Vasyugan Swamp

The Vasyugan Swamp (Russian: Васюганские болота, romanized: Vasyuganskiye bolota), also the Great Vasyugan Mire [1] is the largest swamp in the northern hemisphere as well as the largest peatland in the world.

[2] It is located in Russia, in southwestern Siberia, and occupies 53,000 km2 (13,000,000 acres), which is about 2% of the whole area of peat bogs of the world.

[1] It appeared nearly 10,000 years ago and from that time has constantly increased in size.

[3] The swamp is a major reservoir of fresh water for the region, and the Vasyugan river has its source there.

[4] It is home to a number of endangered species which is a concern among local environmentalists as the production of oil and gas has become a major industry in the region.