Where is the Taz Peninsula?

The geography of Russia is diverse. In the north beyond the Arctic Circle permafrost reigns, in the south in the subtropics even in winter the temperature seldom drops below zero. Each region is unique and beautiful in its own way, in each one you can find a lot of interesting and unexplored, and everywhere people live.

The Tazovsky District, the Purovsky District (the Yamal Peninsula) are a settled territory, where not only indigenous people live . The leading Russian companies are producing hydrocarbons in these regions, providing jobs to the local population, and also attracting thousands of active people to the polar regions. The region is exploring, discovering and developing new deposits. The Taz peninsula, which is located beyond the Arctic Circle, was no exception.

Yamal

The Yamal Peninsula is located in the Arctic zone in the northern part of the world's largest West Siberian Plain. Its area exceeds 769 thousand km2. Most of it is above the Arctic Circle. In the translation from the Nenets language, the name means "Edge of the Earth", which corresponds to the geographical location.

On its territory there are more than 300 thousand lakes and 48 thousand rivers and rivulets. Part of the area is swamped, although thawing occurs only in the summer. The climate here is quite severe, sharply continental. In addition to the Arctic cold cyclones and air masses coming from the Pacific and the Atlantic, the climate is affected by permafrost and the proximity of the icy Kara Sea, which cuts deep into the land. Winter in Yamal lasts no less than eight months, the thermometer can drop to minus 59 degrees. The average annual temperature remains below zero.

But the summer here is short and quite cold, although on some days the temperature can rise to plus 30. Throughout the territory there are often strong fogs, especially in early autumn. Often there are magnetic storms, accompanied by the northern lights. Polar days and nights are also a feature of these places.

Geographical information

The Taz peninsula is located at the northern end of the West Siberian Plain. On the map it can be found between the Tazovskaya and Obskaya Bay. In length, it stretched almost 200 kilometers, has an average width of 100 kilometers. The flat surface prevails, towering over the sea for 100 km. Vegetation on the peninsula is characteristic of the tundra. Mosses and lichens predominate, as well as shrubs. The whole territory is literally rugged by ravines, many of which are quite deep. There are also many lakes and marshes here. The peninsula is in the permafrost zone, where the ground freezes many meters deep and even within a short cool summer thaws no more than half a meter. All these factors affect the flora and fauna.

Settlement Tazovsky

The geographical center of the Tazovsky District is a village of the same name. It is located 200 km to the north of the Arctic Circle. To the center of the district, the city of Salekhard, on water - 986 km, on air - 552 km. Before Tyumen, the waterway stretches for 2755 km, and the airway is 1341 km. In 230 km from the village there is a railway station Korotchaevo. In Tazovsky there are 7339 people.

In total, the district has 11 settlements and 5 administrative units. The Tazovsky peninsula has an air service, there is a new highway. The infrastructure is established. These innovations make it possible to supply the Taz peninsula, population and enterprises with everything necessary. In the area there is a museum, a music school and an art school for children, libraries and other cultural institutions. All this is done to ensure that both locals and oilmen who have come to develop rich mineral resources can usefully spend their leisure time, and their children receive a comprehensive education.

Historical reference

The first expeditions to the Taz peninsula began to be equipped by the government of the Russian Empire in the 16th century. On the river, called Nenets Tasu-Yam-yaha, a small trading town was founded, later named Zlatokipyaschaya Mangazeya.

Pomors and Cossacks reached these places for about a month along the rivers, delivering provisions, fuel and other vital goods. Back ships returned loaded with valuable fish and furs. Up to 80 thousand sable tails came to the imperial treasury of these regions. But this did not last long, the local did not seek cooperation, and the conditions of the campaigns were extremely harsh. And soon they forgot about Mangasee until the middle of the 18th century. In 1852, the first settlement of Halmer-Sede was registered, which means "Graves on the Mount". The fact is that it was based on a hill where the old Nenets cemetery was located. And again caravans with furs and fish were pulled into the central regions of the country.

Years of Soviet Power

When the Bolsheviks came to power, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District was founded, into which the Tazovsky District entered. Here the fish factory was founded, the river port and airport, medical stations, schools and other facilities were opened. The main activity of the district was fish and meat industries. This is the time when the Tazovsky peninsula (Russia) was developing rapidly.

In the 60s of the last century in the bowels of Yamal hydrocarbon deposits were discovered. The active production of oil and gas, geological exploration of the entire region began. This direction has become and still remains a priority. Now the country's largest oil companies are exploring and producing liquid gold in these parts, attracting thousands of working people to distant lands.

Flora and fauna

The climate of the Taz Peninsula is quite severe, therefore the flora and fauna for most of the year is small. But with the arrival of a short summer flocks of migratory birds flock here, which bring offspring on this seemingly unsuitable for life land. A lot of birds, living and nesting here, are listed in the Red Book and are not found anywhere else.

Vegetation is dominated by mosses and lichens, reindeer, dwarf trees, shrubs. The animal world is represented by fur-bearing animals, which are an object of hunting for hunters and poachers. Despite the remoteness of the peninsula and the complexity of weather conditions, there are many wishing to earn on furs or valuable fish.

Local population

The Taz peninsula, whose population is represented by 36 different nationalities, is distinguished by the small number of people living. Most of them are indigenous Nenets people, the rest are oilmen and geologists who came from different parts of the country.

The aborigines are pagans, they worship the supreme deity of Num and the lord of the underworld of Nga. From generation to generation, traditions of ancestors are carefully transferred. The climate of the peninsula is ideal for reindeer breeding, and the indigenous people are mostly engaged in this type of activity. They, along with the herds, wander through the vast expanses of Yamal, living in the plague, making clothes from the skins of animals. And the Nenets are skilled hunters and fishermen.

Rare trees that grow in the tundra are objects of worship, their branches are decorated with ribbons by those who came to pray and ask for the blessing from the spirit. Observance of such traditions does not at all mean that the population is in ignorance. Children study in boarding schools, and after leaving school choose their own way.

Tazovsky peninsula, whose photo amazes with the beauty of the nature of the tundra, stretching for many kilometers, is fairly well developed and inhabited. In residential areas, active housing construction and infrastructure development are carried out.