Island group, Arctic Ocean, northeastern Russia, north of eastern Siberia .
The islands divide the Laptev Sea from the East Siberian Sea. They are separated from the Siberian mainland by Dmitry Laptev Strait. With an area of about 14,500 sq mi (38,000 sq km), they are snow-covered for more than nine months of the year. Arctic fox, northern deer, lemming , and many species of birds inhabit the islands.