Murmansk

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For the Soviet-era warships, see Soviet cruiser Murmansk.
Murmansk (English)
Мурманск (Russian)
—  Inhabited locality  —
MurmanskHarbour.jpg
Murmansk Port
Map of Russia - Murmansk Oblast (2008-03).svg
Location of Murmansk Oblast on the map of Russia
Murmansk is located in Murmansk Oblast
Location of Murmansk on the map of Murmansk Oblast
Coordinates: 68°58′N 33°5′E / 68.967°N 33.083°E / 68.967; 33.083Coordinates: 68°58′N 33°5′E / 68.967°N 33.083°E / 68.967; 33.083
RUS Murmansk COA.svg
Coat of arms		 Flag of Murmansk Oblast.svg
Flag
Holiday October 4[citation needed]
Administrative status
Country Russia
Federal subject Murmansk Oblast
In administrative jurisdiction of Murmansk Oblast[citation needed]
Administrative center of Murmansk Oblast[citation needed]
Municipal status
Municipal Status Urban okrug
Head[citation needed] Sergey Subbotin[1]
Representative body Council of Deputies[citation needed]
Statistics
Area 150.55 km2 (58.1 sq mi)[citation needed]
Population (2002 Census) 336,137 inhabitants[2]
- Rank 52nd
- Density 2,233 /km2 (5,800/sq mi)[3]
Time zone MSK/MSD (UTC+3/+4)
Founded October 4, 1916[citation needed]
Postal code(s) 183000..183099[citation needed]
Dialing code(s) +7 8152[citation needed]
Official website http://www.gov-murman.ru/mun/murmansk/
Central Murmansk
"Alyosha", a World War II monument, was unveiled in 1974

Murmansk (Russian: Му́рманск; Northern Sami: Murmanska; Skolt Sami: Muurman) is a city and seaport in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland.

Murmansk is the administrative centre of Murmansk Oblast. The port remains ice-free year round due to the warm North Atlantic drift ocean current and is an important fishing and shipping port. Its satellite, Severomorsk, is an important navy base for the Russian Navy. It is home port to Atomflot, the world's only fleet of nuclear-powered ice breakers.[4][5]

Despite its rapidly declining population, Murmansk remains the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. Population: 336,137 (2002 Census);[6] 468,039 (1989 Census).[7]

Contents

[edit] History

Murmansk was the last town founded in the Russian Empire. Murman is a traditional Pomor name for the Barents Sea and derives from the Old Russian word for Norwegians, "Murmane", cognate to the English "Normans".[8]

The city, first known as Romanov-on-the-Murman (Рома́нов-на-Му́рмане), was founded on October 4, 1916 and named after the royal Russian dynasty of Romanovs. The city, the only ice-free port in the Russian Arctic, was built as a terminus for the railway line to Kola designed to open the North Atlantic supply route to Russia in support of the Eastern Front during the First World War. The city was renamed Murmansk after the February Revolution in 1917.

From 1918 to 1920, the city was occupied by the Western powers who had been allied in the First World War and "White" forces during the Civil War in Russia.[9]

During World War II, Murmansk was a link with the Western world for Russia, with large quantites of goods important to the respective military efforts traded with the Allies: primarily manufactured goods and raw materials into the Soviet Union. The supplies were brought to the city in the Arctic Convoys.

German forces in Finnish territory launched an offensive against the city in 1941 as part of Operation Silver Fox, and Murmansk suffered extensive destruction, second only to Stalingrad of all Soviet cities.[10][11] However, fierce Soviet resistance and harsh geography prevented the Germans from capturing the city and cutting off the vital Karelian railway line. For the rest of the war, it served as transit point for weapons and other supplies entering the Soviet Union from other Allied nations. This resistance was finally recognized by the Soviet Union with the formal designation of Murmansk as a Hero City on May 6, 1985.[12]

In 1974, a massive 35.5-metre-tall statue Alyosha, depicting a Russian World War II soldier, on a 7-metre-high foundation, was erected overlooking the city harbour.[13]

During the Cold War it was a centre of Soviet submarine activity and, since the breakup of the Soviet Union, remains the headquarters of the Russian Northern Fleet.

To commemorate the 85th anniversary of the city's foundation, the snow-white church of the Saviour-on-the-Waters was modeled after the White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal and built on the shore for the sailors of Murmansk (photograph).

Murmansk's evening newspaper is Vecherny Murmansk, published since 1991.

The city is home to the world's northernmost Jewish synagogue at 68°58' N latitude.[14]

[edit] Transport

The port of Murmansk is the headquarters of Sevmorput the administration of Russian Arctic maritime transport and is also home port to most Russian Nuclear icebreakers.

Murmansk is linked by the Murmansk Railway to St Petersburg and is also linked to the rest of Russia by the M18 Kola Motorway. Murmansk Airport provides air links to Moscow and St Petersburg.

Local public transport consists of buses and trolleybuses.

[edit] Arctic Bridge

Location

Murmansk is set to be the Russian terminus of the Arctic Bridge (or Arctic Sea Bridge), a sea route linking it to the Canadian port of Churchill, Manitoba. The passage has not been fully tested for commercial shipping yet but Russia has shown interest in it. It is believed that, once developed (along with the Northwest Passage), the bridge will serve as major trade route between Europe and Asia.

[edit] Education

Murmansk is home to the Murmansk State Technical University, the Murmansk State Pedagogical University and the Murmansk Institute of Humanities

Murmansk also has 86 primary schools and 56 secondary schools, 2 boarding schools and 3 reform schools.

[edit] Sport

The city football team, FC Sever Murmansk plays in the Russian Second Division.

The Murman Hockey club is the most northerly field hockey club in the world.

Murman plays in the highest division of the Russian Bandy League. And the city is one of only three places with representation in the female league, through the team Arktika

[edit] Culture

Murmansk has two museums: The Murmansk Oblast Museum and the Murmansk Oblast Art Museum. There are also three professional theatres in Murmansk.

[edit] People from Murmansk

[edit] Twin Towns/Sister Cities

Murmansk is twinned or has sister city relationships with:

[edit] Climate


Weather data for Murmansk
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 7.0
(45)		 6.6
(44)		 9.0
(48)		 16.9
(62)		 27.2
(81)		 30.8
(87)		 32.9
(91)		 29.1
(84)		 24.2
(76)		 15.0
(59)		 9.6
(49)		 5.6
(42)		 32.9
(91)
Average high °C (°F) -7.2
(19)		 -7.3
(19)		 -3.3
(26)		 1.9
(35)		 7.2
(45)		 14.0
(57)		 17.2
(63)		 15.2
(59)		 9.6
(49)		 2.9
(37)		 -2.0
(28)		 -5.3
(22)		 3.7
(39)
Average low °C (°F) -13.8
(7)		 -13.4
(8)		 -9.8
(14)		 -4.4
(24)		 0.6
(33)		 5.7
(42)		 8.8
(48)		 8.0
(46)		 4.3
(40)		 -1.2
(30)		 -7.0
(19)		 -11.4
(11)		 -2.7
(27)
Record low °C (°F) -39.4
(-39)		 -38.6
(-37)		 -32.6
(-27)		 -23.0
(-9)		 -10.4
(13)		 -2.5
(28)		 1.7
(35)		 -2.0
(28)		 -5.4
(22)		 -21.2
(-6)		 -30.3
(-23)		 -35.0
(-31)		 -39.4
(-39)
Precipitation mm (inches) 30
(1.18)		 22
(0.87)		 19
(0.75)		 20
(0.79)		 30
(1.18)		 53
(2.09)		 61
(2.4)		 65
(2.56)		 53
(2.09)		 44
(1.73)		 40
(1.57)		 36
(1.42)		 473
(18.62)
Source: Pogoda.ru.net[17] 8.09.2007

[edit] References

  1. ^ "New face of the city of Murmansk". Barentsnova.com. http://barentsnova.com/news/show/1132. Retrieved 2009-03-17. 
  2. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://perepis2002.ru/ct/html/TOM_01_04_1.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
  3. ^ The value of density was calculated automatically by dividing the 2002 Census population by the area specified in the infobox. Please note that this value may not be accurate as the area specified in the infobox does not necessarily correspond to the area of the entity proper or is reported for the same year as the Census (2002).
  4. ^ MSCO: Fleet: Icebreaking fleet[dead link]
  5. ^ "Atomflot - Bellona". Bellona<!. http://www.bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/civilian_nuclear_vessels/radwaste/30138. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  6. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2008-07-25. 
  7. ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg2.php. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
  8. ^ Max Vasmer's Etymological Dictionary, trans. by Oleg Trubachev, vol. 3, p. 13.
  9. ^ "Bolshevik, North Russian, Royal Navy, Expeditionary Force, Archangel, Dvina River". Naval-history.net. http://www.naval-history.net/WW1z05NorthRussia.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  10. ^ Мурманску исполняется 90 летTemplate:Ref-ru
  11. ^ Газета «Вечерний Мурманск» Выпуск № 93 от 28 мая 2005 Template:Ref-ru
  12. ^ "Nature » Administrative-territorial system". 2004.murman.ru. 1916-10-04. http://2004.murman.ru/nature/adm_delenie/murmansk/index-eng.shtml. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  13. ^ "Известия.Ру: 7 чудес России". Izvestia.ru. http://www.izvestia.ru/miracles/12.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  14. ^ "Synagogues at extreme latitudes". Safon.org. 2007-09-28. http://safon.org/en/index.php?title=Synagogues_at_extreme_latitudes. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  15. ^ "Kaliningrad -Partner Cities". © 2000-2006 Kaliningrad City Hall. http://www.klgd.ru/en/search/index.php?q=partner+cities&where=. Retrieved 2008-12-08. 
  16. ^ "Groningen — Partner Cities". © 2008 Gemeente Groningen, Kreupelstraat 1,9712 HW Groningen. http://www.groningen.nl/functies/pagfunctie.cfm?parameter=1285. Retrieved 2008-12-08. 
  17. ^ "Pogoda.ru.net" (in Russian). http://pogoda.ru.net/climate/22113.htm. Retrieved September 8, 2007. 

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Cities and towns in Murmansk Oblast
Administrative center: Murmansk
Coat of arms of Murmansk Oblast Flag of Murmansk Oblast
v • d • e
Hero Cities of the former Soviet Union

Leningrad · Odessa · Sevastopol · Stalingrad · Kiev · Brest Fortress · Moscow · Kerch · Novorossiysk · Minsk · Tula · Murmansk · Smolensk
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murmansk"