Franz-Josef Land

Franz Josef Land

Russian: Земля Франца-Иосифа
Map of Franz Josef Land
Location of Franz Josef Land
Geography
Location	Arctic Ocean
Coordinates	81°N 55°E / 81°N 55°E / 81; 55Coordinates: 81°N 55°E / 81°N 55°E / 81; 55
Total islands	191
Area	16,134 km2 (6,229 sq mi)
Highest elevation	670 m (2,200 ft)
Highest point	Wilczek Land
Administration
Russia
Federal subject	Arkhangelsk Oblast
Demographics
Population	17 (Russian Military) (2013)

Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land or Francis Joseph's Land (Russian: Земля́ Фра́нца-Ио́сифа, tr. Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa) is an archipelago, inhabited only by Russian military base personnel, located in the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea and Kara Sea, constituting the northernmost part of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It consists of 191 islands, which cover an area of 16,134 square kilometers (6,229 sq mi), stretching 375 kilometers (233 mi) from east to west and 234 kilometers (145 mi) from north to south. The islands are categorized in three groups, a western, central and eastern, separated by the British Channel and the Austrian Strait. The central group is further divided into a northern and southern section by the Markham Strait. The largest island is George Land, which measures 2,741 square kilometers (1,058 sq mi), followed by Wilczek Land, Graham Bell Island and Alexandra Land.

Eighty-five percent of the archipelago is glaciated, with large unglaciated areas being located on the largest islands and many of the smallest islands. The islands have a combined coastline of 4,425 kilometers (2,750 mi). Compared to other Arctic archipelagos, Franz Joseph Land has a high dissection rate of 3.6 square kilometers per coastline kilometer.Cape Fligely on Rudolf Island is the northernmost point of the Eastern Hemisphere. The highest elevations are found in the eastern group, with the highest point located on Wilczek Land, 670 meters (2,200 ft) above mean sea level.