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94-781: The town is located on the Kola Peninsula , between Lake Imandra and the Khibiny Mountains , by the left bank of the Belaya River . The passing loop of Bely ( разъезд Бе́лый ) on the Leningrad–Murmansk Railway was built in 1926 and the settlement of Apatity was founded in 1930. It was classified as an urban locality by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) Resolution of August 20, 1935, when

188-475: A few large-scale state farms in the late 1950s–early 1970s. By the mid-1970s, the state farms were further consolidated into just two, based in Lovozero and Krasnoshchelye . The consolidations were rationalized by the necessity to isolate the herders from the military installations, as well as by the need to flood some territories to construct hydroelectric plants . Fishing, being the traditional industry of

282-411: A railway was also considered, but no action was taken at the time. Also in 1896, Alexandrovsk (now Polyarny ) was founded, and grew in size so rapidly that it was granted town status in 1899; Kolsky Uyezd was renamed Alexandrovsky on that occasion. During World War I (1914-1918), the still poorly-developed peninsula suddenly found itself in a strategic position, as communication between Russia and

376-662: A reindeer disease epidemic in their home lands in the southeast of the White Sea. The original administrative and economic center of the area was Kola , situated at the estuary of the Kola River into the Kola Bay . In 1916, Romanov-na-Murmane (now Murmansk) was founded and quickly became the largest city and port on the peninsula. Russian migration to the peninsula continued into the 16th century, when new settlements such as Kandalaksha and Porya-Guba were established. Kola

470-662: A result of this, a recreational fishery has been developed, with a number of remote lodges and camps available to host sport-fishermen. The Kandalaksha Nature Reserve , established in 1932 to protect the population of common eider , is organized in thirteen clusters located in the Kandalaksha Gulf of the Kola Peninsula and along the coasts of the Barents Sea. The Kola Peninsula has many small but fast-moving rivers with rapids. The most important of them are

564-947: A town under oblast jurisdiction, which would retain the name Apatity. Consequently, the Murmansk Oblast Executive Committee subordinated a part of the territory in Kirovsk's jurisdiction to the new town by the decision of October 13, 1966. By the November ;29, 1979 Decree by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR , Kovdorsky District was formed from the parts of the territory in Apatity's jurisdiction. The work settlement of Polyarnye Zori subordinated to Apatity

658-555: A year. The waters of the Murman Coast remain warm enough to remain ice-free even in winter. Precipitation levels on the peninsula are rather high: 1,000 millimeters (39 in) in the mountains, 600–700 millimeters (24–28 in) on the Murman Coast, and 500–600 millimeters (20–24 in) in other areas. The wettest months are August through October, while March and April are the driest. The average temperature in January

752-561: Is a 95% reduction (compared to 2015) in SO2 by 2030 for its Polar Division on the Taimyr peninsula, which includes its Nadezhda smelter and Copper plant, partly through a SO2 capture solution. Other polluters of note include the thermal power stations in Apatity and Murmansk . The Rybachy Peninsula in the north of the Kola Peninsula was already settled in the 7th – 5th millennium BCE . In

846-652: Is a developing seaweed industry. The White Sea is an important traffic centre of northwestern Russia, interconnecting various economic regions and providing an outlet to the foreign routes. The White Sea–Baltic Canal links it through Lake Onega to the Baltic Sea and the major city and port of Saint Petersburg . The Baltic Sea, in turn, is connected by the Volga–Baltic Waterway to the Volga River , Black , Caspian , and Azov seas. The major ports on

940-594: Is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia . It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of the internal waters of Russia. Administratively, it is divided between the Arkhangelsk and Murmansk oblasts and

1034-537: Is about −10 °C (14 °F), with lower temperatures typical in the central parts of the peninsula. The average temperature in July is about +11 °C (52 °F). Record lows reach −50 °C (−58 °F) in the central parts and −35 to −40 °C (−31 to −40 °F) on the coasts. Record highs exceed +30 °C (86 °F) almost on all the territory of the peninsula. First frosts occur as early as August and may last through May and even June. Most areas of

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1128-570: Is an underwater ridge in the northern part of the gorlo , resulting in maximum depths of 40 metres in that part. This hinders water exchange between the White and Barents seas. The exchange is assisted by the tides , which are semidiurnal (rising twice a day), with the amplitude increasing from 1 metre on the south to 10 metres in Mezen Bay. Currents are rather weak in the open seas with the speed below 1 km/h, but they significantly strengthen in

1222-529: Is brought during the snow melting in May, and the inflow is minimal in February–March. This inflow raises and lowers the sea level that promotes the water exchange with the Barents Sea. As a result, annually, about 2,000 km and 2,200 km flow in and out of the White Sea, respectively. The inflow of fresh water in spring decreases the surface salinity in the top 5–10-metre layer to 23‰ (parts per thousand) in

1316-485: Is developed in the region. The Kola Peninsula as a whole suffered major ecological damage, mostly as a result of pollution from the military (particularly naval) production, industrial mining of apatite , and military nuclear waste. About 137 active and 140 decommissioned or idle naval nuclear reactors, produced by the Soviet military, remain on the peninsula. For thirty years, nuclear waste had been dumped into

1410-542: Is located 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) southeast of the town Apatity is twinned with: Kola Peninsula The Kola Peninsula ( Russian : Ко́льский полуо́стров , romanized :  Kólʹskij poluóstrov, Kolsky poluostrov ; Kildin Sami : Куэлнэгк нёа̄ррк ) is a peninsula located mostly in northwest Russia and partly in Finland and Norway . It is one of the largest peninsulas of Europe . Constituting

1504-520: Is one of the four seas named (not only in English) after common colour terms —the others being the Black , Red and Yellow seas. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the northern limit of the White Sea as "A line joining Svyatoy Nos ( Murmansk Coast, 39°47'E) and Cape Kanin ". There are four main bays or gulfs on the White Sea. These bays connect with the funnel-shaped opening to

1598-557: Is one of the only places the rare Gray seals can be found. Greenland seals, or harp seals , also can be seen from time to time. Twenty-nine species of fresh water fish are recognized on the territory of peninsula, including trout , stickleback , northern pike , and European perch . The rivers are an important habitat for the Atlantic salmon , which return from Greenland and the Faroe Islands to spawn in fresh water. As

1692-542: Is steep and high, while the southern coast is flat. The western part of the peninsula is covered by two mountain ranges: the Khibiny Mountains and the Lovozero Massif ; the former contains the highest point of the peninsula— Yudychvumchorr . Mount Chasnachorr , the height of which is 1,191 meters (3,907 ft), had been formerly considered the highest point of the Khibiny. The Keyvy drainage divide lies in

1786-588: The Allies via the Baltic and Black Sea was cut. Britain helped in the development of the ice-free harbors of the Murman Coast as the only practical means of sending Allied war supplies to the Eastern Front . In March 1915, the construction of the railroad was rushed, and the railroad was quickly opened in 1916, even though it was only partially completed and poorly built. In 1916, Romanov-na-Murmane (Romanov on

1880-595: The 3rd – 2nd millennium BCE , the peninsula was settled by the peoples who arrived there from the south (the territory of modern Karelia ). Bolshoy Oleny Island in the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea is the location of an important Bronze Age archaeological site where ancient DNA has been recovered. By the end of the 1st millennium CE , the peninsula was settled only by the Sami people , who did not have their own state, lived in clans ruled by elders , and were engaged mostly in reindeer herding and fishing. In

1974-680: The Grand Duchy of Moscow after the Battle of Shelon in 1471, and the republic itself ceased to exist in 1478 when Ivan III took the city of Novgorod. All Novgorod territories, including those on the Kola Peninsula, became a part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The Novgorod Republic lost control of the peninsula to the Grand Duchy of Moscow in 1471, but the Russian migration did not stop. Several new settlements were established during

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2068-560: The Jacob's River , which now is a part of Norway. The Sami population was forced to pay tribute. The Norwegians were also attempting to take control of these lands, resulting in armed conflicts. In 1251, a conflict between the Karelians, Novgorodians and the servants of the king of Norway led to the establishment of a Novgorodian mission in Norway. Also in 1251, the first treaty with Norway

2162-650: The Karelian Isthmus border and the border north of Lake Ladoga . Another treaty dealing the matters of the northern borders was the Treaty of Novgorod signed with Norway in 1326, which ended the decades of the Norwegian-Novgorodian border skirmishes in Finnmark. Per the terms of this treaty, Norway relinquished all claims to the Kola Peninsula. The treaty did not address the situation with

2256-790: The Ponoy , the Varzuga , the Umba , the Teriberka , the Voronya , and the Yokanga . Most rivers originate from lakes and swamps and collect their waters from melting snow. The rivers become icebound during the winter, although the areas with strong rapids freeze later or not at all. Major lakes include Imandra , Umbozero , and Lovozero . There are no lakes with an area smaller than 0.01 square kilometers (0.0039 sq mi). Recreational fishery

2350-523: The Republic of Karelia . The major port of Arkhangelsk is located on the White Sea. For much of Russia's history this was Russia's main centre of international maritime trade, conducted by the Pomors ("seaside settlers") from Kholmogory . In the modern era it became an important Soviet naval and submarine base. The White Sea–Baltic Canal connects the White Sea with the Baltic Sea . The White Sea

2444-521: The Tsardom of Russia cede the peninsula. Russia declined, and in order to organize adequate defenses established the position of a voyevoda . The voyevoda sat in Kola, which became the administrative center of the region. Prior to that, the administrative duties were performed by the tax collectors from Kandalaksha. Newly established Kolsky Uyezd covered most of the territory of the peninsula (with

2538-667: The Turiy Peninsula . Kolo Volost lay to the west of that line, while Tre was situated to the east of it. By the 13th century, a need to formalize the border between the Novgorod Republic and the Scandinavian countries became evident. The Novgorodians, along with the Karelians who came from the south, reached the coast of what now is Pechengsky District and the portion of the coast of Varangerfjord near

2632-462: The okrug was separated from Leningrad Oblast, merged with Kandalakshsky District of the Karelian ASSR , and transformed into modern Murmansk Oblast . All in all, the Soviet period saw a significant increase in population (from 15,000 in 1913 to 1,150,000 in 1989), although most of the population remained concentrated in the urban localities along the railroads and the sea coast. Most of

2726-667: The 'gorlo', opposite to the Kola Peninsula , is Mezen Bay . It receives the Mezen River and the Kuloy River . Other major rivers flowing into the sea are the Vyg , Niva , Umba , Varzuga and Ponoy . The seabed of the central part and Dvina Bay is covered in silt and sand, whereas the bottom of the northern part, the Kandalaksha Gulf and Onega Bay is a mixture of sand and stones. Ice age deposits often emerge near

2820-575: The 1251 treaty. The treaty led to a short period of peace, but the armed conflicts resumed soon thereafter. Chronicles document attacks by the Novgorodians and the Karelians on Finnmark and northern Norway as early as 1271, and continuing well into the 14th century. The official border between the Novgorod lands and the lands of Sweden and Norway was established by the Treaty of Nöteborg on August 12, 1323. The treaty primarily focused on

2914-593: The 12th century, Russian Pomors from the shores of the Onega Bay and in the lower reaches of the Northern Dvina discovered the peninsula and its game and fish riches. The Pomors organized regular hunting and fishing visits and started barter trade with the Sami. They also called the White Sea coast of the peninsula Tersky Coast ( Те́рский бе́рег ) or Terskaya Land ( Те́рская земля́ ). By

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3008-625: The 16th century, and the Sami and Pomor people were forced into serfdom . In the second half of the 16th century, the peninsula became a subject of dispute between the Tsardom of Russia and the Kingdom of Denmark–Norway , which resulted in the strengthening of the Russian position. By the end of the 19th century, the indigenous Sami population had been mostly forced north by the Russians as well as by newly arriving Izhma Komi and Kominized Nenets (so-called Yaran people ), who migrated here to escape

3102-420: The 1930s–1950s, and in 2007 over two thousand people—descendants of those forcibly sent there—still live on the peninsula. A significant portion of the people deported to Kola were peasants from southern Russia subjected to dekulakization . Prisoner labor was often used when building new factories and for manning those which were operational: in 1940, for example, the whole Severonikel Metallurgy Mining Complex

3196-573: The 2010 Census, the population consisted mostly of Russians (89.0%), Ukrainians (4.8%), and Belarusians (1.7%). Other groups of note include Komi (~1,600 inhabitants), Sami (~1,600), and Karelians (~1,400). The indigenous Sami people are mostly concentrated in Lovozersky District . During the 15th–16th centuries, the main occupations of the Tersky Coast population were Atlantic salmon fishing, seal hunting, and

3290-680: The Baltic Sea. From the 1920s, most northern Russian sea shipments diverted from the White Sea to the new port of Murmansk (officially founded in 1916), where the waters did not freeze in winter. The entire water area of the White Sea is the territorial waters of the Russian Federation. Any movement of foreign vessels on the White Sea is carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation. The sea hosts more than 700 species of invertebrates , about 60 species of fish, and five species of marine mammals, including

3384-514: The Barents Sea via a narrow strait called " Gorlo " ( Russian : Горло , meaning "throat"). Kandalaksha Gulf lies in the western part of the White Sea; it is the deepest part of the sea, reaching 340 metres (1,115 feet). On the south, Onega Bay receives the Onega River . To the southeast, the Dvina Bay receives the Northern Dvina at the major port of Arkhangelsk . On the east side of

3478-530: The Kola Peninsula are subarctic climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfc ). The nearby islands usually belong to tundra ( Köppen climate classification : ET ). The peninsula is covered by taiga in the south and tundra in the north. In the tundra, cold and windy conditions and permafrost limit the growth of the trees, resulting in a landscape dominated by grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs such as dwarf birch and cloudberry . In northern coastal areas, stony and shrub lichens are common. The taiga in

3572-542: The Kola Peninsula gradually became a part of the Novgorodian lands. A 1265 treaty of Yaroslav Yaroslavich with Novgorod mentions Tre Volost ( волость Тре ), which is later also mentioned in other documents dated as late as 1471. In addition to Tre, Novgorodian documents of the 13th–15th centuries also mention Kolo Volost , which bordered Tre approximately along the line between Kildin Island and Turiy Headland of

3666-550: The Murman: modern Murmansk ) was founded as the terminal point of the new railroad; the town quickly grew to become the largest one on the peninsula. Soviet power was established on the territory of the peninsula on November 9 [ O.S. October 26], 1917, but the territory was occupied by the forces of Russia's pre-war allies in March 1918–March 1920. Alexandrovsky Uyezd was transformed into Murmansk Governorate by

3760-508: The Murmansk Oblast Executive Committee petitioned to transform the work settlement of Molodyozhny in jurisdiction of Kirovsk into a town under oblast jurisdiction called Khibinogorsk and on subordinating a part of the area in Kirovsk's jurisdiction to it. The petition was reviewed by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR, which, however, decreed on July 7, 1966 to merge the work settlements of Molodyozhny and Apatity into

3854-403: The Sami people paying tribute to both Norway and Novgorod, and the practice continued until 1602. While the 1326 treaty did not define the border in detail, it confirmed the 1323 border demarcation, which remained more or less unchanged for the next six hundred years, until 1920. In the 15th century, Novgorodians started to establish permanent settlements on the peninsula. Umba and Varzuga ,

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3948-475: The Sami population had mostly been forced north, with ethnic Russians settling in the south of the peninsula. In 1894, the peninsula was visited by the Russian Minister of Finance, Sergei Witte , who became convinced of the region's economic potential. Consequently, in 1896 telephone and a telegraph communications were extended to Kola, improving links with the mainland. The possibility of building

4042-686: The Soviet government in June 1921. On August 1, 1927, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) issued two Resolutions: "On the Establishment of Leningrad Oblast" and "On the Borders and Composition of the Okrugs of Leningrad Oblast", according to which Murmansk Governorate was transformed into Murmansk Okrug (which was divided into six districts) and included into Leningrad Oblast . This arrangement existed until May 28, 1938, when

4136-456: The White Sea route. Dutch ships soon followed the English, and the port of Kholmogory became busy with shipments of fur and fish. Local and foreign shops and factories were established in the city at that time. The port was reinforced with a fortress which sustained a siege by the Polish-Lithuanian army in 1613. Increasing traffic overloaded the port, which relied on shallow river-waters and had limited ship-capacity. However, instead of expanding

4230-418: The average July temperature of only 11 °C (52 °F). The peninsula is covered by taiga in the south and by tundra in the north, where permafrost limits the growth of trees, resulting in landscape dominated by shrubs and grasses. The peninsula supports a small variety of mammals, and its rivers are an important habitat for the Atlantic salmon . The Kandalaksha Nature Reserve , established to protect

4324-507: The bays. The tidal waves are much faster than the regular currents and reach the speeds of 9 km/h in Mezen Bay, 3.6 km/h in Onega Bay and 1.3 km/h in the Kandalaksha Gulf. Rivers bring annually about 215 km of fresh water, on average, mostly to the Onega, Mezen and Dvina bays. The Northern Dvina alone may contribute up to 171 km in some years, with the Mezen, Onega, Kem and Vyg rivers adding up to 38.5, 27.0, 12.5 and 11.5 km , respectively. About 40% of this volume

4418-415: The bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast , it lies almost completely inside the Arctic Circle and is bordered by the Barents Sea to the north and by the White Sea to the east and southeast. The city of Murmansk , the most populous settlement on the peninsula, has a population of roughly 270,000 residents. While humans had already settled in the north of the peninsula in the 7th–5th millennium BCE,

4512-404: The central part, but remains relatively cold in the north, at 7–8 °С, due to the water exchange between the surface and the cold bottom part which is enhanced by the shallow depths in the northern parts. Deep sea (about 100 m or more) is characterised by stable temperature (−1.4 °С) and salinity (30‰). The depth distribution of water temperature is very inhomogeneous across the sea. For example, at

4606-457: The central part. The mountainous reliefs of the Murman and Kandalaksha Coasts stretch from southeast to northwest, mirroring the peninsula's main orographic features. Administratively , the territory of the peninsula consists of Lovozersky and Tersky Districts , parts of Kandalakshsky and Kolsky Districts , as well as the territories subordinated to the cities and towns of Murmansk , Ostrovnoy , Severomorsk , Kirovsk , and parts of

4700-449: The command of Hugh Willoughby , his crew had sought a northern route to the Indies , especially India and China. The expedition, sponsored by King Edward VI of England and a group of about 240 English merchants, had London's authorisation to establish trade connections. The ships of Willoughby were separated and the other two were lost at sea, but Edward Bonaventure managed to pass the White Sea and reach Kholmogory, from where Chancellor

4794-436: The country arriving to the peninsula to trade with the merchants from Western Europe. In 1585 the trade was moved to Archangel , although the settlement of Kola was still permitted to trade locally produced goods. During the 17th century, the salt extraction activities gradually went into decline as the locally produced salt was uncompetitive with cheap salt produced in the Kama River regions. Extensive poaching also led to

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4888-433: The cultural center of the Sami people in Russia. Those Sami resisting the collectivization were subject to forced labor or death. Various forms of repression against the Sami continued until Stalin 's death in 1953. In the 1990s, 40% of the Sami lived in urbanized areas, although some herd reindeer across much of the region. The Sami were not the only people subject to repressions. Thousands of people were sent to Kola in

4982-421: The early 21st century, and is considered the most industrially developed and urbanized region in northern Russia. Despite the peninsula's northerly location, its proximity to the North Atlantic Current (an extension of the Gulf Stream ) leads to unusually high temperatures in winter, but also results in high winds due to the temperature variations between land and the Barents Sea. Summers are rather chilly, with

5076-574: The eastern and 26–27‰ in the western parts of the sea, reaching 10–12‰ in Dvina Bay; it also increases the content of silicon and silicates in water, which is a characteristic feature of the White Sea. Storms are the strongest in October–November. Shallow sea depths reduce the wave height to the average of 1 metre, sometimes reaching 3–5 metres. The sea is quiet in July–August. The climate varies between polar and subarctic with frequent fogs and clouds. Winds are predominantly southwestern in winter with speeds of 4–8 m/s. They bring cold air from

5170-422: The end of the 12th century, the Pomors explored all of the northern coast of the peninsula and reached Finnmark (an area in the north of Norway ), necessitating the Norwegians to support a naval guard in that area. The name given by the Pomors to the northern coast was Murman —a distorted form of Norman meaning "Norwegian". Pomors were soon followed by tribute collectors from the Novgorod Republic , and

5264-581: The exception of Varzuzhskaya and Umbskaya Volosts, which were a part of Dvinsky Uyezd ), as well as the northern part of Karelia all the way to Lendery . Despite the economic activity, permanent settlement of the peninsula did not intensify until the 1860s, and even then it remained sporadic until 1917. The population of Kola in 1880, for example, was only around 500 inhabitants living in 80 households, compared to 1,900 inhabitants in 300 households living there in 1582. Transportation facilities were virtually non-existent and communication with

5358-402: The exit from Dvina Bay, water temperature drops to 0 °C at the depth of only 12–15 m, but the same temperature is reached at 65 m at the exit from the Kandalaksha Gulf. Residents of Novgorod knew of the White Sea from at least the 11th century and rapidly explored its commercial significance for navigation and its coastal forests rich in fur animals . One of the earliest settlements near

5452-425: The extraction of salt from the sea water. The salt extraction in Kandalaksha and Kola was mostly carried out by the monasteries in Pechenga and Solovki , and for a long time remained the only "industry" on the peninsula. By the mid-16th century, Atlantic cod fishing developed on the Murman Coast in the north. The 1560s saw a rapid growth of international trade, with the Russian merchants from different regions of

5546-463: The first documented permanent settlements of the Novgorodians, date back to 1466. Over time, all coastal areas to the west of the Pyalitsa River had been settled, creating a territory where the population was mostly Novgorodian. Administratively, this territory was divided into Varzuzhskaya and Umbskaya Volosts , which were governed by a posadnik from the area of the Northern Dvina . The Novgorod Republic lost control of both of these volosts to

5640-533: The friendly beluga and the white whale. Several other dolphin species, such as harbour porpoises , appear less frequently while larger whales such as bowhead , humpback and rorquals , northern bottlenose , orcas have been considered as rare visitors to the waters while actual frequency of occurrences within White Sea basin is not specified. The fishing industry is relatively small, mostly targeting harp seal , ringed seal , herring , saffron cod , European smelt , Atlantic cod and Atlantic salmon . There

5734-466: The northeastern edge of the Baltic Shield . The western border of the peninsula stretches along the meridian from the Kola Bay through the valley of the Kola River , Lake Imandra , and the Niva River to the Kandalaksha Gulf , although some sources push it all the way west to Russia's border with Finland. Under a more restrictive definition, the peninsula covers an area of about 100,000 square kilometers (39,000 sq mi). The northern coast

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5828-429: The old port, Ivan IV established a new one down-river in 1584, called New Kholmogory, which from 1596 began to become known as Arkhangelsk. Between the 15th and early 18th centuries, the White Sea served as the major trade route in and out of Russia. This role decreased later after the foundation of Saint Petersburg (1703), which opened a more direct ice-free connection between Russia and the bulk of Western Europe via

5922-459: The peninsula became heavily industrialized and militarized, largely due to its strategic position (as the pre-eminent Soviet ice-free Atlantic coast) and to the discovery of the vast apatite deposits in the 1920s. As a result, the peninsula suffered major ecological damage . After the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union , the economy went into decline. Its population fell from 1,150,000 in 1989 to 795,000 in 2010. The peninsula recovered somewhat in

6016-482: The peninsula gradually became a part of the Novgorodian lands. The Novgorodians, however, established no permanent settlements until the 15th century. The Soviet period (1917–1991) saw a rapid population increase, although most of the new arrivals remained confined to urbanized territories along the sea coast and the railroads. The Sami people were subject to forced collectivization , including forced relocation to Lovozero and other centralized settlements, and overall

6110-552: The peninsula to the Gulf Stream leads to unusually high temperatures in winter for the region, resulting in significant temperature variations between land and the Barents Sea and in fluctuating temperatures during high winds. Cyclones are typical during the cold seasons, while the warm seasons are characterized by anticyclones . Monsoon winds are common in most areas, with south and southwesterly winds prevailing in winter months and with somewhat more pronounced easterly winds in summer. Strong storm winds blow for 80–120 days

6204-464: The peninsula, mostly along the shores. However, the discovery of the vast natural resource deposits and industrialization efforts led to an explosive population growth during the Soviet times. By 1970, the population of the peninsula was around 799,000. The trend reverted in the 1990s, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union . The population of the whole Murmansk Oblast went down from 1,150,000 in 1989 to 890,000 in 2002 to 795,000 in 2010. As of

6298-452: The peninsula. Beluga whales are the only cetacean being common around the peninsula. Other dolphins, including Atlantic white-sided dolphins , white-beaked dolphins , and harbor porpoises , as well as large whales, such as bowhead , humpback , blue , and finback , also visit the area. The coasts of the Kandalaksha Gulf and the Barents Sea are important breeding grounds for bearded seals and ringed seals . The Barents Sea

6392-589: The peninsula. The main industrial pollution source is Norilsk Nickel in Monchegorsk —the large smelters responsible for over 80% of the sulfur dioxide emissions and for nearly all nickel and copper emissions. Since 1998, SO 2 emissions in the area have dropped by almost 60%, from 88.3 thousand tonnes to 37.3 thousand tonnes in 2016, according to Norilsk Nickel. Based on its new ‘Sulphur programme 2.0', Norilsk Nickel has set itself staged targets in cutting down sulphur dioxide emissions, which can have negative health and environmental effects. The ultimate aim

6486-416: The population of common eider , is located in the Kandalaksha Gulf . The peninsula is also the site of the Kola Superdeep Borehole , the deepest hole drilled into the Earth. The peninsula is located in the far northwest of Russia, almost completely inside the Arctic Circle and is bordered by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast. Geologically, the peninsula occupies

6580-402: The practice of peat production from the Norwegians and started using peat for heating. Timber cutting industry developed in the region at the end of the 19th century; mostly in Kovda and Umba. The Soviet era saw drastic industrialization and militarization of the peninsula. In 1925–1926, significant deposits of apatite were discovered in the Khibiny Mountains, and the first apatite batch

6674-598: The region, was always considered important although the volumes of production remained insignificant until the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1920s–1930s, the Murmansk Trawl Fleet was created and the fishing infrastructure started to develop intensively. By 1940, fishing accounted for 40% of the oblast's and for 80% of Murmansk's economy. White Sea The White Sea ( Russian : Белое море , romanized :  Beloye more ; Karelian and Finnish : Vienanmeri , lit.   'Dvina Sea'; Nenets : Сэрако ямʼ , romanized:  Serako yam )

6768-465: The rest of Russia was irregular. 1887 saw an influx of Izhma Komi and Nenets people who were migrating to the peninsula to escape a reindeer-disease epidemic in their homelands and brought their large deer herds with them, resulting in increased competition for the grazing lands, a conflict between the Komi and the Sami, and in marginalization of the local Sami population. By the end of the 19th century,

6862-522: The rest of its territory remained uninhabited until the 3rd millennium BCE, when various peoples started to arrive from the south. By the 1st millennium CE only the Sami people remained. This changed in the 12th century, when Russian Pomors discovered the peninsula's rich resources of game and fish. Soon after, the Pomors were followed by the tribute collectors from the Novgorod Republic , and

6956-490: The sea by the Northern Fleet and Murmansk Shipping Company . There is also evidence of contamination from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster , with contaminants being found in the flesh of reindeer and other animals, and from the 1972 and 1984 controlled nuclear explosions 21 kilometers (13 mi) northwest of Kirovsk . Additionally, several nuclear weapons test ranges and radioactive waste storage facilities exist on

7050-646: The sea shores grew up in the late 14th century at Kholmogory , on the Northern Dvina . From there, in 1492, a merchant fleet laden with grain and carrying ambassadors of Ivan III of Russia sailed to Denmark, marking the establishment of the first international seaport in Russia . The first foreign ship to arrive in Kholmogory was the English Edward Bonaventure commanded by Richard Chancellor in 1553. Together with two other ships under

7144-542: The sea shores. Northwestern coasts are tall and rocky but the slope is much weaker at the southeastern side. The White Sea contains a large number of islands, but most of them are small. The main island group is the Solovetsky Islands , located almost in the middle of the sea, near the entrance to Onega Bay. Kiy Island in Onega Bay is significant due to a historic monastery. Velikiy Island, located close to

7238-449: The sea, which increases from 24 to 26‰ in the centre to 30.5‰ in the gorlo , reaching 34.0–34.5‰ toward the Barents Sea. The freezing period varies from year to year as shown in the satellite image to the right. The ice is not stationary, but 90% of it is floating and is continuously removed to the Barents Sea. Ice thickness is usually about 40 cm but may reach 150 cm in cold winters. In summer, surface water warms up to 15 °С in

7332-411: The settlement of pri sovkhoze "Industriya" was merged into Apatity and it was granted work settlement status. Many of the early settlers in the Apatity area were former " rich peasants " from several regions of Northwestern Russia, resettled to Murmansk Oblast as part of Stalin's Dekulakization program. Members of certain ethnic minorities were deported to Apatity as well. On January 6, 1966,

7426-649: The shore, is the largest island in the Kandalaksha Gulf. The White Sea is a water-filled depression in the block of a continental shelf known as the Baltic Shield . Its bottom is very uneven and contains the Kandalaksha Hollow in the northwest and the Solovetsky Islands in the south. Also, the Onega Bay has many small underwater elevations. The opening and the gorlo of the sea are rather shallow, with depths about 50 metres or less. There

7520-557: The significantly reduced outputs from pearl hunting . Commercial deer herding became more popular, although its share in the economy remained negligible until the 19th century. By the end of the 17th century, the practice of seasonal fishing and hunting settlements in the north of the peninsula became very common. Peter the Great , recognizing the political and economical importance of the peninsula, promoted its industries and commerce. The region fell into neglect after St. Petersburg

7614-614: The south, establishing the temperature of about −15 °C (February) over most of the sea. The northern part is warmer at about −9 °C, sometimes reaching −6 °C, due to the warm air masses from the Atlantic. Arctic anticyclones, however, change winds to the northeastern ones, bringing much colder weather with temperatures of about −25 °C. Summers are cold, cloudy and relatively humid, with northeastern winds and frequent rains. Average July temperatures are 8–10 °C. Occasional southeastern winds bring warm air from Europe, raising

7708-614: The southern areas is composed mostly of pine trees and spruces . Reindeer herds visit the grasslands in summer. Other animals include red and Arctic foxes , wolverines , moose , otters , and lynx in the southern areas. American minks , which were released near the Olenitsa River in 1935–1936, are now common throughout the peninsula and are commercially hunted. Beavers , which became endangered by 1880, were re-introduced in 1934–1957. All in all, thirty-two species of mammals and up to two hundred bird species inhabit

7802-479: The sparsely populated territories outside the urbanized areas were used for deer herding. This region is also home to the Kola Superdeep Borehole . In 1920–1940, the town of Kirovsk and several work settlements were established on the peninsula. The Sami peoples were subject to forced collectivization , with more than half of their reindeer herds collectivized in 1928–1930. In addition,

7896-645: The status equal to that of the districts . As a municipal division , Apatity Town with Jurisdictional Territory is incorporated as Apatity Urban Okrug . The main employer of Apatity is JSC "Apatit", the largest mining and concentrating enterprise in Europe and Russia. Other employers include the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Science and various state and private enterprises. The joint civilian-military Kirovsk-Apatity Airport

7990-439: The temperature to 17–19 °C and sometimes even to 30 °C. Annual precipitations increase from 282 mm in the north 529 in the south. In winter, from October–November to April–May, the sea freezes, with the average January water temperatures of −1.9 °C in the north, between −1.3 and −1.7 °С in the centre, and between −0.5 and −0.7 °С in the bays. These variations are due to the distribution of water salinity across

8084-618: The territories subordinated to Apatity , Olenegorsk , and Polyarnye Zori . Because the last ice age removed the top sediment layer of the soil, the surface of Kola Peninsula is extremely rich in various ores and minerals, including apatites and nephelines ; copper , nickel , and iron ores ; mica ; kyanites ; ceramic materials , as well as rare-earth elements and non-ferrous ores. Deposits of construction materials such as granite , quartzite , and limestone are also abundant. Diatomaceous earth deposits are common near lakes and are used to produce insulation . Proximity of

8178-415: The traditional Sami herding practices were phased out in favor of the more economically profitable Komi approach, which emphasized permanent settlements over free herding. Since the Sami culture is strongly tied to the herding practices, this resulted in the Sami people gradually losing their language and traditional herding knowledge. Most Sami were forced to settle in the village of Lovozero , which became

8272-623: Was elevated in status to that of a town under oblast jurisdiction by another Decree of April 22, 1991. A part of the territory in jurisdiction of Apatity was also transferred to Polyarnye Zori by the Decision of the Presidium of the Murmansk Oblast Soviet of People's Deputies of May 16, 1991. Within the framework of administrative divisions , it is, together with two rural localities, incorporated as Apatity Town with Jurisdictional Territory —an administrative unit with

8366-578: Was escorted to Moscow to meet the Russian Tsar , Ivan IV . Returning from Russia in 1554, Chancellor brought back a detailed description of Moscow and the Russian north, which were largely unknown to Europe, as well as a letter from the Tsar expressing desire to establish trade relations with England. In 1555 Queen Mary issued a charter authorising the Muscovy Company to trade with Russia via

8460-408: Was first mentioned in 1565. In the end of the 15th century, the Pomors and the Sami people were forced into serfdom , mostly by the monasteries. Monastery votchiny greatly expanded during the 17th century, but were abolished in 1764, when all of the Kola Peninsula peasants became state peasants . In the second half of the 16th century, King Frederick II of Denmark–Norway demanded that

8554-480: Was founded in 1703 and most of the shipping trade shifted there. In 1732, large deposits of silver in native form were discovered on Medvezhy Island in the Kandalaksha Gulf and copper, silver, and gold deposits were found in the lower reaches of the Ponoy River. Despite the efforts ongoing for the next two centuries, there was no commercial success. At the end of the 18th century, the local population learned

8648-577: Was shipped only a few years later, in 1929. In 1930, sulfide deposits were discovered in the Moncha area ; in 1932–1933 iron ore deposits were found near the upper streams of the Iona River ; in 1935, significant deposits of titanium ores were discovered in the area of modern Afrikanda . The collectivization efforts in the 1930s led to the concentration of the reindeer herds in kolkhozes (collective farms), which in turn were further consolidated into

8742-545: Was signed in Novgorod regarding the Sami lands and the system of tribute collections, making the Sami people pay tribute to both Novgorod and Norway. By the terms of the treaty, Novgorodians could collect tribute from the Sami as far as the Lyngen fjord in the west, while Norwegians could collect tribute on the territory of the whole Kola Peninsula except in the eastern part of Tersky Coast. No state borders were established by

8836-522: Was turned over to the NKVD system. Until the 1800s, the Kola Peninsula was extremely sparsely populated, with only 5,200 inhabitants in 1858. In 1868 the Russian government created incentives for settlement and not only Russians but also Finns , Norwegians and Karelians moved to the peninsula. By the 1897 census 9,291 people were counted in the Kola uyezd ; 63% Russian, 19% Sami, 11% Finnish and 3% Karelian. By 1913 about 13,000–15,000 people lived in

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