Novaya Zemlya

Novaya Zemlya is an Arctic archipelago in northern Russia, in Arkhangelskaya oblast, consisting mainly of two long islands separated by the Matochkin Strait. The chain stretches roughly 700-900 kilometers and forms a boundary between the Barents Sea to the west and the Kara Sea to the east.

The landscape is high-Arctic tundra and glaciated terrain with polar climate conditions, frequent sea ice, and wildlife such as polar bears and seals. Access is limited and settlements are small and scattered; professional or governmental expeditions are the usual means of visitation.

Historically the islands were inhabited seasonally by indigenous peoples and later used for exploration, hunting, and military purposes. During the Soviet period Novaya Zemlya became a major nuclear test site, most famously for the 1961 thermonuclear test known as the Tsar Bomba.

Geographically the archipelago lies north of mainland Russia, between the Barents and Kara Seas, and is administratively part of Arkhangelskaya oblast.

• Access restrictions: Much of the archipelago is or was a restricted military area; travel is controlled and requires Russian permits.
• Nuclear testing history: Site of Soviet-era nuclear testing, including the 1961 test of the largest thermonuclear device (the Tsar Bomba) over the archipelago.

What to See #

• Severny Island: The northern island (Severny) is largely glaciated and contains most of the archipelago's high Arctic terrain and former nuclear test zones.
• Yuzhny Island: The southern island (Yuzhny) has the main population centers and harbors, with tundra and coastal plains on gentler terrain.