The Kerch Peninsula is a major and prominent geographic peninsula located at the eastern end of the Crimean Peninsula.
Kerch Peninsula | |
|---|---|
 Map of Kerch Peninsula in antiquity. | |
  Kerch Peninsula | |
| Coordinates: 45°15′N 36°00′E / 45.250°N 36.000°E | |
| Location | Crimea |
| Part of | Crimea  |
This peninsula stretches eastward toward the Taman Peninsula between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Most of the peninsula is located within the Lenine Raion.
Names
In Classical Antiquity, the area was known as the "Rough Peninsula" (Greek: Χερσόνησος Τραχεία, Latin: Chersonesus Trachea).
In Slavic languages, its pronunciation does not vary by much: Ukrainian: Керченський півострів, Kerchenskyi Pivostriv; Crimean Tatar: Keriç yarımadası, Kerich Yarymadasy; Russian: Керченский полуостров, Kyerchyenskii Polu'ostrov.
Geography
The Kerch Peninsula is almost completely surrounded by water and only to the west connects with the rest of Crimea by the Isthmus of Ak-Monay which is only 17 kilometres (11 miles) wide (from the southern end of the Arabat Spit to the town of Primorsky (Khafuz), Feodosiya). On elevated portions of the isthmus, named after the village of Kamianske (former Aq-Monai), are seen both of the surrounding seas.
The widest portion of the Kerch Peninsula is between the Kazan-Tip Cape (north) and Chauda Cape (south), that are 52 kilometres (32 miles) apart. The length of Kerch Peninsula is over 90 kilometres (56 miles), from the western portion of Aqmanai Isthmus to the Fonar Cape. The total area of the peninsula is 2,830 square kilometres (700,000 acres), which is just over 10% of the total area of the Crimean peninsula.
The southern coast of the Kerch peninsula is washed by the Black Sea and the , to the east as a natural border serves the Strait of Kerch, while the northern shores are part of the coastline of the Sea of Azov, , and Bay of Arabat. Away to the northwest from the peninsula runs another isthmus known as the Arabat Spit (locally Arabat arrow) which separates Sivash (the Rotten Sea) from Azov Sea. Other prominent features of the peninsula are Mount Mithridat located in the east at the shores of the Strait of Kerch and the Ararat Mountain (175 metres (574 ft)) located just west of the Kerch city, both of which are part of the northeastern elevated region. At the southeastern portion of peninsula are located mountains Sosman and Kharuchu-Oba. The highest mountain on the peninsula is Pikhbopai that is part of the Mithridat crest and 189 metres (620 ft) tall. The Kerch Peninsula, as well as surrounding areas such as Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, and the Caspian Sea region (which encompasses the Caucasus and Central Asia) are home to many mud volcanoes. These mud volcanoes are important for the region's oil industry.
Capes
- Black Sea
- Chauda
- Opuk
- Takhil
- Sea of Azov
- Malyi
- Fonar
- Khroni
- Zyuk
- Chahany
- Kazan-Tip
- Kiten
- Krasny Kut
Lakes, rivers, bays
Beside the above-mentioned bays there are also Mysova bay and Tatarska bay, both located around the Kazan-Tip Cape making it look as a small peninsula.
- Uzunlarske Lake
- Kachyk lake
- Koyashskoye Salt Lake
- Tobechytske Lake
- Aqtas Lake
Nature preserves
On the territory of the peninsula are located several natural preserves (zapovedniks):
- Opuksky Nature Reserve, the only place in Ukraine where rosy starlings nest
- , a state zakaznik near settlement Ostanine
Historical sites
- Turkish wall, a defensive wall that stretches across the peninsula from Bay of Kazan-Tip to the lake of Koyashs'ke
See also
- Battle of the Kerch Peninsula — an offensive by the Axis powers against Soviet troops in World War II.
- Myrmekion
- Panticapaeum
- Siberia Airlines Flight 1812
- Opuk (mountain)
References
- "Discover Ukraine : Places : Crimea : Kerch : Mud Volcanoes". discover-ukraine.info. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- "Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea Region and their Environmental Significance". springerprofessional.de. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- Ershov, Valery (November 2016). "New data on the material composition of mud volcano products on Kerch Peninsula". Doklady Earth Sciences. 471 (1): 1149–1153. Bibcode:2016DokES.471.1149E. doi:10.1134/S1028334X16110027. S2CID 133127609 – via Research Gate.
External links
- (in Russian) Kerch Peninsula at the Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- (in Russian) More detailed description of the peninsula by Arkadi Tebelev
- (in Russian) РЕКИ И БАЛКИ КЕРЧЕНСКОГО ПОЛУОСТРОВА
- Several maps of the region
The Kerch Peninsula is a major and prominent geographic peninsula located at the eastern end of the Crimean Peninsula Kerch PeninsulaPeninsulaMap of Kerch Peninsula in antiquity Kerch PeninsulaCoordinates 45 15 N 36 00 E 45 250 N 36 000 E 45 250 36 000LocationCrimeaPart ofCrimea This peninsula stretches eastward toward the Taman Peninsula between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea Most of the peninsula is located within the Lenine Raion NamesIn Classical Antiquity the area was known as the Rough Peninsula Greek Xersonhsos Traxeia Latin Chersonesus Trachea In Slavic languages its pronunciation does not vary by much Ukrainian Kerchenskij pivostriv Kerchenskyi Pivostriv Crimean Tatar Keric yarimadasi Kerich Yarymadasy Russian Kerchenskij poluostrov Kyerchyenskii Polu ostrov GeographyThe Kerch Peninsula is almost completely surrounded by water and only to the west connects with the rest of Crimea by the Isthmus of Ak Monay which is only 17 kilometres 11 miles wide from the southern end of the Arabat Spit to the town of Primorsky Khafuz Feodosiya On elevated portions of the isthmus named after the village of Kamianske former Aq Monai are seen both of the surrounding seas The widest portion of the Kerch Peninsula is between the Kazan Tip Cape north and Chauda Cape south that are 52 kilometres 32 miles apart The length of Kerch Peninsula is over 90 kilometres 56 miles from the western portion of Aqmanai Isthmus to the Fonar Cape The total area of the peninsula is 2 830 square kilometres 700 000 acres which is just over 10 of the total area of the Crimean peninsula The southern coast of the Kerch peninsula is washed by the Black Sea and the to the east as a natural border serves the Strait of Kerch while the northern shores are part of the coastline of the Sea of Azov and Bay of Arabat Away to the northwest from the peninsula runs another isthmus known as the Arabat Spit locally Arabat arrow which separates Sivash the Rotten Sea from Azov Sea Other prominent features of the peninsula are Mount Mithridat located in the east at the shores of the Strait of Kerch and the Ararat Mountain 175 metres 574 ft located just west of the Kerch city both of which are part of the northeastern elevated region At the southeastern portion of peninsula are located mountains Sosman and Kharuchu Oba The highest mountain on the peninsula is Pikhbopai that is part of the Mithridat crest and 189 metres 620 ft tall The Kerch Peninsula as well as surrounding areas such as Azerbaijan Iran Russia and the Caspian Sea region which encompasses the Caucasus and Central Asia are home to many mud volcanoes These mud volcanoes are important for the region s oil industry Capes Black SeaChauda Opuk TakhilSea of AzovMalyi Fonar Khroni Zyuk Chahany Kazan Tip Kiten Krasny KutLakes rivers bays Beside the above mentioned bays there are also Mysova bay and Tatarska bay both located around the Kazan Tip Cape making it look as a small peninsula Uzunlarske Lake Kachyk lake Koyashskoye Salt Lake Tobechytske Lake Aqtas LakeNature preserves On the territory of the peninsula are located several natural preserves zapovedniks Opuksky Nature Reserve the only place in Ukraine where rosy starlings nest a state zakaznik near settlement OstanineHistorical sitesTurkish wall a defensive wall that stretches across the peninsula from Bay of Kazan Tip to the lake of Koyashs keSee alsoBattle of the Kerch Peninsula an offensive by the Axis powers against Soviet troops in World War II Myrmekion Panticapaeum Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 Opuk mountain References Discover Ukraine Places Crimea Kerch Mud Volcanoes discover ukraine info Retrieved 2021 07 08 Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea Region and their Environmental Significance springerprofessional de Retrieved 2021 07 08 Ershov Valery November 2016 New data on the material composition of mud volcano products on Kerch Peninsula Doklady Earth Sciences 471 1 1149 1153 Bibcode 2016DokES 471 1149E doi 10 1134 S1028334X16110027 S2CID 133127609 via Research Gate External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Kerch Peninsula in Russian Kerch Peninsula at the Great Soviet Encyclopedia in Russian More detailed description of the peninsula by Arkadi Tebelev in Russian REKI I BALKI KERChENSKOGO POLUOSTROVA Several maps of the region
