The Russian Arctic National Park was set up in 2009. Photo: Lighthouse on Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
The Russian Arctic National Park was set up in 2009. Photo: Lighthouse on Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
The national park is situated in the northern part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. Photo: An abandoned meteorological station on Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
The park was founded to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the Arctic. Photo: Arctic poppies on Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
The park is fascinating not only for its natural habitat but also for its unique cultural heritage, related to the history of its discovery and the Russian colonization of the Arctic from the 16th century onwards. Photo: An abandoned meteorological station on Heiss Island.
The total area of the national park is 1,426,000 hectares. Of this, 632,090 hectares are land and 793,910 are marine. Photo: A crashed plane by the abandoned meteorological station on Heiss Island.
The region has great potential for developing eco-tourism.
Megaspherulites on Champ Island
The Franz Josef Land archipelago is in the northeastern part of the Barents Sea and is the northernmost land in Eurasia. Photo: Champ Island (Franz Josef Land)
Franz Josef Land is a group of 191 islands stretching 375 km from east to west, and 234 km from north to south. Photo: Champ Island (Franz Josef Land)
There is no permanent population living in the Russian Arctic. Photo: An abandoned meteorological station. Bukhta Tikhaya.
The archipelago was named in honor of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef I. Photo: An abandoned meteorological station. Bukhta Tikhaya
Around 85% of Franz Josef Land is covered in ice. It is the iciest area of land in the Russian Arctic. Photo: An abandoned meteorological station. Bukhta Tikhaya
Despite the truly harsh climate, the archipelago is not devoid of life. Photo: An abandoned meteorological station. Bukhta Tikhaya
These islands are one of the few places that the lords of the Arctic, the polar bear, choose for raising their young. Photo: A polar bear on Alexandra Land.
A polar bear on Alexandra Land, part of the Franz Josef Archipelago.
The Russian Arctic National Park is extremely important for maintaining and increasing the Atlantic walrus population. Photo: Atlantic walrus breeding ground in the Russian Arctic National Park. Oranskie Islands, Novaya Zemlya archipelago
Atlantic walrus breeding ground in the Russian Arctic National Park. Oranskie Islands, Novaya Zemlya archipelago
This region is home to the biggest bird colonies in the Northern Hemisphere. Photo: A glaucous gull and its chicks in the Russian Arctic National Park. Oranskie Islands, Novaya Zemlya archipelago
In the sea around the federal wildlife reserve you can find the bowhead whale, the narwhal and the beluga whale. Photo: Franz Josef Land, Federal Wildlife Reserve. Hall Island, Cape Tegethoff.
