Graham Bell Island
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Geography | |
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Location | Kara Sea |
Coordinates | 80°51′59″N 64°17′21″E / 80.8663889°N 64.2891667°E |
Archipelago | Franz Josef Land |
Administration | |
Russia |
Graham Bell Island (Russian: Остров Греэм-Белл) is an island located at 80°51′59″N 64°17′21″E / 80.8663889°N 64.2891667°E in the Franz Josef Archipelago, Russia.
Graham Bell Island is one of the largest islands of the group and it is partly glacierized. Its highest point is 509 m.
This island lies east of Wilczek Land, separated from it by a narrow sound known as Morgan Sound (Пролив Моргана; Proliv Morgana). It is the easternmost island of Franz Josef Land.
Cape Kohlsaat, the easternmost point of the archipelago at 81°14′N, 65°10′E, lies on Graham Bell Island's eastern shore. Cape Kohlsaat marks the northwesternmost corner of the Kara Sea, therefore it is a significant geographical landmark.
This island was named after inventor Alexander Graham Bell. Graham Bell Island should not be confused with smaller Bell Island which is also part of the Franz Josef Archipelago and which was also named after the same person.
History
Graham Bell Island is home to a Cold War outpost and to the airfield Greem Bell (81°09′N 64°17′E / 81.150°N 64.283°E), the largest airfield in the archipelago. It has a runway 2,100 m (7,000 ft) long. Russian cargo and fighter aircraft have regularly landed here since the 1950s.
Adjacent Islands
- Graham Bell Island's northern shore is fringed by clusters of very small islets.
- Ostrov Perlamutrovyy (Pyerlamutrov Island) lies off the southeastern shore of Graham Bell Island.
- Ostrov Trëkhluchevoy lies off its western shore at 80°57′06″N 63°04′45″E / 80.9517°N 63.0792°E and is only 2 km in length.
- Ostrov Udachnyy is part of a cluster of islets located along the NW shores 81°08′30″N 64°08′45″E / 81.1417°N 64.1458°E
References