Chapter 1
Relics of the tsars and swamp-built cities
Chapter 2
Cosmic pioneers and secret Soviet science
Chapter 3
Deep lakes, cold frontiers, and quirky geography
Chapter 4
Folklore, tea rituals, and the Russian soul
Ch 3 · Deep lakes, cold frontiers, and quirky geography
schopenhauer Lake Baikal
Out on Lake Baikal where the cold runs deep, The Zen stones balance while the waters sleep.
schopenhauer The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world, stretching over nine thousand kilometers across Russia.
Fun Fact
Baikal seals: Lake Baikal is home to the nerpa, the world's only exclusively freshwater seal, whose origin remains a mystery.
schopenhauer The Siberian village of Oymyakon is the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth, with record-breaking subzero temperatures.
Glossary
permafrost (noun)
A thick subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year. This frozen ground covers over sixty percent of the Russian landmass, primarily across Siberia.
A thick subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year. This frozen ground covers over sixty percent of the Russian landmass, primarily across Siberia.
Quiz
In which Siberian village has the coldest temperature for a permanently inhabited place been recorded?
BETA
schopenhauer Drag landmarks onto the map to discover Russia's deepest lakes and quirky geography.
Quiz
Which Russian peninsula is famous for its valley of geysers and over 300 volcanoes?
Quiz
Approximately what percentage of the world's unfrozen freshwater is contained in Lake Baikal?
Quiz
How many time zones does the Trans-Siberian Railway cross during its journey from Moscow to Vladivostok?
Quiz
What is the name of the tallest active volcano in Eurasia, located in Russia's Far East?
Quiz
What unique natural phenomenon causes Lake Baikal's ice to look like giant, glowing turquoise gems in winter?
Quiz
What is the name of the world's only exclusively freshwater seal, native to Lake Baikal?