Novaya Zemlya

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Lore & Background

The Russian people knew of Novaya Zemlya from the 11th century, when hunters from Novgorod visited the area. For Western Europeans, the search for the Northern Sea Route in the 16th century led to its exploration. The first visit from a Western European was by Hugh Willoughby in 1553. Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz reached the west coast of Novaya Zemlya in 1594, and in a subsequent expedition of 1596, he rounded the northern cape and wintered on the northeastern coast. Barentsz died during the expedition and may have been buried on Severny Island. During a later voyage by Fyodor Litke in 1821–1824, the western coast was mapped. Henry Hudson was another explorer who passed through Novaya Zemlya while searching for the Northeast Passage. The islands were systematically surveyed by Pyotr Pakhtusov and Avgust Tsivolko during the early 1830s. The first permanent settlement was established in 1870 at Malye Karmakuly, which served as the capital of Novaya Zemlya until 1924. Later, the administrative center was transferred to Belushya Guba, in 1935 to Lagernoe, but then returned to Belushya Guba.

Reader's Guide

Novaya Zemlya's significance stems from its dual role as a remote Arctic outpost and a critical Cold War military site. During World War II, it was a refuge for Allied convoy ships, such as those from Convoy PQ 17, which sought safety in the Matochkin Strait after German attacks. The German Navy also conducted operations there, including a secret seaplane base established in 1943 by U-255 and U-711 to provide surveillance of Allied shipping. However, its most enduring legacy is as a nuclear testing ground. In July 1954, Novaya Zemlya was designated as the nuclear weapons testing venue. Three main zones were used: 'Zone A' at Chyornaya Guba (1955–1962 and 1972–1975), 'Zone B' at Matochkin Shar (underground tests 1964–1990), and 'Zone C' at Sukhoy Nos (1958–1961), site of the 1961 Tsar Bomba test. Over its history, Novaya Zemlya hosted 224 nuclear detonations with a total explosive energy equivalent to 265 megatons of TNT. For comparison, all explosives used in World War II, including the detonations of two US nuclear bombs, amounted to only two megatons. A 2015 expedition measuring the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya reported 65–130 times more radioactivity than the background in neighboring areas. The site's activities became public knowledge during glasnost in 1988–1989, and the last nuclear test explosion was in 1990 (also the last for the entire Soviet Union and Russia).

Did You Know?

• Cape Flissingsky, on Severny Island, is considered the easternmost point of Europe.
• The 1961 Tsar Bomba test at Sukhoy Nos was the largest, most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated.
• A 2015 expedition found glaciers on Novaya Zemlya had 65–130 times more radioactivity than background levels in neighboring areas.
• The largest underground test on Novaya Zemlya, on September 12, 1973, set off an 80-million-ton avalanche that created a lake 2 kilometres in length.
• In 1943, Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine briefly operated a secret seaplane base on Novaya Zemlya, established by U-255 and U-711.