Crimea. Geographical position

The Crimean peninsula occupies rather small territory - its area is 20 times as little as the Pyrenean and the Balkan peninsulas, and 15 times as little as Kamchatka and Asia Minor. But it is due to its nature and specific geographical position the Crimea has become famous and attractive.

It is the southern territory stretching between the latitudes of 44° deg; and 46°, the same latitudes as the territory of Southern France, Ciscaucasia, Great lakes in the USA. Crimea lies on the huge continent Eurasia and is practically on equal distance from North Pole and equator - the latitude of 45° crosses peninsula near the town of Dzhankoy. In this latitude there is a border of two climatic zones, therefore, atmospheric processes and the phenomena, characteristic both for the south of a moderate geographical zone, and for subtropics are observed on such small peninsula.

The distance between extreme northern point of the Crimean peninsula (Perekop Isthmus) and extreme southern point (Cape of Sarych) is 207 km, and between western (Cape of Cara-Mrun on the Tarhankut Peninsula) and eastern (Cape of Fonar on Kerch Peninsula) points - is 324 km.

The Crimea has a shape of deformed rhombus, but people with imagination see in its shape a bird that is diving in waters of the Black sea. You may possibly imagine a swan, with its head and rather a short neck (i.e. Kerch Peninsula) faced east.

Because of the beauty of peninsula and peculiarities of its outlines, a well- known Chilean poet Pablo Neruda called the Crimea " the most magnificent medal on the breast of the Earth ".

Three capes, just like three whales, "support" peninsula in the Black and Azov seas. The trope "Island of Crimea" is close to be true - it is connected only by Perekop Isthmus, which is in some places only 7 km. wide. In the area close to Chongar all transport highways are laid through the Gulf of Sivash along the bridge and the dam.
In old guidebooks Perekop Isthmus was compared by its geographical position to the Isthmus of Panama, though instead of deep seas there is shallow water and sticky grey dirt.
Long time ago there was a ditch up to 10 meters deep, dug across the isthmus with an eastern wall 8 m high and 11 km. long. Perekop wall resulted in separation of the Crimean lands from northern territories.
This "insular" geographical position between two seas - the Black Sea and the Azov Sea- increases isolation of peninsula that is especially appreciably reflected on its vegetation and fauna: there are a lot of rare species that you can meet only in the Crimea.
Insular features are shown in distribution of many natural components. Thus, typical circular distribution of the climatic phenomena is observed here: the central parts of peninsula differ from coastal - on the coast there is less precipitations; the duration of solar light is longer; it breezes. Crimean mountains form one more island, as though "fixed" on to the basic one.

Located in the extreme east of a vast area of the Mediterranean, the Crimean peninsula is the "bridge" connecting it with other regions (Middle East, Caucasus, East Europe). Crimea is a place where the change of areas of geographical distribution of plants and animals is observed. It promotes the variety of species and peculiarity of flora and fauna.

The surface of peninsula is also various: vast flat plains alternate with the dispersed heights that are replaced with mountain ranges abruptly breaking to the sea. Because of Crimean mountains, stretching along the latitude, there is a sharp contrast between the climatic zones within the small peninsula: from moderate steppen climate on the plain part of it to sub-mediterranean (with elements subtropical) on the Southern coast.