Ryn Desert
Encyclopedia
The Ryn Desert or Ryn-Peski Desert , is a desert in western Kazakhstan
and southeastern Russia
, north of the Caspian Sea
and southeast of the Volga Upland
. The borders of the desert are very loosely defined. Some maps show the desert almost entirely within the Caspian Depression
, stretching almost to the coast of the Caspian Sea, while others show it north of the depression. It lies west of the Ural River
between 46°
and 49° North
latitude, and 47°
to 52° East
longitude. Temperatures can reach extreme highs of 45°C to 48°C during summer and in winter it can drop to a low of -28°C to -36°C .
Many small towns are scattered throughout the Ryn Desert, and population density is between 1 and 15 people per square mile. The Ryn lies in a semi-arid climate zone, and receives very little rainfall.
High winds sweep across the desert, and in 2001 a dust storm in the Baltic Sea
was determined as originating in the Ryn Desert. A study of long-range dust transportation to the Baltic Sea region—by analyzing dust pollution in Scandinavia
, showed that aerosol concentrations there were influenced more by the Ryn Desert region than the Sahara Desert in Africa
.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and southeastern 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...
, north of the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
and southeast of the Volga Upland
Volga Upland
The Volga Upland, also known as the Volga Uplands, Volga Plateau, Volga Hills, or Volga Plateau, is a vast region of East European Plain in western Russia that lies west of the Volga River and east of the Central Russian Upland...
. The borders of the desert are very loosely defined. Some maps show the desert almost entirely within the Caspian Depression
Caspian Depression
Caspian Depression or Pricaspian/Peri-Caspian Depression/Lowland is a low-lying flatland region encompassing the northern part of the Caspian Sea, the largest enclosed body of water on Earth. It is the larger northern part of the wider Aral-Caspian Depression around the Aral and Caspian seas.The...
, stretching almost to the coast of the Caspian Sea, while others show it north of the depression. It lies west of the Ural River
Ural River
The Ural or Jayıq/Zhayyq , known as Yaik before 1775, is a river flowing through Russia and Kazakhstan. It arises in the southern Ural Mountains and ends at the Caspian Sea. Its total length is 1,511 mi making it the third longest river in Europe after the Volga and the Danube...
between 46°
46th parallel north
The 46th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 46 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
and 49° North
49th parallel north
The 49th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
latitude, and 47°
47th meridian east
The meridian 47° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
to 52° East
52nd meridian east
The meridian 52° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Europe, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
longitude. Temperatures can reach extreme highs of 45°C to 48°C during summer and in winter it can drop to a low of -28°C to -36°C .
Many small towns are scattered throughout the Ryn Desert, and population density is between 1 and 15 people per square mile. The Ryn lies in a semi-arid climate zone, and receives very little rainfall.
High winds sweep across the desert, and in 2001 a dust storm in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
was determined as originating in the Ryn Desert. A study of long-range dust transportation to the Baltic Sea region—by analyzing dust pollution in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, showed that aerosol concentrations there were influenced more by the Ryn Desert region than the Sahara Desert in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.