Cape Chelyuskin, the northernmost point of the Eurasian continent, is located at the northern end of the Taymyr Peninsula.

The most widely accepted explanation is that it comes from the Evenki language, originating from the ancient Tungus word "tamura," which means "valuable, precious, rich."

In the Nenets language, "tai myarey" means "bald" or "bare," possibly in reference to the region’s low-growing tundra.

[1][full citation needed] The isolated location of the Nganasan people enabled them to maintain shamanistic practices even in the 20th century.

The peninsula is the site of the last known naturally occurring muskox outside of North America, which died out about 2,000 years ago.

[5] Study in 2021 found that based on eDNA, woolly mammoths survived on the Taymyr Peninsula until 3,900 to 4,100 years ago, roughly concurrent with the Wrangel population.