Great Arctic State Nature Reserve

The Great Arctic State Nature Reserve, sprawling across the Taimyr Peninsula and adjacent islands in the Arctic Ocean, is the largest nature reserve in Russia and all of Eurasia. Covering an unfathomable area of over 41,000 square kilometers, it is roughly the size of Switzerland. This freezing, utterly isolated wilderness consists primarily of polar cold deserts and extreme arctic tundra. Permafrost dictates the landscape, and temperatures barely inch above freezing even during the fleeting summer months. The reserve stands as one of the very last major strongholds for the polar bear and supports significant breeding colonies of walruses and beluga whales along its icy, treacherous coastlines. Inland, musk oxen, immense herds of wild reindeer, and Arctic wolves roam the treeless tundra. Despite the severe and punishing climatic conditions, millions of migratory birds, including various rare geese and gull species, flock here to breed during the summer. Protecting this enormous expanse is absolutely critical for global climate change research.

Nearby cities

Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk is the third largest city in Russia and the administrative center of Siberia.

Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg is located on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains and marks the geographical border between Europe and Asia.

Chelyabinsk

Chelyabinsk is a major industrial center located in the Ural Mountains.

Omsk

Omsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia, located at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om rivers.

Ufa

Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan and is located at the confluence of the Belaya and Ufa rivers.

Krasnoyarsk

Krasnoyarsk is located on the banks of the Yenisei River and is one of the oldest cities in Siberia.

Perm

Perm is located on the banks of the Kama River in the European part of Russia, near the Ural Mountains.

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Tyumen

Tyumen was the first Russian city in Siberia and today serves as a major hub for the country's oil and gas industry.

Izhevsk

Izhevsk is the capital of the Udmurt Republic and is known worldwide as the armory of Russia.

Barnaul

Barnaul is the administrative center of Altai Krai in southern West Siberia.

Irkutsk

Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia, located near Lake Baikal.

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Tomsk

Tomsk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia and a major scientific center.

Kemerovo

Kemerovo is a significant industrial center in the Kuznetsk Basin (Kuzbass) in Siberia.

Naberezhnye Chelny

Naberezhnye Chelny is located in Tatarstan on the Kama River.

Kirov

Kirov is located on the Vyatka River in the east of European Russia.

History & landmarks

Yelabuga

A historic town on the Kama River, the birthplace of painter Shishkin and the final home of poet Tsvetayeva.

Veliky Ustyug

An ancient northern Russian town, known as the official home of Father Frost and for its delicate silver niello craftsmanship.