Kola Peninsula

Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula [kō′lə]
peninsula in NW Russia, between the White & Barents seas: c. 40,000 sq mi (103,600 sq km)

* * *

Promontory, northern Russia.

It separates the White and Barents seas; it occupies 40,000 sq mi (100,000 sq km) and extends across the Arctic Circle. It consists of rock more than 570 million years old. The winter climate is severe; the largest town is the ice-free port of Murmansk on the northern coast. It has the world's largest deposits of apatite, used for fertilizer production.

* * *

 large promontory in Murmansk oblast (province), far northern Russia. The Kola Peninsula covers some 40,000 square miles (100,000 square km) and extends across the Arctic Circle for about 190 miles (305 km) north-south and 250 miles (400 km) east-west, separating the White and Barents seas. The peninsula, which is geologically an extension of the Baltic Shield, consists of Precambrian granites and gneisses (more than 570 million years old), much fractured by faulting and rifting to give upland blocks and rift valleys. Two laccoliths, massive intrusions of igneous rock, form the highest areas, the mountain massifs of Khibiny and Lovozorskye Tundry, which reach 3,907 and 3,674 feet (1,191 and 1,120 m), respectively. Along the peninsula's northern coast, a plateau slopes gently northward to a high, cliffed shore. Southward the land falls in a series of steps to the low, swampy Kandalaksha coast. The low cliffs of the Tersky coast at the eastern end of the peninsula overlook the narrow entrance to the White Sea, known as the Gorlo (Throat). There are numerous lakes on the peninsula; the rivers are broken by rapids, and several hydroelectric dams are planned.

      The winter climate is extremely severe, and summers are short and cool. Nearly all the peninsula is in tundra of mosses, lichens, and dwarf Arctic birch. In the south is swampy forest, or taiga, of birch, spruce, and pine. Sphagnum bogs are widespread everywhere. Soils are thin and very poorly developed, but a botanical garden has been maintained. The principal branch of the economy is mining, centred on the towns of Kirovsk and Apatity in the Khibiny Mountains. The Kola Peninsula has the world's largest deposits of apatite (rich in phosphorus and used for fertilizer production). Nephelinite (a source of aluminum), zirconium, and columbium are also mined; the aluminum is smelted on the peninsula and at Kandalaksha. The largest town is the ice-free port of Murmansk (q.v.) on the eastern shore of the long, narrow Kola inlet on the northern coast. Elsewhere, the population is sparse, concentrated along the coasts, with fishing as the main occupation. In the interior a few thousand Sami (Lapps) are engaged in reindeer herding. Some timber working takes place in the extreme south.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Kola Peninsula — [kō′lə] peninsula in NW Russia, between the White & Barents seas: c. 40,000 sq mi (103,600 sq km) …   English World dictionary

  • Kola Peninsula — The Kola Peninsula (from Sami language Guoládat ) ( ru. Кольский полуостров, Kol skij poluostrov ) is a peninsula in the far north of Russia, part of the Murmansk Oblast. It borders upon the Barents Sea on the North and the White Sea on the East… …   Wikipedia

  • Kola, península de — Situada en el norte de Rusia, separa el mar Blanco del mar de Barents y tiene 100. 000 km2 (40.000 mi2). El círculo polar ártico cruza la parte meridional de la península. Está compuesta de roca de más de 570 millones de años de antigüedad. El… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Kola Peninsula — noun a peninsula in northwestern Russia projecting eastward between the Barents Sea and the White Sea • Instance Hypernyms: ↑peninsula • Part Holonyms: ↑Russia, ↑Russian Federation …   Useful english dictionary

  • Kola Peninsula — geographical name peninsula 250 miles (402 kilometers) long & 150 miles (241 kilometers) wide NW Russia in Europe between Barents & White seas …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Kola Peninsula — noun A peninsula in the far north of Russia, part of the Murmansk Oblast. It borders upon the Barents Sea on the North and the White Sea on the East and South …   Wiktionary

  • Kola Peninsula — Ko′la Penin′sula [[t]ˈkoʊ lə[/t]] n. geg a peninsula in the NW Russian Federation in Europe, between the White and Barents seas …   From formal English to slang

  • Kola — can refer to: *Kola nut, a genus of about 125 species of trees*Bhuta Kola, an ancient form of worship prevalent among the Tulu speaking community in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada districts in Karnataka and Kasargod district in Kerala *Inca Kola, a very …   Wikipedia

  • Kola (town) — Kola ( ru. Кола, se. Guoládat, sm. Kuâlõk) is a town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kola and Tuloma Rivers, 12 km south of Murmansk and 24 km south west of Severomorsk. It is the oldest town of the Kola Peninsula.… …   Wikipedia

  • Península — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Península de la Florida (Florida, EE.UU.) …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”