Kolyma River

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The Kolyma River (Russian: Колыма́) is a river in northeastern Siberia, whose basin covers parts of the Sakha Republic, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, and Magadan Oblast of Russia. It empties into the East Siberian Sea, a division of the Arctic ocean.

The Kolyma is frozen to depths of several metres for about 250 days each year, becoming free of ice only in early June, till October.

Debin through the morning mist over the Kolyma River, 8 September 2004
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Debin through the morning mist over the Kolyma River, 8 September 2004

The Kolyma is known for its Gulag labour camps and gold mining, both of which have been extensively documented since Stalin era Soviet archives opened. The river gives its title to a famous anthology about life in Gulag camps by Varlam Shalamov, The Kolyma Tales.


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