Lensk

For other places with the same name, see Lensk (inhabited locality).
Lensk (English)
Ленск (Russian)
Лиэнскэй (Sakha)
-  Town[1]  -
Town under district jurisdiction[1]

View of the town center

Location of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic in Russia
Lensk
Location of Lensk in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic
Coordinates: 60°44′N 114°55′E / 60.733°N 114.917°E / 60.733; 114.917Coordinates: 60°44′N 114°55′E / 60.733°N 114.917°E / 60.733; 114.917
Administrative status (as of June 2009)
Country Russia
Federal subject Sakha Republic[1]
Administrative district Lensky District[1]
Town Lensk[1]
Administrative center of Lensky District,[1] Town of Lensk[1]
Municipal status (as of April 2012)
Municipal district Lensky Municipal District[2]
Urban settlement Lensk Urban Settlement[2]
Administrative center of Lensky Municipal District,[3] Lensk Urban Settlement[2]
Head Alexander Khorunov
Representative body Town Council
Statistics
Population (2010 Census) 24,966 inhabitants[4]
Time zone YAKT (UTC+09:00)[5]
Founded 1663
Town status since July 16, 1963[1]
Previous names Mukhtuya (until July 16, 1963)
Postal code(s)[6] 678141, 678142, 678144, 678145, 678149
Dialing code(s) +7 41137
Official website
Lensk on Wikimedia Commons
Lensk population
2010 Census 24,966[4]
2002 Census 24,558[7]
1989 Census 30,260[8]
1979 Census 23,966[9]

Lensk (Russian: Ленск; IPA: [lʲɛnsk]; Yakut: Лиэнскэй / Ленскэй, Lienskey) is a town and the administrative center of Lensky District of the Sakha Republic, Russia, located on the left bank of the Lena River, approximately 840 kilometers (520 mi) west of Yakutsk, the capital of the republic. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 24,966.[4]

History

The original settlement was founded as Mukhtuya (Мухтуя) in 1663 by Russian fur traders, on the site of an older Evenk settlement known as Mukhtuy. The name of the original settlement was derived from an Evenk term meaning "great water".

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a place of political exile. It experienced a period of rapid growth during the 20th century as a result of the discovery and development of diamond deposits in the Vilyuy River basin. As the closest significant settlement to the major kimberlite excavations at the Mir Mine and the establishment of the associated town of Mirny, Mukhtuya became a major base of construction. In 1956, roads were built connecting Mukhtuya to the future Mirny and the port was established. On July 13, 1963, Mukhtuya was granted town status[1] and was given its present name, after the river on which it stands.

In May 2001, Lensk briefly came to the world's attention when almost the entire town was flooded and a large amount of the buildings destroyed. The floods were caused by river ice blocking the river downstream, creating a dam. The town was largely rebuilt after the flooding.

Lensk after the 2001 flood

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Lensk serves as the administrative center of Lensky District.[1] As an inhabited locality, Lensk is classified as a town under district jurisdiction.[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Lensky District as the Town of Lensk.[1] As a municipal division, the Town of Lensk is incorporated within Lensky Municipal District as Lensk Urban Settlement.[2]

Economy

In addition to its association with the diamond industry and construction, Lensk has a significant forestry and timber sector and a large-panel housing factory. The town is also home to the Yakutalmaz scientific research organization.

Lensk is connected with Mirny by road and has scheduled air connections with Mirny, Yakutsk, and Irkutsk from the Lensk Airport. As a major port on the Lena, the town has developed as a processing point for the regional diamond industry.

Culture and tourism

Lensk has a history museum and operates a branch of the Irkutsk Polytechnic Institute. A karst cave with a 25-meter (82 ft) waterfall and a karst lake is located 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) southwest of the town.

Climate

Lensk has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc). Winters are severely cold and long with average temperatures ranging from −34.1 to −25.3 °C (−29.4 to −13.5 °F) in January, while summers are mild and brief with average temperatures ranging from +10 to +23.9 °C (50.0 to 75.0 °F) in July. Precipitation is moderate and is significantly higher in summer than at other times of the year.

Climate data for Lensk
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) −0.1
(31.8)
2.2
(36)
12.6
(54.7)
18.9
(66)
33.0
(91.4)
39.0
(102.2)
37.3
(99.1)
36.3
(97.3)
27.2
(81)
17.2
(63)
8.0
(46.4)
4.7
(40.5)
39
(102.2)
Average high °C (°F) −25.3
(−13.5)
−20.3
(−4.5)
−8.4
(16.9)
2.2
(36)
11.6
(52.9)
21.1
(70)
23.9
(75)
20.1
(68.2)
11.1
(52)
−1.5
(29.3)
−15.6
(3.9)
−24.1
(−11.4)
−0.43
(31.23)
Daily mean °C (°F) −29
(−20)
−25.6
(−14.1)
−15.4
(4.3)
−3.6
(25.5)
6.1
(43)
14.7
(58.5)
17.7
(63.9)
14.0
(57.2)
5.8
(42.4)
−5.3
(22.5)
−19.5
(−3.1)
−27.9
(−18.2)
−5.67
(21.83)
Average low °C (°F) −34.1
(−29.4)
−32.2
(−26)
−24.3
(−11.7)
−11.9
(10.6)
−1.1
(30)
6.7
(44.1)
10.0
(50)
7.1
(44.8)
0.3
(32.5)
−10.2
(13.6)
−24.9
(−12.8)
−32.8
(−27)
−12.28
(9.89)
Record low °C (°F) −55.8
(−68.4)
−56.1
(−69)
−47.2
(−53)
−37.8
(−36)
−15
(5)
−5.9
(21.4)
−3
(27)
−5.5
(22.1)
−12.8
(9)
−32.8
(−27)
−48.9
(−56)
−56.1
(−69)
−56.1
(−69)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 24.9
(0.98)
23.3
(0.917)
17.9
(0.705)
34.2
(1.346)
42.6
(1.677)
69.7
(2.744)
50.3
(1.98)
59.3
(2.335)
65.0
(2.559)
43.0
(1.693)
38.2
(1.504)
24.8
(0.976)
493.2
(19.416)
Source: climatebase.ru (1948-2011)[10]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Divisions of the Sakha Republic
  2. 1 2 3 4 Law #173-Z #353-III
  3. Law #172-Z #351-III
  4. 1 2 3 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. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  5. Правительство Российской Федерации. Федеральный закон №107-ФЗ от 3 июня 2011 г. «Об исчислении времени», в ред. Федерального закона №271-ФЗ от 03 июля 2016 г. «О внесении изменений в Федеральный закон "Об исчислении времени"». Вступил в силу по истечении шестидесяти дней после дня официального опубликования (6 августа 2011 г.). Опубликован: "Российская газета", №120, 6 июня 2011 г. (Government of the Russian Federation. Federal Law #107-FZ of June 31, 2011 On Calculating Time, as amended by the Federal Law #271-FZ of July 03, 2016 On Amending Federal Law "On Calculating Time". Effective as of after sixty days following the day of the official publication.).
  6. Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (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). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  8. Demoscope Weekly (1989). "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]. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  9. "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.)". Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 года (All-Union Population Census of 1979) (in Russian). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1979. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  10. "Lensk, Russia". Climatebase.ru. Retrieved January 23, 2013.

Sources

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