Liakhov Islands

the southern group of the Novosibirskie Islands, lying between the Laptev and East Siberian seas; the islands are part of the Yakut ASSR. The group includes the Bol’shoi Liakhov (4,600 sq km), Malyi Liakhov (1,325 sq km), and Stolbovoi (170 sq km). They are separated from the Asian mainland by the Dmitrii Laptev Strait (60 km) and from Faddeev Island by the Sannikov Strait (50 km).

The islands are composed of Mesozoic shales and sandstones with granitoid intrusions (on Bol’shoi Liakhov Island). The soil cover consists of lacustrine and talus loam with layers of fossil ice. The surface is flat, reaching an elevation of 270 m (Emii Tas on Bol’shoi Liakhov Island). The islands have numerous ravines and thermokarst lakes and are covered with a polygonal sedge and grass tundra. Arctic foxes are hunted here. The islands were named in honor of the merchant I. Liakhov.