Far East It is customary to call the territory of Russia, located off the coast Pacific Ocean. This territory also includes the Kuril archipelago located directly in the Pacific Ocean, for which they have been arguing for many years. The Far East consists of mainland, peninsular and insular parts. In addition to the Kuril Islands, it also includes the Kamchatka Peninsula, an island, and other (smaller) single ones located near the eastern borders of Russia.

The length of the Far East from the northeast (from) to the southwest (to the borders of Korea and) is quite large and amounts to 4.5 thousand kilometers. Its northern part is located beyond the Arctic Circle, so there is snow here almost all year round, and the seas washing the coast are not completely cleared of ice even in summer. The land in the northern part of the Far East is shackled. It dominates here. In the southern part of the Far East, conditions are much milder. One indicator of the unusual nature of this part is that the trees characteristic of the north are adjacent to plants that are more common in the subtropics. Thus, the climatic conditions in different points this area are quite different from each other. This is especially true of the temperature regime, but everywhere it is increased. Proximity also has a great influence on the climate of the entire Far East.

Far Eastern cedar cones

Only a quarter of the territory of the Far East is occupied. They are mainly located in those parts of the coast where tectonic activity is low (West Kamchatka, North Sakhalin), as well as in intermountain depressions (Middle Amur, Anadyr, Central Kamchatka), so their area is relatively small. The relief of the Far East was formed mainly in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods. It was then that folded zones and intermountain depressions appeared. The ocean had some influence on the formation of the relief. So, for example, the entire modern and eastern slope was under water at that time. Only later did these areas appear on the surface, where they still are.

From west to east, the character of the Far East changes from older to younger, and from folded-blocky to folded and blocky-folded. The highest sections of the mountains (the ridges of Dzhagdy, Bureinsky, Badzhalsky, Sikhote-Alin and others) were occupied in ancient times. Traces of this have been preserved in our time in the idea of ​​various small landforms (hills, carts and troughs).

Thus, as a result of various internal (tectonic) and external (glaciation, ocean waters) various types of relief were formed:

• -denudation mid-mountains and low-mountains with areas of glacial landforms on Paleozoic and Mesozoic blocky-folded structures
• erosion-denudation low mountains of Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin on Mesozoic and Cenozoic fold-block and folded structures with lava plateaus
• denudation-erosion formation plains of intermountain depressions
• plains of intermontane depressions on Mesozoic and Cenozoic folded structures.

Ussuri taiga

Depending on the nature of tectonic processes, they also change on the surface. So, for example, on the Kuril Islands, under which the thickness reaches 15-20 kilometers, three elements of the tectonic structure are mainly developed. These are island arcs and deep-water depressions. Their formation was carried out sequentially. At the first stage, a deep-water trench formed at the point of contact between the oceanic and continental plates. At the second stage, a marginal sea is formed, and then a rift depression near the islands.

The relief of the Kamchatka Peninsula and the mainland of the country is a reflection of a more ancient period. Continental and transitional (from oceanic to continental) crust, blocky-folded structures, and longitudinal-transverse troughs predominate here. In the relief of this territory, these features are expressed by lowlands and volcanic forms. Here, for example, the intermountain Anadyr-Penzhinskaya Plain is located.

The structure of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands mainly consists of Cretaceous and sedimentary. Loose Neogene deposits are also present in the places of troughs. Modern processes relief formations in the Far East are determined by tectonic processes and permafrost (in the northern part).

Active tectonic processes currently taking place in the Far East are the cause of various. There are several active volcanoes and geysers in this area. Quite often, strong (up to 10 points) and seaquakes occur in this part of the planet. The latter become the cause of the emergence of huge ocean waves. All these cataclysms lead to significant destruction and even human casualties. Therefore, this part of Russia is the most unfavorable in terms of the presence of hazardous natural phenomena.

The Far East is truly a mountainous country. About 75% of the territory is occupied by mountains, uplands and plateaus. With a large area of ​​the region, medium-high or low mountains prevail here. Only a few ranges reach a height of 2000 m. In the south of the region there are two well-known mountain systems Khingano-Bureinskaya and Sikhote-Alin. The Dzhugdzhur Ridge is located along the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. A chain of ridges Yankan-Tukuringra - Dzhagdy stretched to the north, and even to the north - a stanovoy ridge. The ridges of the Khingan-Bureinsky massif, Stanovoy and Dzhugdzhur are characterized by steep rocky slopes and treeless galtz peaks. The highest point (2639 m) is located in the Badzhal Range. The highest point of Sikhote-Alin is Mount Tardoki-Yani. Its height is 2077 m and it is located in the north of the Khabarovsk Territory.

The relief of the Far East was formed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods. It was then that characteristic folded zones and intermountain depressions formed. The ocean also had a significant impact on the relief. So, for example, land areas - Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands were then under water. Only later these territories appeared on the surface, where they are still. From west to east, the nature of the morphostructures of the Far East changes from older to younger, and from folded-blocky to folded and blocky-folded. The highest sections of the mountains: the ridges of Dzhagdy, Bureinsky, Badzhalsky, Sikhote-Alin. There used to be glaciers here. Today, hills, kars and trogs testify to this.

The Far East of the CIS, commonly referred to as the Far East, is characterized by the predominance of uplands, which account for over 80% of the area. The Far East includes the Koryaksky Range and the Kamchatka Peninsula, the northern coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk (to the west of the southern tip of the Kolyma Highlands), the Dzhugdzhur Range, the Amur Region, bounded in the north by the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges, the Bureinsky Range, Sikhote-Alin, Sakhalin Island, arcs Kuril Islands and a number of lowlands - depressions that have experienced subsidence (Anadyr, Penzhinskaya, etc.). A significant part of these territories was subjected to mountain building in the era of Alpine folding. At the same time, the bottom of the adjacent modern seas was sagging.
The Koryak mountains are the result of alpine folding. They are characterized by a strong manifestation of volcanism in the past. The mountains consist of parallel chains with a height of 1000 to 1500 m (the highest peak is Mount Ledyanaya - 2562 m above sea level), separated by intermountain depressions. In the south, one of the chains almost touches the Sredinny Kamchatka Range, separated from it by the narrow Parapolsky Valley (up to 10 km wide). The Koryak mountains are characterized by the alpine nature of the relief.

To the north of the Koryaksky mountains is the vast Anadyr lowland with absolute and relative heights of less than 100 m.
In the river basin Penzhina is located Penzhina lowland with absolute heights of no more than 200 m.
The northern coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is filled with mountain ranges, strongly dissected by the valleys of numerous rivers. The slopes of the ridges descend steeply to the sea, the average height of the mountains ranges from 500 to 1500 m. The highest point is in the upper reaches of the Maimakan River - up to 2264 m above sea level. The highest point of the Dzhugdzhur ridge is 1906 m above sea level.

The Amur-Primorekaya region is located in the south of the Far East. The relief of the region is characterized by the presence of mountain ranges of various directions: from close to meridional (Sikhote-Alin ridge) to latitudinal (Tukuringra-Dzhagdy ridge system).
All mountain systems belong mainly to the Mesozoic folding, complicated in the extreme east by the manifestation of the Alpine orogeny.
The system of ridges Tukuringra-Dzhagdy stretches from west to east for a distance of over 800 km. Chains of goltsovy ridges predominate, the highest point reaches 1606 m above sea level. The general appearance of the entire mountain system is soft, the outlines are smooth, there are a number of pass depressions, the ridges are flat-topped, the slopes are gentle.

To the south of the mountain system is the slightly dissected Zeya-Bureya plain with surface elevations from 150 to 400 m above sea level. The Khingan-Bureinskoye highland, consisting of a number of meridional ridges, adjoins the eastern edge of the plain. The largest of them is Bureinsky, stretching from the valley of the Amur River to the north and northeast, where its height reaches 2071 m above sea level. In the west, the highlands are limited by the Turan range. The eastern spurs of the Bureinsky Range, descending, pass into a vast tectonic depression, known as the Khanka-Ussuri and Lower Amur lowlands. The relief of the lowlands is flat, the height of the surface is from 10-20 to 100 m above sea level; by genesis, these are young lacustrine-alluvial plains. Thick strata of alluvial deposits cover the irregularities of the primary relief. Low-mountain massifs and ridges are located in the marginal and internal parts of the Lower Amur Lowland. The lowland is about 600 km long and up to 200 km wide. The Khanka-Ussuri lowland is characterized by terraces that record the past levels of Lake Khanka.

Ridge Dzhugdzhur:

Location: Russia
Age: 150-100 million years.

Mountains of the Amur region:

Location: Russia
Age: 300-150 million years.

Mountains of Primorye:

Location: Russia, China
Age: 150-100 million years.

Sakhalin island:

Location: Russia
Age: about 30 million years.

Koryak Highlands:

Location: Russia
Age: 150-100 million years.

Peninsula Kamchatka:

Location: Russia
Age: about 30 million years.

Kuril Ridge, Garland of Islands:

Location: Russia, Japan
Age: about 30 million years.

The East is a special region on the territory of Russia. The relief of the Far East is extremely diverse and unique. In addition, the East is also one of the four corners of the world in which the population lives, where culture and traditions differ significantly from the way of life of Westerners. It is divided into three components: the Near, Middle and Far East.

mountain system

The Far East region is quite remote from the central part of Russia. The political, scientific, educational, and economic center is the port city of Vladivostok. There are 9 subjects on the territory, which are extremely unevenly populated. The climate and tectonic structure of the Far East, as well as the relief of the nearest area in each subject is individual and depends on many factors. The tectonic structure of the Far East is due to high seismic activity, since the territory is located at the junction of such lithospheric plates as the Siberian Platform and Pacific folding.

Various natural disasters very often occur in the Far Eastern territory: earthquakes, tsunamis, active volcanic eruptions. Here is one of the most powerful volcanoes in Eurasia - Klyuchevskaya Sopka. The Far Eastern mountain system includes the following highlands:

• mountains of Sikhote-Alin;
• Suntar-Khayat mountain range;
• Verkhoyansk mountain complex;
• mountains Dzhugdzhur.

Sikhote-Alin are the largest mountains located in the Far East in the region of the Mesozoic folding. Translated into Russian, the name is interpreted as "a mountain range covered with some kind of forest." mountain system extends over the territory of both Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai. The peak (the highest point) rises at an altitude of 2090 meters above sea level and is called Mount Tordoki-Yani.

In turn, the Suntar-Khayata mountain range, the Verkhoyansk chains are also located on the territory of Yakutia and the Khabarovsk Territory. The Dzhugdzhur Mountains are also located there, the absolute length of which is about 700 kilometers.

Characteristics of the relief and volcanoes

The Far East region is famous all over the world thanks to a large number active volcanoes, among which Klyuchevskaya Sopka occupies a special place. It is she who is the largest volcano in the entire territory of Eurasia. According to scientists, the age of Sopka, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula, is over 7 thousand years. The most famous volcano is Shiveluch, whose height is 3283 meters above sea level.

The volcanic system of the Far East region also includes Bezymyanny volcano and Karymskaya Sopka. The height of Bezymyanny is about 2882 meters, while the height of Karymskaya Sopka is no more than one and a half kilometers (1468 meters). Its characteristic feature is the release of combustible gases from the crater. In addition, one of the famous attractions is also the Valley of Geysers, which is also the largest in the Eurasian territory.

The map shows that the Far Eastern relief is predominantly mountainous, since plains and lowlands occupy an insignificant part of it (about 25 percent). characteristic feature The terrain also favors a complex coastline. Among the geological and natural factors that have a significant impact on the relief structure, the following can be distinguished:

• glaciation;
• active influence of winds on rocks(physical weathering);
• solifluction processes.

Mountain landscapes in the Far East amaze tourists with their unearthly beauty, since mountain ranges are characterized by the absence of expressive ridges, they have smooth features. However, near the Pacific coast, the landscape changes significantly, as steep cliffs and pointed rocks appear. Many spacious plains rub along the banks of the Amur, as well as its tributaries.

Climate and water resources

Feature of the Far Eastern climate is its contrast. Thus, a subarctic or frosty harsh climate is characteristic of Chukotka, while a sharply continental prevails in Yakutia. Near the sea in Primorsky Krai, a milder monsoonal climate prevails.

The winter season in the Far North is quite severe and little snow. The total duration of winter is over 9 months. One of the factors that have a strong influence on climate formation is the winding mountainous relief. The peak of precipitation occurs mainly in the cold season, when a lot of rains, snowfalls and snowstorms are observed in the Far East.

The abundance of precipitation in winter is due to the fact that huge cyclones form at this time. They appear as a result of mixing cold air masses with warm Pacific air. This is typical for the climate of Kamchatka and Sakhalin. The amount of precipitation (for example, snow) can reach over 6 meters.

In the southern and southeastern territories, heavy monsoon rains usually occur during the warm season. This leads to the fact that the Amur River overflows its banks, flooding many settlements. The spill of the largest river can have very disastrous consequences. In addition, typhoons often shake the Pacific coast in summer.

The river system is characterized by density and development. One of the longest and most full-flowing rivers in the Far East region is undoubtedly the Lena. Its waters stretch over a vast area, starting from the slopes of the Baikal Range and ending with the Laptev Sea. The Lena flows into this sea, forming a huge multi-branched delta.

Minerals and population

The variety of minerals in the bowels allows us to rightfully call the Far East the economic center of the country with a capital letter. Mineral resources include, first of all, precious metals and stones (gold, diamonds), manganese ores, nickel, as well as natural gas and coal deposits.

In the Far East region, the development of natural resources is extremely difficult due to the harsh climate, low population density (labor shortage). In addition, the region is extremely rich in forest resources, which annually provide about 11 billion cubic meters wood. According to statistics, more than half of all products manufactured in the Far East fall on the fishing, timber industry, as well as the extraction of non-ferrous metals.

Tourists on the streets can see many attractions, which makes the region a tourist center. However, despite this, the demographic situation remains extremely unstable. The population is still very low. This is evidenced by the fact that twice as many people live in Moscow alone compared to the entire Far Eastern region. For the most successful assimilation of this topic in geography classes in the classroom, it is recommended to write reports in which it is necessary to briefly describe the list of reasons why the population is rapidly declining.

In terms of its area, the Far Eastern Region is even ahead of Western Europe. According to statistics, the total population is approximately 6.5 million people living in major cities(Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Vladivostok, Blagoveshchensk).

The process of depopulation, which is an active outflow of the population to other Russian regions, occurs due to many economic reasons (low wages, high tariffs for housing and communal services) and other factors. Currently, at the legislative level, the government is developing a policy aimed at activating social and cultural life, contributing to the stabilization of the demographic situation in the region.

Thus, the Far Eastern region is a great Russian expanse, on which there are many mountains and volcanoes that amaze with their magnificence. Each of mountain ranges endowed with truly "unearthly" beauty. The region is extremely rich in natural resources, the extraction of which must be developed. Investments in the mining industry will allow the Far East to stabilize the economic situation and improve the living standards of the population.

For me, the Far East is primarily associated not with the dense forests of Eastern Siberia, but with the volcanoes of Kamchatka. In the relief of this part of Russia, clearly predominant forms can be distinguished, but even here there was a place for diversity. Moreover, I know that the region has a rather ancient geological history.

Features of the Far Eastern relief

The basis of the entire relief of the Far East is the Cenozoic folding. In its extreme northeastern part (Kamchatka), the crust has not yet settled down and the formation of folding continues, which explains the volcanic activity. Frequent guests here are:

• tsunami;
• earthquakes;
• volcanic eruptions.

In the same part of the Far East, there are the highest mountains - Klyuchevskaya Sopka, for example, 4751 m.

The southern part of the region is represented by medium and low mountains (Sikhoty-Alin), and in the middle part there are highlands (Kolyma) and plateaus (Anadyr). The transition between the mountainous part of the Far East and the plateaus is “softly” carried out by the Central Kamchatka Plain, which plays the role of an intermountain depression. Generally speaking, the region is characterized by the presence of a large number of mountain ranges, which can be both high in the north and small, in the form of hills, in the south. The mountains themselves are a clear contrast with the swampy lowlands located in the neighborhood. The relief and the large extent of the area affect the local climate, which can vary greatly in different places in the Far East: from temperate monsoon to arctic.

Volcanoes of the Russian Far East

Kamchatka and the Kuriles are the only centers of active volcanism in Russia that are part of the so-called "Ring of Fire" of the Pacific Ocean. But only in Kamchatka you can observe all types of volcanic activity.

• Highly explosive eruptions (with explosions).
• Effusive eruptions (abundant release of lava).
• Geyser (release of water vapor).
• The activity of fumaroles (rapid release of gas from cracks at the foot of volcanoes).

In total, there are 29 active volcanoes in Kamchatka, and only 5 of them pose a danger to humans.

The East is not only one of the four cardinal directions. This is also the name of a large macro-region of the planet, which has a special culture and is opposed to the so-called Western world. It consists of three parts: Near, Middle and Far East. About the relief, climate, natural resources and cities of the last of these regions and will be discussed in our article.

Far East on the map

The Far East is most often called the eastern expanses of Russia, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, which stretches from the Chukotka Peninsula in the north to Primorsky Krai in the south. The area of ​​the region is over 6 million square meters. km, which is approximately 36% of the total territory of the country.

In a broader interpretation, the Far East also covers the countries of East and Southeast Asia, including the islands of the Sunda Archipelago.

Administratively, the Far East of Russia coincides with the borders of the Far East federal district. It includes nine subjects of the federation (marks on the map correspond to the numbers from the list). This:

1. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.
2. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
3. Kamchatka Krai.
4. Magadan Region.
5. Khabarovsk region.
6. Amur region.
7. Primorsky Krai.
8. Jewish Autonomous Region.
9. Sakhalin region.

Far East time zones: UTC+9, UTC+10, UTC+11 and UTC+12. The time difference with Moscow in this region is 6, 7, 8 and 9 hours, respectively.

From north to south, the territory of the Far East stretches for 4500 kilometers, from west to east - for almost 3500 km. Thus, the southern extremities of the region are located at the latitudes of Sofia, Rome and Toulouse, while its northern outskirts are far beyond the Arctic Circle. Due to such a wide geographic location, climate, Natural resources and the relief of the Far East are exceptionally diverse.

Climate and inland waters

The climatic features of the region are particularly contrasting. So, in Chukotka, a “frosty” subarctic climate dominates, in Yakutia - sharply continental, but in Primorsky Krai - monsoon. In the Far North, winters are severe, with little snow and long (up to nine consecutive months). The complex and predominantly mountainous relief has a considerable influence on the formation of the region's climate.

In the cold season, most of the Far East experiences heavy precipitation (rain, snowfall, snowstorms). This is explained simply: in winter, cold air currents from the so-called Asian Low mix with warm air masses from the Pacific Ocean, forming a large number of cyclones. Especially heavy snowfalls fall on Kamchatka and Sakhalin. Sometimes the height of the snow cover here reaches 5-6 meters!

In summer, abundant monsoon rains occur in the southern and southeastern parts of the region, as a result of which the largest Far Eastern river, the Amur, very often overflows its banks, leading to catastrophic consequences. At the same time of the year, the Pacific coast often suffers from strong typhoons coming from the south.

The river network of the Far East is dense and well developed. The watercourses of the region are usually full-flowing and often overflow their banks during rains. The longest river in the Far East is the Lena. It begins on the slopes of the Baikal Ridge and flows into the Laptev Sea, forming a vast multi-branched delta.

There are also many lakes in the Far East. Most often they are located in lowlands, as well as in zones of active volcanism. The largest lake in the region is Khanka, located on the border of Primorsky Krai and the Chinese province of Heilongjiang.

The relief of the Far East: common features

The relief of the region is predominantly mountainous. Plains and lowlands occupy only about 25% of its territory. This is the land of volcanoes, earthquakes and seismically active zones. Another feature of the local relief is a rather complex coastline.

The following natural and geological factors had a considerable influence on the formation of the relief of the Far East in its current appearance:

• Quaternary glaciations (there were two of them).
• Active physical weathering of rocks.
• Permafrost processes (especially solifluction).

The local landscapes may seem unusual and even a little "unearthly". The mountains and highlands here are smooth, soft, without expressive ridges or canyons. However, the closer to the shore of the Ocean, the more often there are pointed rocks and steep cliffs. The plateau plains stretching along the river valley of the Amur and its largest tributaries are also typical for this area.

Mountains of the Far East

There are plenty of mountains in this region. But many of them are low or medium in their absolute height. The largest mountain systems of the Far East include:

• Sikhote-Alin.
• Suntar Khayat.
• Verkhoyansk chains.
• Dzhugdzhur.
• Chersky Ridge.
• Sredinny and Vostochny ranges of Kamchatka.

Sikhote-Alin is the largest mountainous country in the Far East. It stretches for almost 1200 km within the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. The highest point of the massif is Mount Tordoki-Yani (2090 meters). The Sikhote-Alin mountain system is extremely heterogeneous. Its northern part is represented by gently rounded wooded peaks, while the southern part, on the contrary, is distinguished by a strongly dissected relief, with numerous gorges, rocky ledges and stone screes.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is rich in volcanoes, of which there are at least three hundred. The largest and most famous of them is Klyuchevskaya Sopka. This is the highest mountain in the Far East and the Asian part of Russia as a whole. Its absolute height is constantly changing: after the last eruption in 2013, it is 4835 meters above sea level. It is worth noting that the unique and incredibly beautiful volcanoes of Kamchatka are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Natural wealth of the region

The Far East is extremely rich in various natural resources (in particular, mineral resources), which makes it possible for the region to take a far from the last place in the country's economy. What just does not lie in its depths! These are gold, nickel, tin, diamonds, manganese, polymetallic and manganese ores, oil, gas, hard and brown coal, phosphorites. True, due to vast territory, severe climatic conditions and low population of the region, all these resources are practically not developed.

Huge and varied inventory forest resources in the Far East. Their total volume is estimated by experts at about 11 billion cubic meters of wood. It is important to note that the forestry, fishing industry, as well as the extraction of non-ferrous metals account for over 50% of all marketable products in the region.

Population and cities of the Far East

The population of this region is extremely small. To realize how much, the following fact will help: almost twice as many people live in Moscow alone than in the entire Far East. Moreover, this region surpasses Western Europe in area. Today, about 6.3 million people live within its boundaries.

top five largest cities Far East includes:

• Khabarovsk.
• Vladivostok.
• Yakutsk.
• Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
• Blagoveshchensk.

Today, the Far East is the leader in Russia in terms of depopulation processes. And with the birth rate in the region, everything is in order. main reason demographic decline - a colossal outflow of the population to other regions or countries. The forecasts of scientists in this regard are disappointing: by 2050 the population of the Far East may be reduced to 4 million people.

As a solution to the demographic problem in the region, experts propose a variety of measures: reducing prices for utilities, activating social and cultural life, etc. Among the most exotic options is a proposal to move the capital from Moscow to one of the Far Eastern cities.