North Asia or Northern Asia is sometimes defined as a subregion of Asia consisting only of the Asian portion of Russia. A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The term is not widely used. Sometimes, North Asia is instead used to designate parts of East Asia and/or Central Asia, with Asian Russia lumped with Eastern Europe instead. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent.
The Phillips Illustrated Atlas of the World 1988 defines it as being most of the former USSR, the part that is to the east of the Ural Mountains. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Riphean redirects here For the time period see Riphean stage The Ural Mountains (Ура́льские го́ры Uralskiye [1] A definition pre-dating the USSR is an 1882 one by Keane and Temple, who defined it as "the two great administrative divisions of West and East Siberia, whose capitals are Omsk and Irkutsk respectively". Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Omsk (Омск is a city in southwest Siberia in Russia, the administrative center of Omsk Oblast. Irkutsk (Ирку́тск Эрхүү Erkhüü; Эрхүү Erkhüü) is one of the largest cities in Siberia and the administrative center of It was, according to them "one vast political system, comprising nearly one-third of the whole continent, and, with a few trifling exceptions, directly administered by Russia". [2]
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Demographics
In 1875, Chambers reported the population of Northern Asia to be 8 million. [3]
Most estimates nowadays are that there are around 40 million Russians east of the Urals.
Geography
| physical map of Northern Asia | ||
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There are no mountain chains in Northern Asia to prevent air currents from the Arctic flowing down over the plains of Siberia and Turkestan. The Gulf of Ob (also known as Ob Bay) (О́бская губа́ Obskaya guba) is an immense bay of the Arctic Ocean in Northern Yenisei (Енисе́й is the greatest River system flowing to the Arctic Ocean, and at 5539 km (3445 mi is the fifth longest river in the world Ob River (Обь also Obi, is a major river in West Siberia, Russia, the country's fourth longest Taymyr Peninsula (Полуостров Таймыр Таймырский полуостров is a peninsula in Siberia that forms the most northern part of mainland Asia Severnaya Zemlya (Се́верная Земля́ Northern Land) is an Archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around. The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The Central Siberian Plateau (Среднесиби́рское плоского́рье is made up of sharply demarcated surfaces of varying altitudes occupying most of Siberia Siberian Federal District (Сиби́рский федера́льный о́круг tr The Sakha Republic (Yakutia (Респу́блика Саха́ (Яку́тия Саха Республиката is a federal subject of Russia (a Republic The Laptev Sea ( Russian: мо́ре Ла́птевых is a Marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. The New Siberian Islands (Новосиби́рские острова Novosibirskiye Ostrova are an Archipelago, located to the North of the East Siberian This is an article about the region commonly known as Kolyma For river it is named after see Kolyma River The Kolyma (pronounced koh-lee-MAH The Verkhoyansk Range (Верхоянский хребет is a Mountain range of eastern Siberia, spanning ca Urals Federal District (Ура́льский федера́льный о́круг tr Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Ob River (Обь also Obi, is a major river in West Siberia, Russia, the country's fourth longest Irtysh (Иртыш; Kazakh: Ertis / Эртiс; Иртеш|İrteş; Chinese: Erqisi / 额尔齐斯河) a River in Siberia The Altai Mountains (Алтай Altay; Алтай 阿尔泰山脉 are a Mountain range in central Asia, where Russia, The Tian Shan (天山 Pinyin: Tiān Shān "celestial mountains" also commonly spelled Tien Shan, is a Mountain range located in Central Syr Darya (Сырдария Сирдарё Sirdaryoسيردريا also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo) is a River in Central Asia The Taklamakan Desert (Takelamagan Shamo 塔克拉玛干沙漠 also known as Taklimakan, is a Desert in Central Asia, in the Xinjiang The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and The Hindu Kush is a Mountain range located between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai-Tibetan (Qingzang Plateau is a vast elevated Plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Lake Baikal (о́зеро Байка́л Ozero Baykal, ˈozʲɪrə bʌjˈkɑl Байгал нуур Baygal nuur) is in Southern Siberia in Russia Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East The Gobi (Говь Govi or Gov', "gravel-covered plain" Chinese: zh-t 戈壁(沙漠 Gēbì (Shāmò) The North China Plain ( is based on the deposits of the Huang He (Yellow River and is the largest Alluvial plain of eastern Asia. The Yangtze Plain ( Chinese: 长江中下游平原 Wade-Giles: Ch'ang Chiang P'ing-yüan Pinyin: Chang Jiang Pingyuan is made up of a series of Alluvial The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai-Tibetan (Qingzang Plateau is a vast elevated Plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Stanovoy Range (Станово́й хребе́т Chinese: 外兴安岭 or Outer Khingan Range, also spelled as Stanovoy Range, is a Mountain Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Sakhalin (Сахали́н səxʌˈlʲin Japanese:nihongo|樺太|karafuto or; Chinese: 庫頁 Kùyè also Saghalien, is a large elongated The Sea of Okhotsk ( Russian: Охо́тское мо́ре English Transliteration: Okhotskoye More) is a part of the western Pacific Ocean, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Turkestan (literally meaning "Land of the Turks" is a region in Central Asia, which today is largely inhabited by Turkic peoples. [3]
The plateaux and plains of Northern Asia comprise the West Siberian lowlands; the Angara Shield, with the Taimyr Peninsula, the coastal lowlands, the Putorama Range, the Anabar Plateau, the Tunguska Plateau, and the Angara Plateau; and the Lena-Vilyuy Basin. Siberia is the Craton located in the heart of the region of Siberia. Taymyr Peninsula (Полуостров Таймыр Таймырский полуостров is a peninsula in Siberia that forms the most northern part of mainland Asia [4]
Geomorphology
The geomorphology of Asia in general is imperfectly known, although the deposits and mountain ranges are well known. [4]
To compensate for new sea floor having been created in the Siberian basin, the whole of the Asian Plate has pivoted about a point in the New Siberian Islands, causing compression in the Verkhoyansk mountains, which were formed along the eastern margin of the Angara Shield by tectonic uplift during the Mesozoic Era. "Ocean Floor" redirects here For the 2001 song by Audio Adrenaline, see Lift (Audio Adrenaline album. The Eurasian Plate is a Tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional Continents of Europe The New Siberian Islands (Новосиби́рские острова Novosibirskiye Ostrova are an Archipelago, located to the North of the East Siberian The Verkhoyansk Range (Верхоянский хребет is a Mountain range of eastern Siberia, spanning ca Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by Plate tectonics which increases elevation The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. There is a southern boundary to this across the northern margin of the Alpine folds of Iran, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, which at the east of Brahmaputra turns to run south towards the Bay of Bengal along the line of the Naga hills and the Arakan Yoma, continues around Indonesia, and follows the edge of the continental shelf along the eastern seaboard of China. The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. Naga hills, reaching a height of around 3825 meters lie on the border of India and Myanmar. The Chin Hills are a range of hills in northwestern Myanmar that extend into India 's Manipur state The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each Continent and associated Coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Eurasian Plate and the North American Plate meet across the neck of Alaska, following the line of the Aleutian Trench, rather than meeting at the Bering Straits. The Eurasian Plate is a Tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional Continents of Europe The North American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The Aleutian Trench (or Aleutian Trough) is a Subduction zone and Oceanic trench which runs along the southern coastline of Alaska and the The Bering Strait (Берингов пролив Beringov proliv) is a sea Strait between Cape Dezhnev, Russia, the easternmost point (169°43' [4]
Northern Asia is built around the Angara Shield, which lies between the Yenisey River and the Lena River. Yenisei (Енисе́й is the greatest River system flowing to the Arctic Ocean, and at 5539 km (3445 mi is the fifth longest river in the world It developed from fragments of Laurasia, whose rocks were mainly pre-Cambrian crystalline rocks, gneisses, and schists, and Gondwana. Laurasia (lɔˈreɪʃiə lɔˈreɪʒə was a Supercontinent that most recently existed as a part of the split of the Pangaean supercontinent in the late Mesozoic The Cambrian is a geologic period and system that began about Ma (million years ago at the end of the Proterozoic eon and ended about Ma with Gneiss (ˈnaɪs is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally The schists form a group of medium-grade Metamorphic rocks chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar Minerals such as Micas chlorite Gondwana (ɡɒnˈdwɑːnə originally Gondwanaland) was a southern Supercontinent that existed about 500 to 200 Ma ago These rocks can be found in the Angara Shield, the Inner Mongolian-Korean Shield, the Ordes Shield and the South-East Asia Shield. The fragments have been subject to orogenesis around their margins, giving a complex of plateaux and mountain ranges. Orogeny (Greek for "mountain generating" is the process of natural Mountain building and may be studied as a tectonic structural event as a geographical event and One can find outcrops of these rocks in unfolded sections of the Shields. Outcrop is a geological term referring to the appearance of Bedrock or Superficial deposits exposed at the surface of the Earth Their presence has been confirmed below Mesozoic and later sediments. [4]
There are three main periods of mountain building in Northern Asia, although it has occurred many times. The outer fold mountains, that are on the margins of the Shields and that only affected Asia north of the line of the Himalayas, are attributed to the Caledonian and Hercynian orogenies of the late Palaeozoic Era. The Variscan (or Hercynian) orogeny is a geologic mountain-building event caused by Late Paleozoic Continental collision between Laurasia The Paleozoic or Palaeozoic Era (from the Greek palaio (παλαιο "old" and zoe (ζωη "life" meaning "ancient life" The Alpine origeny caused extensive folding and faulting of Mesozoic and early Tertiary sediments from the Tethys geosyncline. The chuprichondira geological time interval covers roughly the time span between the demise of the non- avian Dinosaurs and beginning of the most recent Ice Age, approximately Geosyncline theory is an obsolete concept involving vertical crustal movement that has been replaced by Plate tectonics to explain crustal movement and geologic features The Tibetan and Mongolian plateaux, and the structural basins of Tarim, Qaidam, and Junggar, are delimited by major east-west lithospheric faults that were probably the results of stresses caused by the impact of the Indian Plate against Laurasia. The Tarim Basin ( is a large Endorheic basin occupying an area of more than 400000 km² Qaidam Basin, also spelt Tsaidam (Chaidamu Pendi 柴达木盆地 Mongolian: Цайдам is an arid Basin in Qinghai, western China Dzungaria is a geographical region in northwest China corresponding to the northern half of Xinjiang. The India or Indian Plate is a Tectonic plate that was originally a part of the ancient continent of Gondwanaland from which it split off eventually Erosion of the mountains caused by this orogeny has created a large amount of sediment, which has been transported southwards to produce the alluvial plains of India, China, and Cambodia, and which has also been deposited in large amounts in the Tarim and Dzungarian basins. An alluvial plain is a relatively flat Landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more Rivers coming from highland regions Dzungaria is a geographical region in northwest China corresponding to the northern half of Xinjiang. [4]
Northern Asia was glaciated in the Pleistocene, but this played a less significant part in the geology of the area compared to the part that it played in North America and Europe. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period The Scandanavian ice sheet extended to the east of the Urals, covering the northern two thirds of the Ob Basin and extending onto the Angara Shield between the Yenesei River and the Lena River. There are legacies of mountain glaciation to be found on the east Siberian mountains, on the mountains of the Kamchatka Peninsula, on the Altai, on Tien Shan, and on other small areas of mountains, ice caps remain on the islands of Severnaya Zemlya and Novaya Zemlya, and several Central Asian mountains still have individual glaciers. The Tian Shan (天山 Pinyin: Tiān Shān "celestial mountains" also commonly spelled Tien Shan, is a Mountain range located in Central An ice cap is an Ice mass that covers less than 50 000 km² of land area (usually covering a highland area Severnaya Zemlya (Се́верная Земля́ Northern Land) is an Archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around. Novaya Zemlya (Но́вая Земля́ also spelled Novaja Zemlja, lit Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Siberia itself has permafrost, ranging in depths from 30m to 600m and covering an area of 9. This article is about frozen ground For other meanings see Permafrost (disambiguation. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 6 million km². The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand [4]
Several of the mountainous regions are volcanic, with both the Koryat mountains and the Kamchatka Peninsula having active volcanoes. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The Anadyr plateau is formed from igneous rocks. Igneous rocks (etymology from Latin ignis, fire are rocks formed by solidification of cooled Magma (molten rock The Mongolian plateau has an area of basaltic lavas and volcanic cones. The Mongolian Plateau is part of the larger Central Asian Plateau and has an area of approximately 2600000 square kilometres Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. Lava is molten rock expelled by a Volcano during an eruption When first expelled from a volcanic vent it is a Liquid at Temperatures Volcanic cones are among the simplest Volcano formations in the world [4]
The Angara Shield also underlies the lowlands of the Ob River, but to the south and east in the Central Asian mountains and in the East Siberian mountains there are folded and faulted mountains of Lower Palaeozoic rocks. Ob River (Обь also Obi, is a major river in West Siberia, Russia, the country's fourth longest [4]
References
- ^ William Revill Kerr (2003). Tourism Public Policy, and the Strategic Management of Failure. Elsevier, 54. ISBN 0080442005.
- ^ Augustus Henry Keane and Richard Carnac Temple (1882). Asia: With Ethnological Appendix. London: Edward Stanford, 345,493.
- ^ a b William Chambers and Robert Chambers (1875). Chambers's Information for the People. London and Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers, 274–276.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Edwin Michael Bridges (1990). "Northern Asia", World Geomorphology. Cambridge University Press, 124–126. ISBN 0521289653.
See also
Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Russian Far East (Да́льний Восто́к Росси́и ˈdalʲnʲɪj vʌˈstok rʌˈsʲiɪ is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, iDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic