Kolyma Lowland

The Kolyma Lowland is an extensive region in northeastern Siberia, Russia, that drains northward to the East Siberian Sea. It is bordered by the Kolyma Upland to the south and is characterized by a flat, swampy terrain. The Kolyma River flows through this lowland, meandering across a wide floodplain. The area experiences a short ice-free period, with freeze-up from late September to early June, often leading to significant flooding during the spring thaw due to ice jams. The region is sparsely populated and covered by tundra or stunted forests. The primary economic activity is gold mining in the upper river basin. Historically, during the Soviet era, the upper Kolyma River valley was the site of forced-labour camps where over a million prisoners died.12