Franz Josef Land

Franz Josef Land, group of 85 islands in the Arctic Ocean. Northernmost land in the Eastern Hemisphere, these islands, which were discovered in 1873, were claimed by the Soviet Union in 1926. They cover about 8,000 sq mi (21,000 sq km), and are uninhabited. Temperatures range from an average of 10°F (−12°C) or more in the summer to an average of −22°F (−30°C) in the winter.