Vorkuta
Воркута | |
---|---|
Town[1] | |
Other transcription(s) | |
• Komi | Вӧркута |
![]() Central Vorkuta | |
Coordinates: 67°30′N 64°02′E / 67.500°N 64.033°E | |
Country | Russia |
Federal subject | Komi Republic[1] |
Founded | January 4, 1936[2] |
Town status since | November 26, 1943[2] |
Government | |
• Administration Manager[3] | Yaroslav Shaposhnikov[3] |
Area | |
• Total | 29.8 km2 (11.5 sq mi) |
Elevation | 180 m (590 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 70,548 |
• Rank | 224th in 2010 |
• Density | 2,400/km2 (6,100/sq mi) |
Administrative status | |
• Subordinated to | town of republic significance of Vorkuta[1] |
• Capital of | town of republic significance of Vorkuta[1] |
Municipal status | |
• Urban okrug | Vorkuta Urban Okrug[5] |
• Capital of | Vorkuta Urban Okrug[5] |
Time zone | UTC+3 (MSK ![]() |
Postal code(s)[7] | 169900 |
Dialing code(s) | +7 82151 |
OKTMO ID | 87710000001 |
Twin towns | Antananarivo, Vologda, Shakhty, Kirkenes, Veliky Novgorod, Saint Petersburg![]() |
Website | xn--80adypkng |
Vorkuta (Russian: Воркута́; Komi: Вӧркута, Vörkuta; Nenets for "the abundance of bears", "bear corner")[8] is a coal-mining town in northern Komi Republic, Russia. It is located right above the Arctic Circle and built near the river Vorkuta. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the town lost population as the mines were abandoned.
In 1930, geologist Georgy Chernov found large amounts of coal fields next to the river Vorkuta. These coal fields were soon developed. This was the start of coal-mining in the Komi ASSR.
During the Cold War, the Vorkuta Sovetsky airbase was used as a base for strategic bombers by the Soviets.
By the early 21st century, most of the mines in Vorkuta were closed because of the high costs of keeping them open.
The small Vorkuta Airport is located in the town.
Vorkuta has a subarctic climate (Köppen classification system Dfc) with short cool summers and cold and snowy winters.
Climate data for Vorkuta | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) |
1.2 (34.2) |
5.3 (41.5) |
12.0 (53.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
31.0 (87.8) |
33.8 (92.8) |
30.0 (86.0) |
24.2 (75.6) |
15.6 (60.1) |
4.8 (40.6) |
3.5 (38.3) |
33.8 (92.8) |
Average high °C (°F) | −15.6 (3.9) |
−16.1 (3.0) |
−9.7 (14.5) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
1.7 (35.1) |
12.6 (54.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
14.2 (57.6) |
7.9 (46.2) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −19.5 (−3.1) |
−20.0 (−4.0) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
−10.0 (14.0) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
13.2 (55.8) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.3 (39.7) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−17.6 (0.3) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
Average low °C (°F) | −23.5 (−10.3) |
−23.9 (−11.0) |
−18.1 (−0.6) |
−14.3 (6.3) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
3.3 (37.9) |
8.2 (46.8) |
5.8 (42.4) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−16.8 (1.8) |
−21.6 (−6.9) |
−9.3 (15.3) |
Record low °C (°F) | −48.0 (−54.4) |
−49.4 (−56.9) |
−43.1 (−45.6) |
−38.5 (−37.3) |
−25.3 (−13.5) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−29.0 (−20.2) |
−45.1 (−49.2) |
−52.0 (−61.6) |
−52.0 (−61.6) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36 (1.4) |
34 (1.3) |
33 (1.3) |
27 (1.1) |
35 (1.4) |
52 (2.0) |
55 (2.2) |
63 (2.5) |
57 (2.2) |
57 (2.2) |
40 (1.6) |
42 (1.7) |
531 (20.9) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 47 (19) |
66 (26) |
81 (32) |
84 (33) |
53 (21) |
4 (1.6) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
6 (2.4) |
17 (6.7) |
30 (12) |
388 (153.7) |
Average rainy days | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 103 |
Average snowy days | 25 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 24 | 26 | 180 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 81 | 80 | 81 | 79 | 79 | 72 | 74 | 82 | 85 | 88 | 84 | 82 | 81 |
Source: Pogoda.ru.net[9] |