Olyokminsk
Олёкминск
Town under district jurisdiction[1]
Other transcription(s)
 • YakutӨлүөхүмэ
Aerial view of Olyokminsk in afternoon
Aerial view of Olyokminsk in afternoon
Coat of arms of Olyokminsk
Coat of arms
Location of Olyokminsk
Map
Olyokminsk is located in Russia
Olyokminsk
Olyokminsk
Location of Olyokminsk
Olyokminsk is located in Sakha Republic
Olyokminsk
Olyokminsk
Olyokminsk (Sakha Republic)
Coordinates: 60°22′N 120°25′E / 60.367°N 120.417°E / 60.367; 120.417
CountryRussia
Federal subjectSakha Republic[1]
Administrative districtOlyokminsky District[1]
TownOlyokminsk[1]
Founded1635[1]
Town status since1783
Government
 • HeadSemyon Fedulov
Elevation
150 m (490 ft)
Population
 (2010 Census)[2]
 • Total9,494
 • Estimate 
(2018)[3]
9,213 (−3%)
 • Capital ofOlyokminsky District,[1] Town of Olyokminsk[1]
 • Municipal districtOlyokminsky Municipal District[4]
 • Urban settlementOlyokminsk Urban Settlement[4]
 • Capital ofOlyokminsky Municipal District,[5] Olyokminsk Urban Settlement[4]
Time zoneUTC+9 (MSK+6 Edit this on Wikidata[6])
Postal code(s)[7]
678100, 678139
Dialing code(s)+7 41138
OKTMO ID98641101001
Olyokminsk population
2010 Census9,494[2]
2002 Census10,003[8]
1989 Census11,478[9]
1979 Census10,595[10]

Olyokminsk (Russian: Олёкминск, IPA: [ɐˈlʲɵkmʲɪnsk]; Yakut: Өлүөхүмэ, Ölüöxüme) is a town and the administrative center of Olyokminsky District in the Sakha Republic, Russia, 651 kilometers (405 mi) southwest of Yakutsk, the capital of the republic. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 9,494.[2]

History

It was founded in 1635[1] as an ostrog by the Cossacks led by Pyotr Beketov, sited on the left bank of the Lena opposite the mouth of the Olyokma River.[citation needed] The outpost was later moved a few kilometers upstream, to a location less prone to flooding in spring.

As the junction for river traffic on the Lena and Olyokma, it was the base for Russian expeditions further east and eventually became a trade center on the river route to Yakutsk. Town status was granted to it in 1783.[citation needed]

Decembrists Nikolay Chizhov and Andrey Andreyev were exiled here.

During World War II, an airfield was built here for the Alaska-Siberian (ALSIB) air route used to ferry American Lend-Lease aircraft to the Eastern Front.[11]

Geography

The town is located on the left bank of the Lena River. To the north rises the Lena Plateau and to the south, beyond the right bank of the Lena, lies the Olyokma-Chara Plateau.[12]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Olyokminsk serves as the administrative center of Olyokminsky District.[1] As an inhabited locality, Olyokminsk is classified as a town under district jurisdiction.[1] As an administrative division, it is, together with four rural localities, incorporated within Olyokminsky District as the Town of Olyokminsk.[1] As a municipal division, the Town of Olyokminsk is incorporated within Olyokminsky Municipal District as Olyokminsk Urban Settlement.[4]

Economy and infrastructure

Timber processing and a power plant are the focus of the town's economy, along with farming in the surrounding area.

Transportation

Olyokminsk is served by the Olyokminsk Airport (IATA: OLZ).

Culture and sights

The town is notable for a number of surviving pre-20th century wooden architecture, including the Alexander Nevsky Chapel (1891) and Cathedral of Our Savior (1860).

Climate

Olyokminsk has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc). Winters have temperatures averaging from −34.6 to −26.6 °C (−30.3 to −15.9 °F) in January, while summers have average temperatures from +12.0 to +24.9 °C (53.6 to 76.8 °F) in July. In the summer months of June, July, and August, it is not uncommon for temperatures to surpass +30 °C (86 °F) during the day. Precipitation is significantly higher in summer than at other times of the year. Although summers are similar to republic capital Yakutsk, winters are less severe courtesy of the lower latitude. As a result, Olyokminsk is rare for the Sakha Republic cities in that it has recorded above-freezing temperatures during January and February. Those episodes are rare and very short-lived.

On August 6, 1986, Olyokminsk recorded its highest ever temperature of +37.7 °C (99.9 °F).[13] The record low for Olyokminsk was −60.1 °C (−76.2 °F) in 1907.[14] July is the only month when temperatures never dropped below 0 °C (32 °F) and December is only month when temperatures have never reached 0 °C (32 °F).

Climate data for Olyokminsk (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1882-present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 2.0
(35.6) 		1.0
(33.8) 		11.2
(52.2) 		18.8
(65.8) 		31.1
(88.0) 		35.4
(95.7) 		36.5
(97.7) 		37.7
(99.9) 		26.6
(79.9) 		18.2
(64.8) 		6.1
(43.0) 		−0.7
(30.7) 		37.7
(99.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −26.0
(−14.8) 		−19.9
(−3.8) 		−7.7
(18.1) 		4.0
(39.2) 		13.8
(56.8) 		23.0
(73.4) 		25.1
(77.2) 		21.3
(70.3) 		11.8
(53.2) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		−16.4
(2.5) 		−26.8
(−16.2) 		0.1
(32.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) −30.0
(−22.0) 		−25.4
(−13.7) 		−14.8
(5.4) 		−2.4
(27.7) 		7.4
(45.3) 		15.9
(60.6) 		18.5
(65.3) 		14.7
(58.5) 		6.2
(43.2) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−20.4
(−4.7) 		−30.5
(−22.9) 		−5.5
(22.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −33.9
(−29.0) 		−30.3
(−22.5) 		−21.6
(−6.9) 		−8.9
(16.0) 		1.1
(34.0) 		8.7
(47.7) 		12.2
(54.0) 		8.9
(48.0) 		1.3
(34.3) 		−8.7
(16.3) 		−24.4
(−11.9) 		−34.3
(−29.7) 		−10.8
(12.5)
Record low °C (°F) −60.1
(−76.2) 		−57.6
(−71.7) 		−47.4
(−53.3) 		−35.1
(−31.2) 		−16.1
(3.0) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		0.2
(32.4) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−13.7
(7.3) 		−32.1
(−25.8) 		−49.1
(−56.4) 		−57.2
(−71.0) 		−60.1
(−76.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 16.9
(0.67) 		13.8
(0.54) 		9.5
(0.37) 		10.2
(0.40) 		35.7
(1.41) 		40.2
(1.58) 		58.1
(2.29) 		56.2
(2.21) 		43.2
(1.70) 		20.8
(0.82) 		22.5
(0.89) 		19.0
(0.75) 		346.1
(13.63)
Average rainy days 0 0 0.2 3 15 16 15 15 16 5 0.1 0 85.3
Average snowy days 27 23 18 11 3 0.1 0 0 2 20 27 27 158.1
Average relative humidity (%) 80 79 71 60 57 63 69 74 75 77 82 80 72
Mean monthly sunshine hours 38 116 211 249 268 295 308 241 152 93 60 17 2,048
Source 1: pogoda.ru.net[14]
Source 2: NOAA (sun only, 1961-1990)[15]

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Divisions of the Sakha Republic
  2. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d Law #173-Z #353-III
  5. ^ Law #172-Z #351-III
  6. ^ "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  7. ^ Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
  8. ^ 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).
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 г. Национальный состав населения по регионам России [All Union Population Census of 1979. Ethnic composition of the population by regions of Russia] (XLS). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 года [All-Union Population Census of 1979] (in Russian). 1979 – via Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics.
  11. ^ Igor Lebedev. Aviation Lend-Lease to Russia. Nova Publishers, 1997, pp. 44–49
  12. ^ Google Earth
  13. ^ "Station Details: OLEKMINSK, RS, GHCND:RSM00024944". NOAA Climate Data Online. Retrieved June 10, 2013. (Select year to 1986, month to 8 and click "View Data" to verify)
  14. ^ a b "Weather And Climate - Climate Olekminsk" (in Russian). Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  15. ^ "Climate Normals for Olekminsk". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 20, 2013.

Sources

Categories