Siberia’s Borderlands: The Amur Region

The Amur Region is located in the southeast Russia on the border with China and its area is slightly larger than that of Germany. It’s crossed by the Amur River and is home to Lake Bolon, one of the largest bodies of water in the area.

Summers are rainy and warm with an average temperature of +20°C, while winters are long and cold with temperatures as low as -40°C (but little snow). The Zeya and Khingan nature reserves are situated in Amur Region .

While the Zeya Nature Reserve was created to study the effects of industrial activity on nature, its main objective is to preserve coniferous forests. It’s home to an abundance of mountains, hills, valleys and rivers.

The Khingan Nature Reserve, also located in the Amur Region, consists of mixed forests and prairies. It is characterized by meadows, bodies of water and plant life. The wet lowlands of the Amur River are a nesting place for the red-crowned crane. Several mammal species, which have long lived in the region, often inhabit the same areas.