russian peninsula far northwest russia bulk territory lies completely inside bordered north east southeast city populous human settlement peninsula population census despite peninsula northerly location proximity leads unusually high temperatures winter results high winds temperature variations land summers average july temperature peninsula covered south north limits growth trees resulting landscape dominated shrubs grasses peninsula supports small variety mammals rivers important habitat atlantic salmon established protect population common located north peninsula settled 7th 5th millennium bce rest territory remained 3rd millennium bce peoples started arrive south 1st millennium people remained changed 12th century discovered peninsula game fish soon followed tribute collectors peninsula gradually lands permanent settlements established 15th century lost control peninsula grand moscow russian migration stop new settlements established 16th century people forced second half 16th century peninsula subject dispute norway resulted strengthening russian position end 19th century indigenous population forced north russians newly arriving called people migrated escape disease home lands southeast original administrative economic center area town situated estuary founded quickly largest city port peninsula soviet period saw rapid increase population remained confined territories sea coast railroads people subject forced including forced relocation town centralized settlements overall peninsula heavily largely strategic position discovery vast deposits 1920s result ecology peninsula suffered major ecological damage including contamination military nuclear waste dissolution soviet_union economy went decline population quickly started decrease lost quarter population economy rebounded somewhat decade 2000s peninsula remains developed region northern russia geography location overview peninsula located far northwest russia completely inside washed north east southeast peninsula occupies northeastern edge western border peninsula stretches valley sources push way west russia border finland restrictive definition peninsula covers area square kilometers northern coast steep high southern coast flat western peninsula covered mountain ranges contains highest point peninsula mount height meters drainage divide lies central mountainous stretch southeast northwest peninsula main features territory peninsula consists parts territories cities towns parts territories natural resources ice age removed sediment layer soil surface extremely rich minerals including copper iron materials rare earth elements non deposits construction materials granite limestone abundant earth deposits common near lakes produce climate proximity peninsula leads unusually high temperatures winter resulting significant temperature variations land fluctuating temperatures high winds cyclones typical cold seasons warm seasons characterized monsoon winds common areas south southwesterly winds prevailing winter months somewhat pronounced easterly winds summer strong storm winds blow days year waters remain warm remain ice free winter precipitation levels peninsula high millimeters mountains millimeters millimeters areas months august october march april average temperature january lower temperatures typical central parts peninsula average temperature july record lows reach central parts coasts record highs exceed territory peninsula occur early august june flora fauna peninsula covered south north cold conditions limit growth trees resulting landscape dominated grasses shrubs dwarf birch northern coastal areas common southern areas composed pine trees visit summer animals include red arctic southern areas american released near common peninsula commercially hunted endangered introduced thirty species mammals bird species inhabit peninsula common peninsula including atlantic white sided white harbor large blue visit area coasts important breeding grounds seals seals gray seals rare endemic greenland seals seals seen time time species fresh water fish recognized territory peninsula including trout northern pike european perch rivers important habitat atlantic salmon return greenland spawn fresh water result recreational fishery developed number remote camps available host sport fishermen established protect population common organized thirteen clusters located coasts small fast moving rivers important rivers originate lakes swamps collect waters melting snow rivers winter areas strong freeze later major lakes include lakes area smaller square kilometers recreational fishery developed region ecology suffered major ecological damage result pollution military particularly naval production industrial mining military nuclear waste active decommissioned idle naval nuclear produced soviet military remain peninsula thirty years nuclear waste dumped sea evidence contamination disaster found flesh animals controlled nuclear explosions kilometers northwest additionally nuclear weapons test ranges radioactive waste storage facilities exist peninsula main industrial pollution source large responsible dioxide emissions nearly copper emissions note include thermal power stations history early history north settled 7th 5th millennium bce 3rd 2nd millennium bce peninsula settled peoples arrived south territory modern end 1st millennium peninsula settled people state lived clans ruled elders engaged fishing 12th century shores lower reaches discovered peninsula game fish organized regular hunting fishing visits started trade called coast peninsula end 12th century explored northern coast peninsula reached area north norway necessitating support naval guard area given northern coast distorted form norman soon followed tribute collectors peninsula gradually lands treaty mentions later mentioned documents dated late addition documents 13th 15th centuries mention bordered approximately line lay west line situated east 13th century need border scandinavian countries evident came south reached coast portion coast near norway population forced pay tribute attempting control lands resulting armed conflicts conflict servants king norway lead establishment mission norway treaty norway signed lands system tribute collections making people pay tribute norway terms treaty collect tribute far west collect tribute territory eastern state borders established treaty treaty lead short period peace armed conflicts resumed soon chronicles document attacks northern norway early continuing 14th century official border lands lands sweden norway established treaty august treaty primarily focused border border north treaty dealing matters northern borders treaty signed norway ended decades norwegian border skirmishes terms treaty norway relinquished claims treaty address situation people paying tribute norway practice continued treaty define border detail confirmed border remained unchanged years 15th century started establish permanent settlements peninsula documented permanent settlements date time coastal areas west settled creating territory population territory divided governed area lost control grand moscow republic ceased exist took city territories including grand moscow russian settlement russian migration peninsula continued 16th century new settlements established mentioned end 15th century people forced monasteries monastery greatly expanded 17th century abolished peninsula peasants state peasants second half 16th century king denmark norway demanded peninsula russia declined order organize adequate defenses established position sat administrative center region prior administrative duties performed tax collectors newly established covered territory peninsula exception northern way despite economic activity permanent settlement peninsula intensify 1860s remained sporadic population example inhabitants living households compared inhabitants households living transportation facilities virtually non existent communication rest russia irregular saw influx people migrating peninsula escape disease epidemic home lands brought large deer resulting increased competition grazing lands conflict local population end 19th century population forced north ethnic russians settling south peninsula peninsula visited russian minister finance convinced region economic potential consequently telephone telegraph line extended improving communication mainland possibility building railway considered action taken time founded grew size rapidly granted town status renamed occasion world war poorly developed peninsula suddenly found strategic position communication russia allies cut ice free remained means sending war supplies eastern march construction railroad rushed railroad quickly opened partially completed poorly built modern founded terminal point new railroad town quickly grew largest peninsula soviet modern periods soviet power established territory peninsula november october territory occupied triple forces march march transformed soviet government june august russian central executive committee issued resolutions establishment according transformed divided districts included arrangement existed separated merged transformed modern soviet period saw significant increase population population remained concentrated urban railroads sea coast sparsely populated territories outside areas deer town work settlements established peninsula peoples subject forced half addition traditional practices phased favor economically profitable approach emphasized permanent settlements free culture strongly tied practices resulted people gradually losing language traditional knowledge forced settle village cultural center people russia resisting subject forced labor death forms repression continued death 1990s lived areas herd region people subject thousands people sent 1930s 1950s thousand people descendants forcibly sent live peninsula significant portion people deported peasants southern russia subjected prisoner labor building new factories manning operational example turned system population historically northern location peninsula population sparse example people lived shores discovery vast natural resource deposits efforts led explosive population growth soviet times population peninsula trend reverted 1990s dissolution soviet_union population went census population consisted russians groups note include inhabitants indigenous people concentrated economy historical background 15th 16th centuries main population atlantic salmon fishing seal hunting extraction salt sea water salt extraction carried monasteries long time remained industry peninsula century atlantic fishing developed north saw rapid growth international trade russian merchants different regions country arriving peninsula trade merchants western_europe trade moved settlement permitted trade locally produced goods 17th century salt extraction activities gradually went decline locally produced salt cheap salt produced regions extensive lead significantly reduced pearl hunting commercial deer popular share economy remained 19th century end 17th century practice seasonal fishing hunting settlements north peninsula common recognizing political economical importance peninsula promoted industries commerce region fell neglect founded shipping trade shifted large deposits silver native form discovered copper silver gold deposits found lower reaches despite efforts ongoing centuries commercial success end 18th century local population learned practice production started heating timber cutting industry developed region end 19th century soviet era saw drastic peninsula significant deposits discovered batch shipped years later deposits discovered area iron ore deposits found near upper streams significant deposits discovered area modern efforts 1930s lead concentration collective farms turn consolidated large scale state farms late 1950s early 1970s mid-1970s state farms consolidated based necessity military installations need flood territories construct hydroelectric plants fishing traditional industry region considered important volumes production remained insignificant beginning 20th century 1920s 1930s created fishing infrastructure started develop fishing accounted economy cold war peninsula served naval basing area large portion soviet naval air strategic forces providing protection posing threat northern norway modern economy economic slump 1990s economy started rebound decade 2000s rate country average today developed region northern russia major port peninsula serves administrative center freeze winter strategic importance diminished cold war peninsula highest concentration nuclear weapons facilities russia number nuclear exceeding region world mining basis economy mining enterprises remain principal employers division conducts platinum group metals mining operations peninsula large mining companies include largest producer europe leading producers iron ore russia ore mining processing enterprise fishing industry operating significantly soviet level production remains profitable supplying russia fish volumes steadily growing key base fishing fleets including russia largest fish breeding especially salmon trout growing industry energy sector represented near produces half energy network seventeen hydroelectric thermal power stations generating half energy surplus accounting total generated energy transferred unified energy system russia exported norway finland system economy export oriented transportation plays important role accounts gross regional product transportation network includes ship transport air transport automotive transport electrified public transport access railways passing rest city important port largest airports handles international flights scandinavian countries joint military civilian located kilometers southeast
Kola Peninsula