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Murmansk economy continues downturn
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.
Less mineral mining on the Kola Peninsula
Mining
Mineral mining on the Kola Peninsula declined with 23.5 percent in the period January-November 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.
According to numbers from the Murmansk Statistic Service, production of apatite concentrate decreased with 6.9 percent, loparite concentrate with 23.1 percent, nepheline concentrate with 25 percent, nonmetallic building materials with 49.5 percent and vermiculite concentrate with 49.5 percent, web site B-port.com reports.
Production of baddelite concentrate rose with 1.4 percent and iron ore concentrate with 1.2 percent.
