Novaya Zemlya

Novaya Zemlya, archipelago, north-western Russia, in the Arctic Ocean. It comprises two large islands, separated by a narrow strait, Matochkin Shar, and many small islands located north of the Arctic Circle. The archipelago separates the Barents Sea on the west from the Kara Sea on the east. It is about 965 km (600 mi) long and from 56 to 145 km (35 to 90 mi) wide. The larger, northern island, Severny, is 48,904 sq km (18,882 sq mi) in area, and is mostly covered with an extensive ice cap. Its highest point, near Matochkin Shar Strait, is Pik Sedova, 1,115 m (3,658 ft) high. The southern island, Yuzhny, is 33,275 sq km (12,848 sq mi); its central mountains reach a height of 1,342 (4,402 ft). Walruses, arctic foxes, and seals are among the animals found in the islands, as well as large numbers of birds in summer. Approximately 400 people live on the islands. Known as early as the 10th century, the archipelago was explored by the Dutch navigator Willem Barents in 1594.