Yuzhny Island is the southern island of Russia's Novaya Zemlya archipelago, lying north of mainland Russia. It has an area of 33,275 square kilometres (12,800 sq mi), which while smaller than the northern island of Severny, still makes it one of the largest islands in the world. It is separated from Severny Island by the narrow Matochkin Strait, which is covered with ice most of the year. West of Yuzhny Island lies the Barents Sea, to the north the Arctic Ocean, to the east the Kara Sea, and to the south the Pechora Sea.