Belaya Zemlya, (Russian: Белая Земля = "White Land") is a group of three cold, glacierized islands. It is a geographical subgroup of Franz Josef Land, Russian Federation. Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land, or Francis Joseph's Land ( Russ Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending
Belaya Zemlya is separated from the main Franz Josef group by a 45 km broad strait known as Proliv Severo Vostochnyy.
This area was named Hvidtenland (Norwegian: "White Land") by Fridtjof Nansen, who reached this desolate place on August 5th 1895 during his polar expedition. Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (October 10 1861 – May 13 1930 was a Norwegian Explorer, Scientist and Diplomat. In his map he drew four islands. Since the limit of permanent ice crosses Belaya Zemlya, it is often difficult to distinguish between land and sea. Fast ice ( land-fast ice, landfast ice) is Sea ice that has frozen along Coasts ("fastened" to them along the Shoals or However, as the cartography of the Franz Josef Archipelago became more accurate, it became apparent that it was a group of three islands:
- Eva Island (Остров Ева-Лив), or "Eva-Liv Island". With 25 km in length, this is the largest island of the group. Eva Island was named after Fridtjof's wife Eva Nansen (died in 1907). Eva Island or Eva-Liv Island ( Остров Ева-Лив; Ostrov Yeva-Liv) is the northeasternmost island in Franz Josef Land, Russian
- Adelaida Island or "Adelaide Island" (Остров Аделаиды). Only 2km in length, this is a very small island. It is located 5 km to the southwest of Eva Island's western end. Adelaide Island was named in honor of Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg ( July 20, 1835 - January 25, 1900) was a niece of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
- Frieden Island (Остров Фреден), sometimes also spelt "Fryeden" because of the transliteration from the Russian. This is a larger oval-shaped island, with a length of 8. 2 km. It lies 2. 5 km south of Adelaide Island. Frieden Island is named after the German word for "Peace".
Belaya Zemlya is the point of the Franz Josef Archipelago that Valerian Albanov was trying to reach when he left the Svyataya Anna with part of the crew, but owing to the polar ice drift and the abundance of polynias along his route, he ended up far to the southwest in Alexandra Land. Valerian Ivanovich Albanov (Валериан Иванович Альбанов (1881 - 1919 was a Russian navigator best known for being one of only two survivors of the ill-fated The Svyataya Anna or St Anna, named after Saint Anne, was a Russian ship built in England Drift ice is Sea ice that floats on the surface of the water in cold regions as opposed to Fast ice, which is attached ("fastened" to a shore A polynya (common US spelling or polynia (common UK spelling ( is an area of open water surrounded by Sea ice. Alexandra Land (Земля Александры Zemlya Aleksandry) is a large island located in Franz Josef Land, Russian Federation.
References
- Fridtjof Nansen's early map
- [1]
- Eva Nansen: [2]
- Names in Russian: [3]