The area of ​​the West Siberian Plain is. Physical Geography - Western Siberia (West Siberian Plain)

The Russian Federation has one of the largest plains on the surface of the globe. In the north, its border is the Kara Sea. In the south, it stretches to the space of the Kazakh fine sandstone. The eastern part is the Central Siberian Plateau. The border in the west becomes ancient... The total area of ​​this flat area is almost 3 million kilometers.

In contact with

Embossed features

The territory where the West Siberian Plain is located was formed long ago and successfully survived all tectonic shocks.

It is strictly limited by officially recognized extreme point coordinates:

• on the mainland part of the space, Cape Dezhnev becomes the extreme eastern point, 169 ° 42 ′ W. etc .;
• in the north, this point becomes Cape Chelyuskin (Russia), 77 ° 43 ′ N. NS.;
• coordinates 60 ° 00 's. NS. 100 ° 00 ′ east etc.

Hills

The height above sea level of the space under consideration is characterized by minimal differences.

Shaped in a shallow dish. Elevation differences range from 50 (minimum) to more than 100 meters in low areas, prevailing heights up to 200-250 meters located on the southern, western and eastern outskirts. On the northern outskirts, the landscape uplift is about 100-150 meters.

This is due to the location of the plain in the space of the Epigercyn plate, which is based on the foundation created by the superposition of Paleozoic deposits. This plate began to form in the Upper Jurassic, the so-called Upper Jurassic.

In the course of the formation of the surface layer of the planet, the flat terrain, having subsided, turned into a lowland and became a sedimentary basin. The site is located on a site located between the Urals and the Siberian platform.

Average values

This space is one of the largest low-lying areas on the planet, a type of accumulative plains, with an average height of 200 meters. Low-lying areas are located in the central part of the area, in the northern areas, on the borders of the Kara Sea. Almost half space is located at an altitude below 100 meters above sea level. This ancient area of ​​the earth's space also has its own "heights", smoothed by billions of years from the moment of creation. For example, the Severo-Sosvinskaya Upland (290 meters). The Verkhnetazovskaya Upland rises to 285 meters.

Low-lying places

The surface is concave with minimal heights in the central part. The average minimum height is 100 meters. The countdown is carried out according to tradition from sea level.

Fully justifies the name "plain". The height differences in the colossal space are minimal.

This feature also forms the continental climate. Frosts in some areas can drop in winter to -50 degrees Celsius... Such indicators are noted, for example, in Barnaul.

In absolute terms, this territory also does not differ in large numbers. The absolute height here is only 290 meters. Parameters are fixed on the North Sosvenskaya Upland. In most of the plain, the indicator is 100-150 meters.

This geographical feature occupies 1/7 of the Russian Federation. The plain stretches from the Kara Sea in the north to the Kazakh steppes in the south. In the west, it is bordered by the Ural Mountains. The size is almost 3 million kilometers.

Characteristic

The general characteristic is based on the process of the formation of the plain during the most ancient stages of the planet's development and the long-term leveling of the surface during the passage of glacial masses. This explains the monotony of the smoothed relief. Due to this, the space is strictly zoned. The north is distinguished by tundra, and south - steppe landscapes... The soil is minimally drained. Most of it is occupied by swampy forests and directly by swamps. Such hydromorphic complexes occupy a lot of space, about 128 million hectares. The south of the plain is characterized by a large number of areas such as various types of malts, salt licks and large salt marshes.

Note! Due to its large area, the climate of the plain ranges from moderately continental in the Russian Plain to sharply continental. This indicator differs in Central Siberia.

For a long time, people lived on the West Siberian Plain. Already in the 11th century, Novgorodians came here. Then they got to the lower reaches of the Ob. The period of opening up space for the Russian state is associated with the legendary Ermak's campaigns from 1581 to 1584. It was at this time that many land discoveries were made on the territory of Siberia. The study of nature was carried out and described in the 18th century during the Great Northern and Academic Expeditions. Development in these areas continued over the following decades. It was connected:

• with the resettlement of the peasantry from Central Russia in the 19th century;
• planning the implementation of the construction of the Siberian railway

Detailed soil and geographical maps of the land were compiled. The active development of the territories continued in the years after the change of state power in 1917 and beyond.

As a result, today it has become habitable and mastered by man. Here are located such large regions of Russia as Pavlodar, Kustanai, Kokchetav regions, Altai Territory, western regions of Krasnoyarsk Territory, eastern territories Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions.

About 150 years ago, the role of Siberia was finally formed as a kind of bridge between the European part of Russia and its eastern part. In our time, the role of this territory as an economic bridge, especially with the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, has finally formed, using all types of transport for development.

Note! The active development of the territories is largely due to the large volumes of deposits: natural gas, oil, brown coal, iron ores and many others.

The successful development of the territory was facilitated by a large number of large, mostly navigable, especially such giants as Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei... Nowadays, rivers are convenient transport routes, they are used to obtain energy, which makes it possible to ensure a high level of quality of life for the population of the regions.

Age indicator

The basis of the smooth and flat flat surface east of the Ural Mountains is a plate formed during the Paleozoic. According to the parameters of the formation of the planet's surface, this plate is quite young. Over millions of years of formation, the surface of the plate was covered with Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits.

According to their characteristics, they belong to the type of sea and sand clay deposits. Layer thickness is up to 1000 meters... In the southern part, deposits in the form of loess reach a thickness of 200 meters, formed due to the presence of areas of formation of lacustrine deposits in these areas.

The vast territory of the Russian Federation is located on 2 continents - Europe and Asia, which border each other along the line of the Ural Mountains. In the west of the Asian part of the Russian state, between the Ural Mountains and the Far East, the expanses of Siberia are located. In accordance with tectonic boundaries and characteristics of geographic zones, it is subdivided into several natural areas. In a more generalized form, Siberia is divided into 2 parts - Western and Eastern.

Basis of Western Siberia

The basic element of this region is the lowland, which is called the West Siberian Plain. This geographical feature accounts for approximately 80% of the entire geographical region, which is approximately equal to 3 million km². On the map, its borders resemble a trapezoid with a wide base (south) and a narrow top (north).

Plain boundaries

• From the west it is propped up by the mountain ridges of the Urals.
• On the opposite side it is limited by the Yenisei watershed.
• On the south side - the Kazakhstani small hills Sary-Arka and the foothills of the Altai Territory.
• The north of the lowland is outlined by the winding coast of the Kara Sea and its bays.

Specific traits

There are several features that most clearly characterize the West Siberian Plain:

• The fluctuation in heights has a very small amplitude (only 200 m) for such a large space.
• Natural and climatic zones in the north-south direction are widely covered, tied to latitudes and have distinct transitions, which is due to the large length and flat relief. This latitudinal zoning is called classical.
• The absence of slopes at the surface forms a large number of bog landscapes in the northern part of the lowland and landscapes of salt accumulation in the southern.
• The climate has a transitional character between temperate continental in the west and sharply continental in the east.

Geological structure

The tectonic plate on which the West Siberian Plain is located bears the name of the same name. The plate belongs to the Hercynian mountain building, characterized by the collapse of deposits into mountain folds - Hercynides. In accordance with the name of the era of tectogenesis, the slab is also called Hercynian or Epighercynian.

The basement of the plate was formed by Paleozoic deposits, which, as a result of subsequent tectonic movements (folded dislocation), changed the initial structure of the bedding.

At the end of the Jurassic period, due to destruction and fractures, a huge section of the rock formation sank below sea level. The result was the formation of a new basin, followed by sedimentation (sedimentation of particles).

In the last era of the Paleogene, a reverse movement occurred, the plate rose and got rid of the waters of the world's oceans. However, the alternating lowering and raising of the slab did not end there - it was repeated again.

Therefore, on top of the basement Hercynides, a thick, leveling cover of loose substance, both marine and continental deposits of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic, was formed. Ice ages added moraine deposits to the northern part.

The average thickness of the sedimentary cover is more than 1 km, and in the lower parts of the basement, the thickness reaches 4 km.

Relief characteristics

Despite the scanty elevation difference, the plain still has a varied relief. That is, here you can observe the presence of both lowlands and hills. There are also sloping plains in the assortment of relief. There is also a fair amount of plateaus.

The north and center are mainly represented by low areas, among which the following lowlands can be noted:

• Nizhneobskaya, Nadymskaya and Purskaya in the north
• Kondinskaya and Sredneobskaya in the center

The elevated areas are located mainly on 3 sides on the periphery, among which are:

• North Sosva Upland and Turin Inclined Plain in the west
• Ishim steppe, Chulym-Yenisei and Priobskoye plateau in the south
• Ket-Tym Upland in the east

Some changes in the relief in recent years have occurred as a result of human activities - mining and agriculture. As a result of the violation of the natural structure of rocks, as well as the chemicalization of the soil with fertilizers, erosion processes are accelerated.

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1. West Siberian lowland

2.

West Siberian lowland third in
the largest plain on our planet after
Amazonian and Russian. Its area is about 2.6
million
square
kilometers.
Length
West Siberian
lowlands from north to south (from the coast
The Kara Sea to the mountains of Southern Siberia and
semi-desert of Kazakhstan) is about 2.5
thousand kilometers, and from west to east (from
West Siberian Plain - the most
inhabited and developed (especially in the south) part of the Urals to the Yenisei) - 1.9 thousand kilometers.
Siberia. Within its limits are located
Tyumen, Kurgan, Omsk, Novosibirsk
and Tomsk regions, eastern regions
Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions,
a significant part of the Altai Territory, western
areas of the Krasnoyarsk Territory as well as northern and
north-eastern regions of Kazakhstan

3.

The surface of the West Siberian Lowland is flat with a fairly
a slight difference in height. However, the relief of the plain is sufficient
varied. The lowest parts of the plain (50-100 m) are located
mainly in its central and northern parts. Along the west, south and
the eastern outskirts stretch low (up to 200-250 m) elevations.
A pronounced strip of hills is formed in the inner part
plains Siberian Uvaly (average height - 140-150 m), extending from the west
from the Ob to the east to the Yenisei, and the Vasyugan plain parallel to them.
The foundation of the West Siberian Plate is covered with a cover of loose marine and
continental rocks (clays, sandstones,) with a total thickness of over 1000 m (in
foundation depressions up to 3000-4000 m).
There are industrial deposits of oil and natural gas (West Siberian
oil and gas basin). In the area of ​​Khanty-Mansiysk, Krasnoselsky,
Salym and Surgut regions, in the layers of the Bazhenov formation at a depth of 2 km
there are the largest reserves of shale oil in Russia.

4.

The climate of Western Siberia is continental, rather severe.
4 main reasons have shaped the climatic conditions of the territory:
1 reason - the amount of solar radiation received by the territory;
2 reason - remoteness from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans caused
continentality
3 reason - the flatness of the territory, which allows you to penetrate
air masses from the north and south;
4 reason - the mountains fenced off Western Siberia from the Atlantic and
Central Asian air masses.
In the north, a climate with cold, windy winters and cool summers, with
moving from north to south, the continentality of the climate increases.
This is expressed in an increase in temperatures, a decrease in the amount
precipitation, a reduction in the duration of the transitional seasons of the year, due to
low temperatures here is excessive, and in the southern part there is a sufficient
humidification and in combination with low elevations of the territory and weak
drainage leads to strong swampiness - almost 70%.
The average January temperature decreases from -15 (C in the southwest to -30 (C
in the north-east of Western Siberia. Average temperature in July
increases from +5 (C in the north to +20 (C in the south.

5.

On the territory of the West Siberian Lowland
more than 2000 rivers flow. Their total length is about 250 thousand.
kilometers. The largest are Ob, Yenisei and
Irtysh. They are not only navigable but also
are used to generate energy. They eat in
mainly due to melt water and rains (in summer-autumn
period). There are also a large number of lakes here.
In the southern regions, they are filled with salt water. The West Siberian Lowland holds the world record for
the number of swamps per unit area (area
wetlands of about 800 thousand square meters
kilometers). The reasons for this phenomenon are
the following factors: excessive moisture, flat
relief, permafrost and the ability of peat,
abundant here, hold
significant mass of water.

6.

7.

Natural zones of the West Siberian Plain
Due to the large extent of the West Siberian Lowland from
north to south and the monotony of the relief in its aisles is present
five natural zones: tundra, forest-tundra, forest, forest-steppe and
steppe. In all zones, rather large areas are occupied by lakes and
swamps. Broad-leaved and coniferous-deciduous forests here
absent, and the forest-steppe zone is rather insignificant.
A large area is occupied by the tundra zone, which is explained by the northern
the position of the West Siberian Plain.

To the south is located
forest-tundra zone. As mentioned above, the forests in this area
mostly conifers.
The forest bog zone occupies about 60% of the territory of the West Siberian lowland. A strip of coniferous forests is followed by a narrow zone
small-leaved (mainly birch) forests. Forest-steppe zone
formed in a flat relief. Lying here on
shallow groundwater is the reason for the large
the number of swamps. In the extreme southern part of the West Siberian
the lowland is the steppe zone, which for the most part
plowed up.

8.

Ancient glaciation strongly influenced flora and fauna
Western Siberia. When the glacier retreated, the north of the plain was conquered
tundra and taiga, although before there were deciduous forests, in
which were inhabited by mammoths, woolly rhinos, giant deer. By
the remains of the trunks in the swamps can be judged that the forest border
was located several hundred kilometers north of the present
time.
The smallest diversity in all zonal areas of the Western
Plants differ in Siberia. On average, the flora of Western Siberia is poorer
in comparison with adjacent regions by about 1.5 times, especially large
a gap for the taiga and tundra zones. Higher relative
the fauna of Western Siberia is characterized by a variety. So, at four
the main orders of mammals in Western Siberia, there are 80
species. The fauna of birds is the most diverse, the main
some of whose species in Western Siberia are migratory. In general
the number of bird species Western Siberia in any zonal area
is not significantly inferior to adjacent regions, but in terms of waterfowl and
near-water surpasses them.

9.

The fauna of the plain is presented as
forest and steppe species. Here
there are elk, roe deer, wolf, etc.
Representatives of the world also meet
birds (ptarmigan, gull). In Northern Kazakhstan and forests
There were brown bears in Kostanai. Now their
no, apparently they went to safer
habitats. In recent years, rarely
Elk and Siberian roe deer are also encountered.
The reason for this is poaching. V
local rivers and lakes launched a muskrat,
brought from America. Gradually she
takes root. Favorable natural
conditions allow a large
the number of birds. In wide open spaces
water bodies there are swans, geese.

10.

A lot of minerals are found in the West Siberian Plain.
The Sokolovsko-Sarbayskoye, Kacharskoye fields produce
iron ore. There is a mining and processing plant in the town of Rudny
combine. Large
reserves of nickel and coal. Deposits of chromite were explored,
bauxite, cobalt. There are many building materials.

11.

- Western Siberia is one of the largest
low-lying plains of the globe.
- Rich in a variety of natural resources.
- The climate is continental, rather harsh.
- Rich in rivers, lakes, swamps.
- The zoning of its nature is clearly expressed - from
tundra to the steppes.

12.

thanks for
Attention!

West Siberian lowland

English РусскийRules

Features of Western Siberia

The West Siberian lowland, or plain, is the third largest after the Russian plain in the world. Its area is about 2.6 million km2. From the harsh coast of the Kara Sea, it stretches to the foothills of the mountains of Southern Siberia and the semi-deserts of Kazakhstan for 2500 km, and from the Urals to the Yenisei - for 1900 km.

The borders of the plain are clearly defined natural boundaries: in the north - the coastline of the Kara Sea, in the south - the foothills of the Kazakh Upland, Altai, Salair and Kuznetsk Alatau, in the west - the eastern foothills of the Urals, in the east - the valley of the Yenisei River.

The huge West Siberian Lowland, almost entirely covered by a cover of anthropogenic sediments, is a young Epigercynian (Epipaleozoic) plate. This is the most significant oil and gas basin in Russia.

In the west, the plate borders are outcrops of Paleozoic rocks along the eastern slope of the Urals and Pai-Khoi, and further to the north along the coastline of the Vaigach and Novaya Zemlya islands.

In the southwest, in the Turgai trough, the boundary with the Turan plate located to the south is conventionally drawn along the watershed of the Ubagana and Turgai rivers. The southern and southeastern borders are determined by the outcrops of the Paleozoic in the Kazakh and Altai-Sayan regions.

The eastern border of the plate is drawn along the river valley. Yenisei, along the outcrops of pre-Paleozoic and Paleozoic rocks. In the lower reaches of the river. The Yenisei border is completely conditional; it is usually carried out in an arc from the village. Dudinka to outcrops of Paleozoic rocks at the western end of Taimyr. Within the Kara Sea, the northern boundary of the plate has not yet been precisely established.

Three structural levels are distinguished in the structure of the West Siberian plate: geosynclinal, intermediate, and platform. In relation to the Meso-Cenozoic platform cover, the first two are usually considered as the basement.

Nowhere in the world can one find such a huge space with such a flat relief, as it were, lowering towards its center. Crossing the plain, you see boundless planes - no hillock, no slope. Such a relief was formed by loose river deposits and ancient glacial deposits, which covered the Paleozoic plate with a thick sedimentary cover (3-4 thousand m). Horizontal layering of sedimentary strata is the main reason for the flat relief of the plain.

Affected the relief of the West Siberian Plain and glaciation. But the glacier here did not cross 60 degrees. north latitude.

In the south of the plain, during the flooding of rivers covered with ice in the north, lacustrine and river sediments - sands and loams - were deposited on colossal spaces.

Glaciation affected not only the relief, but also the flora and fauna of the West Siberian Plain. When the glacier retreated, the north of the plain was conquered by the tundra and taiga, although before there were deciduous forests in which mammoths, woolly rhinos, and giant deer lived. From the remains of trunks in the swamps, one can judge that the forest border was located several hundred kilometers to the north than at present.

The continentality of the climate in the vastness of the West Siberian Plain increases with movement from north to south. This is expressed in an increase in the annual amplitude of temperatures, a decrease in the amount of precipitation, a reduction in the duration of spring and autumn - the transitional seasons of the year.

At the junction of the air masses of the temperate zone with the tropical ones, cyclones appear, bringing rains. At the beginning of summer, this front operates in the south - the steppe zone receives moisture (about 300 mm per year). In July, hot air dominates the entire south of the plains, and cyclones move to the north, bringing precipitation to the taiga zone (500 mm per year). In August, the front reaches the tundra, where it drops up to 250 mm per year.

In winter, cyclones of the Arctic front operate at the junction of moderate and arctic air masses. This softens the frosts in the north, but due to the high humidity and strong winds, the harshness of the climate here appears even with lower frosts. The West Siberian Plain is rich in rivers, lakes, bogs, the distribution of which over the territory clearly shows dependence on the relief and on the zonal ratio of heat and moisture.

The largest river in the West Siberian Plain is the Ob with the Irtysh tributary. This is one of the greatest rivers in the world. In Russia, it ranks first in length (5410 km) and in terms of basin area (2990 thousand km 2).

In addition to the Ob and Irtysh, among the major rivers of the region, one can name navigable ones: Nadym, Pur, Taz, and Tobol.

Among the numerous lakes, glacial lake basins that fill them predominate. In terms of the number of swamps, the West Siberian Plain is also a world record holder: nowhere in the world is there such a swampy territory with an area of ​​800 thousand km 2 as here. A classic example of boggy is Vasyugane - a geographical area lying in the interfluve of the Ob and Irtysh rivers. There are several reasons for the formation of such vast swampy areas: the presence of excessive moisture, flat relief, permafrost, low air temperatures, the ability of peat, which prevails here, to retain water in quantities that are many times greater than the weight of the peat mass. The climate of Western Siberia is more continental and harsher than in the east of the European part of Russia, but milder than in the rest of Siberia. The large length of the plain from north to south allows several latitudinal zones to fit here - from the tundra in the north to the steppes in the south.

The huge dimensions of the West Siberian Plain and the flat relief make it possible to trace the latitudinal-zonal changes in natural landscapes especially well. The main distinguishing feature of the tundra is the severity of the climate. Adapting to harsh conditions, tundra plants prepare wintering buds from autumn. Due to this, in the spring they are rapidly covered with leaves and flowers, and then bear fruit. In the tundra, there are many different plant foods, so many herbivorous birds nest here.

Forest-tundra is the first zone when moving to the south, where at least 20 days a year there is a summer thermal regime, when average daily temperatures exceed 15? C. Here the tundra alternates with sparse and rather low trees. More than half of the territory of Western Siberia is occupied by forest and bog zones. The interfluvial areas are dominated by swamps, and the slopes of river valleys and elevated areas (manes) are occupied by taiga forests. In the northern part of the plain, spruce and cedar forests dominate, in the southern - spruce and cedar forests with an admixture of fir and birch. To the south of the taiga there is a zone of deciduous forests, which in Western Siberia stretches in a narrow strip from the Ural mountains to the Yenisei River.

The West Siberian forest-steppe stretches in a narrow strip from the Urals to the foothills of the Salair Ridge. The abundance of lake basins is a feature of this zone. The shores of the lakes are low, partly swampy or overgrown with pine forests. In Kuldinsk pine forests live together with steppe species, field pipit, jerboa - taiga species - flying squirrel, wood grouse.

This area is characterized by large fertile soils on which good harvests of grain and vegetables can be grown.

The natural resources of the West Siberian Plain are very diverse. Oil and gas reserves of such fields as Urengoy, Medvezhye, Surgut make Western Siberia one of the world leaders. 60% of the total peat reserves of Russia are also concentrated on its territory. The richest salt deposits are located in the south of the plain. The great wealth of Western Siberia is its water resources. In addition to surface waters - rivers and lakes - huge reservoirs of groundwater have been found. The biological resources of the tundra and forest-tundra are of great economic importance - this seemingly not rich zone with life. A significant amount of furs and game is caught in it, and there are many fish in its rivers and lakes. In addition, the tundra is the main reindeer breeding area. The taiga of Western Siberia has long been famous for the production of furs and timber.

Brown coal deposits are associated with ancient sedimentary rocks of the Triassic and Jurassic age, the total thickness of which is more than 800-1000 m. Its reserves in the Tyumen region are estimated at 8 billion tons.

However, the main wealth of Western Siberia is oil and gas deposits. It has been established that this plain is a uniquely rich oil and gas province of the Earth.

To date, more than 350 oil, gas and gas condensate fields have been explored. For the past 3 decades, Western Siberia has been holding the lead in oil and natural gas production in Russia.

Searches in the depths of Western Siberia for "black gold" and "blue fuel" made it possible to discover large reserves of iron ores in the north of the Novosibirsk region. But these vast and varied riches are not easy to master. The nature has protected the oil and gas deposits of the region from humans by powerful swamps and permafrost soils. It is extremely difficult to build in the conditions of such soils. In winter, people. severe frosts, high air humidity, strong wind interfere. In summer, numerous blood-sucking birds - gnats and mosquitoes - torment people and animals.

Western Siberia Map

General information about Western Siberia

Time in Western Siberia: in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen Region, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra time is 2 hours ahead of Moscow time. In Omsk Oblast, Tomsk Oblast, Novosibirsk Oblast and the Altai Republic, time is 3 hours ahead of Moscow time. In the Kemerovo region, the time is 4 hours ahead of Moscow time.

Western Siberia is a region of Russia stretching 2500 km from the Arctic Ocean to the uplands of the Kazakh Upland and 1900 km from the Urals to the Yenisei. About 80% of the area of ​​Western Siberia is located within the West Siberian Plain, which gradually rises in the southeast, giving way to the foothills of Altai, Salair, Kuznetsk Alatau and Gornaya Shoria.

Western Siberia includes: Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Tyumen Region, Omsk Region, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District - Yugra, Tomsk Region, Novosibirsk Region, Kemerovo Region, Altai Territory, Altai Republic.

Languages ​​spoken in Western Siberia: Russian, Altai, Kazakh.

Territory Western Siberia: 3 561 165 km².

Borders Western Siberia: with Kazakhstan, with China, with Mongolia, with the Kurgan region, with the Sverdlovsk region, with the Komi Republic, with the Nenets Autonomous District, with the Krasnoyarsk Territory, with the Republic of Khakassia, with the Republic of Tuva.

Largest cities Western Siberia: Tobolsk, Tyumen, Omsk, Nefteyugansk, Nizhnevartovsk, Surgut, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Berdsk, Kemerovo, Prokopyevsk, Novokuznetsk, Barnaul, Biysk, Rubtsovsk.

Highest mountain peaks Western Siberia: G.

Sinyukha (1 210 m), Upper Tooth (2 176 m), Aktru (4 075 m),

Argamdzhi (3,511 m), Belukha town (4,506 m), Kolji-khan town (1,992 m), Maashey-bash town (4,173 m), Muzdy-Bulak town (3,050 m), Sarlyk (2,506 m), Payer (1,499 m), Harnaurdy-Keu (1,246 m).

Largest lakes Western Siberia: Saltaim, Tenis, Ik, Chany, Teletskoe, Aya.

Largest rivers Western Siberia: Ob, Ishim, Irtysh, Tobol, Katun.

International airports Western Siberia: Barnaul (Barnaul), Kemerovo (Kemerovo), Kogalym (Kogalym), Nizhnevartovsk (Nizhnevartovsk), Tolmachevo (Novosibirsk), Omsk-Central (Omsk), Surgut (Surgut), Bogashevo (Tomsk), Roshchino (Tyumen), Khanty- Mansiysk (Khanty-Mansiysk),

Population Western Siberia: 14.2 million people (Russians - 75%, Altai - 5%, Ukrainians - 3%, Tatars - 3%, Nenets - 2%, Kazakhs - 0.6%, Bashkirs - 0.4%, Azerbaijanis - 0.3%, others - 10 , 7%).

Population density Western Siberia: 8.68 people / km².

Religion Western Siberia: Christians - 73%, Muslims - 17%, Catholics - 9%, others - 1%.

GDP per capita in Western Siberia: 770,700 rubles.

Population below the poverty line v Western Siberia:15 %.

Unemployment v Western Siberia: 5 %.

Literacy Rate v Western Siberia: 99%.

West Siberian Plain with a total area of ​​3.5 million square meters. km belongs to the accumulative type of plains. It is one of the largest low-lying marshy areas on earth, covered with tundra and taiga. For a long time, the harsh climate and permafrost hindered the geological study of the territory. Today geologists attribute the plain to the presence of the tectonic plate of the same name. Its foundation is best studied at the periphery. By the method of drilling deep and superdeep wells, geologists have studied its southern region and center quite well. If drilling is not available, scientists use geophysical data. The tectonic structure and structure of the large West Siberian plate is very diverse and not entirely clear. It is the structure of the foundation that causes a lively scientific discussion. Most scientists agree that the crystalline basement consists of large geoblocks, consolidated and separated by deep faults.

Geology of the West Siberian Plain

The plain of Western Siberia is located on the epigercyn tectonic plate of the same name, which has a pronounced two-tiered structure. At its base, it is represented by a heterogeneous basement of different ages from the Precambrian to the Paleozoic. The base of the tectonic plate is, first of all, a depression with steep sides from the northeast. It is exposed in a few elevated areas along the edges of the lowland. The basement rocks are covered with a layer of marine and continental Mesozoic and Cenozoic geological deposits of clays and sandstones up to 1000 meters thick. In the depressions of the base of the slab, the thickness of the deposits reaches 3-4 thousand meters. In the basement of the slab, geologists distinguish three ophiolite volcanic belts. They were named after their location as Nizhnevartovsk-Aleksandrovskiy, Zauralskiy and Zapadno-Surgutskiy; cherpno-schist deposits, siliceous shales and jaspers of Devonian age appear here.

Scientists determine the age of the foundation by the pre-Paleozoic time, the ancient Baikal, followed by the Caledonian and Hercynian folding. It is dissected by deep tectonic faults of different geological ages. The fault lines of the Omsk-Pursky and Zauralsky ones extend submeridionally. The diagrams of the location of isolated tectonic structures on the plain show that in the basement of the plate one can distinguish between the near-edge and the vast inner regions; it has depressions and uplifts. It is covered by a cover of sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic age. In the cover, marine and coastal-continental deposits are distinguished up to 3-4 thousand meters in the south and 7-8 thousand meters in the north. In the south, young alluvial and lacustrine sediments were formed, to the north, sea and glacial ones.

History of the formation of the territory

The formation of the plate began in the late Jurassic period. Then, as a result of the action of the geological forces of the earth, the huge area between the Urals and the Siberian platform gradually began to sink. During its development, the plate has repeatedly experienced the impact of sea transgressions. In the Oligocene period, the ancient sea left the West Siberian plate, and a huge lacustrine alluvial alluvial plain was formed here. In the Oligocene and later in the Neogene, some of its parts experienced tectonic uplifts and subsidence under the action of the internal forces of the earth. During its development, the territory was repeatedly flooded by the sea in the Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene periods. This is the reason for the constant swampiness of the plain over vast areas.

In the Upper Triassic, the plate gradually subsided and gradually accumulated a sedimentary cover. In the Mesozoic and Cenozoic geological time, these processes continued with a prolonged deflection of the plate. Today the cover is composed of sandy, siltstone, mudstone, continental and clayey deposits up to 8 km in the north of the plain. When tectonic movements appeared at different stages of development, local geological structures arose in the cover. In such uplifts on the territory of the fault zones, reservoirs of gas and oil were formed.

In the Oligocene, tectonic movements separated the sea of ​​Western Siberia from the large Arctic basin. For a short time in the center of the plate the sea regime was still preserved, but in the Oligocene the sea left the plain. Therefore, the upper horizon of the cover is composed of continental lacustrine-alluvial and sandy-clayey sediments up to 2 km thick.

In the Neogene period, the Ob-Yenisei sublatitudinal uplifts began to gradually separate; they are located above the large Trans-Siberian fault and clearly correspond to the Siberian Uvaly uplands. It was then, in the Neogene period, that the main features of the orography of the plain were gradually formed. Depressions in the relief corresponded to troughs, along which large rivers flowed. The ancient sea was 200 meters below the modern level, the bottom of the Kara Sea was dry land.

Tectonic structures

In the most submerged northern region of the plate, the Yamalo-Gydan and Nadym-Taz syneclises are located. They are separated by a narrow sublatitudinal Messoyakhsky mega-shaft. The large Khanty anteclise is located in the center of the slab. In it, geologists distinguish between two formed vaults, they were called Surgut and Nizhnevartovsk. The large anteclises are Ket-Vakhskaya and Khanteyskaya. To the south of them are the sublatitudinal Kulundinskaya and Sredneirtyshskaya syneclises. The Khantymani and Chulym syneclises are distinguished by their size. The Purskiy Trench is located above the Koltogorsko-Urengoy rift zone. The Khudosey tectonic trench is connected to the small Chulman syneclise.

Between the cover and the pre-Paleozoic basement, there is a transitional layer of rocks of Triassic and Jurassic geological age. Geologists associate its formation with basement movements, which resulted in the formation of a rift zone within the continent with graben-like depressions. They accumulated sedimentary and volcanogenic coal-bearing horizons, their thickness reaches 5 km. The volcanic strata of the transitional geological layer are basaltic lavas. The formation of the rift zone on the continent in Western Siberia did not continue, and a new ocean did not form.

The relationship of tectonics with minerals

The deposits of the sedimentary cover of the plain contain horizons of pure fresh, mineralized underground water and brine. In some areas there are hot springs with temperatures ranging from 100 ° C to 150 ° C. In the bowels of the slab there are the richest deposits of natural gas and oil on an industrial scale. They are concentrated in the depths of the prospective West Siberian oil and gas basin. At a depth of more than two kilometers in the deposits of the Khanty-Mansiysk large syneclise, in the Salym, Surgut and Krasnoselsky regions, the richest shale oil deposits in the country are concentrated in the strata belonging to the Bazhenov formation.

Relationship between tectonic structure and relief

The modern landforms of the plain are often caused by the long-term geological development of the territory, its tectonic structure and the influence of the processes of physical weathering. The modern orographic pattern depends on the tectonic structure and structure of the plate. This gradually occurs even under conditions of prolonged Meso-Cenozoic subsidence and the process of accumulation of thick strata of loose sediments. Such accumulation levels out all the irregularities of the Epigercynian basement, which is in the relative Late Cenozoic calm. The small amplitude of new tectonic movements determines the low-lying hypsometric status of the plain. The maximum amplitudes of uplifts on the plain were heights from 100 to 150 m at the periphery; to the north and closer to the center, identical subsidence was observed. On the vast territory of the plain, low-lying and elevated areas can be distinguished.

The entire territory of the plain of Western Siberia plunges stepwise from south to north and looks in the orographic drawing as a stepped giant amphitheater, it is open to the coast of the Kara Sea. In its orographic structure, geomorphologists distinguish three high-altitude levels. Half of the territory belongs to the first level up to 100 meters high. The second hypsometric level is heights from 100 m to 150 m, the third from 150 m to 200 m, some areas up to 250-300 m.

The relief of Western Siberia is monotonous, almost even, with a predominance of a height of 100 meters. Only in the periphery, in the west, north and south, the height of orographic structures reaches 300 meters. In the center of the plain there are large Sredneobsky and Kondinsky lowlands. In the north, there are the vast Nadym, Nizhneobskaya and Purskaya lowlands. On the periphery of the plain there are low Turin, Ishim, Severo-Sosva plains, Chulym-Yenisei and Priobskoe plateau, Lower Yenisei, Verkhnetazovskaya and Tymskaya uplands. A single chain inside the plain runs 150-meter separate ridges of the Siberian Uvaly. The vast Vasyugan plain is located parallel to them.

A clear correspondence is observed between the Lyulimvor uplands and the Verkhnetazovskaya anticlinal tectonic structures. Syneclises in the basement of the slab correspond to the Kondinskaya and Barabinskaya lowlands. Disconforming or inversion structures are often found on the plain. Thus, the Vasyugan plain was formed on a gentle syneclise, and the Chulym-Yenisei plateau is located on the tectonic deflection of the plate basement.

1. Geographical location.

2. Geological structure and relief.

3. Climate.

4. Internal waters.

5. Land cover and fauna.

6. Natural areas.

Geographical position

The border of the West Siberian Plain is clearly expressed in relief. Its borders in the West are the Ural Mountains, in the east the Yenisei Ridge and the Central Siberian Plateau. In the north, the plain is washed by the waters of the Kara Sea, the southern edge of the plain enters the territory of Kazakhstan, and the southeastern edge borders on Altai. The area of ​​the plain is about 3 million km2. the length from north to south is almost 2500 km, from west to east 1500-1900 km. The southern part of the plain is the most developed by man; its nature has changed to some extent. The northern and central parts of the plain began to be developed in the last 30-50 years in connection with the development of oil and gas.

Geological structure and relief

The geological structure of the plain is determined by its position on the Paleozoic West Siberian plate. The slab foundation is a huge depression with steep sides. It consists of Baikal, Caledonian and Hercynian blocks, broken by deep faults. In the north, the foundation lies to a depth of 8-12 km. (Yamalo-Tazovskaya syneclise), in the middle part, the depth is 3-4 km. (Sredneobskaya anteclise), to the south, the depth of occurrence decreases. The plate cover is represented by Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits of continental and marine origin.

The territory of the West Siberian Plate has been repeatedly subjected to transgressions. Glaciation of Western Siberia was also repeated many times: Demyanskoe, Samarovskoe, Tazovskoe, Zyryanskoe and Sartanskoe. Glaciers moved from 2 centers: from the Polar Urals and the Putorana plate. Unlike the Russian Plain, where melt waters flowed southward, in Western Siberia, which has a general slope to the north, these waters accumulated at the edge of the glacier, forming periglacial reservoirs. In areas free of ice, deep soil freezing took place.

The modern relief of the plain is due to the geological structure and the influence of exogenous processes. The main orographic features correspond to the tectonic structures of the plate, although the accumulation of Meso-Cenozoic strata leveled the unevenness of the basement. The absolute heights of the plain are 100-150 meters, while the elevations and lowlands alternate within the plain. The general slope of the plain to the north. Almost the entire northern half of the plain is less than 100 meters high. The edge parts of the plain are raised up to 200-300 meters. These are Severo-Sosvinskaya, Verkhnetazovskaya, Lower Yeniseiskaya uplands, Priobskoye plateau, Ishimskaya and Kulundinskaya plains. The strip of Sibirskie Uvaly is clearly expressed in the middle part of the plain, stretching from the Urals to the Yenisei near 63˚N, their average height is 100-150 meters. The lowest areas (50-100 m) are located in the northern parts of Western Siberia. These are the Nizhneobskaya, Nadymskaya, Purskaya, Tazovskaya, Kondinskaya, Sredneobskaya lowlands. Western Siberia is characterized by: marine accumulative plains (on the Yamal and Gydansky peninsulas), glacial and water-glacial plains with moraine hills, ridges, etc. (central part of Western Siberia), alluvial-lacustrine plains (valleys of large rivers), denudation plains (southern part of Western Siberia).

Climate

The climate of Western Siberia is continental, arctic and subarctic in the north and temperate in the rest of the territory. It is more severe than in the Russian Plain, but softer than in Eastern Siberia. Continentality grows towards the southeast of the plain. The radiation balance is from 15 to 40 kcal / cm2 per year. At the same time, in comparison with the Russian Plain, Western Siberia receives slightly more solar radiation due to the lower frequency of cyclones. The western transfer persists, but the influence of the Atlantic is noticeably weakened here. The flatness of the territory contributes to deep meridian air exchange. In winter, the climate is formed under the influence of the spur of the Asian High, which stretches along the south of the plain and low pressure troughs over the northern peninsulas. This contributes to the transfer of cold continental air from the Asian maximum to the plain. The winds are predominantly southerly. In general, the January isotherms are submeridian in nature, from -18˚-20˚C in the west to almost -30˚C in the Yenisei valley. The absolute minimum in Western Siberia is -55˚С. Blizzards are typical in winter. During the cold period, 20-30% of precipitation falls. Snow cover is established in the north in September, in the south - in November and lasts from 9 months in the north to 5 months in the south. The thickness of the snow cover in the forest zone is 50-60 cm, in the tundra and steppe 40-30 cm. In summer, over Western Siberia, the pressure gradually decreases to the southeast. Winds prevail in a northerly direction. At the same time, the role of the western transfer is increasing. The July isotherms take latitudinal directions. In the north of Yamal, the average July temperature is + 4˚С, near the Arctic Circle + 14˚С, in the south of the plain + 22˚С. The absolute maximum is + 45˚С (extreme south). The warm period accounts for 70-80% of precipitation, especially in July-August. Droughts are possible in the south. The greatest amount of precipitation per year (550-600 mm.) Falls in the middle reaches of the Ob from the Urals to the Yenisei. To the north and south, the amount of precipitation decreases to 350 mm. The climate of Western Siberia contributes in many respects to the maintenance of permafrost. The northern and central parts of Siberia (more than 80% of its area) have a moisture coefficient of more than 1 (excessive moisture). Such conditions lead to the development of waterlogging of the territory. In the south, the coefficient is less than 1 (insufficient moisture).

Inland waters

Western Siberia is characterized by a huge accumulation of inland waters. Several thousand rivers flow on the plain, most of which belong to the Ob basin and, accordingly, the Kara Sea. Few rivers (Taz, Pur, Nadym, etc.) flow directly into the Kara Sea. In the south of the plain there are areas of internal (closed) flow. All rivers of Western Siberia are characterized by small slopes, with a predominance of lateral erosion. The rivers are fed by mixed, with a predominance of snow, in addition, there is rain and marsh-ground. High water runs from April in the south to June in the north. The maximum rise of water reaches 12 meters on the Ob, and 18 meters on the Yenisei. A protracted flood is characteristic, despite the "friendly" spring. The rise is fast and the fall of the water is very slow. Freezing up lasts up to 5 months in the south and up to 8 months in the north. Ice jams are typical. The largest rivers are the Ob and Yenisei. The length of the Ob from the source of the Irtysh is 5410 km, and the basin area is 3 million km2. If the Ob is counted from the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers, then its length is 3650 km. In terms of water content, the Ob is second only to the Yenisei and Lena. The Ob flows into the Gulf of Ob (estuary). The largest tributary is the Irtysh, and its tributaries are Ishim, Tobol, Konda. The Ob also has tributaries - Chulym, Ket, Vasyugan and others. The Yenisei is the most abundant river in Russia, its length is 4092 km, the basin area is 2.5 million km2. Only a small left-bank part of the basin lies on the territory of Western Siberia. There are about 1 million lakes in the plain. The lakes vary from 1% in the south to 3% in the north. In the Surgut lowland, it reaches 20%. In the south, the lakes are brackish. The largest lake is Chany. It is drainless and salty. The maximum depth is 10 m. Swamps occupy about 30% of the territory of Western Siberia. In some places in the forest zone, swampiness reaches 80% (forest bog zone). The development of bogs is facilitated by: flat relief, poor drainage, excessive moisture, prolonged floods and permafrost. The swamps are rich in peat. In terms of hydrogeological conditions, the plain is the West Siberian artesian basin.

Land cover and fauna

The soils are located as follows from north to south: tundra-gley, podzolic, sod-podzolic, chernozem and chestnut. At the same time, large areas due to boggy are occupied by semi-hydromorphic soils. Therefore, the majority of soils, in contrast to their analogs on the Russian Plain, show signs of gleying. In the south, salt licks and malts are found. The vegetation of Western Siberia is to some extent similar to the vegetation of the Russian Plain, but there are differences that are associated with the wide spread of swamps, the severity of the climate and the peculiarities of the flora. Along with spruce and pine forests, fir, cedar and larch forests are widespread. The forest-tundra is dominated by larch, not spruce, as in the Russian Plain. Small-leaved forests here are not only secondary, but also primary. Mixed forests are represented here by pine-birch. Large areas in Western Siberia are occupied by floodplain vegetation (more than 4% of the territory of the plain), as well as marsh. The fauna has many features in common with the Russian Plain. In western Siberia, there are about 500 species of vertebrates, including 80 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, 7 species of amphibians and about 60 species of fish. In the distribution of animals, a certain zoning is observed, but forest animals penetrate far to the north and south along the belt forests along the rivers, and inhabitants of polar reservoirs are found on the lakes of the steppe zone.

Natural areas

Natural zones on the plain extend latitudinally. Zoning is pronounced. Zones and subzones are gradually replaced from north to south: tundra, forest-tundra, forests (forest swamps), forest-steppe, steppe. Unlike the Russian Plain, there is no zone of mixed and deciduous forests, zones of semi-deserts and deserts. The tundra stretches from the coast of the Kara Sea and almost to the Arctic Circle. The length from north to south is 500-600 km. The polar day and night last here for almost three months. Winter from October to mid-May. Average temperatures range from -20˚C in the west to -30˚C in the east. Winds and blizzards are characteristic. The snow cover lasts about 9 months. Summer lasts a little more than one month. The average temperature in August is + 5˚C, + 10˚C (but sometimes the air can warm up to + 25˚C). Annual precipitation is 200-300 mm, but most of them during the warm period. Permafrost is ubiquitous, therefore solifluction processes, thermokarst, polygons, peat mounds, etc. are characteristic in the tundra. There are many swamps and lakes. The soils are tundra-gley. The flora is not rich, only about 300 species of higher plants. Vegetation is especially scarce on the coast of the sea, where lichen arctic tundras from cladonia and others are developed. To the south, mosses begin to prevail and flowering plants appear - cotton grass, partridge grass, arctic bluegrass, and a number of sedges, etc. In the south of the zone, the tundra becomes shrub, where, along with mosses and lichens grow dwarf birches, willows, alder; in some places on the southern slopes and river valleys - buttercups, little lights, crowberry, polar poppy, etc. The animals are inhabited by reindeer, wolf, arctic fox, lemming, voles, ptarmigan, snowy owl, many marsh and water birds fly in the summer (waders, ducks, geese, etc.).

The forest-tundra stretches in a relatively narrow strip (50-200 km), expanding from the Urals to the Yenisei. It lies along the Arctic Circle and descends to the south than on the Russian Plain. The climate is subarctic and more continental than in the tundra. And although the winter is somewhat shorter here, it is more severe. The average January temperature is -25-30˚C, the absolute minimum is up to -60˚C. Summers are warmer and longer than in the tundra. Average July temperature + 12˚C + 14˚C. Permafrost is widespread. Therefore, permafrost relief prevails again, and erosion processes are limited. Many rivers cross the area. The soils are gley-podzolic and permafrost-taiga. Sparse larch forests are added to the tundra vegetation (their height is 6-8 meters). Dwarf birch is widespread, there are many swamps, and floodplain meadows in river valleys. The fauna is richer than in the tundra; along with the representatives of the tundra fauna, there are also taiga inhabitants.

Forests (taiga) occupy the largest area of ​​Western Siberia. The length of this zone from north to south is 1100-1200 km., Almost from the Arctic Circle to 56˚N. on South. There is an almost equal ratio of forests on podzolic taiga soils and peat-boggy soils of sphagnum bogs. Therefore, the taiga of Western Siberia is often called the forest bog zone. The climate is temperate continental. Continentality increases from west to east. Average January temperatures range from -18˚C in the southwest to -28˚C in the northeast. In winter, the anticyclonic type of weather prevails. Cyclones often run in the north of the taiga zone. The thickness of the snow cover is 60-100 cm. Summer is relatively long, the growing season is from 3 months. in the north up to 5 months. on South. The average July temperature ranges from + 14˚C in the north to + 19˚C in the south. More than half of all precipitation falls in summer. Moisture coefficient is everywhere greater than 1. Permafrost is widespread in the north of the zone. There are many swamps and rivers. Bogs of various types, but ridge-hollow peat bogs prevail, there are ridge-lake and marsh bogs. Swamps are confined to the lowest places with stagnant moisture. Coniferous forests of spruce, fir, and cedar grow on the hills, rivals of interfluves, on the terraces of river valleys. In some places there are pine, larch, birch, aspen. To the south of the taiga, 50-200 km wide, there is a strip of small-leaved forests of birch and, to a lesser extent, aspen, on sod-podzolic soils. The fauna is represented by Siberian species, but there are also "Europeans" (marten, European mink, otter). The most typical are brown bear, wolverine, lynx, sable, chipmunk, squirrel, fox, wolf, water rat, elk, many birds whose life is associated with the coniferous forest (nutcracker, shchur, kiksha, wood grouse, woodpeckers, owls, etc.) , but there are few songbirds (hence the name "deaf taiga").

The forest-steppe stretches in a narrow strip (150-300 km) from the Urals to the Salair Ridge and Altai. The climate is temperate continental, with severe winters with little snow and hot dry summers. The average temperature in January is -17˚C-20˚C, and in July + 18˚C + 20˚C, (maximum + 41˚C). Snow cover is 30-40 cm, annual precipitation is 400-450 mm. The moisture coefficient is less than 1. Suffusion processes are characteristic, there are lakes, some of which are saline. The forest-steppe is a combination of aspen-birch copses on gray forest soils and areas of meadow steppes on chernozems. The forest cover of the zone ranges from 25% in the north to 5% in the south. Basically, all the steppes are plowed up. The fauna is represented by forest and steppe species. In the steppes and floodplain meadows, rodents predominate - ground squirrels, hamsters, earthen hare, voles, there is a European hare. In the groves (groves) there are fox, wolf, weasel, ermine, ferret, white hare, roe deer, black grouse, partridge, in water bodies, a lot of fish.

The steppe zone occupies the extreme south of Western Siberia. Unlike the steppes of the Russian Plain, there are more lakes here, the climate is more continental (little precipitation, cold winters). The average temperature in January is -17˚C-19˚C, and in July + 20˚C + 22˚C. Annual precipitation is 350-400 mm, with 75% of precipitation falling in summer. Humidification coefficient from 0.7 in the north to 0.5 in the south of the zone. Droughts and dry winds occur in summer, leading to dust storms. Rivers are transitory, small rivers dry up in summer. There are many lakes, mostly of suffusion origin, almost all of them are saline. Chernozem soils, dark chestnut in the south. There are salt marshes. The plowing of the steppes reaches 90%. Various feather grass, fescue, thyme, zopnik, wormwood, iris, steppe onion, tulip and others grow on the preserved areas of the steppes. Saline grass, licorice, sweet clover, wormwood, chiy, etc. grow in saline areas. , spiraea, wild rose, honeysuckle, etc., pine forests enter the south along the river valleys. In the floodplains of rivers, there are swampy meadows. The fauna is represented by various rodents (ground squirrel, hamster, marmots, voles, pikas, etc.), from predators steppe ferret, corsac, wolf, weasel, from birds - steppe eagle, buzzard, kestrel, larks; on the lakes - waterfowl. Four reserves have been created in Western Siberia: Malaya Sosva, Yuganskiy, Verkhne-Tazovskiy, Gydanskiy.