Arctic Cape
Empty oil drums at Arctic Cape (81°15‘N, 95°39‘E)
The Arctic Cape (also called Mys Arkticheskiy from the Russian Мыс Арктический) is the northernmost point of the Komsomolets Island,[1] which in turn is the northernmost island of the Russian Severnaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Its coordinates are approximately 81°13′N 95°15′E / 81.217°N 95.250°ECoordinates: 81°13′N 95°15′E / 81.217°N 95.250°E. Under Joseph Stalin the cape was known as Cape Molotov.[1]
With a distance of 990.7 km to the North Pole, the Arctic Cape is sometimes used as starting point for expeditions to the North Pole.
The Arctic Cape is not the northernmost point of Russia and Eurasia. That distinction goes to Cape Fligely (mys Fligeli) on Rudolf Island (ostrov Rudolfa), an island in the Franz Josef Land archipelago. The northernmost point of mainland Asia is Cape Chelyuskin.
This cape also marks the Kara Sea's northeastern limit, which is the eastern end of a line running from Cape Kohlsaat in Franz Josef Land to the Arctic Cape.
References
- 1 2 Mills, William James (December 2003). Exploring Polar Frontiers: a Historical Encyclopedia 2. ABC-CLIO. p. 668. ISBN 1-57607-422-6.
Ushakov and his two companions explored the west coast of the large central island—October Revolution—before crossing a strait to Komsomolets Island and sledging to the northernmost point of the archipelago. This is now known as Arctic Cape, though Ushakov originally named it for the later disgraced politician Vyechyslav Molotov.