At some point in life, under stress, you probably wished to go on the edge on the world to live in peace and serenity. What is happening there, in the edge of the eternal ice? The northernmost settlements in Russia, which are as far from mainstream civilization as possible, life is both a struggle and pleasure. Far away from stress and turbulence, but also a fight with yourself because of loneliness.
Nagurskoye
It is located on Franz Josef Land. Used as a military base “Nagurskaya”. This is an inhabited settlement of the FSB service, as well as a northern airfield. The climate in the village is stable, the average temperature is -11 degrees. The hottest month is July, at this time in Nagursk, it warms up to +0.9 C. She lives on the military base about 150 people: soldiers, polar explorers, meteorologists.
Barentsburg
Barentsburg is on the polar archipelago of Spitsbergen. Russia is the only country, except Norway, which has designated its economic presence on the territory of the archipelago. The General Consulate of the Russian Federation is located in Barentsburg. Since 1932 the Russian trust “Arktikugol” is the owner of the mine in Barentsburg. It is a state-owned coal mining company. In the village there are a mine, a hospital, dwelling houses have been built, there is even an Orthodox church, a kindergarten, a museum, a school. In 2016, the Russian Science Center was established, the main direction of which is the development of science. In Barentsburg population is mainly made of Russian scientists, only about 500 people.
Syndasso
Syndassko is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the Taimyrsky Dolgano-Nenets District. The population is only 496 people. In the village there is everything necessary for life: a boarding school for 40 children, a kindergarten, a hospital, a shop, a culture center, a library, a sea pier. Dwelling houses – 40 pieces. Local residents are engaged in reindeer herding, fishing and hunting for wild reindeers.
Khatanga
The village is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The population is less than 2,645 people (2010 data). Just next to Khatanga is the Popigai crater, in which impact diamonds were found. The region as a whole is rich in natural resources. The climate in the territory is subtropical. In the winter months, the subzero temperature exceeds 50 degrees, and in summer the same heat is possible. Frosts are also in the warm months.
Tiksi
Tiksi was created in 1933 as the Northern Sea Route, there is also a polar station and a geocosmophysical observatory. Today Tiksi is an urban settlement with a population of 4604 people. It is located in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The climate in the village is arctic. The average temperature of the summer months is +7 C. The polar night begins on January 19 and ends on January 24, this is 67 days, and the polar day reaches 86 days.
Apatity
Apatity is a city in the Kola Peninsula, Murmansk Region. This is the 5th largest city in Russia beyond the Arctic Circle. The population is more than 55 thousand people. The area of the city is 37.5 square kilometers. There are more than 15 large enterprises on the territory of the city, however, the air is not contaminated, the radiation is within normal limits. In Apatity engaged in industry, agriculture, construction, trade, science. The Kola Science Center of the RAS includes 9 institutes. Cinema Polyarny, which has been working since the USSR, in 2010 was the first cinema in the Murmansk region, which showed the film in digital and 3D-resolution. Progress, of course, is still going on, but many facilities were left without funding after the collapse of the USSR. Russia is trying to support cities that are far from federal centers.