Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a 1,250-kilometer-long peninsula in the Far East of Russia with an area of approximately 270,000 square kilometers. The peninsula's eastern and western coasts are bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk. The 10,500-meter-deep Kuril-Kamchatka Trench runs just off the Pacific coast of the peninsula. The peninsula is home to the Kamchatka Volcanoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This unique volcanic region boasts over 150 volcanoes, with 29 of them still active. The most prominent volcanoes include Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest active volcano in Eurasia, and Avachinsky Volcano, known for its symmetrical cone shape. The peninsula's rugged landscape is also characterized by numerous rivers, lakes, and hot springs, which provide a habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna. The Kamchatka Peninsula is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including Brown Bears, Steller's Sea Eagles, Tundra Wolf, Arctic Fox, Anadyr Fox, East Siberian Lynx, wolverine, sable, Eurasian Otter, East Siberian Stoat and Siberian Least Weasel. The peninsula is home to a number of large ungulates, among them the Kamchatka Snow Sheep, reindeer, Chukotka Moose and salmon. The region's unique biodiversity is attributed to its location, which serves as a bridge between the Asian and North American continents. The peninsula's harsh climate, with long, cold winters and short, mild summers, has shaped the region's human settlement patterns. The indigenous Itelmen people have inhabited the region for thousands of years, with a rich cultural heritage centered around fishing, hunting, and gathering.