Kerch Peninsula

the eastern part of the Crimean Peninsula. On its northern shore is the Sea of Azov, on the east is the Kerch’ Strait, on the south is the Black Sea, and on the west it is connected with the Crimean Peninsula by an isthmus 17 km wide. Its area is about 3,000 sq km.

The northeastern hilly region (elevation up to 190 m) is composed mainly of limestone, clays, and sandstone. There are many mud volcanoes. The southeastern part of the Kerch’ Peninsula is a plain, composed mainly of Paleocene clays. There are lakes and beds of seasonal streams on the peninsula. The climate is temperate continental, with moderately mild winters (average January temperature, — 1.5°C) and hot, dry summers (average July temperature, 23.5°C). The annual precipitation is 500 mm. Strong eastern and northeastern winds prevail. The soils are southern chernozem; the dark chestnut soils are often saline. The soil is mostly tilled. Located on the Kerch’ Peninsula is the Kerch’ Iron-ore Basin.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) the Kerch’ Peninsula was the theater for the staging of the Kerch’-Feodosiia landing operation (1941–42) and the Kerch’-Eltigen landing operation (1943).