Kostomuksha

Kostomuksha (Russian: Костому́кша; Karelian: Koštamuš; Finnish: Kostamus) is a town in the northwest of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located 30 kilometers (19 mi) from the border with Finland, on the shore of Lake Kontoki. Population: 29,746 (2002 Census);[7] 30,432 (1989 Census).[8]

Kostomuksha Костомукша
Town[1]
Kalevala Street in Kostomuksha
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Kostomuksha
Kostomuksha Location of Kostomuksha Kostomuksha Kostomuksha (Karelia)
Coordinates: 64°41′N 30°49′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Republic of Karelia[1]
Founded	1977
Town status since	1983
Elevation	220 m (720 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[2]
• Total	28,436
• Estimate  (2018)[3]	29,381 (+3.3%)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	town of republic significance of Kostomuksha[1]
• Capital of	town of republic significance of Kostomuksha[1]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Kostomukshsky Urban Okrug[4]
• Capital of	Kostomukshsky Urban Okrug[4]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [5])
Postal code(s)[6]	186930–186932
OKTMO ID	86706000001
Website	www.kostomuksha-city.ru

Geography

The nearest large cities in Russia are St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk, which are connected to Kostomuksha by rail. The nearest towns in Finland are Kuhmo and Kajaani.

History

It was established in 1977 as an urban-type settlement and populated by people from various regions of the Northwestern Soviet Union. It was mostly built by Finnish building companies, according to an agreement between the Soviet and Finnish governments. Town status was granted to it in 1983. The town was later expanded by Soviet building companies but maintaining plenty of green areas.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with six rural localities, incorporated as the town of republic significance of Kostomuksha—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.[1] As a municipal division, the town of republic significance of Kostomuksha is incorporated as Kostomukshsky Urban Okrug.[4]

Economy

The iron ore refinery (JSC Karelsky Okatysh mine) operates the Kostomuksha mine and employs approximately five thousand people and associated mining has left a huge hole near the factory. Wiring harness ("AEK" LLC) and electronics ("Electrokos" LLC) factories are part of Finnish company PKC Group Oyj. Other important industries include timber and furniture making. A wood processing complex being developed by Swedwood (an industrial group within IKEA) will include a sawmill, chip-board and furniture factory.

There is also a railway station, an airport (with no regular flights), and a federal road.

Nature

There is a large national park near the town with a reindeer population and a beaver population of Canadian origin, which were introduced in Finland and have migrated over into Russian territory. Part of the national park extends into Finnish territory. Tourism and recreational activities within the national park are subject to authorization. Learn more at http://kost-zap.ru.

Culture and recreation

Every summer there is a chamber music festival to which musicians, orchestras and theater groups come from Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other parts of Russia. In summer, the town enjoys more than two months of uninterrupted sunlight and many inhabitants spend time at their dachas, typically situated on the banks of one of the many lakes in the vicinity, which also attract anglers due to their large fish populations. As in Finland, saunas are very popular. In winter, skiing and biathlon are popular. Most visitors come from Finland.

Sister city

• Kuhmo, Finland
• Robertsfors, Sweden

References

Notes

1. Law #871-ZRK
2. Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). "Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1" [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
3. "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
4. Law #824-ZRK
5. "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
6. Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
7. Russian Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). "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] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
8. "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]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly.

Sources

• Законодательное Собрание Республики Карелия. Закон №871-ЗРК от 29 апреля 2005 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Карелия», в ред. Закона №1895-ЗРK от 2 июня 2015 г. «О внесении изменения статью 9 Закона Республики Карелия "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Карелия"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: газета "Карелия", №48, 7 мая 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia. Law #871-ZRK of April 29, 2005 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Karelia, as amended by the Law #1895-ZRK of June 2, 2015 On Amending Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Karelia "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Karelia". Effective as of the official publication date.).
• Законодательное Собрание Республики Карелия. Закон №824-ЗРК от 1 декабря 2004 г. «О наделении городских поселений статусом городского округа», в ред. Закона №1548-ЗРK от 3 ноября 2011 г «О внесении изменения в статью 2 Закона Республики Карелия "О наделении городских поселений статусом городского округа"». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: газета "Карелия", №139, 9 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia. Law #824-ZRK of December 1, 2004 On Granting Urban Okrug Status to Urban Settlements, as amended by the Law #1548-ZRK of November 3, 2011 On Amending Article 2 of the Law of the Republic of Karelia "On Granting Urban Okrug Status to Urban Settlements". Effective as of the day which is ten days after the day of the official publication.).