A city of northwest Russia on the northern Kola Peninsula on an inlet of the Barents Sea. A major ice-free port, it was the terminus of an important supply line to the USSR in World Wars I and II. Population: 325,000.
Murmansk
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Mur·mansk (mʊr-mänsk', mūr'mənsk)  |
A city of northwest Russia on the northern Kola Peninsula on an inlet of the Barents Sea. A major ice-free port, it was the terminus of an important supply line to the USSR in World Wars I and II. Population: 325,000.
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Murmansk, an ice-free Russian port on the Barents Sea, became important in World War I with the completion by prisoner-of-war labor of a railway from there to Petrograd (later Leningrad). After the 1917 Russian Revolution the Allies landed a guard in Murmansk to protect their stockpiles of military goods. In 1918 some 720 U.S. military engineers helped to improve and maintain the new railroad. In World War II the "Murmansk run" was the most perilous route for convoys delivering Lend-Lease supplies to the Soviet Union. In July 1942 only thirteen of the thirty-six merchantmen in Convoy PQ 17 reached Murmansk.
Bibliography
Herring, George C., Jr. Aid to Russia, 1941–1946: Strategy, Diplomacy, the Origins of the Cold War. New York: Columbia University Press, 1973.
Van Tuyll, Hubert P. Feeding the Bear: American Aid to the Soviet Union, 1941–1945. New York: Greenwood Press, 1989.
| Columbia Encyclopedia: Murmansk |
Murmansk (mʊrmänsk'), city (1989 pop. 468,000), capital of Murmansk region, NW European Russia, on the Kola Gulf of the Barents Sea. It is the terminus of the Northeast Passage and the world's largest city N of the Arctic Circle, with a polar research institute. For many years this ice-free port was a leading Soviet freight port, a base for fishing fleets, a major naval base, and the main home port of the Russian nuclear submarine fleet. Until the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the loss of state funding, Murmansk was a thriving industrial, commercial, and shipping center. Now the formerly active railroad terminus linked with Moscow and St. Petersburg has seen train traffic decrease by half. Its fish canneries, shipyards, textile factories, breweries, and sawmills have laid off workers, the commercial fleets have been sold for scrap or land their catch outside Russia, and the nuclear submarines relocated.
Murmansk was only a small village before World War I. The port and its rail line inland from Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) were built in 1915-16, when the Central Powers cut off the Russian Baltic and Black Sea supply routes. Allied forces occupied the Murmansk area from 1918 to 1920, during the Russian civil war. A major World War II supply base and port for Anglo-American convoys, Murmansk was bombarded by the Germans. During the 1970s and 80s, the Sea of Murmansk was the dump site for the exhausted cores of Soviet nuclear reactors. Murmansk oblast, with rich apatite and nickel mines, was enlarged after World War II through the incorporation of former Finnish territories, notably Petsamo (Pechenga).
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For the Soviet-era cruiser, see Murmansk (cruiser).
| Murmansk (English) Мурманск (Russian) |
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|---|---|
| — Inhabited locality — | |
 Murmansk Port |
|
.svg) Location of Murmansk Oblast on the map of Russia |
|
  Location of Murmansk on the map of Murmansk Oblast
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| Coordinates: 68°58′N 33°5′E / 68.967°N 33.083°ECoordinates: 68°58′N 33°5′E / 68.967°N 33.083°E | |
 Coat of arms |
 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) |
| 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/ |
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 |
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-meter-tall statue Alyosha, depicting a Russian World War II soldier, on a 7-meter-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]
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.
Arctic Bridge
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.
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.
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.
Culture
Murmansk has two museums: The Murmansk Oblast Museum and the Murmansk Oblast Art Museum. There are also three professional theatres in Murmansk.
People from Murmansk
- Nikita Alexeev NHL ice hockey player
- Aleksey Goman - Russian Pop singer
- Irina Kovalenko - Supermodel and Miss Russia winner
- Vladimir Konstantinov - NHL ice hockey player
- Larisa Kruglova - sprinter
- Sergey Kuryokhin - actor and musician
- Irina Malgina - Biathlete
- Sergey Rozhkov - Biathlete
- Alexei Semenov - NHL ice hockey player
- Avraham Shmulevich - Israeli Politician
Twin Towns/Sister Cities
Murmansk is twinned or has sister city relationships with:
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 | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ "New face of the city of Murmansk". Barentsnova.com. http://barentsnova.com/news/show/1132. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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).
- ^ MSCO: Fleet: Icebreaking fleet[dead link]
- ^ "Atomflot - Bellona". Bellona<!. http://www.bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/civilian_nuclear_vessels/radwaste/30138. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Max Vasmer's Etymological Dictionary, trans. by Oleg Trubachev, vol. 3, p. 13.
- ^ "Bolshevik, North Russian, Royal Navy, Expeditionary Force, Archangel, Dvina River". Naval-history.net. http://www.naval-history.net/WW1z05NorthRussia.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ Мурманску исполняется 90 летTemplate:Ref-ru
- ^ Газета «Вечерний Мурманск» Выпуск № 93 от 28 мая 2005 Template:Ref-ru
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Известия.Ру: 7 чудес России". Izvestia.ru. http://www.izvestia.ru/miracles/12.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ "Synagogues at extreme latitudes". Safon.org. 2007-09-28. http://safon.org/en/index.php?title=Synagogues_at_extreme_latitudes. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ "Kaliningrad -Partner Cities". © 2000-2006 Kaliningrad City Hall. http://www.klgd.ru/en/search/index.php?q=partner+cities&where=. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
- ^ "Groningen — Partner Cities". © 2008 Gemeente Groningen, Kreupelstraat 1,9712 HW Groningen. http://www.groningen.nl/functies/pagfunctie.cfm?parameter=1285. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
- ^ "Pogoda.ru.net" (in Russian). http://pogoda.ru.net/climate/22113.htm. Retrieved September 8 2007.
External links
- Murmansk: Info,News,Photo
- Murmansk Travelling Agent
- Atomic ice breaker fleet
- Murmansk's gorgeous garages — a photo journal by BBC news journalist Jorn Madslien
- Murmansk travel guide
- Satellite picture by Google Maps
- Map of Murmansk
- Views of Murmansk group on Flickr
- Video overview of Murmansk in English, 4½ minutes, 2009
- Murmansk State Technical University
- British North Russian Expeditionary Force 1918–1919 (based at Murmansk)
- "Big-dollar deals tempt Arctic firms" BBC article on the energy industry's effect on Murmansk
- Image of "Alyosha" statue
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