Khandyga

Khandyga (Russian: Хандыга; Yakut: Хаандыга, Xaandıga) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Tomponsky District in the Sakha Republic, Russia, 380 kilometers (240 mi) northeast of Yakutsk, the capital of the republic. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 6,638.^[3]

Khandyga Хандыга
Urban-type settlement[1]
Other transcription(s)
• Yakut	Хаандыга
Flag
Location of Khandyga
Khandyga Location of Khandyga Show map of Russia Khandyga Khandyga (Sakha Republic) Show map of Sakha Republic
Coordinates: 62°39′09″N 135°34′03″E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Sakha Republic[2]
Administrative district	Tomponsky District[2]
Settlement	Khandyga[2]
Founded	1938
Urban-type settlement status since	1957[2]
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	6,638
Administrative status
• Capital of	Tomponsky District,[2] Settlement of Khandyga[2]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Tomponsky Municipal District[4]
• Urban settlement	Khandyga Urban Settlement[4]
• Capital of	Tomponsky Municipal District,[5] Khandyga Urban Settlement[4]
Time zone	UTC+9 (MSK+6 [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	678719, 678720
OKTMO ID	98650151051
Website	www.sakha.gov.ru/section/88/settlement/2719

Khandyga population

2010 Census	6,638[3]
2002 Census	7,025[8]
1989 Census	9,536[9]
1979 Census	7,176[10]

Geography

Khandyga is located on the northeast corner of the Aldan River, by a bend where the river turns from north to west. The R504 Kolyma Highway passes through the town and the Ulakhan-Bom and Sette-Daban mountain ranges rise to the east.^[11]

History

It was founded in 1938 as a base for the construction of the Kolyma Highway towards Magadan.^{[citation needed]} During World War II, an airfield was built here for the Alaska-Siberian air route used to ferry American Lend-Lease aircraft to the Eastern Front.^[12] From 1951 until 1954, it served as a base for Yanstroy forced-labor camp of the gulag network.^[13]

In 1954, Khandyga became the administrative center of Tomponsky District.^{[citation needed]} It was granted urban-type settlement status in 1957.^[2]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, the urban-type settlement of Khandyga^[1] serves as the administrative center of Tomponsky District.^[2] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Tomponsky District as the Settlement of Khandyga.^[2] As a municipal division, the Settlement of Khandyga is incorporated within Tomponsky Municipal District as Khandyga Urban Settlement.^[4]

Transportation

There is a summer hydrofoil service to Yakutsk (The hydrofoil service was cancelled in 1998). Khandyga is also served by the Teply Klyuch Airport (IATA: KDY).