Russia is the world’s largest country by total land area, spanning two continents and eleven time zones. This immense geographic scale places a significant portion of its territory in high-latitude regions, directly bordering the Arctic Circle. Consequently, a substantial area of the Russian landscape is dominated by the cold, harsh environment known as the tundra biome. This distinct ecosystem defines much of Russia’s northern periphery, extending across thousands of kilometers.
The Measured Extent of Russia’s Tundra
The tundra biome covers approximately 10% of Russia’s total landmass, establishing the country as the single largest holder of this ecosystem globally. Considering Russia’s total area of over 17.1 million square kilometers, this translates to roughly 1.7 million square kilometers of tundra territory. This vast expanse stretches across the entire northern coastal plain, from the Kola Peninsula in the west to the Chukchi Peninsula in the Far East.
The tundra typically forms a narrow belt in European Russia, but it widens considerably as it extends eastward across Siberia. The total measured area includes the true Arctic tundra along the coast, as well as the forest-tundra transition zone located immediately to the south. This transition zone, also known as the treeline, is an ecotone where isolated stands of stunted trees appear amidst the characteristic treeless plain.
Defining the Tundra Biome
The tundra is an ecosystem characterized by frigid temperatures and a short growing season, which severely limits the growth of vegetation, particularly trees. The defining feature of this biome in Russia is the presence of permafrost, which is ground that remains permanently frozen for at least two consecutive years. This layer of ice-rich soil can extend hundreds of meters deep and prevents water from draining away when the surface layer thaws in the summer.
The resulting landscape is often poorly drained, creating extensive marshes, bogs, and wetlands during the brief summer months. Because the permafrost acts as an impenetrable barrier, only a thin layer of topsoil, called the active layer, thaws annually and supports plant life. This shallow active layer restricts vegetation to low-growing forms like mosses, lichens, sedges, and dwarf shrubs. The growing season lasts only about two to three months, classifying the region under the Köppen ET or Tundra climate.
Geographic Factors Driving Russia’s Tundra Dominance
Russia’s dominance of the world’s tundra results from a confluence of large-scale geographic and climatic factors. The country’s sheer latitudinal extent is the primary driver, with the majority of its territory situated above 50 degrees North, placing it squarely in the subarctic and arctic zones. This northern position means the angle of the sun is low, resulting in minimal solar energy absorption and persistently cold conditions year-round.
Russia’s northern boundary is the Arctic Ocean, a source of frigid air masses that sweep south across the open plains, especially in winter. The immense size of the Eurasian landmass also contributes through the principle of continentality. This means interior regions are far removed from the moderating effects of the ocean, leading to large seasonal temperature swings and intense winter cold. The continuous, flat northern plains offer no mountain barriers to block the southward flow of arctic air, allowing the tundra to extend far into the interior of Siberia.