The
Great Northern Expedition or
Second Kamchatka expedition was one of the largest organised exploration enterprises in history, resulting in mapping of the most of the Arctic coast of
Siberia and some parts of the
North America coastline, greatly reducing the "white areas" on the maps. The endeavour was initially conceived by
Russian Emperor Peter I the Great and implemented in practice by Russian Empresses
Anna and
Elizabeth. The main organiser and leader of the expedition was
Vitus Bering, who earlier had been commissioned by Peter I to lead the first Kamchatka expedition. The Second Kamchatka expedition lasted roughly from 1733–1743 and later became called the Great Northern due to the immense scale of its achievements.