Salekhard

Salekhard is the administrative centre of the world's largest gas producing region - the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. This is the only town on Earth that lies at the Arctic Circle latitude.

Population: 40 thousand people.

Salekhard is located in the restricted access border area of the Russian Federation and a special permit is needed to enter the town.

Historical reference

Salekhard was founded in 1595 as Obdorskaya Krepost (Obdorsk Fortress) - the northernmost Russian fortress in Siberia, and an outpost of Russia on the way to the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. Not only was Obdorsk the military outpost of the Russian central administration - the local starshini (chiefs) of the Nenets people used to reside here almost all the time. The town received its present name in 1933.

Mayor Ivan Kononenko

Economy

Salekhard is a typical monocity, with the majority of its population working in the public sector. The town's primary function is to be the administration and management centre of a large gas producing region. Just over 20 thousand people are involved in the economic activities.
The town's industry is represented by a fish canning plant, a dairy plant, and a housing construction combine. Investments are primarily aimed at the construction of engineering infrastructure, housing, public and cultural facilities. A considerable portion of investments is sourced from public funds (72-76%). This ratio assumes further strengthening of Salekhard as the capital of the okrug and a town with a well-developed public administration sector.

The town is connected to the Labytnangi railway station by a ferry across the Ob river in the summer or an ice road in the winter.
The town also has a river port offering passenger services to Khanty-Mansiysk, Omsk, and villages on the shores of the Gulf of Ob.
The Salekhard airport can land and service medium-sized passenger liners. There are regular flight connections to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and other Russian cities.

Culture and Education

The town's cultural network includes three libraries, a school of arts for children, and culture and sports centres.
Young people can study in one of the seven branches of Russian higher education establishments.
Many people in Salekhard are fond of tourism. Fascinating routes with mountain landscape as a natural backdrop are just fifty kilometres away from the town. They stretch amid mountain rivers and glacial lakes and snowfields of the Polar Urals range, and are open for everyone.