Olyokminsk

Olyokminsk (English) Олёкминск (Russian)
-  Inhabited locality  -
Location of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic in Russia
Olyokminsk
Coordinates: 60°22′N 120°26′E / 60.367°N 120.433°E / 60.367; 120.433Coordinates: 60°22′N 120°26′E / 60.367°N 120.433°E / 60.367; 120.433
	Coat of arms
Administrative status
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Sakha Republic
Administrative center of	Olyokminsk District[citation needed]
Municipal status
Urban okrug	Olyokminsk Urban Okrug[citation needed]
Mayor[citation needed]	Viktor Omukov[citation needed]
Statistics
Population (2002 Census)	10,003 inhabitants[1]
Founded	1636[citation needed]
Dialing code(s)	+7 41138[citation needed]

Olyokminsk (Russian: Олёкминск; Sakha: Өлүөхүмэ, Ölüöxümə) is a town in the Sakha Republic, Russia, located on the left bank of the Lena River, 651 km southwest of Yakutsk. Population: 10,003 (2002 Census);^[1] 11,478 (1989 Census).^[2]

History

The town was founded as an ostrog by cossacks led by Pyotr Beketov in 1636, sited on the left bank of the Lena opposite the mouth of the Olyokma. The outpost was later moved a few kilometers upstream, to a location less prone to flooding in spring.

As the junction for river traffic on the Lena and Olyokma, the settlement was the base for Russian expeditions further east and eventually became a trade and administrative center on the river route to Yakutsk. Town status was granted in 1783.

Decembrists Nikolay Chishov and Andrey Andreyev were exiled here.

Culture and sights

The town is notable for a number of surviving pre-20th century wooden architecture, including the Aleksandr Nevsky Chapel (1891) and Cathedral of our Saviour (1860).

Economy and infrastructure

Timber processing and a power plant are the focus of the town's economy, along with farming in the surrounding area.

Olyokminsk holds the record for the largest range of recorded temperatures of any place on Earth, −66 °C (−87 °F) to 45 °C (113 °F).

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "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)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
2. ^ "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.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23.