Sakhalin Island is separated from the mainland. Sakhalin Island - Rest on Sakhalin

How Sakhalin was discovered

In July 1643, Cossack foreman Poyarkov left Yakutsk with a small detachment to discover and explore new lands. He climbed with his detachment up the Aldan River, crossed the watershed ridge and went to the Zeya River, along which he descended to the Amur. The following year, 1644, Poyarkov reached the mouth of the Amur and went to sea. In the summer of 1646, Poyarkov returned to Yakutsk and brought back the first descriptions of the Amur, the Shantar Islands, and Sakhalin.

In subsequent years, Russians visited Sakhalin more than once. In 1742, a member of Vitus Bering's expedition, Lieutenant Shelting, on the double-boat Nadezhda, sailed along the eastern coast of Sakhalin and entered the strait, later called the La Perouse Strait, in honor of the famous French navigator, who in 1787 on the frigates Bussol and Astrolabe visited Sahalia. La Perouse gave French names to several points of the island, including the Douai River, as well as the bay de Castries discovered by him on the mainland.

In 1805, the shores of Sakhalin were surveyed by the first Russian round the world expedition Krusenstern. The following year, 1806, Russian officers Khvostov and Davydov visited southern Sakhalin and raised the Russian flag there.

However, for a long time the geography of the lower reaches of the Amur and the island of Sakhalia remained unclear. Navigators who visited Sakhalin or passed near it believed that Sakhalin was a peninsula connected by an isthmus to the mainland. This conclusion was made both by La Perouse and Krusenstern and by the commander of the Russian brig "Konstantin" - Gavrilov, who was sent in 1846 to study the mouth of the Amur and Sakhalin. Only in 1849, the research of Captain G. I. Nevelsky on the Baikal transport proved that Sakhalin was an island.

[As it turned out later, the Japanese scientist Mamiya-Rinzo established back in 1808 that Sakhalin was an island, but the data on his journey, published in Japanese, were not known to Europeans.]

Geography of Sakhalin

Sakhalin Region is the only region Russian Federation, located entirely on the islands.

Sakhalin Island is the largest in Russia. The island is elongated meridionally from Cape Crillon in the south to Cape Elizabeth in the north. The length is 948 km, the smallest width is from 26 km (the Poyasok isthmus) to 160 km, the greatest latitude (at the latitude of the village of Lesogorskoye), the area is 76.4 thousand km².

The island got its name from the Manchu name of the Amur River - "Sakhalyan-ulla", which means "Black River" - this name, printed on the map, was mistakenly attributed to Sakhalin, and in further editions of the maps it was already printed as the name of the island. The Japanese call Sakhalin Karafuto, this name goes back to the Ainu "kamuy-kara-puto-ya-mosir", which means "land of the god of the mouth."

For a long time, on various maps, Sakhalin was designated either as an island or a peninsula. Only in 1849 did the expedition under the command of G. I. Nevelskoy put the last stop on this issue, passing on the military transport ship Baikal between Sakhalin and the mainland.

The island is separated from the mainland by the Tatar Strait, the Nevelskoy Strait (the minimum width is 7.5 km), the Amur Liman and the Sakhalin Bay. To the south of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, Sakhalin is separated by the La Perouse Strait (minimum width - 41 km). From the east it is washed by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

The large length of the island from north to south determines the diversity of the natural and climatic conditions of the island. The nature of Sakhalin and the Kuriles is unique. Tropical plants grow in the south of the island, while the climate and vegetation of the tundra grow in the north. The prevailing relief of the region is mountainous. The climate of Sakhalin is moderately monsoonal (the average temperature in January is from -6ºС in the south to -24ºС in the north, in August - from +19ºС to +10ºС, respectively).

According to the results of the 2002 census, the population of the island was 527.1 thousand people, incl. 253.5 thousand men and 273.6 thousand women; about 85% of the population are Russians, the rest are Ukrainians, Koreans, Belarusians, Tatars, Chuvashs, Mordovians, several thousand people each of the indigenous peoples of the North - Nivkhs and Oroks. From 2002 to 2008 the population of Sakhalin continued to slowly decline: mortality still prevails over births, and the attraction work force from the mainland and from countries neighboring Russia does not compensate for the departure of Sakhalin residents to the mainland. Sakhalin is divided into 14 administrative districts: Okhinsky, Nogliksky, Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, Tymovsky, Poranaysky, Smirnykhovsky, Makarovsky, Dolinsky, Korsakovsky, Anivsky, Kholmsky, Nevelsky, Uglegorsky, Tamorinsky. The largest city of the island is the regional center Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (173.2 thousand people; 01.01.2007), other relatively large cities are Korsakov (35.1 thousand people), Kholmsk (32.3 thousand people), Okha (26.7 thousand people), Nevelsk (17.0 thousand people), Poronaysk (16.9 thousand people).

National composition

Russians - 81.6%

Ukrainians - 6.5%, Belarusians - 1.6%, Tatars - 1.5%, Mordovians - 0.8%, Chuvashs - 0.3%

Koreans - 5%

Indigenous population - Orochs, Nivkhs, Evenks, Nanais, Ulchis, Ainu - 0.4%

Moldovans, Kazakhs, Germans, Jews - 0.2% each, Bashkirs - 0.1%, other nationalities - 1.4%

The total area of ​​the region is 87.1 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 700 thousand people.

There are 16 museums on the territory of the Sakhalin Region, including the Sakhalin Regional Museum of Local Lore and 7 of its branches, the Sakhalin Regional Art Museum, and seven municipal museums. There are two theaters: the International Theater Center. A.P. Chekhov and the Sakhalin Regional Puppet Theater. The funds of the Art Museum of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk contain the most interesting collections of paintings, drawings, applied arts, dishes, castings, and bronzes.

Russian and foreign tourists are always attracted by excursions to the regional museum of local lore, which was opened on May 11, 1946. The museum funds contain unique archaeological and ethnographic collections. Numerous exhibits introduce visitors to the flora and fauna, the history of the development of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands.

The capital of the cultural life of the island region is the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Houses of Culture, International Theater Center. A. P. Chekhov, the regional puppet theater, libraries, museums hospitably open their doors to residents and guests of the city. The performances of the Sakhalin Russian Folk Choir, the ballroom dance ensembles "Grace" and "Rodnichok" enjoy great success. The cultural life of other cities of Sakhalin - Kholmsk, Korsakov, Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky is also peculiar and interesting. In the city of Kholmsk, located on the shore of the Tatar Strait, there is a museum of sea fauna, an art gallery donated by the Union of Artists is exhibited in the Palace of Culture and Technology of Sailors. The city of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky is known for the fact that here, in 1890, during his famous trip to the island of Sakhalin, the great Russian writer A.P. Chekhov stopped. His book "Sakhalin Island" aroused great interest in the island. To the 100th anniversary of A.P. Chekhov on Sakhalin in the city of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsk, the historical and literary museum "A.P. Chekhov and Sakhalin" was opened.

MU "CITY LITERARY AND ART MUSEUM OF A.P. CHEKHOV'S BOOK SAKHALIN ISLAND"

Yuzhno-sakhalinsk, Kurilskaya street, 42

"SAKHALIN STATE REGIONAL ART MUSEUM"

Yuzhno-sakhalinsk, Lenin street, 137

"Local History Museum" Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Communist Avenue 29

OSU "CULTURE SAKHALIN INTERNATIONAL THEATER CENTER NAMED AFTER A.P. CHEKHOV"

Yuzhno-sakhalinsk, Communist Avenue, 35

"SAKHALIN REGIONAL PUPPET THEATER"

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Karl Marx Street, 24

Geological Museum

Communist Ave, 70

Sakhalin is characterized by a very high potential of natural resources. In addition to biological resources, in terms of reserves of which Sakhalin ranks first in Russia, hydrocarbon reserves are very large on the island and its shelf. In terms of explored reserves of gas condensate, the Sakhalin Region ranks 4th in Russia, gas - 7th, coal - 12th and oil - 13th, while the reserves of these minerals within the region are almost entirely concentrated in Sakhalin and Sakhalin shelf. Other natural resources of Sakhalin include timber, gold, mercury, and platinum.

Transport

The region maintains contact with the mainland thanks to air transport, maritime transport, including ferry crossing, thanks to which trains from the mainland, after replacing wheelsets (this is necessary, since the railway track on the mainland is wider than on Sakhalin), can deliver various cargoes by Sakhalin. AT this moment work is underway to expand the railway track, which will greatly simplify the delivery of cargo in the future. There are also passenger trains that connect the south and north of Sakhalin.

On the planes of the company "Sakhalin Airways" you can get both to the mainland and to the Kuriles. There are other airlines that operate flights throughout Russia and abroad.

On the sea ​​vessels, you can also make a tourist trip abroad (for example, to Japan).

Highways connect almost all settlements of the region, so this type of transport is the most popular. However, mainly the central roads of the south of Sakhalin are covered with asphalt. Northern roads are mostly unpaved.

Fishery complex

Sakhalin region is one of the leading regions determining the strategy for the development of Russian fisheries. The catch in Russia in 2000 amounted to 4011 thousand tons, the Sakhalin region - 439.7 thousand tons of fish and seafood, of which 120.5 thousand tons were supplied to the external market (34.1% of the total supplies) worth RUB 5,495 mln. (70.3% of the total cost) and to the domestic market - 232.4 thousand tons (65.9%) worth 2,324 million rubles. (29.7%). The total supply of products amounted to 352.9 thousand tons worth 7819 million rubles.

Today, more than 600 fishing and fish processing enterprises are registered in the Sakhalin Region. The region is the only region in Russia where the output of commercial food products is increasing, despite the overall decline in catch volumes. The main objects of fishing are salmon, pollock provide about 50% of tax revenues. There are 654 registered vessels in the Sakhalin Region that can participate in the capture of aquatic biological resources. The fishing industry is closely related to other industries and is major supplier food for the population and fodder products for enterprises and organizations of the agro-industrial complex. The main harm to bioresources is caused by poachers, therefore, to preserve the population of salmon fish, fish breeding plants operate on Sakhalin.

Europeans discovered Sakhalin in the 17th century. The first to visit the island in 1640 were the Cossacks, led by the ataman and explorer Ivan Moskvitin. Three years later, the expedition of the Dutch navigator Martin de Vries went there. However, Freese erroneously considered Sakhalin to be a peninsula connected to Hokkaido. Disputes about whether it connects to the mainland or other islands continued until the middle of the 19th century. In 1849, Admiral Gennady Nevelskoy crossed the strait between the island and the mainland on the military ship Baikal. Sakhalin was marked on maps as an island, and the strait was later given the name of Nevelskoy.

In 1869, those who were sentenced to penal servitude, most often for life, began to be exiled here. Initially, prisons for them were built only in the northern part of the island, but then settlements appeared in the south. Gradually, convicts became the main part of the population of Sakhalin.

At the end of the 19th century, Anton Chekhov came to the island. He got acquainted with the life of convicts, wrote down petitions and memoirs of Sakhalin residents, and conducted a population census here. Later, the writer published the artistic and publicistic book "Sakhalin Island", in which he described in detail the local nature, the way of life of the indigenous people and the exiles, included here fragments of documents, statistical data, records of scientists and travelers who had been on the island before. A whole museum in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is dedicated to this book: its exposition includes exhibits related to the life and work of Chekhov (including his personal belongings). Several settlements of the Sakhalin region are named after the writer. Monuments to Chekhov have been erected in several cities of the island, and the Literary and Art Museum of A.P. Chekhov "Sakhalin Island".

The indigenous people of Sakhalin are the Nivkhs and the Ainu. However, today they make up less than 1% of all inhabitants of the island. In addition to Russians, Koreans, Ukrainians, and Tatars live in the Sakhalin Region.

Historical and cultural monuments of Sakhalin

Sakhalin passed from Russia to Japan and back several times, and many monuments of Japanese culture have been preserved on the island. One of them is the building of the Museum of Local Lore in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. It is built in the traditional Japanese style in 1937. The modern exposition of the museum includes more than 170 thousand exhibits: they include samples of flora and fauna, household items of the indigenous inhabitants of the island, historical documents, ancient weapons.

Another monument of Japanese architecture is a ritual torii gate made of white marble near the village of Vzmorye. Previously, there was a temple of Tomarioru Jinja behind them, but it has not survived to this day.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Japanese built the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk-Polyakovo railway line on the island. Nowadays, it is not used for its intended purpose and has become a historical monument. From the Devil's Bridge - the highest in the Sakhalin Region - a beautiful view of the surroundings of the railway opens up.

Island nature

The flora and fauna of Sakhalin is poorer than on the mainland, but dense forests grow here and there are animals and plants listed in the Red Book. In addition, scientists have recorded a phenomenon that is characteristic only for this region: herbaceous plants on Sakhalin often grow to gigantic sizes. Nettle, buckwheat, bear's pipe and other herbs can reach 3-5 meters in height.

Nesting on Lake Tunaicha different types birds, and on Seal Island near Sakhalin there is a large seal rookery and huge bird colonies. In the vicinity of the highest point of the island - Mount Vajda - there are karst caves. From the top of the Zhdanko mountain range, a view of the picturesque surroundings opens up. On Cape Velikan you can see natural arches, grottoes and pillars that arose under the influence of wind and salt sea ​​water. Sakhalin has an active mud volcano, as well as mineral and thermal springs.

Sakhalin island

Sakhalin- an island off the east coast of Asia. It is part of the Sakhalin Oblast, the largest island in the Russian Federation. It is washed by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Sea of ​​Japan. It is separated from mainland Asia by the Tatar Strait (in the narrowest part, the Nevelskoy Strait, it is 7.3 km wide and freezes in winter); from the Japanese island of Hokkaido - by the La Perouse Strait.

The island got its name from the Manchu name of the Amur River - "Sakhalyan-ulla", which means "Black River" - this name, printed on the map, was mistakenly attributed to Sakhalin, and in further editions of the maps it was already printed as the name of the island. The Japanese call Sakhalin Karafuto, this name goes back to the Ainu "kamuy- kara-puto-ya-mosir", which means "the land of the god of the mouth".

In 1805, a Russian ship under the command of I.F. Kruzenshtern explored most of the coast of Sakhalin and concluded that Sakhalin is a peninsula. In 1808, Japanese expeditions led by Matsuda Denjuro and Mamiya Rinzo proved that Sakhalin was an island. Most European cartographers were skeptical of the Japanese data. For a long time, on various maps, Sakhalin was designated either as an island or a peninsula. Only in 1849 did the expedition under the command of G. I. Nevelsky put an end to this issue, passing on the military transport ship Baikal between Sakhalin and the mainland. This strait was subsequently named after Nevelskoy.

Geography

The island is elongated meridionally from Cape Crillon in the south to Cape Elizabeth in the north. The length is 948 km, the width is from 26 km (the Poyasok isthmus) to 160 km (at the latitude of the village of Lesogorskoye), the area is 76.4 thousand km².

Map of Sakhalin Island 1885

Relief

The relief of the island is composed of medium-altitude mountains, low mountains and low plains. The southern and central parts of the island are characterized by mountainous relief and consist of two meridionally oriented mountain systems- West Sakhalin (up to 1327 m high - Onor) and East Sakhalin mountains (up to 1609 m high - Lopatina), separated by the longitudinal Tym-Poronai lowland. The north of the island (with the exception of the Schmidt Peninsula) is a gentle hilly plain.

The shores of the island are slightly indented; large bays - Aniva and Patience (widely open to the south) are located respectively in the southern and middle parts of the island. There are two large bays and four peninsulas in the coastline.

In the relief of Sakhalin, the following 11 regions are distinguished:

1. The Schmidt Peninsula (about 1.4 thousand km²) is a mountainous peninsula on far north islands with steep, sometimes steep coasts and two meridional ridges - Western and Eastern; the highest point is Mount Three Brothers (623 m); connected to the North Sakhalin Plain by the Okha Isthmus, the width of which at its narrowest point is just over 6 km;
2. The North Sakhalin Plain (about 28 thousand km²) is a gently undulating area south of the Schmidt Peninsula with a widely branched river network, weakly expressed watersheds and individual low mountain ranges, stretching from Baikal Bay in the north to the confluence of the Nysh and Tym rivers in the south, the highest point - Daakhuria (601 m); the northeastern coast of the island stands out as a subarea, which is characterized by large lagoons (the largest are Piltun, Chaivo, Nyisky, Nabilsky, Lunsky bays), separated from the sea by narrow strips of alluvial spits, dunes, low sea terraces - it is in this subarea that the main Sakhalin oil and gas fields are located on the adjacent shelf of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk;
3. The West Sakhalin Mountains stretch for almost 630 km from the latitude with. Hoe (51º19 "N) in the north to the Crillon Peninsula in the extreme south of the island; the average width of the mountains is 40-50 km, the largest (at the latitude of Cape Lamanon) is about 70 km; the axial part is formed by Kamyshovy (north of the isthmus Belt) and South Kamyshovy ridges;
4. The Tym-Poronai lowland is located in the middle part of the island and is a hilly-ridged lowland stretching for about 250 km in the meridional direction - from Terpeniya Bay in the south to the confluence of the Tym and Nysh rivers in the north; reaches its maximum width (up to 90 km) at the mouth of the Poronay River, the minimum (6-8 km) - in the valley of the Tym River; in the north it passes into the Nabil lowland; covered with a thick cover of Cenozoic sediments, composed of sedimentary deposits of the Quaternary period. sandstones, pebbles; the heavily swampy southern part of the lowland is called the Poronai "tundra";
5. The Susunai lowland is located in the southern part of the island and stretches for about 100 km from Aniva Bay in the south to the Naiba River in the north; from the west, the lowland is bounded by the West Sakhalin Mountains, from the east - by the Susunai Range and the Korsakov Plateau; in the southern part, the width of the lowland reaches 20 km, in the center - 6 km, in the north - 10 km; absolute heights in the north and south do not exceed 20 m above sea level, in the central part, on the watershed of the Susuya and Bolshoi Takaya river basins, they reach 60 m; refers to the type of internal lowlands and is a tectonic depression filled with a large thickness of Quaternary deposits; within the Susunai lowland are the cities of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Aniva, Dolinsk and about half of the island's population lives;
6. The East Sakhalin Mountains are represented in the north by the Lopatinsky mountain junction (the highest point is the city of Lopatina, 1609 m) with ridges extending radially from it; two spurs of the opposite direction represent the Nabil Range; in the south, the Nabilsky Range passes into the Central Range, in the north, sharply lowering, into the North Sakhalin Plain;
7. the lowlands of the Patience Peninsula - the smallest of the districts, occupies most of the Patience Peninsula east of Patience Bay;
8. The Susunai Range stretches from north to south for 70 km and has a width of 18-120 km; the highest points are Mount Pushkinskaya (1047 m) and Chekhov Peak (1045 m); composed of Paleozoic deposits, at the foot of the western macroslope of the ridge is the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk;
9. The Korsakov plateau is bounded from the west by the Susunai lowland, from the north by the Susunay ridge, from the east by the Muravyovskaya lowland, from the south by Aniva Bay, has a slightly undulating surface formed by a system of flat-topped ridged ridges elongated in a northeast direction; at the southern end of the plateau on the shores of Aniva Bay is the city of Korsakov;
10. The Muravyovskaya lowland is located between Aniva bays in the south and Mordvinov bays in the north, has a ridged relief with flat tops of the ridges; within the lowlands there are many lakes, incl. the so-called "Warm Lakes", where people from South Sakhalin like to go on vacation;
11. The Tonino-Aniva Range stretches from north to south, from Cape Svobodny to Cape Aniva, for almost 90 km, the highest point is Mount Kruzenshtern (670 m); composed of Cretaceous and Jurassic deposits.

View of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk from the high shore near the lighthouse in the area of ​​the Warm Lakes

Climate

The climate of Sakhalin is cool, moderately monsoonal (the average temperature in January is from -6ºС in the south to -24ºС in the north, in August - from +19ºС to +10ºС, respectively), maritime with long snowy winters and short cool summers.

The following factors influence the climate:

1. Geographical position between 46º and 54º N. latitude. conditions the coming solar radiation from 410 kJ/year in the north to 450 kJ/year in the south.
2. The position between the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean determines the monsoonal nature of the climate. A humid and cool, rather rainy Sakhalin summer is associated with it.
3. Mountainous terrain affects the direction and speed of the wind. A decrease in wind speed in intermountain basins (in particular, in the relatively large Tym-Poronai and Susunai lowlands) contributes to cooling the air in winter and warming it in summer, it is here that the greatest temperature contrasts are observed; while the mountains protect the named lowlands, as well as the western coast from the effects of the cold air of the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bOkhotsk.
4. In summer, the contrast between the western and eastern coasts of the island is enhanced by the respectively warm Tsushima Current of the Sea of ​​Japan and the cold East Sakhalin Current of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.
5. The cold Sea of ​​Okhotsk affects the climate of the island like a giant thermal accumulator, determining a long cold spring and a relatively warm autumn: snow in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk sometimes lasts until mid-May, and the flower beds of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk can bloom until early November. If we compare Sakhalin with similar (in terms of climatic indicators) territories of European Russia, then the seasons on the island succeed each other with a delay of about three weeks.

Air temperature and precipitation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the 21st century (temperature: II.2001-IV.2009; precipitation: III.2005-IV.2009):

The maximum temperature on Sakhalin (+39ºС) was noted in July 1977 in the village. Border on the east coast (Nogliki district). The minimum temperature on Sakhalin (-50ºС) was recorded in January 1980 in the village. Ado-Tymovo (Tymovsky district). The registered temperature minimum in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is -36ºС (January 1961), maximum - +34.7ºС (August 1999).

The highest average annual precipitation (990 mm) falls in the city of Aniva, the smallest (476 mm) - at the Kuegda meteorological station (Okhinsky district). The average annual amount of precipitation in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (according to long-term data) is 753 mm.

The earliest stable snow cover appears on Cape Elizaveta (Okhinsky district) and in the village of Ado-Tymovo (Tymovsky district) - on average October 31, the latest - in Korsakov (on average December 1). The average dates of snow cover melting are from April 22 (Kholmsk) to May 28 (Cape Elizabeth). In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, stable snow cover appears on average on November 22 and disappears on April 29.

The most powerful typhoon in the last 100 years (“Phyllis”) hit the island in August 1981. The maximum precipitation then occurred on August 5-6, and in total from August 4 to 7, 322 mm of precipitation fell in the south of Sakhalin (about three monthly norms) .

Inland waters

The largest rivers of Sakhalin:

There are 16120 lakes on Sakhalin with a total area of ​​about 1000 km². The areas of their greatest concentration are the north and southeast of the island. The two largest lakes of Sakhalin are Nevsky with a mirror area of ​​178 km² (Poronaisky district, near the mouth of the Poronai River) and Tunaicha (174 km²) (Korsakovsky district, in the north of the Muravyovskaya lowland); both lakes belong to the lagoon type.

Natural resources

Sakhalin is characterized by a very high potential of natural resources. In addition to biological resources, in terms of reserves of which Sakhalin is one of the first places in Russia, hydrocarbon reserves are very large on the island and its shelf. In terms of explored reserves of gas condensate, the Sakhalin Region ranks 4th in Russia, gas - 7th, coal - 12th and oil - 13th, while within the region, the reserves of these minerals are almost entirely concentrated in Sakhalin and his shelf. Other natural resources of the island include timber, gold, platinum.

Flora and fauna

Both the flora and fauna of the island are depleted both in comparison with the adjacent areas of the mainland, and in comparison with the island of Hokkaido located to the south.

Flora

As of the beginning of 2004, the flora of the island includes 1521 species of vascular plants belonging to 575 genera from 132 families, with 7 families and 101 genera represented only by invasive species. The total number of alien species on the island is 288, or 18.9% of the composition of the entire flora. According to the main systematic groups, vascular plants of the Sakhalin flora are distributed as follows (excluding adventitious ones): vascular spores - 79 species (including lycopods - 14, horsetails - 8, ferns - 57), gymnosperms - 9 species, angiosperms - 1146 species ( including monocots - 383, dicots - 763). The leading families of vascular plants in the flora of Sakhalin are sedge ( Cyperaceae) (121 species excluding aliens - 122 species including aliens), Compositae ( Asteraceae) (120 - 175), cereals ( Poaceae) (108 - 152), rosaceous ( Rosaceae) (58 - 68), ranunculus ( Ranunculaceae) (54 - 57), heather ( Ericaceae) (39 - 39), clove ( Caryophyllaceae) (38 - 54), buckwheat ( Polygonaceae) (37 - 57), orchids ( Orchidaceae) (35 - 35), cruciferous ( Brassicaceae) (33 - 53).

Fauna

Pink salmon goes to spawn in a nameless river that flows into Mordvinov Bay

"Red Book"

The fauna, flora and mycobiota of the island include many rare protected species of animals, plants and fungi. 12 mammal species recorded on Sakhalin, 97 bird species (including 50 nesting species), seven fish species, 20 invertebrate species, 113 vascular plant species, 13 bryophyte species, seven algae species, 14 fungi species and 20 lichen species (t ie 136 species of animals, 133 species of plants and 34 species of fungi - a total of 303 species) have protected status, i.e. are listed in the "Red Book of the Sakhalin Region", while about a third of them are simultaneously included in the "Red Book of the Russian Federation".

Of the "federal Red Book" flowering plants, the flora of Sakhalin includes Aralia heart-shaped ( Aralia cordata), calypso bulbous ( Calypso bulbosa), Glen's cardiocrinum ( Cardiocrinum glehnii), Japanese sedge ( carex japonica) and lead gray ( C.livida), lady's slippers real ( Cypripedium calceolus) and large-flowered ( C. macranthum), Gray's double leaf ( Diphylleia grayi), leafless chin ( Epipogium aphyllum), Japanese kandyk ( Erythronium japonicum), high paunch ( Gastrodia elata), iris xiphoid ( Iris ensata), walnut ailantolium ( Juglans ailanthifolia), calopanax seven-lobed ( Kalopanax septemlobum), tiger lily ( lilium lancifolium), Tolmachev's honeysuckle ( Lonicera tolmatchevii), long-legged winged seed ( macropodium pterospermum), miyakiya whole-leaved ( Miyakea integrifolia) (miyakia is the only endemic genus of vascular plants on Sakhalin), nest flower ( Neottianthe cucullata), peonies obovate ( Paeonia obovata) and mountainous ( P. oreogeton), bluegrass rough ( Poa radula) and Viburnum Wright ( Viburnum wrightii), i.e. 23 types. In addition, eight more "federal Red Book" plants are found on the island: two types of gymnosperms - Sargent's juniper ( Juniperus sargentii) and yew spiky ( taxus cuspidata), three species of ferns - Asiatic half-grass ( Isotes asiatica), Mikel's leptorumora ( Leptorumohra miqueliana) and Wright's mecodium ( Mecodium wrightii), two species and one variety of mosses - Japanese bryoxiphium ( Bryoxiphium norvegicum var. japonicum), northern necker ( Neckera borealis), and plagiothecium obtuse ( Plagiothecium obtusissimum).

Population

According to the results of the 2002 census, the population of the island was 527.1 thousand people, incl. 253.5 thousand men and 273.6 thousand women; about 85% of the population are Russians, the rest are Ukrainians, Koreans, Belarusians, Tatars, Chuvashs, Mordovians, several thousand people each of representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North - Nivkhs and Oroks. From 2002 to 2008 the population of Sakhalin continued to slowly (by about 1% per year) decline: mortality still prevails over births, and attracting labor from the mainland and from countries neighboring Russia does not compensate for the departure of Sakhalin residents to the mainland. At the beginning of 2008, about 500 thousand people lived on the island.

The largest city of the island is the regional center Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (173.2 thousand people; 01.01.2007), other relatively large cities are Korsakov (35.1 thousand people), Kholmsk (32.3 thousand people), Okha (26.7 thousand people), Nevelsk (17.0 thousand people), Poronaysk (16.9 thousand people).

The population is distributed among the regions of the island as follows (results of the 2002 census, people):

Story

Archaeological finds indicate that people appeared on Sakhalin in the Paleolithic, about 20-25 thousand years ago, when, as a result of glaciation, the level of the World Ocean dropped and land "bridges" were restored between Sakhalin and the mainland, as well as Sakhalin and Hokkaido. (Then on another land "bridge" between Asia and America, located on the site of the modern Bering Strait, Homo sapiens moved to the Americas). In the Neolithic (2-6 thousand years ago), Sakhalin was inhabited by the ancestors of modern Paleo-Asian peoples - the Nivkhs (in the north of the island) and the Ainu (in the south).

These same ethnic groups made up the main population of the island in the Middle Ages, with the Nivkhs migrating between Sakhalin and the lower Amur, and the Ainu between Sakhalin and Hokkaido. material culture they were similar in many ways, and their livelihood was provided by fishing, hunting and gathering. At the end of the Middle Ages (in the 16th-17th centuries), Tungus-speaking peoples appeared on Sakhalin - Evenks (nomadic reindeer herders) and Oroks (Uilta), who, under the influence of the Evenks, also began to engage in reindeer herding.

According to the Shimodsky Treaty (1855) between Russia and Japan, Sakhalin was recognized as their joint indivisible possession. Under the St. Petersburg Treaty of 1875, Russia received ownership of the island of Sakhalin, in return transferring to Japan all the northern Kuril Islands. After defeat Russian Empire in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 and the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, Japan received South Sakhalin (part of Sakhalin Island south of the 50th parallel). As a result of the victory over Japan during World War II, the entire territory of Sakhalin Island and all the Kuril Islands were included in the Soviet Union (RSFSR). On the territory or part of the territory of about. Sakhalin in current time there are no claims from either Japan or any other country.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was founded by Russians in 1882 under the name of Vladimirovka. After the victory of the USSR and its allies in World War II, together with the entire island, it passed to the USSR.

Sakhalin is Russia's largest island, located in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, east of Russia and north of Japan.

Since in its structure, Sakhalin Island resembles a fish, with a fin and a tail, the island does not have proportional dimensions.

Its dimensions are:
- in length, more than 950 kilometers
- in width, in its narrowest part, more than 25 kilometers
- in width, in its widest part, more than 155 kilometers
- the total area of ​​the island reaches more than 76,500 square kilometers

And now let's plunge into the history of Sakhalin Island.

The island was discovered by the Japanese around the middle of the 16th century. And by 1679, in the south of the island, a Japanese settlement called Otomari (the current city of Korsakov) was officially formed.
During the same period, the island was given its name, Kita-Ezo, which means Northern Ezo. Ezo - former name Japanese island of Hokkaido. Translated into Russian, the word Ezo means shrimp. This suggests that near these islands, there lived a large accumulation of one of the main Japanese delicacy, shrimp.

Russians, the island was discovered only at the beginning of the 18th century. And the first official settlements on the current island of Sakhalin were mastered by 1805.

I would like to note that when the Russian colonists began to create topographic maps Sakhalin, they had one mistake because of which the island got its name, Sakhalin. All due to the fact that the maps were made taking into account the rivers, and because of the location from which the colonists began the topography of the map, the main river was the Amur River. Since some of the guides of the Russian colonists through the untouched thickets of Sakhalin were immigrants from China, the Arum River, according to the old written Chinese languages, namely from the Manchu dialect, the Amur River sounded like Sakhalyan-Ulla. Due to the fact that Russian cartographers incorrectly entered this name, namely, the place Sakhalyan-Ulla, they entered it as Sakhalin, and they wrote this name on most maps where there were branches from the Amur River, on big land considered that such a name was given to this island.

But back to history.

Due to the abundant resettlement of Russian colonists to the island, the Japanese, in 1845, the current island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, were declared independent, inviolable property of Japan.

But due to the fact that most of, the north of the island was already inhabited by Russian colonists, and the entire territory of present-day Sakhalin was not officially assigned by Japan and was considered not disbanded, Russia began disputes with Japan about the division of the territory. And already by 1855, the Shimoda Treaty was signed between Russia and Japan, in which it was accepted that Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands are a joint undivided possession.

Then in 1875, in St. Petersburg, a new treaty was signed between Russia and Japan, according to which Russia renounced its part of the Kuril Islands in exchange for full ownership of the island.

Photos taken on Sakhalin Island, between the middle of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century

In 1905, due to the defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, which took place from 1904 to 1905, Sakhalin was divided into 2 parts - the Northern part, which remained under the control of Russia and the South, which was ceded to Japan.

In 1907, the southern part of Sakhalin was designated Karafuto Prefecture, with its main center represented by the first Japanese settlement on Sakhalin Island, the city of Otomari (now Korsakov).
Then the main center was transferred to another large Japanese city, Toekhara (the current city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk).

In 1920, Karafuto Prefecture was officially given the status of an external Japanese territory and it passed from an independent Japanese territory under the control of the Ministry of Colonial Affairs, and by 1943, Karafuto received the status of Japan's inland lands.

August 8, 1945 Soviet Union, declared war on Japan, and 2 years later, namely in 1947, the Soviet Union won this, the second Russo-Japanese war, taking the southern part of Sakhalin and all the Kuril Islands.

And so, starting from 1947 to the present day, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands remain part of the Russian Federation.

I would like to note that after the deportation of more than 400,000 Japanese back to their homeland began by the end of 1947, at the same time, the mass migration of the Russian population to Sakhalin Island began. This is due to the fact that the infrastructure built by the Japanese in the southern part of the island needed labor.
And since there were many minerals on the island, the extraction of which required a lot of labor, a mass exile of prisoners began on Sakhalin Island, which was an excellent free labor force.

But due to the fact that the deportation of the Japanese population was slower than the migration of the Russian population and Sylochnikov, and finally the deportation was completed by the end of the 19th century. Russian and Japanese Citizens had to live side by side for a long time.

Photos taken on Sakhalin Island, between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Sakhalin is the largest island that is part of and looks like an elongated fish. Every year this place attracts the attention of tourists who want to plunge into the atmosphere of pristine natural landscapes, of which there are a great many on the island. Fans of ecological tourism come to Sakhalin to enjoy the picturesque landscapes and relax away from civilization. Geographically, the island is significantly removed from the rest of Russia, so not every tourist knows where Sakhalin is.

Where is Sakhalin Island

If you carefully study the map of Russia, you can see that the island is located in the eastern part of the Asian coast and is washed by the waters of the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The closest neighbor of Sakhalin in the southeast is the island of Hokaido, which belongs to. Sakhalin is separated from the land by the Tatar Strait, and the natural boundary between Hokaido is the La Perouse Strait.

Almost half of the island is considered part of the Sakhalin region, which also includes. The extreme southern point of Sakhalin is Cape Crillon, the northern one is Cape Elizabeth. The island stretches for 947 kilometers in length, and the width varies from 27 to 162 kilometers. On an area of ​​76,000 square kilometers, there are 11 zones of natural importance that play an important role in shaping the landscape of Sakhalin.

Due to the fact that Sakhalin consists of territories that are diverse in structure, the relief of the island is not harmonious. So, in the south of Sakhalin, the landscape mainly consists of mountain systems, and in the north there are many hilly plains.

Most of the population of Sakhalin is concentrated in the area of ​​the Susunai lowland. There are also such large cities as Aniva, Dolinsk.

Origin of the name of the island

The name of the island has an ambiguous nature, since at different periods of time Sakhalin was also called in the Japanese manner Sahalia Karafuto, Saharin or Kabafuto. According to historical data, on one of the old European maps of the 19th century, in the place where the Amur has a mouth, the inscription “Sachalien anga-hata” was recorded, which in Mongolian is pronounced as “Sakhalyan-ulla” and translates as “rocks of the black river”. After the discovery of the island G.I. Nevelsky assigned the name Sakhalin to this territory, which exists to this day.

The Japanese name Karafuto originates in the ancient Ainu dialect, in accordance with the transcription of which “kamuy-kara-puto-ya-mosir” is a phrase translated as “land of the god of the mouth”. Today, this name is practically not used in Japan, replacing it with "Sacharin".

History of Sakhalin

Mention of the first people who appeared on Sakhalin, scientists attribute to the period of the early Paleolithic, which began about 300 thousand years ago. Archaeological excavations on the island give grounds to assert that during the Neolithic period, formed settlements already existed on Sakhalin. During the Middle Ages, the island was inhabited by the Ainu, who came from the Japanese Hokaido, and by the Nivkhs, who previously lived at the mouth of the Amur.

Throughout the 19th century, Sakhalin was officially under the rule of the Chinese emperors, and the island itself was not subjected to detailed study. A landmark event for Sakhalin was the expedition in 1849 led by the talented navigator G.I. Nevelsky, who discovered a narrow strait and proved that Sakhalin is an island.

In the end 19th century an agreement was concluded between Russia and Japan defining the territorial affiliation of the island. Japan received the northern coast of the Kuril Islands, and Sakhalin went to Russia. During Russo-Japanese War most of Sakhalin began to belong to the Japanese, but in 1945 the situation changed dramatically and Soviet troops managed to defend the island. Today Sakhalin is the most important object of Russia and combines the features of Japanese, Mongolian and Russian cultures.

How to get to Sakhalin

Knowing where the largest island of Russia is located, you can choose your own way of travel. The most popular among tourists are: airplane; ferry.

As for the air connection, a direct flight runs to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport, which will take you to your destination in 8 hours. This option is acceptable in case of saving time. However, be prepared for the fact that the ticket can be expensive. Some airlines offer tourists a flight with a change in, after which you will fly for about 7 more hours to the capital of the island. Also, planes fly to Sakhalin from countries such as Japan and.

As a rule, travelers choose a route that includes a water crossing. To do this, you should first purchase a ticket for any train to, or Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and then get to locality Vanino. From the Vanino railway station, a bus will take you to the place where the ferries depart from.

Ferries run daily in the evening and end their journey in Kholmsk, where you can easily buy a bus ticket to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. This method is quite costly in terms of time resources, but it is economical.

Features of the flora and fauna of Sakhalin

Thanks to its unique climatic conditions and good ecology, the animal and natural world of Sakhalin is very diverse. Such representatives of the fauna as bear, deer, wolverine, otter, mink, sea lion, raccoon dog, sable, etc. live here. About 379 species of birds nest in the lowlands of the island, on the shores of seas and rivers. Every spring, schools of salmon can be seen in local water bodies, which rush to the annual spawning. Tours are often organized for this amazing spectacle.

Most vacationers on Sakhalin tend to get to Tyuleny Island, home to large concentrations of rare fur seals. As a rule, the life of animals is observed from afar, since the island is under the strict protection of local authorities and it is strictly forbidden to approach it more than 27 miles.

The flora of Sakhalin has been studied by scientists for many decades and is represented by orchid, heather, buckwheat, Compositae, sedge, buttercup, cruciferous, etc. families. AT forest areas Sakhalin fir, larch, Ayan spruce, myra, yew, alder, birch, Japanese elm and maple grow. Two thirds of the list of fauna and flora of Sakhalin are listed in the Red Book, being the natural wealth of Russia.

Natural attractions of Sakhalin

Possessing significant potential in the development of eco-tourism, the island attracts the attention of visitors due to huge amount places with picturesque landscapes. Arriving in Sakhalin, be sure to visit:

• Salt Lake Tunaycha, located 45 kilometers from the capital of Sakhalin. Fascinating fishing, tasting of dishes prepared according to traditional recipes, exploring the surroundings, observing the life of birds - all this is offered by travel companies that organize excursions to Tunaicha.
• Capes Piltun, Juno and Crillon, famous for their untouched nature. The list of main attractions includes: snorkeling, excursion to the lighthouse, from where you can see gray whales, kayaking, self-cooking dishes of national cuisine, fishing, collecting wild berries, rafting on catamarans with different levels of difficulty.
• The Zhdanko Ridge, which is an ancient mountain formation of volcanic origin. In three days you can see amazing waterfalls, climb the ridge accompanied by an experienced instructor and relax away from the bustle of the city.
• Ilya-Muromets and Ptichy waterfalls, which can be reached only as part of an excursion tour on off-road vehicles. Bears often come to the waterfall during salmon spawning, so if you wish, you can take some original pictures from a safe distance. Both waterfalls are included in the list of especially important geological objects of the Russian Federation.
• Volcano Curly, located on the island of Iturup and known throughout the world for its unusual relief, creating fascinating pictures. Climbing to the top of the crater, you will find yourself in a world of figures made of solidified lava, geysers breaking out of the ground, abundant vegetation and basalt volcanic rocks.
• The Vaidinsky Cave is a unique mountain formation consisting of three tiers separated by vertical stone wells. Inside the cave there is a glacier and vast spaces, decorated with stalagmites, stalactites, corallites of bizarre shapes. A visit to the cave is accompanied by a qualified guide with a group of other tourists.
• Snow-white cliffs on the island of Iturup, which any local tour operator will help you get to. The rocks have an unusual origin and consist mainly of volcanic glass, which creates a mystical visual effect under certain lighting conditions. It stretched along the rocks for 27 kilometers sand beach where tourists like to walk in warm weather.
• Also, do not forget to include in your program an excursion to the regional art museum, a hot air balloon flight over the island and a museum that displays expositions of ancient railway equipment that have no analogues in the world.

Treatment on Sakhalin

The natural resources of the island, enriched with mineral waters and salts, make it possible to actively develop health tourism. For several decades, many healing springs have been discovered on Sakhalin, the water from which is used in medicinal purposes local health resorts.

Sanatorium "Sakhalin" is based on sources containing carbonic high arsenic waters, which help in the treatment of many diseases.

It is worth mentioning the famous resort of Sinegorsk, where tourists from different countries. The sanatoriums of Sinegorsk have significant experience in the medical field and provide high level service.

AT coastal zone In the Dagi Bay, specialized institutions have been built that use alkaline water in health programs. Here you can also take a course of mud procedures aimed at restoring all body systems. Sapropelic, sulfide and peat muds help with serious problems in the field of neuralgic disorders and have a beneficial effect on the circulatory organs.

In the area of ​​the Mendeleev volcano, there are many sources containing sulfur. Taking baths with such water has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system and helps to cure vascular diseases.

The main range of services offered by Sakhalin sanatoriums includes prevention of cardiovascular, gynecological, digestive and endocrine diseases. Therefore, having arrived on the island, you can not only find the best option for recreation, but also improve your health.