Native name: Вайга́ч | |
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 A satellite image of the island | |
  Vaygach Vaygach Island, Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Russia) | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Arctic Sea |
| Coordinates | 69°59′49″N59°34′44″E / 69.99694°N 59.57889°E /69.99694; 59.57889 |
| Area | 3,383 km2 (1,306 sq mi) |
| Length | 100 km (60 mi) |
| Width | 45 km (28 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 170 m (560 ft) |
| Highest point | Gora Bolvanskaya |
| Administration | |
Russia | |
| Oblast | Arkhangelsk Oblast |
| Okrug | Nenets Autonomous Okrug |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 106 (2012) |
| Pop. density | 0,03/km2 (8/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Nenets, Russians |
Vaygach Island (Russian:Вайга́ч,romanized: Vajgač) is anisland in theArctic Sea between thePechora Sea and theKara Sea.
Vaygach Island is separated from theYugorsky Peninsula in themainland by theYugorsky Strait and fromNovaya Zemlya by theKara Strait. The island is a part ofNenets Autonomous Okrug ofArkhangelsk Oblast,Russia.
Vaygach Island is mainly formed ofargillaceous slates,sandstone, andlimestone. There are manyrivers about 20–40 kilometres (12–25 mi) in length,swamps, and smalllakes on the island. For the most part it consists oftundra. Slight rocky ridges run generally along its length, and the coast has low cliffs in places. The island consists mostly of limestone, and its elevation above the sea is geologically recent. Raised beaches are frequent. The rocks are heavily scored by ice, but this was probably marine ice, not that of glaciers.[1] The only settlement on the island isVarnek.[2]
Grasses,mosses and Arctic flowering plants are abundant, but there are no trees excepting occasionaldwarf willows.
Foxes andlemmings are spotted occasionally, and at least fivepolar bears are known to inhabit the island. While there are few land animals, birds are numerous; a variety ofwaterbirds and waders frequent themarshes andlakes. The island regularly supports significant populations ofbean,barnacle andgreater white-fronted geese,tundra swans,long-tailed ducks,goosanders,snowy owls andperegrine falcons. It has been recognised as anImportant Bird Area (IBA) byBirdLife International.[3]
In July 2007, theWorld Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Russian government approved a nature reserve on Vaygach island.[4] The island's surrounding seas are home to many marine mammals such aswalruses,seals and endangeredwhales.
The name of the island translates from theNenets as "alluvial shore", or by another account Vaygach means ‘terrible death’ or ‘territory of death’ in the local language.[5]
Until the 19th century, the island was an important shrine of theNenets people. On the island of Vaygach since ancient times, two idols were worshiped. One, named Vesako, on the south end of the island. The other on the north is Hadako.[6] There were also polycephalic woodenidols painted with blood of holy animals, primarilyreindeer.[citation needed] Some of their sacrificial piles, consisting of drift-wood, deer's horns and the skulls of bears and deer, have been observed by travellers. In spite of their conversion to Christianity, the Nenets still regard these piles with superstition.[1]
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Vaygach".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 962.
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