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Arkhangelsk Oblast is one of 11 northwest Russian federal districts. It is located along the White Sea and borders the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Komi Republic in the east, Vologda Oblast in the south and the Republic of Karelia in the west.
Arkhangelsk Oblast includes Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. Also Nenets Autonomous Okrug is formally a part of Arkhangelsk, although it at the same time has status as federal subject.
The region covers a territory of more than 589,000 square kilometers, which makes up 35 percent of Northwest Russia and 3,5 percent of all of the Russian Federation.
Population in the region is 1,27 million (2007). About 94 percent of the population is ethnically Russian.
The administrative centre of Arkhangelsk has a population of 348,000 (2007), is the administrative center of the oblast. The second-biggest city, Severodvinsk, has a population of about 200,000.
Arkhangelsk Oblast has a powerful timber and forestry processing industry. It also has several major shipyards, first of all the Sevmash and Zvezdochka yards in Severodvinsk. The food processing industry also plays a key role for the regional economy.
Oil wastes threaten Dvina river
The Northern Dvina river
A six hectar area used as dump site for oil wastes from the shipping industry now threatens to seriously pollute the Northern Dvina river.
The area located near the river bank has been used as a storage site for waste waters from the Arkhangelsk Port since the 1960s.
According to Regnum, a significant part of the dangerous substances has already been washed into the river. The sandy ground in the area contains up to 95 times more oil substances than what is allowed. Up to 180 tons of oil is believed to be stored at the site.
According to the regional Environmental Committee, pollution from the site threatens both local and regional environment. The Rambøll Barents company has been commissioned with finding alternative solutions for the problem.
According to Regnum, a significant part of the dangerous substances has already been washed into the river. The sandy ground in the area contains up to 95 times more oil substances than what is allowed. Up to 180 tons of oil is believed to be stored at the site.
According to the regional Environmental Committee, pollution from the site threatens both local and regional environment. The Rambøll Barents company has been commissioned with finding alternative solutions for the problem.
