Terrain

Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District is, so to speak, the central part of the arctic facade of Russia. Yamalia area is located in the arctic zone on the north of the largest in the world West-Siberian Plain and takes a vast area of over 750,000 km². More than a half of it is situated in the Arctic circle, spreading over the Ob lower course and its terrains, basins of the Nadyma, the Pura, and the Taza rivers, Yamalsky, Tazovsky, and Gydansky peninsulas, a group of islands in the Kara Sea (Bely, Shokalsky, Neupokoyeva, Oleny, etc.), as well as eastern flanks of the polar Urals. The northern point of Yamal continental part is 73º30 minutes north latitude, which fully explains the Nenets name of the peninsula - The Ends of the Earth.

The northern border of the district, washed by the Kara Sea, is 5100 km long and is a part of the State frontier of the Russian Federation (around 900 km). In the west along the Urals range Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District borders with Nenets Autonomous District and the Republic of Komi, in the south - with Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, in the east - with Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Climate

The district terrain is mainly located in three climatic zones: arctic, subarctic and the zone of northern (taiga) belt of West-Siberian Plain. Climate here is specified by particularly sharp changes during a year, long, cold, severe winter, as well as strong blizzards and frequent snowstorms; the lowest temperature is 56ºС. Summer is short - 50 days long on average.

Arctic tundra zone embraces islands, the northern part of Yamalsky, and Gydansky peninsulas. Climate here is characterized by notably dramatic changes during a year, long, cold, harsh winter with strong blizzards and repeated snowstorms; the lowest temperature is -56ºС. There is very little precipitation in winter; snow cover depth does not exceed 40 centimeters. Spring arrives slowly; atmospheric temperature is above freezing in June only. Frequent fogs result in chiefly gloomy weather. Summer makes ground thaw 40-50 centimeters deep only. Fall is gloomy and windy; thaws sometimes last till November, although basically it is already below freezing in September.

Subarctic zone (tundra zone) covers southern parts of Yamalsky and Gydansly peninsulas, running down to Arctic Circle. Climate is inland: precipitation is rainfall mainly; summer is up to 68 days long.

Climate of the northern (taiga) belt of West-Siberian Plain is featured by a heavier continentality: average temperature is higher, snow cover depth is up to 60-80 centimeters and stays on from mid-October till the middle of May; summer is rather warm and humid, up to 100 days long; a lot of precipitation.

Landscape

Conformation of the district is represented by two parts: mountainous and featureless. Almost 90% of the featureless part is within 100 meters above sea level, which brings about numerous lakes and bogs. The Ob left bank has an increased and broken relief. The right inland bank reveals a slightly hilly table land with a little fall to the north. The most raised areas of the lowland are in the south of the district within the limits of Siberian knaps.

The mountainous area of the district takes a narrow zone along Polar Ural and appears as huge rock massifs of 200 kilometers total mileage. Average height of the southern massifs is 600-800 meters, width - 20-30. The highest summits are Kolokolnya - 1305 meters high, Pay-Yer - 1499 meters high. To the north the height of mountains reaches 1000-1300 meters. The chief dividing range of Polar Ural is winding; its height above sea level reaches 1200-1300 meters and higher.