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sakhalin resources
About Sakhalin Island
(Source: Sakhalin Energy: The Natural
Partner in Asia)
Environment
Sakhalin 's environment is highly diverse.
The seas around the island are among the most
productive areas of ocean in the world and
Sakhalin island is the third largest producer
of fish products in the Russian Far East.
There are more than 6,000 rivers and
streams on the island, and more than 1,600
lakes with a total surface area of over
1,000sq km. In Sakhalin 's forests, wetlands
and grasslands there are more than 700 types
of insect and over 350 species of bird. The
island is also home to 1,400 different
flowering plants.
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The Western Grey
Whale population off Sakhalin Island is
under threat by a the proposed
construction of a series of oil
pipelines, to be built by Shell and
financed by a number of UK financial
institutions. image: Sakhalin Environment
Watch
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Climate
Sakhalin 's climate is variable. Most of
the island is affected by monsoons, and the
winter cyclones bring heavy snowfall and
powerful storms. The winters last between
five and seven months, when the temperature
can drop as low as -35 degrees Celcius. The
climate varies considerably between the South
and North, East and West. Summers are often
cool and humid, with fog along the
shorelines. The autumn typhoons bring stormy
winds and heavy rainfall.
People
Some 600,000 people inhabit Sakhalin and
although the population is relatively small,
the island is home to 170 ethnic groups.
These include four that are native to
Sakhalin: the Nivkh, Orok, Evenhk and Nanai.
There are also a significant number of people
of Korean origin.
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