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Lena River Facts & Worksheets

the eleventh longest river in the world

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Russia’s Lena River is the eleventh longest river in the world measuring 2,734 miles (4,400 km) long.

See the fact file below for more information on Lena River or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Lena River worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

History And Geography

  • The origin of the name of the Lena River is derived from the local word Elyu-Ene, meaning the ‘Large River’. 
  • The river is said to have been discovered by a group of Russian fur hunters led by Demid Pyanda in 1623. He explored about a 2,400-kilometer stretch of the river. Since then, explorers have recorded its course and discovered its potential for economic development. 
  • In 1885 Russia, the Imperial Academy of Sciences led a Lena River expedition headed by Baron Eduard von Toll and Alexander von Bunge. It was carried out to explore its Delta and path of entry into the Arctic Ocean. 
  • Ever since then, the Lena has become a significant trade and transport route for international cargo.
  • The Lena River’s source is the Baikal Mountains, south of the Central Siberian Plateau and west of Lake Baikal. 
  • It flows northeast to its drainage point in the Laptev Sea and the Arctic Ocean southwest of the New Siberian Islands.
  • The drainage basin of the river covers an area of 2,490,000 square kilometers.
  • It is also the largest Arctic Delta in the world, with an area measuring 32,000 square kilometers (12, 355.269 sq miles). Vast nature reserves are protected, such as the Lena Delta Nature Reserve, the Lena Pillars, and the Ust-Lensky Nature Reserve.

Climate

  • Winter temperatures in Lena range from -76° to -94°F (-60° to -70°C), with average air temperatures ranging from -22° to -40°F (-30° to -40°C) in January. By July, average temperatures range from 50° to 68°F (10° to 20°C).
  • Despite the chilly temperatures the majority of the year, there is an average of 130 ice-free days to enjoy.
  • The river is covered by ice during winter, creating dams on the river, causing large-scale flooding in spring.
  • In 2001, floodwaters destroyed homes and businesses in the town of Lensk, while Kirensk, Yakutsk, and numerous villages were totally drenched.

Habitat

  • Steppe grasslands dominate the central valley of the Lena River, while taiga coniferous forests, along with peat bogs and swamps, contain the floodplains of the river. Trees such as Alder, willow, and birches grow in this region. 
  • In the river’s lower course further north, tundra vegetation prevails, with mosses, lichens, Arctic poppies, and Whitlow grasses covering the land surface in most areas. 
  • Migratory birds such as birds of prey, swans, geese, snipers, plovers, and sandpipers nest in these habitats after the annual departure seen every winter to breed in the fertile wetlands.
  • The river itself produces Arctic lampreys, Arctic Cisco, other Cisco species, sturgeon, and Chung salmon, along with 38 fish species and 92 planktonic species.
  • Covering wide territories, the Lena River provides different habitats for a diverse population. Different temperatures, topography, and precipitation patterns along the river determine the vegetation of the region along its course.
  • A large area of salt beds is found near Olyokminsk, while deposits of iron ore and coking coal are produced on the south of Yakutsk.
  • The Lena River is also the only river in the world whose channel is completely in the regions of permafrost. The delta has seven main channels or tributaries – the Kirenga, Vitim, Olyokma, Amga, Aldan, Maya, and Chona-Vilyuy.
  • The drainage basin of the Lena River is one of the largest in the world as it measures 2,490,000 square kilometers, with a mean annual discharge of 489 cubic kilometers per year. This river is one of the cleanest sources of fresh water on earth.

Economy

  • The lowland regions provide healthy soil for growing various crops, including barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, and cucumbers. Large meadows and pastures also support livestock. 
  • The Lena Basin also deposits coal and natural gas as well gold. In 1955, diamonds were discovered in the western Sakha Republic.
  • Utilizing its most natural potential is the Lena River’s hydroelectric power generation. It is estimated that the river can produce up to 40 million kilowatts, but only a small part of it has been used.

Visiting the Lena

  • Traveling on the Lena River is possible in various kinds of boats such as private boats, barges, paddlewheel steamship ferry or paddles. 
  • The most popular sight is the Lena Pillars – a huge tower-like sandstone formation that appears along a 16-kilometer section of the Lena River. The park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. 
  • The Lena River Delta covers 43,563 square kilometers and is recognized in the Guinness Book of Records as the third-largest in the world after the Ganges-Brahmaputra and the Mekong deltas.

Lena River Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Russell Wilson across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Lena River worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Lena River which is the longest river in Russia and also the third-longest river in Siberia after the Yenisei and Ob rivers.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Lena River Facts
  • River Data
  • Undammed Rivers
  • Utilizing the River
  • Life in Lena
  • Four Seasons of Lena
  • Lena Legend
  • Facing River Problems
  • Keep our Rivers Clean
  • Promoting Tourism
  • A Haiku for Lena

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Link will appear as Lena River Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 6, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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