Kara Sea

The Kara Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia, bounded by Novaya Zemlya to the west and Severnaya Zemlya to the east. Its waters are strongly influenced by river discharge and seasonal sea ice.

Arctic Ocean: The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of Earth’s five oceans, surrounding the North Pole. The Kara Sea is one of its marginal seas.
Ob River: The Ob is a major river of western Siberia that flows north into the Gulf of Ob. Its discharge freshens the southern Kara Sea.
Northern Sea Route: The Northern Sea Route is a shipping corridor along Russia’s Arctic coast connecting the Barents Sea and the Bering Strait. The Kara Sea is a major segment of this Arctic passage.
Vilkitsky Strait: Vilkitsky Strait is a passage between the Taymyr Peninsula and Severnaya Zemlya linking the Kara and Laptev seas. It is the sea’s key eastern connection to the Laptev Sea.
Arctic amplification: Arctic amplification is the faster warming of the Arctic compared with the global average. It contributes to declining sea ice and changing conditions across the Kara Sea.
Novaya Zemlya: Novaya Zemlya is a Russian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, divided into northern and southern islands. Its islands form much of the Kara Sea’s western boundary.
Yenisei River: The Yenisei is a major Siberian river that flows north into the Kara Sea. It supplies a large share of the sea’s river water and sediment.
Arctic shipping: Arctic shipping is commercial and logistical navigation through waters north of the Arctic Circle. Kara Sea ice and coastal conditions shape route access and operating seasons.
Franz Josef Land: Franz Josef Land is a Russian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean northeast of Novaya Zemlya. Its nearby waters help situate the Kara Sea among Arctic archipelagos.
Sea ice decline: Sea ice decline is the long-term reduction in the area, thickness, or duration of floating ice. It alters seasonal access and habitats in the Kara Sea.

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