Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast (Russian: Арха́нгельская о́бласть, Arkhangelskaya oblast) is one of the federal subjects of Russia. Specifically, it is an oblast. The capital and largest city of Arkhangelsk Oblast is Arkhangelsk, a port city on the White Sea. Arkhangelsk Oblast also includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, and the Solovetsky Islands. The Nenets Autonomous Okrug is also officially a part of Arkhangelsk Oblast, even though it is administered separately. Arkhangelsk Oblast as it is today was created in 1937. The population of Arkhangelsk Oblast was 1,227,626 as of the 2010 census. Geography Arkhangelsk Oblast, including the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, borders Kirov Oblast, Vologda Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic, and the White, Pechora, Barents, and Kara seas. The oblast's highest point is Mount Kruzenshtern on Novaya Zemlya. Economy Arkhangelsk Oblast is one of the major industrial oblasts of Russia. The region has large fishing, forestry, woodworking, cellulose, and paper industries. Additionally, Arkhangelsk Oblast is rich in natural resources such as lumber, oil, bauxite, titanium, gold, manganese, and basalt. Arkhangelsk Oblast also has many major shipyards, especially in the cities of Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk. There are major pulp and paper mills in Koryazhma and Novodvinsk, and a major bauxite mine in Severoonezhsk. Most towns in the oblast have timber works. Fishing was the main means of food and trade in the region. However, after the fall of the Soviet Union, these farms lost support. Many villages were left empty. There is some farming and cattle breeding in the region even though it is very cold. Demographics Population (including Nenets Autonomous Okrug): 1,227,626 (2010 Census); 1,336,539 (2002 Census); 1,570,256 (1989 Census). Ethnic composition (2010): Russians: 95.6% Ukrainians: 1.4% Nenets: 0.6% Belarusians: 0.5% Komi: 0.4% Tatars: 0.2% Others: 1.3% 25,682 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group. Cities and Towns Below is a list of the 10 largest cities and towns in Arkhangelsk Oblast by population (as of the 2010 census). References