Lavrentiya (Russian: Лавре́нтия, Yupik: Ӄышы; Chukchi: Ӄытрын, Ḳytryn; Naukan: Qerre; Inupiaq: Kesrreq or Kisrriq) is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Chukotsky District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on Lavrentiya Bay, close to the Bering Strait. Population: 1,459 (2010 Census);[4] 1,333 (2002 Census);[11] 3,012 (1989 Soviet census).[12] Lavrentiya is the only district administrative center in the whole autonomous okrug that does not have urban status; it accounts for 30.2% of the district's total population.[4] Located in Lavrentiya is the easternmost airport in the world, the Lavrentiya Airport, UHML.

Lavrentiya
Лаврентия
Lavrentiya, Chukotsky District
Lavrentiya, Chukotsky District
Flag of Lavrentiya
Coat of arms of Lavrentiya
Location of Lavrentiya
Map
Lavrentiya is located in Russia
Lavrentiya
Lavrentiya
Location of Lavrentiya
Lavrentiya is located in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Lavrentiya
Lavrentiya
Lavrentiya (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug)
Coordinates: 65°35′03″N 170°59′20″W / 65.58417°N 170.98889°W / 65.58417; -170.98889
CountryRussia
Federal subjectChukotka Autonomous Okrug[2]
Administrative districtChukotsky District[2]
Founded1927[3]
Population
 • Total
1,459
 • Estimate 
(January 2018)[5]
1,185
 • Capital ofChukotsky District[1]
 • Municipal districtChukotsky Municipal District[6]
 • Rural settlementLavrentiya Rural Settlement[6]
 • Capital ofChukotsky Municipal District[7]
Time zoneUTC+12 (MSK+9 Edit this on Wikidata[8])
Postal code(s)[9]
689300
Dialing code(s)+7 42736[10]
OKTMO ID77633420101

History

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It is situated on Lavrentiya Bay, named by Captain James Cook who arrived in the bay on the feast day of Saint Lawrence[13] in 1778.[14] The village itself was founded in 1928[14] (although some sources suggest 1927[3]). By 1928 a Kultbaza (a semi-permanent cultural base established by the Soviet Union in rural areas to ensure the ideological education of local indigenous inhabitants) had been established in the area[14] and by 1930 the settlement was sufficient that it was appointed as the administrative centre of Chukotsky District.[14] This appointment was later transferred to Uelen but administrative responsibilities returned to Lavrentiya in 1942.[3],[14]

Lavrentiya was founded as a village in 1928, when a Chukchi Kultbaza, a communist run cultural and political base was established. The Chukchi Kultbaza connected the various administrative and economic institutions of the region to promote the consolidation of Soviet power. A steamer with timber for the construction of houses and other buildings entered the Gulf of Lawrence in August 1927 with workers on board.[15][16] By the autumn of 1928 Kultbaza consisted of a series of buildings: a veterinary station, repair shop for motor vehicles and appliances, hospital, warehouse, homes, factories, boarding schools and three residential houses.[17] Following the formation of the village, in December 1930 the Kultbaza in Lavrentiya became the administrative centre for the Chukotka National District (not to be confused with the current Chukotsky District), though in April 1932, this was switched to Anadyr.[18] In December 1933, at a meeting of the District CPSU, the question was raised in Lavrentiya concerning the potential transfer of district institutions for what is now Chukotsky District to Lavrentiya from their current position in Uelen.[18] Transfer ultimately took place but was slow. A final decision was not made until late in 1940. The first institutions did not actually move until 1942 and, because of World War 2, were not completed until 1946.[18] With the shift in district administration to Lavrentiya, a new airfield was built and during World War 2 this was used for Lend-Lease flights.[17][19]

In 1955, a regular air route was established between Lavrentiya and Uelen,[18] and in 1958, a number of Yupik who lived at Naukan were relocated to the village following the closure of Naukan.[20]

Administrative and municipal status

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Within the framework of municipal divisions, Lavrentiya is subordinated to Chukotsky Municipal District and incorporated as Lavrentiya Rural Settlement.[6]

Culture

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There is an annual Whale and Skin Boat Regatta held in the village every year.[13]

The museum in the village, dedicated to indigenous history and culture, achieved national status in 1994 and contains exhibits from Uelen and Ekven,[3] including a number of "winged objects", butterfly-shaped instruments carved from walrus tusk, which initially provoked confusion over their original purpose. Initial opinion was divided, with some thinking they were part of a staff, others that they had religious significance and others still thinking that they were purely aesthetic. However, investigation into the aerodynamics of the objects found that their shape had much in common with modern aircraft wings and it was proposed that these objects were in fact to assist in the flight of harpoons, thinking confirmed by the discovery of a harpoon with a "winged object" still attached to it. It is not clear why such a useful tool fell out of use amongst the indigenous peoples.[3]

Historically, one of the most significant cultural exports from the village was the indigenous ensemble Yeti (Russian: Етти)[14] which was led in 1976 by the Yupik woman M. S. Glukhikh, who now leads the national ensemble White Sail (Russian: Белый парус).[14]

The village also contains the Church of the Archangel Michael.[14]

Economy

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Lavrentiya, as the administrative centre of the district contains the majority of the key district facilities including a branch of the district court and public prosecutor, hospital, post office, school, telecomms, pharmacy and is the regional headquarters for the airline Chukotavia.[14]

Transport

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Lavrentiya is 650 kilometres (404 mi) from Anadyr.[14]

The village is served by Lavrentiya Airport.

Roadways

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The village of Lorino is linked to Lavrentiya by a 40 kilometers (25 mi) unpaved road. Other than this short road, Lavrentiya, despite being the administrative centre of the district, is not linked to any other part of the world by road. However, the settlement has a small number of roads within it.

Climate

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Lavrentiya has an arctic tundra climate (Köppen climate classification ET)[21] because the warmest month has an average temperature between 0 and +10 °C (32 and 50 °F).

Climate data for Lavrentiya
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −13.2
(8.2)
−15.6
(3.9)
−14.2
(6.4)
−7.9
(17.8)
−0.1
(31.8)
5.5
(41.9)
9.4
(48.9)
9.0
(48.2)
5.7
(42.3)
0.5
(32.9)
−4.7
(23.5)
−12.1
(10.2)
−3.1
(26.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) −16.9
(1.6)
−19.2
(−2.6)
−18.1
(−0.6)
−11.7
(10.9)
−2.8
(27.0)
2.7
(36.9)
6.6
(43.9)
6.5
(43.7)
3.6
(38.5)
−1.6
(29.1)
−7.6
(18.3)
−15.4
(4.3)
−6.2
(20.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −20.5
(−4.9)
−22.8
(−9.0)
−21.9
(−7.4)
−15.5
(4.1)
−5.5
(22.1)
−0.1
(31.8)
3.9
(39.0)
4.1
(39.4)
1.5
(34.7)
−3.7
(25.3)
−10.4
(13.3)
−18.7
(−1.7)
−9.1
(15.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 23
(0.9)
17
(0.7)
17
(0.7)
17
(0.7)
16
(0.6)
21
(0.8)
38
(1.5)
57
(2.2)
47
(1.9)
35
(1.4)
29
(1.1)
24
(0.9)
341
(13.4)
Source: [22]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Law #33, Article 13.2
  2. ^ a b Law #33, Article 16.2
  3. ^ a b c d e Strogoff, p. 113f.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Office of the Federal State Statistics Service for Khabarovsk Krai, Magadan Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Oblast and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Численность населения Чукотского автономного округа по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года Archived August 31, 2019, at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
  6. ^ a b c Law #47-OZ, Article 7
  7. ^ Law #47-OZ, Article 1
  8. ^ "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
  10. ^ Official website of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Chukotsky District
  11. ^ 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).
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ a b Red Cross Chukotka - Providensky District (Archived)
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Муниципальное образование сельское поселение Лаврентия Archived September 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Municipal formation rural settlement of Lavrentiya - Official website of Chukotsky District
  15. ^ "Лаврентия (Lavretiya)". Избирательная комиссия Чукотского автономного округа (Election Commission of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug). Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  16. ^ "Историческая справка (Historical Background". МОУ "Центр образования с. Лаврентия" (Village of Lavrentiya Education Centre). Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  17. ^ a b V. Pisigin, Посолонь (письма с Чукотки): Часть III. Лаврентия. Письмо двадцать четвертое. 21 декабря. Лаврентия (Posolon (Letters from Chukotka): Part 3: Lavrentiya, Letter number 24, 21 December) (2001) Epicentre Publishing.
  18. ^ a b c d V. Nikiforov Уездная история Archived August 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (County History) (2011) Krayny Sever
  19. ^ Institute of Geography Лаврентия (Lavrentiya)
  20. ^ Unknown, Советская Чукотка (Soviet Chukotka) Chukotka Autnonmous Okrug Portal of State Bodies
  21. ^ McKnight and Hess, pp. 235-237
  22. ^ "Climate Lavrentiya". climate-data.org. Retrieved October 10, 2012.

Sources

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