For the variety of landscapes and the pristine beauty of nature, Kuzbass is often called the pearl of Siberia. As far as this is justified, we will try to figure it out in our article. In it you will find detailed information about the geographical location, relief, climate, nature and animals of Kuzbass. In addition, we will tell you about the most interesting natural monuments and objects of this region.
Features of the geographical location and diversity of nature of the region
Kuzbass is the native land for more than two and a half million Russians. First of all, it is worth understanding toponymy. Kuzbass is the unofficial name of the Kemerovo region, as well as the abbreviated name of the Kuznetsk coal basin, the boundaries of which roughly coincide with the boundaries of the above-mentioned subject of the Russian Federation. And before you start describing the nature of Kuzbass, you should be familiar with the geographical position of this region in general terms.
So, the Kemerovo region, if you look at the map, is located in the geometric center of the country. By the way, the contours of the region resemble the outlines of the human heart. The poet and author of the anthem of Kuzbass Gennady Yurov once drew attention to this curious fact:
If you look at the map of Siberia, the contours of the heart are marked on it”
The region covers an area of 96 thousand square kilometers, which is comparable to the size of such a European state as Hungary. The Kemerovo Region is located in the southeastern part of Western Siberia. From north to south, it stretched for 500 kilometers, located between the 52nd and 56th degrees of northern latitude. The administrative center of the region is Kemerovo. Other major cities: Novokuznetsk, Prokopyevsk, Mezhdurechensk, Yurga.
The diversity of the nature of Kuzbass is manifested, first of all, in various forms of relief, diversity of vegetation and soil cover. The flora of the region is very diverse. So, on the tops of the mountain ranges here you can find patches of tundra, on the slopes - alpine meadows, in the low mountains - mixed forests, and in the intermountain basins - islands of steppe vegetation.
Nature of Kuzbass: photo and video
The taiga is noisy.
They are calling to the tops of the mountain.
The land of our fathers has been dear to us since childhood.
Lovely expanses excite the heart, Steep shores caress the look.
These lines are written by the Kuzbass poet Vladimir Ivanov. They perfectly describe the key features of the nature of Kuzbass. The local Siberian landscapes can bewitchand charm anyone with its landscape contrasts, in which the dark blue silent taiga is intricately combined with colorful scatterings of flower fields. The nature of Kuzbass is amazingly diverse! Everything is here:
Primitive and mysterious forests
Rough rivers and clear water streams
Snow-covered mountain peaks
Caves and bizarre rocks
The following video will help you to understand and realize the nature of Kuzbass even more deeply, as well as plunge into its virgin beauty:
An interesting description of the natural landscapes of Kuzbass is given by the doctor of technical sciences and, in combination, the artist Alexander Smirnov. He calls them "thoughtful", "harsh" and "affectionate" at the same time. We will tell you more about the nature of Kuzbass below. In particular, we will talk about the relief, climate, minerals, flora and fauna of the Kemerovo region.
Relief
Geologically, the territory of Kuzbass was formed in the era of Hercynian folding about 540-250 million years ago. It was during this period that the main tectonic structures were actively formed, which were reflected in the modern relief of this region.
In general, several orographic regions can be conditionally distinguished on the territory of the Kemerovo region. The northern part of it is a flat area,divided by the wide valley of the Tom. The ridges of the Kuznetsk Alatau rise in the east. Here is the highest point of Kuzbass - Mount Upper Tooth (2178 meters).
The central part of the region is occupied by the vast Kuznetsk Basin, bordered on the southwestern side by the low Salair Ridge. The southern expanses of Kuzbass is a unique country of low gently sloping mountains with an average height of 500-1000 meters and fabulous pillar rocks, called Mountain Shoria.
Mineral resources
Kuzbass is Russia's pantry, Rich in ore and coal.
Golden wheat in the fields
Burns with bronze fire!
(Nadezhda Chimbarova)
The main we alth of Kuzbass is, of course, coal. Almost half of it goes to coking. Within the Kuznetsk coal basin, there are a total of 130 layers of hard and brown coal. The main deposits are concentrated in the Kemerovo, Yerunakovsky, Leninsk-Kuznetsky and Belovsky regions. Coal mining is carried out by closed (65%), open (30%), and hydraulic (5%) methods.
In addition to coal, the bowels of Kuzbass are rich in iron ore, gold, phosphorites, oil shale. The region also produces a dozen and a half items of various construction raw materials.
Climate
I love Siberian nature, I like her straight.
Always, at any time of the year
She is true to herself.
(Stepan Torbakov)
The climate in the Kemerovo region is moderatecontinental. Winters are long and rather cold, summers are warm but relatively short. Average July temperatures are +17…+18 degrees, January -17…-20 degrees. The frost-free period is 100-120 days a year. The amount of precipitation varies widely: from 350 mm in the plains to 1000 mm in mountainous areas.
Hydrography
Due to sufficient moistening of the territory in Kuzbass, a fairly dense and extensive hydrological network has formed. The largest rivers in the region are the Tom, Mras-Su, Inya, Kiya, Yaya, Chumysh and Kondoma. All of them belong to the Ob basin. The Tom River crosses almost the entire region from northwest to southeast.
There are relatively few lakes in the Kemerovo region. They are found only in mountainous areas, as well as in the valleys of large watercourses. The largest lake in the region is Berchikul. The reservoir is practically drainless: only one tiny river flows out of it. In summer, the lake loses a lot of moisture as a result of evaporation, but the water level in it remains almost unchanged. Berchikul feeds mainly on underground springs.
Landscapes
In Kuzbass, on a relatively small area, there are several types of landscapes at once. These are multi-colored alpine meadows, and rocky tundra thickets, and classic taiga forests, and mountain fir forests with pronounced areas of tall grass. In intermountain basins and depressions, steppe landscapes are common, as well as individual pine forests. The total forest cover of the region reaches 67%. In the structure of the forests of Kuzbass, almost 40% are dark coniferous"Firs".
Flora and fauna
Kemerovo region lies within two natural and botanical zones - forest-steppe and subtaiga. The forests of Kuzbass are dominated by the following tree species: fir, spruce, pine, cedar, larch, aspen and birch. The maximum forest cover is typical for the southern and eastern regions of the region, and the minimum for the Kuznetsk basin. Light birch forests predominate in the foothills, and fir, spruce-fir and fir-aspen forests dominate on the mountain slopes.
The fauna of the region is very diverse. Wild deer, roe deer, elk and reindeer are found in the wooded area. True, the latter are found only within the Kuznetsk Alatau. Various predators also feel great in the forests - lynxes, wolves, bears, foxes and wolverines. The avifauna of the region is represented by capercaillie, black grouse, taiga hazel grouse. Slightly less common are buzzards, peregrine falcons and black kites. In general, within the Kemerovo region, zoologists count 50 species of mammals, 150 species of birds and 7 species of fish.
Nature protected objects and territories
On the territory of the Kemerovo Region there is the Shorsky National Park and the Kuznetsky Alatau Nature Reserve. In addition, the list of specially protected natural areas of Kuzbass includes 14 more state reserves.
Shor National Park is located in the basin of the Mras-Su and Kondoma rivers. It was established in 1989 with the aim of preserving the unique landscapes of Mountain Shoria (in particular, the cedar forestbiocenoses and areas of black taiga). The nature of this amazing park was almost not affected by human activity, and therefore retained its original appearance.
The Kuznetsk Alatau Reserve is another natural gem of this region. It is located in the central part of the mountain system of the same name. The highlight of this reserve are 32 glaciers with a total area of seven square kilometers. In addition, the territory of the reserve is a nesting site for a number of rare taiga bird species.
The most interesting natural monuments of Kuzbass include the following objects:
- Gavrilov caves.
- Tutal rocks.
- Kuzedeevskaya grove.
- Itkarinsky waterfall.
- Heavenly Teeth.
- King's Gate.
- Krestovsky swamps.
- Velvet Ridge.
Gavrilov caves are two underground cavities with a total length of 300 meters, located in the Guryev district. They were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. According to the memoirs of local residents, underground cavities used to stretch for several tens of kilometers. But in the 70s of the last century, geologists collapsed several passages for safety reasons.
Tutalsky rocks are located on the territory of the Yashkinsky district, on the right bank of the Tom. They represent numerous outcrops of dark shales. The rocks are popular among climbers who hone their skills here, as well as among archaeologists and historians, because it is on them that you can see the famous petroglyphs,referred to as "Tutalskaya pisanitsa".
Kuzedeevskaya relic linden grove is located in the Novokuznetsk region in a small basin. According to scientists, this unique "linden island" in the middle of the taiga arose during the first ice age. The grove was discovered by the botanist Porfiry Krylov at the end of the 19th century, and in 1964 it was declared a natural monument.
