Chukotka, Russia

This postcard is from my dear friend Katya in Russia. We did a "diary" style swap earlier this year where we sent each other a card a day, writing about the day on the card. It was so much fun, I'd love to do a similar swap with someone else at some point. I actually have two friends named Katya in Russia, and they both live in the Moscow region as well. This one is from Katya Z. :)



On this card you can see the Cape of Saint Dionysius in Chukotka, East of Russia. Chukotka is a federal subject of Russia (an autonomous okrug) located in the Russian Far East. Chukotka has a population of 53,824 according to the 2002 Census, and a surface area of 737,700 km2. The principal town and the administrative center is Anadyr. Chukotka is the most northeasterly region of Russia and, since the sale of Alaska to the United States, has been the only part of Russia lying partially in the Western Hemisphere (east of the 180th meridian).

Ecologically, Chukotka can be divided into three distinct areas: the northern arctic desert, the central tundra, and the taiga in the south. About half of its area is above the Arctic Circle. This area is very mountainous, containing the Chukotsky Mountains and the Anadyr Range. Large parts of Chukotka are covered with moss, lichen, and arctic plants, similar to western Alaska. Surrounding the Gulf of Anadyr and in the river valleys grow small larch, pine, birch, poplar, and willow trees. More than 900 species of plants grow in Chukotka, including 400 species of moss and lichen. It is home to 220 bird species and 30 fresh water fish species.

Chukotka's climate is influenced by its location on the three neighboring seas: the Bering Sea, the East Siberian Sea, and the Chukchi Sea. The weather is characterized by cold northerly winds that could quickly change to wet southern winds. Cape Navarin has the highest number of hurricanes and storms in Russia. The coastal areas are windy with little precipitation, between 200 and 400 mm per year. Temperature varies from −15 °C to −35 °C in January and from 5 °C to 14 °C in July.



Katya always uses the most amazing stamps on her cards and this one is no exception. These stamps are from a set of 5 stamps issued in 2003, depicting Fruits.