Yuzhny

Native name: Южный
Yuzhny Yuzhny Island (Russia)
Geography
Location	Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia
Coordinates	72°N 54°E / 72°N 54°E / 72; 54Coordinates: 72°N 54°E / 72°N 54°E / 72; 54
Archipelago	Novaya Zemlya
Area	33,275 km2 (12,848 sq mi)
Area rank	41st
Highest elevation	1,291 m (4236 ft)
Highest point	Mount Pervosvotrennaya
Administration
Russia
Oblast	Arkhangelsk Oblast
Largest settlement	Belushya Guba[1]

Yuzhny (Russian: Южный, lit. southern) is the southern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, lying north of Russia. It has an area of 33,275 square kilometres (12,800 sq mi), which while smaller than the northern island of Severny, makes it one of the largest islands in the world. It is separated from Severny Island by the narrow Matochkin Strait, which is covered with ice most of the year. West of Yuzhny Island lies the Barents Sea, and to the east the Kara Sea.

History

Originally home to the Nenets people, the island was largely evacuated in the 1950s to make way for nuclear weapons testing.^[2]

Ecology

Yuzhny Island is known for its large seabird population. The island's vegetation largely consists of tundra.