What is Severnaya Zemlya?
Q: What is Severnaya Zemlya?
A: Severnaya Zemlya is a group of islands consisting of around 30 islands in the Arctic Ocean.
Q: When was Severnaya Zemlya first discovered?
A: Severnaya Zemlya was first noted in 1913 and first charted in 1930-32, making it the last group of islands on Earth to be discovered.
Q: What is the political status of Severnaya Zemlya?
A: The islands are part of Russia's Krasnoyarsk Krai region, but are uninhabited by humans except for an Arctic base.
Q: Is there any scientific research being conducted on the islands of Severnaya Zemlya?
A: Yes, there is a meteorological station on Golomjanny island, and scientists live there for some months of the year.
Q: How does Severnaya Zemlya affect the Arctic sea?
A: Severnaya Zemlya splits the Arctic sea into a western part called Laptev Sea and an eastern part called Kara Sea.
Q: What is the significance of the ice on Severnaya Zemlya?
A: In the 20th century, the islands were always covered by ice even as the ice melted in summer, and blocked what is called the Northeast Passage. If it were ice-free the Northeast passage would permit navigation from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean easily.
Q: Has there been any change in the ice on Severnaya Zemlya?
A: By the late summer of 2012, the permanent ice had reached a record low extent, and open water appeared to the north of the archipelago, suggesting the occurrence of the Arctic sea ice decline phenomenon.
