This peninsula is located in the northwest of the Russian Federation, is part of the Murmansk region. From the north it is washed by the Barents Sea, and in the east and south by the White Sea. The western border of the peninsula is a meridional depression that stretches from the Kola Bay along the Kola River to the Kandalaksha Bay.
Its area is 100 thousand square kilometers, the northern shore is steep and high, and the southern one is gentle and low, gently sloping. In the west of the peninsula there are mountain ranges - Khibiny and Lovozero tundra. In its center stretches the Keiva Ridge.
Geographic location
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, maritime. Closer to the east, center andin the 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 warms up from +8 °C to +10 °C.
Completely snow cover is established in early October, and disappears only at the end of May (in the mountains, this process drags on until mid-June). Frosts and snowfall are frequent even in summer. Strong winds (up to 55 m/s) often blow on the coast, and prolonged snowstorms are common in winter.
Relief and nature
The Kola Peninsula is terraces and depressions, plateaus and mountains. The massifs of the peninsula rise above sea level by more than eight hundred meters. Swamps and numerous lakes occupy the plains.
Reservoirs are rich in various types of fish - char and salmon, trout and whitefish, pike and grayling. Flounder and cod, capelin and halibut, crab and herring are found in abundance in the seas washing the territory.
History of the Peninsula
Its specialists divide it into four main stages. The first began even before the arrival of the Russians on the Kola Peninsula. In those days, the indigenous population lived here - the Sami. They were engaged in deer hunting, berry picking, 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 appearance of the first Pomeranian settlements. Their inhabitants did the same as the Sami, but, unlike them, they rarely went hunting.
They lived in ordinary Russian huts, but with very narrow windows. They were needed to keep warm as much as possible. Whole pieces of ice were installed in these narrow windows. As it thawed, it formed a strong bond with the tree.
The third historical period of the Kola Peninsula can be considered the war against the invaders. The Norwegians have interfered with the indigenous population since ancient times. They have long claimed the land of the Sami. They had to fight with them, protecting their territory. The British began to lay claim to the peninsula behind the Norwegians. In the 17th and 18th centuries, they burned Kola, a fortress built at the mouth of the river of the same name.
The fourth stage in the history of the peninsula is entirely associated with the emergence of the city of Murmansk. The first prospectors appeared in these places in 1912. Today it is the largest port in the Arctic.
Cities of the Kola Peninsula
The first settlement of the Pomors, which appeared on the territory of the present city of Kola, appeared in 1264. It is mentioned in the notes of Simon van Salingen, a Dutch merchant in the 16th century.
At this time, the Pomors began active trade with the Norwegians, Swedes, British, Danes, who arrived by ship on the Kola Peninsula. The city of Kola became the administrative center. Its population was engaged in fishing, poultry and cattle breeding.
In 1814, the first stone church on the peninsula was built here. The townspeople became famous for fearlessly repulsing the attacks of the Swedes andEnglish.
Murmansk
This largest city in the Arctic is located on the Kola Peninsula. It was founded in October 1916. At first it was called Romanov-on-Murman. The city bore this name until April 1917. It is located on the coast of the Kola Bay, 50 kilometers from the Barents Sea. It is surrounded by numerous hills.
Its area is 15055 hectares (including a part of the water area of the Kola Bay - 1357 hectares). 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 above 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 photos can often be seen on the pages of travel publications, does not have many large cities on its territory. One of them is Apatity, with the territory under its jurisdiction, which includes the Khibiny station and the Tik-Guba settlement.
The city is located between Lake Imandra and the Khibiny Mountains, on the banks of the Belaya River. Population - 57905 people.
In 1916, a railway station appeared on the site of the present city, in connection with the beginning of the construction of the road. In 1930, the state farm "Industriya" was organized here.
The laying of the city took place in 1951, and three years later the construction of the academic campus began. In connection with the death of Stalin, the work wassuspended until 1956. Then the construction of the Kirovskaya GRES began in the city. In 1956, the first residential building was commissioned.
In 1966 the city was transformed. It included the village of Molodyozhny.
Winter on the Kola Peninsula
This is the longest season in these parts. Winter lasts up to eight months. In October, snow cover appears, and in May, lakes and rivers are still ice-bound. And at the same time, in winter, the Kola Peninsula (you see the photo in our article) is a unique, fairy-tale world. Although the temperature can drop below 40 degrees, the cold does not hold down at all and is almost not felt, thanks to the low level of humidity.
Polar night
Due to the fact that the Kola Peninsula is located beyond the Arctic Circle, the polar night reigns here from the end of November until the end of January.
The black sky is strewn with bright stars, the cities are illuminated by electric lights. At noon, the sky brightens a little, purple, dark blue and even pink shades appear on it. Thus pass two short hours of twilight. Then the sky darkens again.
Northern Lights
Few of the inhabitants of the European part of our country had a chance to see this extraordinary sight that adorns the Kola Peninsula in winter. The black sky suddenly blooms with tongues of fiery shades - from crimson to blue-green. It's like a laser show, you can't take your eyes off it. It can be observed from September to April. Until now, the northern lights are considered a mysterious phenomenon, get used toto which even the inhabitants of the Arctic can not.
Rivers of the Peninsula
Reservoirs of this land are mainly fed by melt water (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 much shallower. The water level in them largely depends on the 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 are over 200 km long - Varzuga, Ponoy, Tuloma. They occupy 70% of the total basin area of the Murmansk region. Almost all rivers have a meridional flow direction, only the Ponoi River differs in latitudinal flow.
Many rivers (Niva, Voronya, Umba, etc.) flow from large lakes. The water in them is usually greenish-blue and clear. During floods, rivers carry a large amount of silt, sand, and fallen leaves. The Kola Peninsula is distinguished by a long freeze-up - 7 months, the ice cover remains up to 210 days a year. Rivers open up in May.
Hydro resources
There are hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs on the rivers Tuloma, Niva, Kovda, Voronya. Unlike the flat southern rivers, in the northern rivers, due to cooling of the water, bottom ice forms on the rapids during the cold season.
The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are conditionally divided into four groups:
- semi-plain (Varzuga, Ponoy, Strelna);
- river-channels (Varzina, Niva, Kolvitsa);
- lake type (Umba, Drozdovka, Rynda);
- mountain type (Kuna, Little White).
Fishing
The Kola Peninsula today is one of the most interesting places for true connoisseurs of trout and salmon fishing. It is well known all over the world as the best place for catching "noble fish". Conventionally, fishermen divide the rivers of the peninsula into those that flow into the cold Barents Sea, and those that carry their waters to the White Sea.
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, “tindy”, enters the rivers of the peninsula, and the August herds contain a 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 arctic char and whitefish.
River trout here grows to a very respectable five-, and sometimes even seven-kilogram sizes, and brown trout does not exceed 2 kilograms.
The most famous rivers that attract fishermen from all over the country and from abroad to the Kola Peninsula (Russia), related to the northern coast, are Yokanga, Kola, Rynda, Kharlovka, Varzina, Vostochnaya Litsa. It is here that the best fishing on the Kola Peninsula is organized by the savage.
Kharlovka River
This amazing river is well known to experienced salmon fishers. In addition, travelers who appreciate the extraordinary northern nature often come here. They are attracted by a beautiful waterfall. Huge masses of water can lead to indescribable delight of a person who has seen this amazing sight at least once.
Kharlovka is known for especially large salmon and equally large trout. True, fish can pass through the waterfall streams only with the proper water level in the river. Sometimes anglers give up fishing and watch as the salmon tries to overcome this obstacle. In the white water foam, the fish jumps out of the water. At the top of the waterfall there is a natural slab from which you can capture this process on film. Residents of the Kola Peninsula have long been unsurprised by unique shots in which a huge fish seems to be flying into the camera lens.
Kharlovka has excellent fishing, which is why not only “savage” fishermen come here, but also high-quality organized tours are organized.
Rynda
This river attracts with 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 Rynda River has many fans. Some of them have been coming to these places for fishing tours for 17-18 years.
Tersky coast
The rivers that are located on the southern Tersky coast are very popular among a wide range of anglers around the world.
This is the magnificent river Umba, and the rapids and wide Varzuga with tributaries, Kitsa and Pana, inhabited by numerous salmon herds, and the famous Terek rivers Strelna, Chapoma, Chavanga, Pyalitsa.
It should be noted that the rivers of the Tersky coast are distinguished by a very wide list of living fish. They go to spawnschools of pink salmon, salmon, sea trout.
Brook trout, brown trout, grayling, whitefish live in these rivers.
Roach and ide are found among carp species. And predators are represented by perch, pike, burbot.
