Assessment of natural conditions and resources of Eastern Siberia. Features of nature, permafrost of northeastern Siberia

central part Eastern Siberia is located within the vast Central Siberian Plateau, to the south of which the relief becomes mid-mountain (up to 3 thousand m above sea level), forming the mountain systems of the Eastern and Western Sayans, the Baikal region and Transbaikalia. Lowlands are characteristic only of the polar peninsula of Taimyr - North Siberian and the Yenisei Left Bank strip, within the West Siberian Plain.

The climate is sharply continental, with very cold winter and relatively warm summer. The amount of precipitation increases from north to south, reaching a maximum (800-1200 mm) in the mountains of Southern Siberia. The far north of Eastern Siberia falls into the permafrost zone, the centers of which extend far to the south.

Severe climatic conditions Eastern Siberia and the widespread occurrence of permafrost retard the development of chemical and biological weathering processes, and therefore soil formation occurs slowly. The soil profile is thin (10-30 cm), gristly, with a low humus content, peaty and moist. A variety of physical and geographical conditions (mountain and flat terrain, low air and soil temperatures, varying amounts of precipitation, shallow permafrost) contributes to the emergence of variegated soil cover. In the mountains under forests, mountain podburs and taiga permafrost soils predominate, among which gley-taiga permafrost soils are often found, especially on the northern slopes. On the southern slopes, permafrost-taiga soils with slight podzolization are common. The mountains of the Okhotsk coast are dominated by mountain podzolic soils. In mountain tundras, mountain tundra soils are formed, predominantly underdeveloped coarse-skeletal soils. The upper slopes of the mountains are covered with rocky areas. In the lowlands, tundra-gley, humus-peat-bog, gley-taiga permafrost soils are common. Bog soils are developed on the floodplains and valley terraces. In the floodplains of tundra rivers, permafrost lies at shallow depths, and sometimes layers of ice appear in the coastal cliffs. The soil cover is poorly developed.

The natural conditions of Eastern Siberia are characterized by the severity of the climate, the presence of permafrost, peat bogs, tundra, taiga, as well as the predominance of hills and mountains. Unfavorability natural conditions increases in the northern and eastern directions. The southwestern part of Eastern Siberia is considered the most convenient in terms of natural and climatic conditions. Therefore, the bulk of the population, the largest industrial centers, and the most developed transport connections are concentrated here.

The influence of natural conditions and resources on the location and development of the economy in some areas of Eastern Siberia is very great. Therefore, naturally, the more severe the natural conditions, the higher the cost of the products produced and the more valuable and unique they must be in order to compensate for the increased costs of their production. This is especially important in the context of the formation and development of market relations.

Eastern Siberia is the second largest economic region of Russia after the Far East. The areas of market specialization of the region, which determine its place in the territorial division of labor, include the coal industry, electric power, non-ferrous metallurgy (especially aluminum production), some chemical industries, forestry and fur fishing.

Most of the hydropower resources and general geological coal reserves are concentrated here. In Eastern Siberia there are unique deposits of non-ferrous, rare and precious metals (copper, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, niobium, titanium, gold, platinum, etc.), many types of non-metallic raw materials (mica, asbestos, talc, graphite, magnesite, fluorspar and etc.). Large oil reserves have been discovered and natural gas. Eastern Siberia holds first place in Russian Federation on timber reserves.

Geological coal reserves reach 3.7 trillion tons, which is more than half of Russia's coal resources and twice the coal resources of the United States. The most studied and developed are the Kansk-Achinsk, Minusinsk and Irkutsk coal basins. The Taimyr, Tunguska and Ulughem basins have not yet been sufficiently explored, let alone developed.

The Kansk-Achinsk coal basin extends along the Trans-Siberian railway for a distance of about 800 km. The total geological reserves of coal in it amount to 638 billion tons. The main deposits of this basin are: Berezovskoye, Irsha-Borodinskoye, Nazarovskoye, Bogotolskoye, Abanskoye, Uryupskoye. Brown coals occur in thick layers (up to 100 m) and are close to the surface, which allows them to be mined in the open.

The Minusinsk coal basin has geological coal reserves of 32.5 billion tons. It is located along the banks of the upper reaches of the Yenisei and its tributary Abakan in the Minusinsk Basin. Coals are hard coals and can be mined mainly using the mine method.

The reserves of the Irkutsk coal basin are estimated at 76.2 billion tons. The best quality coals of this basin are found in the Cheremkhovskoye, Novo-Metelkinskoye and Azeyskoye deposits.

Rich coal deposits have been discovered on the territory of Tuva. The Ulughem basin stands out here with geological reserves of about 18 billion tons coal, which is a good energy fuel and is characterized by a low content of ash and sulfur. However, due to the lack of transport links with the industrial centers of Eastern Siberia, the basin is still of only local importance. Transbaikalia (Chita region and Buryatia) has significant coal reserves. In Buryatia, the largest deposits are Gusinoozerskoye, Nikolskoye, Tugunskoye. Brown coals have a high yield of volatile combustible substances, as a result of which they can spontaneously ignite during long-term storage. Ugli Chita region for the most part also classified as brown. The main deposits are Kharanorskoye, Chernovskoye, Tarbagataiskoye. In the Bukachachinskoye deposit there are hard coals.

The Tunguska coal basin occupies a large part (1 million km2) of the Siberian platform between the Lena and Yenisei rivers. It has still been poorly studied and, due to its inaccessibility and remoteness from industrial centers, is not exploited (only coal is mined for the needs of Norilsk). However, it is estimated that the geological reserves of coal in the Tunguska basin are very large and amount to about 2299 billion tons. In the north; part of the Taimyr Peninsula, the Taimyr coal basin is located with total reserves of 235 billion tons. It has still been little studied due to the harsh natural and climatic conditions and underdevelopment transport network. Within Krasnoyarsk Territory There is also part of the Lena coal basin - the Anabar-Khatanga coal-bearing region with deposits of brown coal.

Oil was discovered in the 1960s near Ust-Kut near the village of Markovo. In subsequent years, oil and natural gas resources were discovered not only in the north of the Irkutsk region, but also in Evenkia and the Nizhne-Angarsk region of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, but their industrial production has not yet been carried out. There are also minor reserves of oil shale.

Large reserves of iron ore and non-ferrous metal ores are concentrated in Eastern Siberia. Total balance reserves iron ores are estimated at 4.6 billion tons. Their main resources are located in the Angaro-Pitsky, Angaro-Ilimsky and Khakass-Minusinsk basins. The best quality in Eastern Siberia are the ores of the Angara-Ilim basin (Korshunovskoye and Rudnogorskoye deposits). They belong to maguetites and contain on average 46-48% iron.

Eastern Siberia is rich in various non-ferrous and rare metals, especially gold, molybdenum, tin, nickel and copper. In addition, there are significant reserves of aluminum, zinc, lead, and cobalt.

Reserves of lead-zinc ores are concentrated mainly in the Gorevsky and Kyzyl-Tashtygsky deposits of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Nerchinsk group of deposits in the Chita Region. Polymetallic ores (especially in the Krasnoyarsk Territory) contain precious and rare metals in addition to lead and zinc. It should be noted that in some cases the cost of these additional components of polymetallic ores significantly exceeds the cost of lead and zinc.

Eastern Siberia has large reserves of copper and nickel. They are concentrated mainly in the copper-nickel deposits of the Norilsk and in the cuprous sandstones and copper-nickel ores of the Udokan ore region. Along with copper, ores and industrial concentrates contain molybdenum, and to a lesser extent cobalt, tungsten, and gold.

Aluminum raw materials are represented mainly by nepheline ores and, to a lesser extent, bauxites. Most large deposits are located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory (Goryachegorskoye, Ugorskoye, Chadobetskoye) and in Buryatia (Boksonskoye).

Molybdenum deposits are known in the Chita region (Bugdanskoye and Shirokenskoye), Krasnoyarsk Territory (Sorskoye) and Buryatia (Dzhidinskoye and Orekitkanskoye).

There are significant reserves of tin, which are concentrated mainly in the south of the Chita region (Levo-Ingodinskoye, Sherlovogorskoye deposits).

Gold deposits are found here both in the form of quartz-gold veins and placers. In the Chita region there are a number of primary gold deposits (Baleyskoye, Tasseevskoye, Darasunskoye). The bulk of gold is mined in Transbaikalia, the Bodaibinsky district of the Irkutsk region and the Yenisei taiga.

Eastern Siberia has large reserves of various nonmetallic minerals. There are deposits of fluorspar, mica, graphite, magnesite, talc, cement marls, etc. There are asbestos deposits in many areas (the largest deposits are Ak-Dovurakskoye in Tuva and Molodezhnoe in Buryatia). Eastern Siberia is rich in reserves table salt. The main deposits are located in the Chita region, Krasnoyarsk region and Irkutsk region. Moreover, in the Irkutsk region, the salt-bearing basin extends from Usolye Siberian to Ust-Kut, and the thickness of the salt layers in some places reaches several hundred meters.

Rivers are the transport system of the landscape. Large and small rivers of Eastern Siberia form a dense network. Despite the insignificant amount of precipitation, the rivers are full of water. This is explained by a short warm period, during which rapid floods occur. In addition, frozen soil prevents water from seeping deep, and therefore most of the precipitation flows into rivers, which are fed mainly by melt water, snow water and rain. Spring causes floods and a significant rise in water levels. On the territory of the Central Siberian Plateau, many rivers flow along tectonic cracks in deep valleys (up to 300 meters). All rivers in this territory belong to the Arctic Ocean basin. The Yenisei flows along the western edge of the Central Siberian Plateau. Its most abundant right tributary is the Angara, flowing from Lake Baikal, which regulates the river’s flow, making it uniform throughout the year. This favors the use water energy Hangars.

10 km from Baikal, high in the mountains, the Lena River originates. Having accepted major tributaries, especially Aldan and Vilyui, it turns into a large flat river. When it flows into the sea, the Lena forms a huge delta, the largest in Russia, consisting of more than a thousand islands. Others also flow into the seas of the Arctic Ocean large rivers- Indigirka and Kolyma. The lakes in this area are unevenly distributed. There are especially many of them in the northern and eastern parts.

Baikal is one of the oldest lakes on the planet; scientists estimate its age at 25 million years. However, Baikal shows no signs of aging, like many lakes in the world. On the contrary, research recent years allowed geophysicists to hypothesize that Baikal is an incipient ocean. This is confirmed by the fact that its shores diverge at a speed of up to 2 cm per year, just as the continents of Africa and South America diverge1.

Among the lakes globe Lake Baikal ranks 1st in depth. On Earth, only 6 lakes have a depth of more than 500 meters. The greatest depth mark in the southern basin of Baikal is 1423 m, in the middle – 1637 m, in the northern – 890 m. The deepest point of the bedrock basin of Baikal lies approximately 5–6 thousand meters below the level of the world ocean. The "roots" of the depression cut through the entire earth's crust and go into the upper mantle to a depth of 50–60 km. This is the deepest basin on earth.

Baikal is the largest reservoir of fresh water on the planet (23 thousand km 3), which exceeds the volume of water contained in the five Great Lakes of North America (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario) combined, or 2 times more than in Lake Tanganyika. About 20% of the world's reserves of fresh lake water on the planet are concentrated in the Baikal basin (excluding glaciers, snowfields and ice, where the water is in a solid state).

Lena is a river flowing in Eastern Siberia, in the Irkutsk region and Yakutia. Its length is 4400 km, the basin area is 2490 thousand square meters. km. The Lena River originates on the slopes of the Baikal Range, flows into the Laptev Sea, forming a vast (about 30 thousand sq. km) delta. The main tributaries of the Lena are the Noya and Vilyui. Gold and a variety of fish are mined in Lena.

The Angara is the most abundant tributary of the Yenisei in the Irkutsk region and Krasnoyarsk region. Its length is 1779 km, the basin area is 1040 thousand square meters. km. The Angara flows out of Lake Baikal and flows along the southern part of the Central Siberian Plateau. In the middle and lower reaches of the Angara it crosses the area of ​​distribution of traps. From the source, most of the river turns into a cascade of reservoirs. The main tributaries of the Angara: Irkut, Oka with Biya, Kova, Taseev, Ilim, Chadobet. Operating reserves groundwater for the studied southern part of the basin (cal. 231.5 thousand sq. km) are estimated at 209 m3/s. Salt waters and brines of the basin are used to obtain NaCl; it is also possible to extract Br, K, Mg and other elements.

The Kara, Laptev and East Siberian seas wash the shores of Eastern Siberia for more than 10 thousand km. All of them are located in a strip within a strip of continental shallows and are therefore relatively shallow. Only at a considerable distance from the shores do the depths reach 150-200 m.

The development of the northern sea route was of great importance for the rise of the economy and cultural level of the inhabitants of the Far North. Every year, sea steamships pass along this route, accompanied by powerful icebreakers, carrying industrial equipment and products from the ports of Dikson, Igarka, Dudinka, Tiksi to the northern regions of Eastern Siberia. They return laden with timber, ore and fish.

In terms of the wealth of hydropower resources, Eastern Siberia ranks first in Russia. The hydropower resources of rivers, technically possible for use, are estimated at 700 billion kWh, and in their economically efficient part - at 350 billion kWh. One of the greatest rivers in the world, the Yenisei, flows through the region. In terms of water content, it ranks first in Russia, carrying 548 km 3 of water into the ocean every day, i.e. 2.5 times more than the Volga. The river has huge reserves of hydropower resources; hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of up to 30 million kW with an average annual electricity generation of up to 140 billion kWh can be built on it.

Along with the already operating Sayano-Shushenskaya, Krasnoyarsk, Mainskaya, Novosibirsk, Vilyuiskaya, Bratskaya, Sayanskaya, Kolmykskaya, Ust-Ilimskaya, Tsimlyanskaya, Bureyskaya, Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power stations, it is possible to construct new power plants. The most abundant tributary of the Yenisei is the Angara. On it, starting from Baikal and ending with the confluence with the Yenisei, i.e., over a distance of 1826 km, the river drop is about 380 m. Moreover, if in upper reaches The width of the Angara reaches two kilometers, but on average, especially at the Padun narrowing, it is halved, and the force of the water fall is so great that the conditions for the construction of a hydroelectric power station are simply unique (which is why the Bratsk hydroelectric power station was built).

The importance of the Angara as a unique source of cheap electricity increases many times due to the regulating role of Lake Baikal, which ensures constant water flow, which is an important factor in the sustainability of power plants.

Eastern Siberia is one of the richest forest areas in the world. Forests occupy about half of the entire territory, and in terms of timber reserves, estimated at 27 billion m 3, it ranks first in Russia. The bulk of the forests are coniferous species - larch, pine, spruce, cedar, fir, which account for 93.5% of all forest plantations, and only 6.5% falls on deciduous species, mainly birch and aspen. Distinctive feature forests of Eastern Siberia are compact forest areas and large reserves of wood per 1 hectare of forest plantations, which determines the higher economic efficiency of forestry compared to other areas.

In the article we will talk about the climate of Eastern Siberia. This is a very large region with its own natural laws. We will try to consider in detail separate territories in order to form a comprehensive opinion.

Siberia

Eastern Siberia includes the Asian part of Russia, starting from the Yenisei to the watershed ridge, which runs along Pacific Ocean. Note that the population in large cities of Siberia has grown very quickly over the past century. The area of ​​the territory is 7.2 million km. The largest cities are Krasnoyarsk, Chita, Yakutsk, Bratsk, Norilsk, Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. The taiga type of vegetation predominates here.

General climate characteristics

It should be said that the climate of Eastern Siberia is quite moderate. It is continental, sharply continental, moderately continental, steppe and foothill. At the same time, we will talk about the climate in specific areas below. Note that there is much less precipitation here than in many western regions of the country. The snow cover is most often not too heavy, but permafrost is common in the north. IN northern regions Winters are very cold and long, and temperatures sometimes reach -50 °C. In the south, summers are very hot and long, temperatures are quite high.

Climate of Krasnoyarsk

This city is considered the largest in this region. The climate type in Eastern Siberia is sharply continental. The territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory extends from the Arctic Ocean to the mountain ranges of Southern Siberia. This region is distinguished by the fact that it has very rich and diverse natural resources and conditions. In this vast territory, researchers identify as many as 2 climatic zones, namely, Arctic and subarctic. Within each of them there are some changes against the general background of the nature of Eastern Siberia. The Western and Eastern climatic regions, the border of which intersects with the Yenisei River valley, are especially distinguished.

The northern part of the Krasnoyarsk Territory is characterized by a very harsh climate. It's winter here almost all year round. The central part has a flat terrain with fertile soils. The territory is typically hot, but short summer and protracted Cold winter. The temperature changes here very quickly. In the south of the region there are warm summers and moderate snowy winter. There are many healing springs and lakes here, thanks to which the construction of resorts, recreation centers and sanatoriums is developing. Interestingly, in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, winter begins in September. The coldest months are December, January and February, as at this time the average daytime temperature is -36 °C.

Peculiarities

The peculiarities of the climate of Eastern Siberia in the Krasnoyarsk Territory are that frosty weather sets in against the backdrop of very strong winds. Note that Norilsk is considered one of the coldest cities in the world. Permanent snow cover forms already in October. Spring in the northern part begins only at the end of May, when the snow actively melts. In the central and southern regions, spring begins in April. It is quite cold and can sometimes be accompanied by snow. The amount of precipitation increases, but nature comes to life.

Krasnoyarsk region has unique natural conditions. You can relax here both actively and passively. It's best to go here in summer period, if you are not adapted to the cold. All year round There are sanatoriums and recreation centers that provide all conditions.

The Republic of Khakassia

We have already learned what type of climate is typical for Eastern Siberia, since we have decided on three main directions.

In the Republic of Khakassia there is a sharp continental climate. Note that this territory is located almost in the center of Asia. There are also two reservoirs here - Sayano-Shushenskoye and Krasnoyarsk. They slightly soften the climate of the area. Khakassia has long and frosty winters, and summers are too short and warm. Due to the fact that the area is quite open, a lot of arctic air enters here. At the same time, the Republic of Khakassia is considered a rather sunny region. Really, sunny days there's more of everything here. On average there are more than 200 of them per year.

Winter begins in early November. It is not characterized by heavy snowfalls, although sometimes there are strong snowstorms. Ice is not typical for this area. Most cold month- it's January. Spring begins in early April, as the snow melts at this time. IN spring time observed very strong winds. In May, all nature wakes up and the temperature can even rise to + 18 °C. Summers are generally warm, but are characterized by some hot spells. July is considered the hottest month, as the average daily temperature can reach +25 °C. In August the temperature drops slightly. Autumn begins in early September, during which time dry weather prevails. At the same time, the night temperature drops quite quickly. The climate is characterized by the fact that there is very little rainfall here, and it is quite uneven. Strong winds occur throughout the year. Khakassia is ideal place for lovers active rest. There are high mountains, forests, virgin rivers. It is best to visit this area in the warm season, as then you can enjoy all the beauties. The worst time to visit Khakassia is autumn, as at this time the weather is most unstable and rainy.

Tyva

The type of climate of Eastern Siberia that we will consider now is characteristic of the Republic of Tyva. Here it is sharply continental. This small area is distinguished by a variety of natural conditions. The peculiarities of the climate of North-Eastern Siberia in this region are that it combines two natural zones, namely the vast dry Asian deserts and the South Siberian forest. Dry periods occur very often. Winter here begins in early November and lasts for five whole months. Usually it is not windy and frosty. Little snow falls. The coldest month is January. Spring begins in early April and lasts only two months. The snow disappears completely only in the middle of the month. Summer begins in June and lasts just over 80 days. It is warm and dry, sometimes even hot. However, in mountainous areas the summer period is short and cool.

Nature reserve

Irkutsk region

It is believed that this is an area with the largest number sunny days. Lake Baikal has a huge influence on the climate of Eastern Siberia. It’s interesting that the number of warm days a year is not inferior even to Crimea. Winter begins at the end of October and is characterized by clear and calm weather. At the same time, high atmospheric pressure is observed. In winter, snow does not fall for a very long time, which is why the soil freezes. The coldest month is January. At the same time, the winter period is characterized by frequent precipitation. Spring begins in early April and lasts only 30 days. At this time, nature awakens and comes to life. The amount of solar energy increases and the air temperature rises. Summer begins at the end of May. It is characterized by low pressure and short length. Autumn begins at the end of August. It is characterized by sharp temperature fluctuations during the day and early frosts. The distribution of precipitation in the Irkutsk region is very uneven. The best place to go here on vacation is summer months, as there will be an opportunity to see many of the natural beauties of Lake Baikal.

The Republic of Buryatia

What is the climate of Eastern Siberia in this area? Here, too, a sharply continental climate type prevails. Unique natural conditions have formed due to the remoteness of the territory from the seas and oceans. The climate is very heterogeneous and is characterized by large fluctuations in air temperature. Winters here are cold, summers are very hot. The cold season begins in November. It is characterized low temperatures, a little snow and dryness. Partly cloudy and clear weather prevails, precipitation is minimal. The lowest temperatures are recorded in basins and river valleys, but the area near Lake Baikal is a real heat accumulator. Winter lasts almost 5 months, spring begins in April. It is characterized by windiness and coolness. Summer begins in June, but it is quite short and hot. However, it is still cool at night. Heavy rainfall occurs in July and August. Autumn begins already in the last days of August. It comes on very gradually. The air temperature drops and the amount of precipitation increases. It is best to go here in the warm season. Buryatia is the most beautiful region of Eastern Siberia, which is why it is worth seeing with your own eyes how unrivaled it is.

Transbaikal region

What climate is typical for Eastern Siberia in the Trans-Baikal Territory? It is also sharply continental. The territory is unevenly removed from the oceans. The weather is frosty throughout the year and there are few winds. The cold begins at the end of October. Winter lasts more than 6 months. The peculiarity of this region is that there is practically no wind. February and March are the least frosty months. Spring comes in the first ten days of April. It is quite short and very windy. It is also characterized by severe frosts at night. Storms occur very often here, especially in the eastern part. Summer begins in June and lasts only two and a half months. But it is quite hot, which causes fires very often. The first days of autumn arrive at the beginning of September. This period is relatively short and moderately important. Frosts are recorded at night, but in general the weather is quite warm, dry and cozy.

Eastern Siberia is part of the Asian territory of the Russian Federation. It is located from the borders of the Pacific Ocean to the Yenisei River. This zone is characterized by an extremely harsh climate and limited fauna and flora.

Geographical description

Eastern and occupy almost two-thirds of the territory of Russia. Situated on a plateau. Eastern zone covers an area of ​​about 7.2 million square meters. km. Her possessions extend all the way to the Sayan mountain ranges. Most of the territory is represented by tundra lowland. The mountains of Transbaikalia play a significant role in the formation of the relief.

Despite the harsh climatic conditions, there are quite a lot of big cities. The most attractive from an economic point of view are Norilsk, Irkutsk, Chita, Achinsk, Yakutsk, Ulan-Ude, etc. Within the zone are the Trans-Baikal and Krasnoyarsk territories, the republics of Yakutia, Buryatia, Tuva and other administrative regions.

The main type of vegetation is taiga. It stretches from Mongolia to the borders of the forest-tundra. Occupies more than 5 million square meters. km. Most of the taiga is represented coniferous forests, which make up 70% of the local vegetation. Soils develop unevenly relative to natural areas. In the taiga zone the soil is favorable and stable, in the tundra it is rocky and frozen.

Within the interfluve and lowlands, minor swamps are observed. However, there are much fewer of them than in the same Western Siberia. But in the eastern region they are often found arctic deserts and deciduous plantings.

Relief characteristics

Eastern Siberia of Russia is located on high level above the sea. The plateau, which is located in the middle part of the zone, is to blame. Here the height of the platform varies from 500 to 700 meters above sea level. The relative averaging of the region is noted. The highest points are considered to be the interfluve of the Lena and the Vilyui plateau - up to 1700 meters.

The base of the Siberian platform is represented by a crystalline folded basement, on which there are huge sedimentary layers up to 12 kilometers thick. The north of the zone is determined by the Aldan shield and the Anabar massif. Average power the soil is about 30 kilometers.

Today, the Siberian platform contains several main types of rocks. This includes marble, crystalline slate, charnockite, etc. The oldest deposits date back to 4 billion years. Igneous rocks formed as a result of eruptions. Most of these deposits are found in the Tunguska depression.

The modern relief is a combination of lowlands and hills. Rivers flow in the valleys, swamps form, and coniferous trees grow better on the hills.

Features of the water area

It is generally accepted that Far East its “façade” faces the Arctic Ocean. The eastern region borders on the Kara, Siberian and Laptev seas. Of the largest lakes, it is worth highlighting Baikal, Lama, Taimyr, Pyasino and Khantayskoye.

Rivers flow in deep valleys. The most significant of them are the Yenisei, Vilyuy, Lena, Angara, Selenga, Kolyma, Olekma, Indigirka, Aldan, Lower Tunguska, Vitim, Yana and Khatanga. The total length of the rivers is about 1 million km. Most of the region's internal basin belongs to the Arctic Ocean. Other external water areas include rivers such as Ingoda, Argun, Shilka and Onon.

The main source of nutrition for the inland basin of Eastern Siberia is snow cover, which large volume melts under the influence sun rays since the beginning of summer. The next most important role in the formation of continental waters is played by rain and groundwater. The highest level of basin flow is observed in summer.

The largest and most important river in the region is the Kolyma. Its water area occupies more than 640 thousand square meters. km. The length is about 2.1 thousand km. The river originates in the Upper Kolyma Highlands. The annual water consumption exceeds 120 cubic meters. km.

Eastern Siberia: climate

The formation of meteorological features of a region is determined by its territorial location. The climate of Eastern Siberia can be briefly described as continental, consistently harsh. There are significant seasonal fluctuations in cloudiness, temperature, and precipitation levels. The Asian anticyclone forms vast areas of high pressure in the region, this phenomenon is especially found in winter time. On the other hand, severe frost makes air circulation changeable. Due to this temperature fluctuation in different time days are more significant than in the west.

The climate of North-Eastern Siberia is represented by variable air masses. It is characterized by increased precipitation and dense snow cover. This area is dominated by continental flows, which rapidly cool in the surface layer. That is why in January the temperature drops to a minimum. Arctic winds predominate at this time of year. Often in winter you can observe air temperatures down to -60 degrees. Basically, such minimums are characteristic of basins and valleys. On the plateau, the indicators do not drop below -38 degrees.

Warming is observed with the arrival of air flows from China and Central Asia into the region.

winter time

It is not for nothing that it is believed that Eastern Siberia has the heaviest and most severe conditions. The table of temperature indicators in winter is proof of this (see below). These indicators are presented as average values ​​over the last 5 years.

Due to the increased dryness of the air, the constancy of the weather and the abundance of sunny days, such low levels are more easily tolerated than in a humid climate. One of the defining meteorological characteristics of winter in Eastern Siberia is the absence of wind. Most of the season there is moderate calm, so there are practically no blizzards or blizzards here.

It is interesting that in the central part of Russia a frost of -15 degrees is felt much stronger than in Siberia -35 C. Nevertheless, such low temperatures significantly worsen living and working conditions local residents. All living areas have thickened walls. Expensive fuel boilers are used to heat buildings. The weather begins to improve only with the onset of March.

Warm seasons

In fact, spring in this region is short, as it arrives late. The eastern one, which changes only with the arrival of warm Asian air currents, begins to wake up only by mid-April. It is then that the stability of positive temperatures during the daytime is noted. Warming begins in March, but it is insignificant. Towards the end of April the weather begins to change better side. In May, the snow cover completely melts and the vegetation blooms.

IN summer time in the south of the region the weather becomes relatively hot. Especially it concerns steppe zone Tuva, Khakassia and Transbaikalia. In July the temperature here rises to +25 degrees. The highest rates are observed on flat terrain. It is still cool in the valleys and highlands. If we take the whole of Eastern Siberia, then average temperature in summer here - from +12 to +18 degrees.

Climate features in autumn

Already at the end of August, the first frosts begin to envelop the Far East. They are observed mainly in the northern part of the region at night. It's shining during the day bright sun, it rains from wet snow, sometimes the wind increases. It is worth noting that the transition to winter occurs much faster than from spring to summer. In the taiga, this period takes about 50 days, and in the steppe area - up to 2.5 months. All this character traits, which distinguishes Eastern Siberia from other northern zones.

The climate in autumn is also represented by an abundance of rain coming from the west. Humid Pacific winds most often blow from the east.

Precipitation level

The relief is responsible for atmospheric circulation in Eastern Siberia. Both pressure and flow speed depend on it air masses. The region receives about 700 mm of precipitation annually. The maximum indicator for the reporting period is 1000 mm, the minimum is 130 mm. The level of precipitation is not clearly defined.

On the plateau in the middle zone it rains more often. Due to this, the amount of precipitation sometimes exceeds 1000 mm. The driest region is considered to be Yakutia. Here the amount of precipitation varies within 200 mm. Least of all it's raining in the period from February to March - up to 20 mm. The western regions of Transbaikalia are considered optimal zones for vegetation relative to precipitation.

Permafrost

Today there is no place in the world that can compete in terms of continentality and meteorological anomalies with the region called Eastern Siberia. The climate in some areas is striking in its severity. In the immediate vicinity of the Arctic Circle lies a permafrost zone.

This area is characterized by light snow cover and low temperatures throughout the year. Because of this, mountain weather and soil lose a huge amount of heat, freezing to depths of meters. The soil here is predominantly rocky. Groundwater are underdeveloped and often freeze for decades.

Vegetation of the region

The nature of Eastern Siberia is mostly represented by taiga. Such vegetation extends for hundreds of kilometers from the Lena River to Kolyma. In the south, the taiga borders on the local property, untouched by man. However, due to the arid climate, the threat of large-scale fires always hangs over them. In winter, the temperature in the taiga drops to -40 degrees, but in summer the readings often rise to +20. Precipitation is moderate.

The nature of Eastern Siberia is also represented by the tundra zone. This zone is adjacent to the Arctic Ocean. The soils here are bare, the temperature is low, and the humidity is excessive. In mountainous areas, flowers such as cotton grass, grass grass, poppy, and saxifrage grow. Trees in the region include spruce, willow, poplar, birch, and pine.

Animal world

Almost all regions of Eastern Siberia are not distinguished by the richness of their fauna. The reasons for this are permafrost, lack of food and underdeveloped deciduous flora.

The largest animals are Brown bear, lynx, elk and wolverine. Sometimes you can see foxes, ferrets, stoats, badgers and weasels. The central zone is home to musk deer, sable, deer and bighorn sheep.

Due to the perpetually frozen soil, only a few species of rodents are found here: squirrels, chipmunks, flying squirrels, beavers, marmots, etc. But the feathered world is extremely diverse: wood grouse, crossbill, hazel grouse, goose, crow, woodpecker, duck, nutcracker, sandpiper, etc. .

Eastern Siberia is one of the country's richest regions in natural resources. It contains 30% of the balance reserves of coal, 40% of the total reserves of wood, 44% of cost-effective hydropower resources, 25% of river flow, a significant part of the gold reserves, deposits of copper, nickel, cobalt, aluminum raw materials, mining chemical raw materials, graphite, iron ores and others mineral. Its recreational, agricultural and territorial resources are huge and varied. Large reserves natural resources and favorable conditions for their operation determine the high efficiency of their involvement in economic turnover.
The development of the Kansk-Achinsk brown coal basin is of great importance for the country's economy. The basin is located along the Trans-Siberian Railway for 700 km, its width is from 50 to 300 km. The deposits have one thick (from 10 to 90 m) layer. Coals can be mined by open pit mining. The stripping ratio ranges from 1 to 3 cubic meters. m/t. Heat of combustion of working fuel is 2800 - 4600 kcal/kg. In terms of ash content, they are classified as low- and medium-ash (8 - 12%). The sulfur content does not exceed 0.9%. The potential capabilities of the Kansk-Achinsk basin make it possible to increase annual coal production to 1 billion tons. The labor productivity of one worker in the open-pit mines of the Kansk-Achinsk basin is 5 times higher than in the Donbass.
The Minusinsk coal basin is located in the Republic of Khakassia. General geological coal reserves are estimated at 32.5 billion tons, including 2.8 billion tons in industrial categories A+B+C1. Coals occur at a depth of up to 300 m. The thickness of coal seams is from 1 to 20 m. Coefficient overburden 4 - 5 cubic meters. m/t.
The Ulughem coal basin (Tuva) concentrates 17.9 billion tons of general geological coal reserves. The pool is not sufficiently developed. Explored reserves amount to over 1 billion tons.
General geological reserves of the Tunguska coal basin reach 2345 billion tons, including explored ones - 4.9 billion tons. Currently, the Norilsk and Kayerkan deposits are exploited in the basin, which provide fuel to the Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine. Of primary interest is the development of the Kokuyskoye field (lower Angara). Here it is possible to build a mine with a capacity of 10 million tons of coal per year.
The Irkutsk basin has total geological coal reserves of 76 billion tons, including 7 billion tons in category A+B+C1. The thickness of the coal seams is 4 - 12 m. Stripping ratio 3.5 - 7 cubic meters. m/t. Most of the explored coal reserves of the Irkutsk basin are available for open-pit mining. Some deposits are characterized by a high sulfur content (7 - 8%) and cannot be exploited (Karantsaiskoye).
In Transbaikalia, three deposits can be developed by open-pit mining: Kharanorskoye, Tataurovskoye and Tugnuiskoye. The general geological reserves of coal in Transbaikalia are estimated at 23.8 billion tons, including 5.3 billion tons in industrial categories. Most of the coals here are of low quality. In some cases, deposits are located in floodplains of rivers (Tataurovskoye) and have overburden rocks of significant strength (Tugnuiskoye). At the deposits of Transbaikalia, open-pit mines with a total capacity of 40 million tons of coal per year can be built.
Hydropower resources occupy a special place in Eastern Siberia; their potential is estimated at 997 billion kWh. Among the country's energy bases, the region ranks first in terms of efficiency in the use of hydropower resources.
In the Angara-Yenisei region there is the possibility of constructing hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of over 60 million kW. The average power of hydroelectric power stations in the Yenisei basin is 12 times greater than the capacity of hydroelectric power stations in the country (3.6 million kW compared to 0.3 million kW).
The large capacities of hydroelectric power stations in the Yenisei basin are achieved due to a favorable combination of natural conditions: high water content of rivers and aging river valleys, which favors the construction of high dams and the creation of capacious reservoirs. River valleys are characterized by a deep incision into the surface, rocky banks and the presence of rocks at the base of structures. As a result, hydroelectric power stations in the Angara-Yenisei region are relatively cheap compared to other hydroelectric cascades in the country. The area of ​​flooded farmland in the Yenisei basin per 1 million kW/h of electricity generation is 20 times less than the national average.
Currently, Eastern Siberia accounts for 8.5% of all-Russian industrial iron ore reserves. There are nine iron ore districts in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Of these, the Angaro-Ilimsky and Angaro-Pitsky regions stand out in terms of reserves and efficiency of use of iron ores.
The most important tasks include the further development of the mineral resource base of the aluminum industry in Eastern Siberia. Aluminum smelters still use imported raw materials, although in Eastern Siberia they are available in large quantities. It is represented by five groups, combining nine types of mineral raw materials.
The most common deposits are nepheline rocks. They contain less alumina and are more labor intensive to mine and process. Nevertheless, large reserves of nepheline ores and a shortage of bauxite-containing raw materials in the region determine their leading role in ensuring aluminum production.
Nepheline rocks are known in 20 deposits. They are concentrated in the Yenisei Ridge, Eastern Sayan Mountains and Sangilensky Range. The Goryachegorsk deposit of aluminum raw materials is most effective for exploitation. Bauxite - the richest alumina raw material - has been identified in the Tatar and Bakhtinsky-Turukhansky regions. But bauxite deposits are either located at a great distance from industrial centers or are not well studied geologically.
The Norilsk region has unique reserves of complex copper-nickel ores. In addition to a set of main components (nickel, copper, cobalt), Norilsk ores contain gold, iron, silver, tellurium, selenium, and sulfur. Ores are represented by three types: rich, cuprous, and disseminated. The deposits of the Norilsk region contain 38% of Russian copper reserves and about 80% of nickel reserves. On their basis, one of the largest in the Russian Federation, the Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine, operates. Near Norilsk, two complex ore deposits are exploited: Oktyabrskoye and Talnakhskoye.
Between 1986 and 1990 Preparations began for the development of the Gorevsky lead-zinc deposit. On the basis of this deposit, which has no equal in terms of lead reserves, the largest mining and processing plant is being formed. The development of the deposit will make it possible to triple the production of lead in Russia.
The amount of one-time capital investments required for the development of the Gorevskoye deposit (taking into account the costs of hydraulic engineering facilities) will be 1.5 times higher than for other lead-zinc deposits in the country planned for exploitation. However, due to the large scale of the mine's production operations and favorable technical and economic indicators of ore processing, the development of the Gorevskoye deposit should be profitable. Production costs at the Gorevsky mining and processing plant will be 2.5 times lower than the industry average. Capital investments will pay off in 2.5 years.
Large polymetallic deposits in the region are also Kyzyl-Tashtygskoye, Ozernoye, Novo-Shirokinskoye and Kholodninskoye. The Kholodninskoye polymetallic ore deposit is highly promising for zinc and lead. According to preliminary data, it is 3 times greater in reserves than the Gorevskoye field. Due to the fact that the Kholodninskoye field is located near Lake Baikal, its development can only be carried out using a waste-free technological scheme, the economic justification for which has not yet been completed.
The Ozernoye deposit of polymetallic ores is promising for industrial development. In terms of reserves and degree of ore dressing, it is inferior to the Gorevskoye and Kholodninskoye deposits, but is in more favorable conditions. The given costs for the extraction and enrichment of 1 ton of zinc concentrate during operation will be 18 - 23% lower than the industry average. The ore composition of the deposit is zinc (8 times more zinc than lead). It was explored in detail and put into operation.
To increase copper output in the country great importance acquires the development of the largest Udokan deposit, located in the north of the Chita region. Its development is associated with great difficulties caused by difficult natural conditions. The main stages of production are the extraction and enrichment of ores. The high copper content in concentrates makes it possible to produce almost 2.5 times more from each ton of raw material finished products than the national average, which reduces copper production costs by 2 times compared to industry averages.
Eastern Siberia has significant gold reserves, although they have been exploited for more than 150 years.
The region has large reserves of wood raw materials. The total wood reserve is estimated at 27.5 billion cubic meters (40% of the all-Russian stock). Basically, the forests of the region are located in areas with an extremely low level of economic development. Involving them in industrial operation will require large capital expenditures, but they can be 10 - 15% less than the national average. The effect is achieved due to the large size and high saturation of the areas with wood raw materials.
Large reserves of peat (4.8 billion tons), chemical raw materials and building materials. Peat can be used as a chemical raw material, fuel, organic fertilizer, bedding material in livestock farming and packaging material.
The area of ​​agricultural land in Eastern Siberia is 23 million hectares, of which arable land is 9 million hectares. The structure of agricultural land is as follows: arable land - 39.9%, hayfields - 12.7%, pastures - 46.9%, perennial plantings - 0.5%.

The nature of Eastern Siberia is very vulnerable; in this region everything is interconnected. The resources of Eastern Siberia are inexhaustible. The mountain ranges with rocky peaks are picturesque. There are impassable areas: forests and swamps; very vast steppes. There are severe frosts in winter, and hot days in summer, just like in the desert.

Flora and fauna of Eastern Siberia

Trees in Eastern Siberia are very different: pine, cedar, spruce, fir, but the most common tree here is larch (in Eastern Siberia there are two types of it - Daurian and Siberian larch). A person who spends little time in the taiga is unlikely to distinguish these two species from each other.

Squirrel is the most important furry species in the animal world of Eastern Siberia. A resident of the mountains of this area is the black-capped or Kamchatka marmot. The Asian wood mouse, Siberian red and red-gray voles are common in the forests of Eastern Siberia. The Tuvan beaver needs protection and is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

In the Altai and Yenisei regions of South-Eastern Siberia, a common species is the Asian long-tailed ground squirrel. The American ground squirrel lives in the Northeast. In the taiga part, the forest lemming, the high-mountain Siberian vole and several other species are considered very rare animals. From bats There are few water bats and northern leathernecks here.

There are 10 species of insects in eastern Siberia. Such as the Siberian cat, Daurian hedgehog. Several species of shrews, some of them are the tiny shrew and the flat-headed shrew.

Of the large animals of the East Siberian taiga, the most common are brown bear, lynx, and elk. There are foxes - red or gray foxes. Small predators - Siberian weasel, wood polecat; badger, ermine, weasel (in the south). Sable and reindeer. Many different rodents - squirrel (the main object of hunting), white hare, flying squirrel, mouse-like rodents. In some places, roe deer and beavers have survived.

North-Eastern Siberia

Harsh climate and permafrost. The temperature in winter reaches -60...-68 degrees, and in summer the heat reaches 30-36. The far north is dominated by arctic deserts with poor vegetation. To the south is the tundra zone. Deciduous forests occupy the lower parts of the mountain slopes.

The fauna of North-Eastern Siberia differs from the fauna of other regions of Siberia. Mammals and birds appear in the mountains and plains, close to common animals in North America. This is explained by the fact that there used to be land where the Bering Strait used to be.

The fauna is rich in steppe animals that are not found anywhere in the north. In the high-mountain rocky tundra you can find the Verkhoyansk black-capped marmot, and in the clearings of the mountain taiga zone the long-tailed Kolyma ground squirrel. Among the mammals in the mountains, various rodents and shrews (more than 20 species) live.

Predators include the Beringian bear, East Siberian lynx, arctic fox, sable, and ermine. Common birds include capercaillie, nutcracker, and hazel grouse. In summer, scoter, goose and others (waterfowl) are found on the lakes.