Country Russia | ||
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The Kanchalan River (Russian: Канчалан) is a 426-kilometre (265 mi) long stream in Far East Siberia. It passes through the sparsely populated areas of the Siberian tundra and flows southwards into the Bering Sea at the Gulf of Anadyr through the Anadyrskiy Liman. Its catchment area covers 20,600 square kilometres (8,000 sq mi).
Contents
Map of r. Kanchalan, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
History
The Kanchalan River and its tributaries belong to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug administrative region of Russia. There is a small populated place in the area close to its estuary also called Kanchalan. Originally the river appears to have been called the Nyerpicha according to maps of the 17th and 18th centuries. A sedentary people who went on to form the eponymous settlement lived on its banks who called themselves "Konchalyt", (from the Chukchi кончальыт meaning Only) and over time their name became associated with both the settlement and the river itself. In Chukchi, the river is divided into two parts, the lower reaches are called Gytgomkyvaam (Гытгомкываам, lit. Bush River), whilst the upper reaches are called Tadlyeoan (Тадлеоан, lit. The Place of Vengeance) as this was the site of historical battles between the Chukchi, Yukaghirs and Koryaks.
Wildlife
Beluga whales are common in its estuarine waters.