Byrranga Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Byrranga Mountains (Russian: Го́ры Бырра́нга) are a mountain range
in the middle of the Taymyr Peninsula
, Siberia
, Russia
, located north and west of Lake Taymyr
. They run for about 1,100 km, forming a looping curve that runs roughly in a southwest to northeast direction. The Byrranga range is composed of siltstones and intrusive rocks
of neutral composition, but there are vast areas of exposed limestone
formation. The range has deep canyons and ravine
s, as well as a few small glacier
s in its eastern zones. These mountains are not very high, being on average about 500 m. The highest peak is 1,146 m.
Rivers Khutadabiga
and Chetyrekh
have their sources in the Byrranga Range. The lower Taymyr River
flows northwards cutting across these mountains. The lowlands located to the north and the south of these mountains are covered with tundra
, small lakes and wetlands (bogs and marsh
es).
Even though they were first explored in 1736, the Byrranga Mountains are one of the least known areas of the Arctic
. The climate is continental and harsh, with frequent blizzards
in the winter.
This mountain range falls into the Krasnoyarsk Krai
administrative division of the Russian Federation and is part of the Great Arctic State Nature Reserve
, the largest nature reserve
in Russia
. However, the area is very remote, there is almost no population, and access is very difficult for the lack of roads and settlements.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the middle of the Taymyr Peninsula
Taymyr Peninsula
The Taymyr Peninsula is a peninsula in the Far North of Russia, in the Siberian Federal District, that forms the northernmost part of mainland Eurasia and Asia...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located north and west of Lake Taymyr
Lake Taymyr
Lake Taymyr is a lake of the central regions of the Taymyr Peninsula in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russian Federation. It is located south of the Byrranga Mountains....
. They run for about 1,100 km, forming a looping curve that runs roughly in a southwest to northeast direction. The Byrranga range is composed of siltstones and intrusive rocks
Intrusion
An intrusion is liquid rock that forms under Earth's surface. Magma from under the surface is slowly pushed up from deep within the earth into any cracks or spaces it can find, sometimes pushing existing country rock out of the way, a process that can take millions of years. As the rock slowly...
of neutral composition, but there are vast areas of exposed limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
formation. The range has deep canyons and ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s, as well as a few small glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s in its eastern zones. These mountains are not very high, being on average about 500 m. The highest peak is 1,146 m.
Rivers Khutadabiga
Khutadabiga River
The Khutudabiga River is a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. Its source is in the Byrranga Mountains.It flows across desolate tundra regions into the Minina Skerries area of the Kara Sea, about 50 km north of the mouth of the Pyasina River....
and Chetyrekh
Chetyrekh River
The Chetyrekh River is a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. Its source is in the Byrranga Mountains.It flows across tundra regions into the Pyasino Gulf of the Kara Sea, just north of the mouth of the Pyasina River....
have their sources in the Byrranga Range. The lower Taymyr River
Taymyr River
The Taymyr River is a roughly 400 mi long river in the middle of the Taymyr Peninsula in the Krasnoyarsk Krai administrative region of the Russian Federation.-Parts:...
flows northwards cutting across these mountains. The lowlands located to the north and the south of these mountains are covered with tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
, small lakes and wetlands (bogs and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es).
Even though they were first explored in 1736, the Byrranga Mountains are one of the least known areas of the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
. The climate is continental and harsh, with frequent blizzards
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
in the winter.
This mountain range falls into the Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai is a federal subject of Russia . It is the second largest federal subject after the Sakha Republic, and Russia's largest krai, occupying an area of , which is 13% of the country's total territory. The administrative center of the krai is the city of Krasnoyarsk...
administrative division of the Russian Federation and is part of the Great Arctic State Nature Reserve
Great Arctic State Nature Reserve
The Great Arctic State Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia...
, the largest nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. However, the area is very remote, there is almost no population, and access is very difficult for the lack of roads and settlements.