Kamchatka

Kamchatka, or Kamtschatka, a peninsula of Siberia, on the E. coast of Asia, between 51° and 62° N. lat. It extends into the N. Pacific Ocean, between the Sea of Okhotsk on the W. and that of Kamchatka on the E., and is 870 miles long, with a mean breadth of 180 miles; the area is 465,690 square miles. A range of mountains runs from N. to S., containing Klochevskaia (16,988 feet) and other active volcanoes. The climate is cold, especially on the E. coast, but, owing to the abundant moisture, grasses and trees grow luxuriantly. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in fishing, and the pursuit of the fur-bearing animals in which the peninsula abounds. Kamchatka was incorporated in the Russian Empire in the latter part of the 17th century. The capital, Petropaulovski, is on the S.E. coast.