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Murmansk Oblast is Russia's northwesternmost federal subject, located along the border to Norway and Finland. It is a key Russian region within fisheries, mining and metallurgy and the Armed Forces.
The region is located along coast of the Barents Sea and is expected to become a new oil and gas centre as offshore hydrocarbon resources are developed in the Russian part of the Barents Sea.
The region has a population of about 850,000, of which about 85 percent are ethnically Russian. Out-migration from the region has been considerable over the last 20 years.
The economy of Murmansk Oblast is heavily export-oriented. The region is closely engaged in international cooperation, first of all as key stakeholder in the Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation.
Foreigners cannot own land in border territories
Murmansk municipalities
President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday signed a decree defining areas of the Russian Federation where foreign citizens are not allowed to own land. All areas close to Russia’s outer borders are on the list.
According to the list, foreign citizens, foreign legal entities and persons without citizenship are forbidden to own land in all of Russia’s border areas, Kremlin’s web site reads. This includes nearly the entire territory of the Kola Peninsula.
Amongst the areas where foreigners are not allowed to buy land are Kola Rayon, where the future Shtokman village of Teriberka is located, and Pechenga Rayon on the border to Norway. Foreigners are also not allowed to buy land in the city of Murmansk.
The only areas on the Kola Peninsula that are not included on Medvedev’s list are inland areas like Monchegorsk and Apatity.
Also areas in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Republic of Karelia are out of reach for foreign owners. These include the city of Arkhangelsk, Novodvinsk, Severodvinsk, the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya and the town of Naryan-Mar.
Foreigners, foreign legal entities and legal entities where more than half of the shares are owned by foreigners are only allowed to rent land, not buy it.
