Kola Peninsula

Kola Peninsula (Kol'skij poluostrov in Russian) a peninsula on the far north of Russia, part of the Murmansk region. Borders upon the Barents Sea on the North, the White sea on the East and South. The west border of the Kola Peninsula stretches along the meridional cavity from the Kola Gulf through the Imandra Lake, Kola Lake, Niva River to the Kandalaksha Gulf. Covers the area of about 100 000 square km. The north coast is steep and high, the southern is flat. In the west part of the peninsula the mountain ranges are situated: the Khibiny Mountains, the Lovoserskie Mountains (up to 1120 m height). In the central part of the peninsula there's the Keyvy watershed.

Kola peninsula is exremely reach with different ores and minerals. Among the others are apatites, alumina sources, iron ore, mica, ceramic raw, titanium ore, flogopit, vermiculit, ores of less-common and colored metals.

Nevertheless the northen location, the Kola Peninsula has relatively warm and soft climate, because of influence of the warm Atlantic flows. The average temperature in January is about -10C, in July - about +10C. The peninsula is covered by Taiga on the south and tundra on the north.

The Kola peninsula has a lot of impetuous rivers with rapids on them. The most importaint of them are: Ponoy River, Varzuga River, Teriberka River, Voronya River, Iokanga River. The major lakes are: Imandra Lake, Umbozero Lake, Lovozero Lake.

The major port of the region: Murmansk.