, coho, pink, keta and chum. The biologists estimate that a sixth with a quarter of salmons of the Pacific are originating in Kamtchatka. The Lac of Kourile is known to be the greatest place of reproduction of red salmon of Eurasia. To answer the pressure growing of fishing and the world reduction in the stock of wild salmons, 2,4 hectares million out of the 9 located along the most productive salmon rivers is being declared natural reserve.

The Cétacés which attend this very rich water of the north-western Pacific and the Sea of Okhotsk include/understand the Orque, the common Marsouin and the Marsouin of Dall, the Humpback whale, the Cachalot and the common Rorqual. The less frequent species are the gray Baleine (populations of the east), the whale with nozzle, the small fin-back whale. The Blue whale frequent in summer the southern part is. Among pinnipidés, the Otary of Steller, the Otary with fur of North, the Seal Largha and the common Phoque are abundant on most of the coasts of the peninsula. Towards north, one finds Pacifique side the Morse and the bearded Phoque while the ribboned Phoque reproduces on the ice-barrier of bay of Koraginskiy. The Sea otter is primarily at the southern end of the peninsula.

The species of birds of sea which attend the area include/understand the boreal Fulmar, the Guillemot, the Kittiwake, the Macareux, the Cormoran, the Faucon gerfaut and other species.

The marine animal-life is typical the North Sea and is also very rich. The species having an important commercial importance are the Crabe of Kamtchatka, the Scallop, the Calmar, the black Lieu, the Morue, the Hareng, the Flétan and several species of flat fish.

Economy

Long of 1 200 km and broad of 450, the peninsula of Kamtchatka are balafrée by 2 volcanic assembly lines which make it sensitive to the earthquakes like its neighbor Sakhaline, ravaged by a seism in spring 1995. Separated from Moscow by eleven time zones, this gigantic peninsula and its capital were completely prohibited the abroads during fifty years, until in 1990, because of the presence of top secret military infrastructures.

The majority of the inhabitants lie in the administrative capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamtchatski. The most developed branches of industry are the fishing, the Sylviculture, the Tourisme (an industry in full growth) and the army. The military presence is important in the peninsula; the principal base of the fleet of Sous-marin S Russian of the Pacific is in the bay davach of Petropavlovsk (bases of Rybach). There exist also several air bases as well as sites Radar S.

Kamtchatka belongs to the area of Kamtchatka which also includes/understands part of the continent, the Îles of the Commander and the Îles Karasinski). The majority of the population, is 402 500 inhabitants, is Russian. The most important minority is that of the Koryaks which especially live in the north of the peninsula in the autonomous region of Koriakie (13 600 people. October 23rd, 2005, a referendum was held for the fusion of the oblast of Kamchatka and Koriakie to form the Krai of Kamchatka. The favorable result should lead to a fusion the July 2007.

History

The Russia is established in the peninsula of Kamtchatka since the 17th century. Ivan Kamchatka, Simon Dezhnev, the Cossack Ivan Rubets and other explorers Russian left to explore this area in the medium of the Années 1600 and returned from there with accounts describing a ground of fire (because of the volcanos), rich in fish and furs.

In 1697, Vladimir Atlassov, founder of the colony of Anadyr, directed a forwarding of 65 Cossacks and 60 Yukaghir S charged to explore the peninsula. It built two forts along the Kamtchatka river which became counters of exchanges for the Trappeur S of furs. Of 1704 with 1706, they installed the colonies of Verkhne (highest) and Nijni (lowest) Kamtchatski . Once far from the eyes of their Masters, the Cossacks exploited without care the natives Kamtchadale S. the abuses were such as the administration of the North-West of Yakoutsk sent Atlassov with troops and guns to restore the order there, but it was too late. The group of Cossacks had acquired too much power and Atlassov was killed in 1711.

As from this date, Kamtchatka became an quasi-autonomous area, not taking practically more its orders of Yakoutsk. In 1713, there were roughly 500 Cossacks living in the area. Their largely known cruelty and their abuses caused protests first of all, then open revolts of the indigenous inhabitants; risings became current and reached their top when in 1731 the colony of Nijni Kamtchatski was shaven by the massacred natives and its inhabitants. The remaining Cossacks gathered and subdued the rebellion with rifle shot and of guns.

Indigenous population, evaluated with 20 000 at the beginning of the 18th century, had fallen to only 8.000 in the Années 1750.

The foundation of Petropavlovsk-Kamtchatski in 1740 by the explorer Danish Vitus Bering constituted the beginning of a significant “opening” towards the outside of Kamtchatka, more especially as the government in place started to send deportees to it. In addition, the Russian government encouraged the installation of the newcomers in their offering grounds. In 1812, the indigenous population had still decreased and included/understood less than 3200 inhabitants whereas the Russian population had increased in same time and had passed to 2500.

In 1854, the French and the Britanniques, which, at the time, were war with Russian in the Crimea, attacked Petropavlovsk-Kamtchatski. Under the blow of the surprise, 988 men equipped with 68 rifles only succeeded in defending the outpost against 6 ships equipped with 206 guns and 2540 soldiers French and British. In spite of this heroic defense, Petropavlosk was abandoned after the withdrawal of the Franco-British forces. The following year, when one second armed force attacked the port, it found it deserted. The boats bombarded the city and set out again.

The 50 following years were less favourable. The military port was moved with Oust-Love and in 1867, the Alaska was sold with the the United States, making null and void the role of Petropavlovsk, as a turntable for the explorers and the tradesmen in transit towards the American territories. In 1860, the area (maritime) of Primorski was created and Kamtchatka was placed under its jurisdiction. In 1875, the islands Kouriles were yielded to the Japan in exchange of the restitution in Russia of Sakhaline. The Russian population of Kamtchatka stagnated with approximately 2500 inhabitants until the beginning of the 20th century while the indigenous population reached 5000 people.

In 1905, during the War Russo-Japanese woman, two Japanese ships entered bay of Avachinskaya and took Petropavlovsk. The city with the attackers, because had been considered to be abandoned again indefensible. In 1927, the Japanese left the peninsula and Kamtchatka became again entirely Soviet. The Second world war touched little safe Kamtchatka in 1945, as bases preparation of the release of Kouriles . After war, Kamtchatka was declared zone military. It was then interdict with the Russians until in 1990 and the abroads until in 1992.

External bonds

an anglophone site devoted to the peninsula of Kamtchatka
Some French-speaking pages devoted to Kamtchatka

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