Egvekinot, located on the coast of Kresta Bay (a part of the Bering Sea) at the foot of mountains some 800 m (2,600 ft) high, is a port settlement with a maximum depth of 35 m (115 ft).[8] It is located 1,675 km (1,041 mi) from Magadan, 236 km (147 mi) from Anadyr, and 6,097 km (3,789 mi) from Moscow.[8]
History
Archeological excavations around the settlement have indicated that the area was inhabited in Neolithic times and possibly even in the Mesolithic, with the discovery of a number of stone implements, tools for grinding and obsidian arrowheads, all of which are now stored in the local museum in Egvekinot.[8]
In 1937, metal deposits were discovered in Iultin.[8] Due to the isolated nature of the area, the transportation of any minerals extracted would be difficult and it was decided that a new port would be created to serve the Iultin mines.[8]Dalstroy formed a new section, "Chukotstroy", whose aim was to construct Egvekinot and the road connecting it with the Iultin mines.[8]
Egvekinot was founded in 1946,[2] under the supervision of B. N. Lenkov, the first head of Chukotstroy, specifically as a port so that the nearby Iultin Mining Complex about 180 km (110 mi) north of the settlement could be easily supplied with materials. On July 16, 1946, the MV Sovetskaya Latviya brought the first 1,500 settlers to Egvekinot.[8] These construction workers were mainly political prisoners rather than willing emigrants. This labor force was responsible for the construction of the entire infrastructure in the area, including the construction of Egvekinot, the nearby village of Ozyorny, and the village of Iultin, as well as the 270 km (170 mi) road linking the mines to the new port, the power station, warehouses, and residential and industrial buildings.[8]
As a result of this, the settlement became quite an important hub causing the population to grow to over 5,000 by the late 1980s. However, when the mining complex was closed in 1993, the economy of Egvekinot suffered with the population falling rapidly throughout the 1990s, although the 2010 Census details indicate a slight recovery in recent years.
Egvekinot can be reached by flights from Anadyr (236 km (147 mi)) which land at the Kresta Bay Airport [ru], though the spring meltwaters can cause the runway to become flooded. Infrequent helicopter service to Provideniya by Chukotavia.
A monument to the Mi-8 helicopter, a common sight in the air over Chukotka, is located in the airport.
There is a museum in the settlement which deals mainly with local history, people, and archeology, as well as a cultural center, home to the Zalivskiye Napevy folk chorus, the Sone song group, and Severyanka folk dance ensemble.[2]
Egvekinot has one of only two ski slopes in Chukotka; a ski lodge can be found near the Staratelsky Stream.
Climate
Egvekinot, historically having a polar tundra climate (KöppenET), has recently transitioned into a subarctic climate (KöppenDfc) due to global warming[citation needed]. Temperatures average below freezing from October all the way through to the following May, and can average below −20 °C (−4 °F) from December through to March. The short summer is temperate. The average temperature in January is −18.1 °C (−0.6 °F), and the average temperature in July is 10.5 °C (50.9 °F). Temperatures over 20 °C (68 °F) can occur during the brief summer, especially in July. On 10 July, 2019 the temperature reached for the first and only time 30 °C (86 °F), with the record high being 30.6 °C (87.1 °F).
Climate data for Egvekinot, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–present
^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] (XLS). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 года [All-Union Population Census of 1979] (in Russian). 1979 – via Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics.
Правительство Чукотского автономного округа. Распоряжение №517-рп от 30 декабря 2008 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных и территориальных образований Чукотского автономного округа», в ред. Распоряжения №323-рп от 27 июня 2011 г. «О внесении изменений в Распоряжение Правительства Чукотского автономного округа от 30 декабря 2008 года №517-рп». Опубликован: База данных "Консультант-плюс". (Government of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Directive #517-rp of December 30, 2008 On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial and Territorial Formations of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, as amended by the Directive #323-rp of June 27, 2011 On Amending the Government of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Directive No. 517-rp of December 30, 2008. ).
_-_panoramio.jpg)
