Medvezhyegorsk

"Karhumäki" redirects here. For other uses, see Karhumäki (disambiguation).

Medvezhyegorsk (Russian: Медвежьего́рск; Karelian: Karhumägi; Finnish: Karhumäki) is a town and the administrative center of Medvezhyegorsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia. Population: 15,533 (2010 Census);^[2] 17,283 (2002 Census);^[7] 20,373 (1989 Soviet census);^[8] 15,800 (1959).

Medvezhyegorsk Медвежьегорск Karhumägi (Karelian)
Town[1]
White Sea–Baltic Canal administration building in Medvezhyegorsk
Coat of arms
Location of Medvezhyegorsk
Medvezhyegorsk Location of Medvezhyegorsk Show map of Russia Medvezhyegorsk Medvezhyegorsk (Karelia) Show map of Karelia
Coordinates: 62°54′N 34°28′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Republic of Karelia[1]
Administrative district	Medvezhyegorsky District[1]
Founded	17th century
Town status since	1916
Elevation	80 m (260 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[2]
• Total	15,533
Administrative status
• Capital of	Medvezhyegorsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Medvezhyegorsky Municipal District[3]
• Urban settlement	Medvezhyegorskoye Urban Settlement[3]
• Capital of	Medvezhyegorsky Municipal District,[4] Medvezhyegorskoye Urban Settlement[3]
Time zone	UTC+3 (UTC+03:00 [5])
Postal code(s)[6]	186350
OKTMO ID	86624101001

History

Between 1703–1710 and 1766–1769, a factory was operating in the village. Town status was granted to it in 1916, when it was known as Medvezhya Gora (Медвежья Гора, lit. "bear mount").^{[citation needed]}

The current name was given to the town in 1938. During World War II, the town was occupied by the Finnish Army from 6 December 1941 to 23 June 1944.

It housed the headquarters of the Belbaltlag forced labor camp which manned the construction of the White Sea–Baltic Canal.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Medvezhyegorsk serves as the administrative center of Medvezhyegorsky District, to which it is directly subordinated.^[1] As a municipal division, the town of Medvezhyegorsk, together with three rural localities, is incorporated within Medvezhyegorsky Municipal District as Medvezhyegorskoye Urban Settlement.^[3]

Transportation

Medvezhyegorsk is on the Murmansk railway south of the White Sea, and at the north end of Lake Onega. The White Sea–Baltic Canal passes by it.