Franz Josef Land

Franz Josef Land – an archipelago (more than 190 islands) in the northeast part of the Barents Sea. It occupies the total area of 16,100 km² (Atlas of the Oceans, 1980). It is part of the Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. The archipelago is divided into three parts: the eastern, separated by the Austrian Strait, with the Wilczek Land, Graham Bell Island, and La Ronciere Island; the middle, located between the Austrian Strait and the British Channel – here lies the most quantitatively significant group of islands; and the western part, which is situated on the other side of the British Channel and includes the largest islands of the archipelago – Alexandra Island and Prince George Land. The southern part of the archipelago is washed by the Barents Sea and its northern part – by the Arctic Ocean. About 90 % of the archipelago is covered with ice in the form of domes and caps. The islands of Franz Josef Land are separated by deep straits (up to 600 m). The terrain of all the islands is...