Yaya (Russian: Яя) is a sandy islet in Russia, in the New Siberian Islands, Laptev Sea. Its length is about 370 metres and is 125 metres wide. Discovered in 2013, it expanded the Russian maritime exclusive economic zone by 452 square kilometers.[1][2]

Aerial photo of Yaya
Location of the New Siberian Islands within Russia
Semyonovsky and Vasilyevsky Islands, Former site of where Yaya is

Discovery

edit
 
the accumulation of ice at underwater bank at place of former Vasilyevsky Island location (New Siberian Islands, Russia). Red cross marks coordinates 73°59'25.2"N 133°05'28.1"E. Satellite image Sentinel-2, 2-SEP-2016

The island was discovered in the Vasilyevsky Shoal [ru], which formed in the mid-20th century from a melted ice island, Vasilyevsky Island. It was sighted in September 2014 from a helicopter which delivered cargo and goods for the Kotelny Island. In November 2014 the research vessel Admiral Vladimirsky explored the island and officially confirmed its existence. The commander of the helicopter crew explained the name 'Yaya'. "Ya" (я) means the pronoun "I" in Russian. When the island was sighted, everybody started shouting: "I, I discovered it!"[2][1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Территория России пополнилась новым островом", vesti.ru, December 4, 2013 (retrieved February 7, 2015)
  2. ^ a b "Яя наш!", gazeta.ru, October 11, 2014 (retrieved February 7, 2015)

73°59′25.2″N 133°5′28.1″E / 73.990333°N 133.091139°E / 73.990333; 133.091139