The ecoregion stretches 1,000 km across the northern coast of Russia. The terrain is mostly lowland tundra, with extensive marshes, lakes and wetlands. At the western end is the Kanin Peninsula, surrounded by the White Sea and with very sparse human habitation. About 100 km east of the Kanin Peninsula, and 100 km north of the coast, is Kolguyev Island. 100 km southeast of Kolguyev is the delta of the Pechora River and the Nenets Nature Reserve. Farther east is the Yugorsky Peninsula, and Yuzhny Island, the southern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. The ecoregion ends in the east just short of the Ob River delta.
