Graham Bell Island

Graham Bell

Native name: Остров Греэм-Белл
Location of Graham Bell Island in the Franz Josef Archipelago
Graham Bell Island (Russia)
Geography
Location	Kara Sea
Coordinates	80°51′59″N 64°17′21″E / 80.866389°N 64.289167°E / 80.866389; 64.289167
Archipelago	Franz Josef Land
Area	1,557 km2 (601 sq mi)
Highest elevation	509 m (1,670 ft)
Highest point	unnamed
Country
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 / 80.8663889; 64.2891667 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 northwestern-most 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 / 81.150; 64.283) on the Northeastern end of the island. It is 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. The runway was usable only in the 8 months with sufficiently frozen ground. Before it was shut down it was also used for tourist helicopter trips around the Russian arctic as a stopover and refueling base. The base was shut down completely in 1994. Today it is unused and falling into ruins which has closed Graham Bell to normal visitors.^[1]

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 / 80.9517; 63.0792 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 / 81.1417; 64.1458

See also

• List of islands of Russia

References

• All locations:
• http://www.geosite.com.ru/pageid-335-1.html
• Island Directory. Unep.org.
• Graham-Bell Island (Russian).
• Graham-Bell airfield (Russian).

Citations

v t e Islands of the Kara Sea (Russian Arctic) Arkticheskiy Institut Islands Belukha and Prodolgovatyy Bely Island Bera Island Bolshoi Korsakovsky Islands Bonevi Dzhekman Islands Dikson Island Eastern Islands Firnley Islands Gavrilova Graham Bell Island Heiberg Islands Helland-Hansen Island Izvestiy TSIK Islands Kamennyye Islands Khalyango Kirov Islands Kolchak Island Kolomeytseva Islands Kolosovykh Komsomolets Krasnoflotskiye Krestovsky Island Krusenstern Islands Labyrintovyye Levdiyev Island Levinson-Lessing Island Lishniy Litke Island Litke Islands Markgama Mestnyy Minina Skerries Mona Islands Moristyy Myachina Islands Nablyudeniy Nansen Island Neupokoyeva Nordenskiöld Archipelago Nosok Novaya Zemlya October Revolution Oleniy Pakhtusov Islands Pilota Makhotkina Pioneer Island Plavnikovyye Proklyatyye Rastorguyev Island Russky Island Schmidt Island Scott Hansen Islands Sedov Archipelago Severnaya Zemlya Severny Island Shokalsky Shren Islands Sibiryakov Island Sorevnovaniya Storozhevyye Sverdrup Island Taymyra Tillo Islands Tsivolko Islands Ushakov Island Uyedineniya Vaygach Island Vilkitsky Island Vize Island Voronina Yarzhinsky Islands Yermolov Island Yuzhny Island Zveroboy