Kamchatka is a region located in the Russian Far East and makes Russia’s Far Eastern Federal district. The center of this district is the city Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky where more than 300,000 people live.
This region is well known for its nature, animals, and surroundings. Let’s take a look at it!
The history of the region
Kamchatka became a part of Russia just at the end of the 17th century when the Cossacks of the Russian imperial army undertook a trip to this district. In the beginning, Cossacks built their ostrogs (fortresses) there, but the first Russians came to Kamchatka approximately in 1730.
It’s still difficult to say when the first folks came to Kamchatka. Now it’s known that Koryaks, Ainu, and Itelmens were the first habitants of this region. They were anglers and hunters. Itelmens learned the Russian language and culture and integrated into the Kamchadals, a group of the Itelmens, Ainu, Koryaks, and Chuvans who assimilated with Russians. At the beginning of the 20th century, about 3600 people of this ethnicity lived there.
The region’s most rapid and qualitative development happened during the Soviet time, thanks to the navy, merchants, and oceanic expeditions in 1959.
Nowadays, Kamchatka has a lot of occupational spheres: tourism, commerce, fishery, navy, and animal sanctuaries.
Geography of Kamchatka
Kamchatka is a peninsula of 270,000 km2 famous for its beautiful nature and volcanoes. The volcanos are the region’s symbol and can are commemorated on the region’s flag and coat of arms.
There are more than fourteen thousand rivers in Kamchatka and several mountain ranges: the Sredinny Range (about 900 km long), the Eastern Range (about 600 km long), and the Koryak Mountains, with the Ukelayat Range, Vetvey Range, Penzhinsky, Pahachinsky, Pylgin, and Olyutor ranges.
Kamchatka belongs to the zone of volcanic activity. There are about 300 large and medium-sized volcanoes, and 29 are active. The largest volcano in Eurasia is Kluchevskaya Sopka (4750 m high). All the volcanos of Kamchatka are protected by the World Heritage Site (UNSECO). Moreover, the region is covered with geysers and fumaroles, making Kamchatka even more attractive to tourists.
Nature
The unique location of the Kamchatka region is a reason for its natural variety. Among other unique gifts of nature, there are a lot of wild berries like honeysuckle, bog blueberry, empetrum, arctic raspberry, etc.
The territory of Kamchatka is covered with Erman’s birch, fir trees, subshrubs, and prostrate shrub. Just imagine how wonderful it is to go through spacious and bright forests where the fresh air is and where you can find berries on your way!
Kamchatka is a home to different species of wild animals. You definitely need to visit Kamchatka if you want to see sables, stoats, reindeer, snow sheep, Siberian musk deers, or Siberian grouses. Besides these animals, you can also meet earless seals, steller sea lions, sea otters, and northern fur seals!
While visiting Kamchatka, it is recommended to go to Koryak Nature Reserve, Kronotsky Nature Reserve, the Valley of Geysers, and other lovely places.
Food and dishes
Thanks to its location, Kamchatka is full of fish and seafood. There you can taste mussels, shrimp, and red king crab. If you want to experience local food, you should try tel’noe (a cutlet from salmon with mashed potatoes), fish soup from different types of fish, caviar, salad from cooked salmon with berries and nuts, and of course, naturally dried fish.
We hope that you liked our short overview of this beautiful Russian region. Let us know your opinion in the comments, and we will continue to write about Russia!
