Sarykum Сары-Кум /Sarigum | |
|---|---|
 Sarykum Sand Dune | |
  Sarykum Location of Sarykum in Dagestan | |
| Coordinates:43°0′36″N47°14′13″E / 43.01000°N 47.23694°E /43.01000; 47.23694[1] | |
| Location | Kumtorkalinsky District,Dagestan,Russian Federation. |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,175 hectares (2,900 acres) |
| Elevation | 262 m (860 ft) |
Sarykum orSary-Kum (Russian:Сары-Кум,Kumyk:Sari Hum, meaning "Yellow sand") is a largesand dune located in theKumtorkalinsky District ofDagestan,Russian Federation.[3] It is one of the largest sand dunes in Eurasia. The dune is located in aprotected area, part of theDagestan Nature Reserve, which was established on 9 January 1987.[4]
The dune rises about 18 kilometres (11 mi) northwest ofMakhachkala. Sarykum is the highest dune of the Sarykumskye Barchany (Russian:Сарыкумские барханы) dune area, which extends below the northern slopes of the Narat-Tyube Range (Russian:Нарат-Тюбе).[4]
The Sarykum dune is very old. Measuring approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length, with an area of 1,175 hectares (2,900 acres), the height of the highest summit may vary between 213 metres (699 ft) and 262 metres (860 ft).[5]
The Sarykum area is a refuge fordesert flora in the region. There are up to 279 species of rare plants, including several which are endemic, such asIris acutiloba,[6] Shishkin's groundsel (Senecio schischkinii),Karakugen milkvetch,[7]Astragalus karakugensis andColchicum laetum.[8]
Media related toBarchan Sary-Kum at Wikimedia Commons