Khatanga (river)

The Khatanga (Russian: Хатанга) is a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai in Russia. The river is navigable. The river port of Khatanga is located on the river.

Khatanga
Mouth location in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia Show map of Krasnoyarsk Krai Khatanga (river) (Russia) Show map of Russia
Location
Country	Russia
Physical characteristics
Source	confluence of Kotuy and Kheta
Mouth	Laptev Sea
• coordinates	73°11′14″N 106°12′25″E
Length	227 km (141 mi) (Khatanga–Kotuy 1,636 km (1,017 mi)[1]
Basin size	364,000 km2 (141,000 sq mi)[2]
Discharge
• location	Near mouth
• average	(Period: 1984–2018)102 km3/a (3,200 m3/s)[3]
Basin features
Progression	Laptev Sea
River system	Khatanga River
Tributaries
• left	Kheta, Novaya, Malaya Balakhnya
• right	Kotuy, Nizhnyaya, Bludnaya, Popigay

Map of the Khatanga drainage basin, including the Kheta (to the north) and Kotuy (to the south)

Course

It begins at the confluence of the rivers Kotuy and Kheta. The Khatanga is 227 km (141 mi) long (1,636 km (1,017 mi) including its headwater Kotuy);^[1] the area of its basin is 364,000 km² (141,000 sq mi).^[4] It flows into the Khatanga Gulf of the Laptev Sea, forming an estuary. There are more than 112,000 lakes, with a total surface area of 11,600 square kilometres (4,500 sq mi), in the basin of the river.

The Khatanga freezes up in late September–early October and breaks up in early June. Its main tributaries are the Nizhnyaya, Bludnaya, Popigay, Novaya, and Malaya Balakhnya.

Fauna

The Khatanga teems with different kinds of fish, including ryapushka, omul, muksun, white salmon, taimen, loach, among others.

History

Russian fur traders first reached the Khatanga about 1611.^[5]

See also

• List of largest unfragmented rivers
• Katanga, name for the upper course of the river Podkamennaya Tunguska