Monchegorsk
Encyclopedia
Monchegorsk is a town in Murmansk Oblast
, Russia
, located on the Kola Peninsula
, 145 kilometres (90.1 mi) south of Murmansk
, the administrative center of the oblast
. Administratively, it is incorporated as Monchegorsk Town with Jurisdictional Territory
—a unit of administrative division equal in status to that of a district
. Population: 52,242 (2002 Census
); 68,652 (1989 Census
).
word monce (montshe), meaning "beautiful". The name originally was intended for nearby Montshatuntur (Artic Hill).
and nickel
mining in the Monchetundra Massif. It was granted work settlement
status and renamed Monchegorsk by the Resolution of the Presidium of All-Russian Central Executive Committee
(VTsIK) on November 25, 1935. At the same time, it was transferred from Kolsky District
to Kirovsky District
. By 1937, the copper-nickel mining volume increased significantly, and, consequently, the area population grew as well. On February 19, 1937 the Presidium of the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee petitioned to create new Monchegorsky District
by separating the town and its surrounding area from Kirovsky District and to grant Monchegorsk town status. As a result, town status was granted to Monchegorsk by the VTsIK Resolution of September 20, 1937, although no new district was formed. On October 10, 1937, Monchegorsk town council was subordinated directly to the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee.
On December 21, 1937, the Presidium of the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee again petitioned to create a new district with the administrative center in Monchegorsk. In a letter to the Leningrad Oblast Executive Committee and the VTsIK, the Presidium noted that Kirovsky District has two developed but unrelated industrial centers—Kirovsk and Monchegorsk—with the latter having a larger population and being located 111 kilometres (69 mi) away from the former. The petition was again unsuccessful—when on February 10, 1938 the VTsIK adopted a new Resolution changing the administrative-territorial structure of Leningrad Oblast
(of which Murmansk Okrug was a part), Monchegorsk remained a part of Kirovsky District.
Monchegorsky District was eventually formed on December 27, 1938. It existed until December 9, 1949, when by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union Monchegorsk was elevated in status to that of a town under oblast jurisdiction, with the former district's territory passing into its subordination.
plant is located here), and the area surrounding the town is severely polluted. It is one of the most polluted towns in Russian Federation. It hosts the Monchegorsk air base
of the Russian Air Force
.
team Kolskaya GMK will play in the highest division of Russian Bandy League again from 2010-2011.
Murmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the northwestern part of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Murmansk.-Geography:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located on the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
, 145 kilometres (90.1 mi) south of Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
, the administrative center of the oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
. Administratively, it is incorporated as Monchegorsk Town with Jurisdictional Territory
City of federal subject significance
City of federal subject significance is an umbrella term used to refer to a type of an administrative division of a federal subject of Russia which is equal in status to a district but is organized around a large city; occasionally with surrounding rural territories.According to the 1993...
—a unit of administrative division equal in status to that of a district
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
. Population: 52,242 (2002 Census
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
); 68,652 (1989 Census
Soviet Census (1989)
The 1989 Soviet census, conducted between January 12-19 of that year, was the last one conducted in the former USSR. It resulted in a total population of 286,730,819 inhabitants...
).
Name
The name of the town derives from Akkalan Saame SamiSami languages
Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently and erroneously believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami...
word monce (montshe), meaning "beautiful". The name originally was intended for nearby Montshatuntur (Artic Hill).
History
It was established as the inhabited locality of Moncha-Guba , which served copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
mining in the Monchetundra Massif. It was granted work settlement
Urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlement ; , selyshche mis'koho typu ) is an official designation for a type of locality used in some of the countries of the former Soviet Union...
status and renamed Monchegorsk by the Resolution of the Presidium of All-Russian Central Executive Committee
All-Russian Central Executive Committee
All-Russian Central Executive Committee , was the highest legislative, administrative, and revising body of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Although the All-Russian Congress of Soviets had supreme authority, in periods between its sessions its powers were passed to VTsIK...
(VTsIK) on November 25, 1935. At the same time, it was transferred from Kolsky District
Kolsky District
Kolsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Kola Peninsula and borders with the Barents Sea in the north and Finland in the west. The area of the district is . Its administrative center is...
to Kirovsky District
Kirovsky District, Murmansk Oblast
Kirovsky District was an administrative division of Murmansk Okrug of Leningrad Oblast, and later a district of Murmansk Oblast, of the Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, which existed in 1935–1954....
. By 1937, the copper-nickel mining volume increased significantly, and, consequently, the area population grew as well. On February 19, 1937 the Presidium of the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee petitioned to create new Monchegorsky District
Monchegorsky District
Monchegorsky District was an administrative division of Murmansk Okrug of Leningrad Oblast, and later of Murmansk Oblast of the Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, which existed in 1938–1949.-History:...
by separating the town and its surrounding area from Kirovsky District and to grant Monchegorsk town status. As a result, town status was granted to Monchegorsk by the VTsIK Resolution of September 20, 1937, although no new district was formed. On October 10, 1937, Monchegorsk town council was subordinated directly to the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee.
On December 21, 1937, the Presidium of the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee again petitioned to create a new district with the administrative center in Monchegorsk. In a letter to the Leningrad Oblast Executive Committee and the VTsIK, the Presidium noted that Kirovsky District has two developed but unrelated industrial centers—Kirovsk and Monchegorsk—with the latter having a larger population and being located 111 kilometres (69 mi) away from the former. The petition was again unsuccessful—when on February 10, 1938 the VTsIK adopted a new Resolution changing the administrative-territorial structure of Leningrad Oblast
Leningrad Oblast
Leningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It was established on August 1, 1927, although it was not until 1946 that the oblast's borders had been mostly settled in their present position...
(of which Murmansk Okrug was a part), Monchegorsk remained a part of Kirovsky District.
Monchegorsky District was eventually formed on December 27, 1938. It existed until December 9, 1949, when by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union Monchegorsk was elevated in status to that of a town under oblast jurisdiction, with the former district's territory passing into its subordination.
Economy
Monchegorsk is a center of nickel and copper production (a Norilsk NickelMMC Norilsk Nickel
MMC Norilsk Nickel is a nickel and palladium mining and smelting company. Its largest operations are located in the Norilsk–Talnakh area, in northern Russia. MMC stands for "Mining and Metallurgical Company"....
plant is located here), and the area surrounding the town is severely polluted. It is one of the most polluted towns in Russian Federation. It hosts the Monchegorsk air base
Monchegorsk (air base)
Monchegorsk Air Base is a military air base in Murmansk Oblast, Russia located 13 km northeast of Monchegorsk and 11 miles southwest of Olenya. It hosted the 174 Gv IAP flying MiG-25PDS aircraft in the 1980s and MiG-31 interceptors in the 1990s...
of the Russian Air Force
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
.
Sports
The bandyBandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
team Kolskaya GMK will play in the highest division of Russian Bandy League again from 2010-2011.