Russia, the largest country in the world, has more than 7 million square kilometers behind Canada. With such a huge land area, it seems that every region in Russia can form a world of its own. Whenever the most mysterious region is mentioned, many people will think of the Russian Far East.

So what is the most mysterious place in the Russian Far East? This is the Kamchatka Peninsula, located on the fringes of Russia’s Far East, Kamchatka means “extremely remote” in Russian, also known as The end of the world is also said to be the location of the “Ghost Country” during the Tang Dynasty in my country.

Isolated Kamchatka

Kamchatka Peninsula is the second largest peninsula in Russia, with the Pacific Ocean and Bering Strait in the east and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in the west. It extends from northeast to southwest for more than 1,200 kilometers. The widest part is about 480 kilometers. Connected to the mainland by an isthmus with a width of only 100 kilometers, it has a total area of ​​372,300 square kilometers and a population of only 300,000 people, about the population of a small county in China.

How isolated is Kamchatka? Talking about its history, everyone can feel it intuitively.

The Kamchatka Peninsula did not belong to Russia from the beginning. In ancient times, the aborigines on the peninsula have always lived in the bitter and cold areas of high latitudes and engaged in fishing and hunting activities. The ancients called them “the evil ghosts of the north”, and called the Kamchatka Peninsula “the country of wandering ghosts”. In the Tang Dynasty history book “Tong Dian”, it was recorded: “The north reaches the country of Yasha, and the remaining three sides reach the sea.”

By the late 17th century, Tsarist Russia continued to expand to the Far East. In 1699, Tsarist Russia defeated the aborigines living in Kamchatka, and occupied it.

From 1699 until the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, for more than two centuries, on the Kamchatka Peninsula Nothing major happened, because it was so far away, and the word “Kamchatka” was simply a change of heart at that time, and it was even more frightening than the Siberian exile. In Russia, students who stand at the back of classrooms are often referred to as “Kamchatkas”.

According to historical records, Russia has never exiled criminals to Kamchatka, because no guard would like to accompany the prisoners to live in that cold, desolate, and dangerous place.

After the establishment of the Soviet Union, the entire Kamchatka Peninsula was sealed off by the Soviet Union. Not to mention foreigners, even the Soviets could not easily enter, until the Soviet Union Disintegration, Kamchatka Peninsula was slowly lifted.

Many places here are deserted, the capital of Kamchatka Petropapulo Vsk, the peninsula’s largest volcanic-surrounded port city, is home to half of Kamchatka’s inhabitants, but the second most inaccessible city in the world by road.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is 11,876 kilometers away from Moscow, the capital of Russia. It belongs to Russia, but there is a full 9-hour time difference with Moscow. When the Muscovites have not woken up, it is already evening in Kamchatka. .

Why the Soviet Union closed the Kamchatka Peninsula

Then why did the Soviet Union close the survey What about the peninsula? In the early 19th and 20th centuries, Japan and Russia fought the Russo-Japanese War for the Far East, and Russia was defeated in this war.

This defeat also made Russia realize that Japan, a small country, has become a huge threat. If the two countries go to war again and Russia is defeated again, then the Kamchatka Peninsula may be occupied by Japan.< strong>, once the Kamchatka Peninsula is lost, it will open the door to Siberia, and Japan may continue to occupy Siberia deeply.

In order to prevent Japanese ambitions, after the establishment of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union wanted to put Kamchatka The peninsula rented the United States, but the United States did not want to be involved in the struggle between the two countries, so it rejected the Soviet Union.

So the Soviet Union simply blocked the Kamchatka Peninsula and listed it as a military-controlled zone. In addition to the aborigines, there were only the army, and neither the Soviet people nor foreigners could enter. go.

The Soviet Union controlled the Kamchatka Peninsula so strictly, in addition to its military value, but also because of its great economic value, the mineral resources and fishery resources here are very rich.rich.

At the time of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union had stronger military control over the Kamchatka Peninsula.< strong>Because this is the closest place for the Soviet Union to the United States, the Soviet army has established a number of ICBM launch sites, radar stations, airports, nuclear submarine bases, arsenals and other military facilities here. In addition, the Soviet army also built hundreds of towers here to monitor the coast of the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Strait anytime and anywhere.

In the early morning of September 1983, Korean Air Flight 007 took off from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, and flew to Seoul, South Korea. It was shot down by a Soviet air-to-air missile when the warning was ineffective, and all the passengers on board were spared.

It was like this until 1991, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union didn’t take the Kamchatka Peninsula. After the control was lifted, Kamchatka Peninsula returned to people’s field of vision, and the mysterious veil was finally lifted.

The pristine natural environment, smoky active volcanoes, ferocious brown bears, and all kinds of fish can be seen everywhere in the river, all of which deeply attract explorers and tourists from all over the world. lovers.

Holy Land of Fire and Ice

Kamchatka Peninsula has 160 There are many volcanoes, 29 of which are active volcanoes.The capital Petropavlovsk is surrounded by three volcanoes, the most famous of which is the Avacha volcano, which almost never stops. Smoke is constantly coming out all year round, and the locals have very special and religious feelings for the volcano, and they call Avacha volcano “the god of fire”.

Climbing the Avacha Volcano is one of the most popular sports in Kamchatka, and you can stand on the crater and overlook the city and the Narichiwa Natural Park.

In addition to volcanoes, volcanoes also gave birth to many fountains and hot springs,< /strong>Light Fountain There are acid springs, sulphur springs, ammonia-alkali springs, and a lot of others whose names I can’t remember. Hot springs, as real as fantasy.

Volcanoes and hot springs are the beautiful sights of Kamchatka Peninsula, making it a holy place where ice and fire blend.

Kingdom of wild animals

Although Kamchatka is extremely cold, due to The presence of hot springs and geysers has created a naturally warm environment, it has also become a kingdom of plants and wild animals.

There are about 12,000 brown bears on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the density of which is among the highest in the world. Geyser Valley Springs is a paradise for brown bears. After hibernation, brown bears take a nice hot bath here.

In addition to brown bears, Lake Curry here is the largest salmon spawning ground in Eurasia, about 8 million salmon migrate every year, but because salmon spawns, Died, so Lake Curry has also become a rich dining table for sea eagles and golden eagles.

Kamchatka also has a variety of seafood, such as high-quality king crab, Bering Sea Snow crabs, sea urchins, etc. are more common here than cabbage, and it is not distressing to use them as staple foods. It is also very common to see northern sea lions and puffins here.

Written at the end

The Kamchatka Peninsula on the edge of the Eurasian continent may be the real corner of the world, where you can truly feel the ultimate life experience of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

References:

Liu Lei. Kamchatka Peninsula where ice and fire blend.[J] Tourism, 2019(02).

Author: Qiao Mu proofreading editor: Weiyang