Arkhangelsk

Coat of arms

Arkhangelsk (Russian: Архангельскcode: ru is deprecated ) is a city in Russia. It is the capital and largest city of Arkhangelsk Oblast in European Russia. According to the 2021 Russian census, the city has 301,199 people.^[1]

History

Arkhangelsk was founded in 1584 as a fortified monastery dedicated to Archangel Michael, and became the first major port of the Russian Empire for trade with England and other European countries.^[2] The port reached its peak prosperity in the 17th century but later declined after the founding of Saint Petersburg in 1703 and the introduction of high customs duties by Peter I the Great for trade through Arkhangelsk.^[2] The city was revived with the construction of a railway connection to Moscow in 1898. By the early 20th century, Arkhangelsk had become Russia's largest timber-exporting port.^[2] The city developed major timber-processing industries, including sawmilling, pulp production, and papermaking. Shipbuilding and ship repair became important industries. Arkhangelsk serves as home to a fishing fleet and is the western terminus of the Northern Sea Route.^[2]

Geography

Arkhangelsk is located in the northern part of Arkhangelsk Oblast and serves as its administrative center.^[3] The city is situated on the Northern Dvina River near its mouth at the White Sea, approximately 35 kilometers from the sea.^[4] Arkhangelsk is located approximately 1,242 kilometers north of Moscow, 1,109 kilometers northeast of Saint Petersburg, and 1,271 kilometers north of Nizhny Novgorod.^[4]

Economy

Arkhangelsk's main industries include timber trade, paper production, ship building, machinery manufacturing, and biotechnology industries.^[5] The city operates a major commercial and fishing port that serves northern Russia's maritime trade. The port handles timber exports, petroleum products, and general cargo.^[6]

Population

According to the 2021 Russian census, Arkhangelsk had a population of 301,199 people.^[1] This represented a decrease from the 2010 census figure of 348,783 people.^[7] The city's population peaked in the 1980s at over 415,000 residents.^[8]

Gallery

Arkhangelsk Icebreaker Dikson.
Northern Dvina River and Dormition Church.
Northern Dvina River.

Arkhangelsk Media

Location of Arkhangelsk in northwestern Russia
Plan of New Dvina Fort in Arkhangelsk
Icon of Archangel Michael, shown as protector of Arkhangelsk
A monument to Peter the Great, a sailing ship, and the sea terminal in Arkhangelsk are depicted on a 500-ruble banknote
The promenade alongside River Dvina
Vodnik's home stadium Trud, the arena for the final of the 2011–2012 season
Women in bridal dress celebrate the 450th anniversary of the founding of Arkhangelsk
The tallest building in Arkhangelsk