This peninsula is located in the north-west of the Russian Federation, is part of the Murmansk region. In the north it is washed by the Barents Sea, and in the east and south - the White Sea. The western border of the peninsula is a meridional depression, which stretches from the Kola Bay along the Kola River to the Kandalaksha Gulf.
Its area is 100 thousand square kilometers, the northern shore is steep and high, and the southern one is flat and low, flat. In the west of the peninsula there are mountains - the Khibiny and Lovozero tundra. At its center is the ridge of Keyva.
Geographical position
The Kola Peninsula occupies seventy percent of the territory of the Murmansk region. It is located in the far north of Russia. Almost all of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.
Climatic conditions
The Kola Peninsula has a very diverse climate. The warm North-Atlantic Current warms it in the northwest. Here the climate is milder subarctic, marine. Closer to the east, center and south-west of the territory, continentality is growing - here the climate becomes moderately cold. The average January temperature ranges from -10 ° C in the northwest to -18 ° C in the center. In July, the air temperature warms up from +8 ° C to +10 ° C.
The snow cover is fully established in early October, and only disappears at the end of May (in the mountains this process drags on until mid-June). Freezing and snowfall are frequent, even in the summer. On the coast, strong winds often blow (up to 55 m / s), in winter prolonged blizzards are a common occurrence.
Relief and nature
The Kola Peninsula is terraces and hollows, plateaus and mountains. Massifs of the peninsula rise above sea level by more than eight hundred meters. Marshes and numerous lakes occupy the plains.
The reservoirs are rich in various types of fish - pallia and salmon, trout and whitefish, pike and grayling. Flounder and cod, capelin and halibut, crab and herring are abundant in the seas washing the territory.
Peninsula history
Its experts are divided into four main stages. The first began even before the Russians arrived on the Kola Peninsula. In those days, there lived an indigenous population - the Sami. They were engaged in deer hunting, picking berries, and fishing. The Sami lived in huts with a flat roof - blunts, or in huts made of deer skins - kuvaks.
The second historical period begins in the eleventh century, with the advent of the first Pomeranian settlements. Their inhabitants did the same as the Sami, but, unlike them, rarely went hunting.
They lived in ordinary Russian huts, but with very narrow windows. They were necessary in order to retain heat as much as possible. These narrow windows were filled with solid pieces of ice. When it thawed, a strong connection with the tree formed.
The third historical period of the Kola Peninsula can be considered war against the interventionists. Since ancient times, the Norwegians interfered with the indigenous population. They have long claimed the land of the Sami. They had to fight with them, defending their territory. For the Norwegians, the British began to claim the peninsula. In the XVII and XVIII centuries, they burned Kola - a fortress erected at the mouth of the river of the same name.
The fourth stage in the history of the peninsula is entirely connected with the appearance of the city of Murmansk. The first prospectors appeared in these places in 1912. Today it is the largest port of the Arctic.
Cities of the Kola Peninsula
The first Pomors settlement, which appeared on the territory of the current city of Kola, appeared in 1264. It is mentioned in the notes of Simon van Salingen, a merchant from Holland in the 16th century.
At this time, the Pomors began active trade with the Norwegians, Swedes, the British, Danes, who arrived by ship on the Kola Peninsula. The city of Kola has become the administrative center. Its population was engaged in fishing, breeding poultry and cattle.
In 1814, the first stone church on the peninsula was built here. The townspeople became famous for the fearless reflection of the attacks of the Swedes and the British.
Murmansk
This largest city of the Arctic is located on the Kola Peninsula. It was founded in October 1916. Initially, he was called Romanov-on-Murman. The city bore this name until April 1917. It is located on the shore of the Kola Bay, 50 kilometers from the Barents Sea. He is surrounded by numerous hills.
Its area is 15055 hectares (including 1357 hectares in the Kola Bay). The city consists of three administrative districts - Oktyabrsky, Leninsky and Pervomaisky.
Murmansk cannot be classified as one of the largest cities in our country, but it is the largest city in the world located beyond the Arctic Circle.
In May 1985, he received the high title of Hero City, and in February 1971 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
Apatity
The Kola Peninsula, whose photo can often be seen on the pages of travel publications, has not many large cities on its territory. One of them is Apatity, with its subordinate territory, which includes the Khibiny station and the village of Tik-Guba.
The city is located between Lake Imandra and the Khibiny Mountains, on the banks of the Belaya River. The population is 57,905 people.
In 1916, a railway station appeared on the site of the current city, in connection with the start of the construction of the road. In 1930, the "Industry" state farm was organized here.
The city was laid in 1951, and another three years later the construction of the academic town began. In connection with the death of Stalin, work was suspended until 1956. Then, the city began construction of the Kirov State District Power Plant. In 1956, the first residential building was commissioned.
In 1966, the city was transformed. It included the village of Youth.
Winter on the Kola Peninsula
This is the longest season in these parts. Winter lasts up to eight months. Snow appears in October, and in May lakes and rivers are still chained with ice. And at the same time, in the winter, the Kola Peninsula (the photo you see in our article) is a unique, fairy-tale world. Despite the fact that the temperature can drop below 40 degrees, the cold does not completely hinder and is almost not felt, due to the low level of humidity.
polar night
Due to the fact that the Kola Peninsula is located beyond the Arctic Circle, a polar night reigns here from the end of November to the end of January.
The black sky is strewn with bright stars, cities are illuminated by electric lights. At noon, the sky brightens a little, purple, dark blue and even pink shades appear on it. So pass two short hours of twilight. Then the sky darkens again.
Northern Lights
Few people in the European part of our country have seen this unusual sight that adorns the Kola Peninsula in winter. The black sky suddenly blossoms with tongues of fiery shades - from crimson to blue-green. This is like a laser show, it is impossible to look away from him. It can be observed from September to April. Until now, the northern lights are considered a mysterious phenomenon, even the inhabitants of the Arctic cannot get used to it.
Peninsula rivers
The water bodies of this land are mainly fed by meltwater (up to 60% of runoff). The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are full-flowing for 2 months a year (May-June), and then they become shallow significantly. The water level in them is largely dependent on summer rains.
Their length exceeds 50 thousand km. They belong to the basin of two northern seas - the Barents and the White. Some of them more than 200 km long - Varzuga, Ponoi, Tuloma. They occupy 70% of the total basin area of the Murmansk region. Almost all rivers have a meridional direction of the flow, only the Ponoi River differs in the latitudinal flow.
Many rivers (Niva, Voronya, Umba, etc.) flow from large lakes. The water in them is usually greenish-blue and transparent. During the flood of the river, a large amount of silt, sand, and fallen leaves are transferred. The Kola Peninsula is characterized by long-term ice formation - 7 months, the ice cover lasts up to 210 days a year. Rivers open in May.
Water resources
On the rivers Tuloma, Niva, Kovda, Voronya there are hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs have been built. Unlike lowland southern rivers, bottom ice forms in the northern rivers due to cooling water on the rapids during the cold season.
The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are conditionally divided into four groups:
- half-equal (Varzuga, Ponoi, Strelna);
- canal rivers (Varzina, Niva, Kolvitsa);
- lake type (Umba, Drozdovka, Rynda);
- mountain type (Kuna, Malaya Belaya).
Fishing
The Kola Peninsula today is one of the most interesting places for true connoisseurs of trout and salmon fishing. It is well known throughout the world as the best place for fishing "noble fish." Conventionally, the rivers of the peninsula are divided by fishermen into those that flow into the cold Barents Sea, and those that bring their waters to the White.
Fishing on the Kola Peninsula is a pleasure not only for beginners, but also for lovers of this activity with experience. In July, a large number of not very large salmon, the “tinda,” enter the rivers of the peninsula, and the August herds contain medium-sized salmon.
This harsh land left its mark on the inhabitants of the reservoirs. In many rivers there is no grayling, here it is replaced by the Arctic char and whitefish.
River trout here grows to very solid five- and sometimes seven-kilogram sizes, and trout does not exceed 2 kilograms.
The most famous rivers, attracting fishermen from all over the country and from abroad to the Kola Peninsula (Russia), belonging to the northern shore, are Yokanga, Kola, Rynda, Harlovka, Varzina, and East Persons. It is here that the best fishing on the Kola Peninsula is organized by the savage.
Harlovka River
This amazing river is well known to experienced salmon masters. In addition, travelers often come here who appreciate the unusual northern nature. They are attracted by a beautiful waterfall. Huge masses of water can lead to an indescribable delight of a person who has at least once seen this amazing sight.
Harlovka is known for especially large salmon and no less large trout. True, a fish can go through waterfalls only with the proper level of water in the river. Sometimes fishermen give up fishing and watch the salmon try to overcome this obstacle. In white water foam, the fish jumps out of the water. In the upper part of the waterfall there is a natural plate with which you can capture this process on film. The inhabitants of the Kola Peninsula have long been not surprised by the unique frames in which a huge fish seems to fly into the camera’s lens.
Harlovka has excellent fishing, which is why not only “savage” fishermen come here, but also organized high-quality organized tours.
Bell
This river attracts a combination of excellent fishing and natural beauty. Three large multi-stage waterfalls, a huge amount of trout and salmon make this place extremely attractive.
Fishing on the Kola Peninsula on the Rynd River has many fans. Some of them come to these places on fishing tours for 17-18 years.
Tersky coast
The rivers that are located on the southern Tersky coast are very popular with wide circles of anglers all over the world.
This is the magnificent Umba River, and the rapids and razdolnaya Varzuga with tributaries, Kitsa and Pan, inhabited by numerous salmon herds, and the famous Tersky rivers Strelna, Chapoma, Chavanga, Pyalitsa.
It should be noted that the rivers of the Tersky coast are distinguished by a very wide range of living fish. In them shoals of pink salmon, salmon, and sea trout come to spawn.
In these rivers, brook trout, trout, grayling, whitefish constantly live.
Of the cyprinid species, roach and ide are found. And predators are represented by perch, pike, burbot.