Bolshoy Kamen
Encyclopedia
Bolshoy Kamen is a town in the south of Primorsky Krai
, Russia
. It serves as the administrative center of Shkotovsky District
, although it is not administratively a part of it. Population:
The town is connected with Vladivostok
by road and by railway. It is located on the opposite side of the Ussuri Bay
as seen from Shamora
(Bukhta Lazurnaya). "Bolshoy Kamen" is translated as "Big Stone", and is nicknamed "Bigston" in Russian by some locals. Bolshoy Kamen should not be confused with Kamen-Rybolov
, another settlement in Primorsky Krai
.
Bolshoy Kamen is a mono-city mostly specialized in engineering. Shipbuilding and repair works together with food industry and construction constitutes the basis of its economy. The status of city was awarded to Bolshoy Kamen in 1989. Bolshoy Kamen is a closed city
due to its naval base.
status in 1956, followed by town status on 31 August 1989. During the Soviet era, the town's nature as a naval base saw it designated as closed
. This was relaxed in 1989, with plans for a civilian harbor in the town; however, these plans were later cancelled and the town was closed again in 1996.
A large proportion of the town's population left during the 1990s, as the ship repair facilities operated almost at a standstill after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
.
in January is -14 C, and 24 °C (75.2 °F) in July. The mean precipitation
is 900 millimetres (35.4 in).
s. There are three bank
s and seven joint-venture companies, specializing in ships, shipping, and sea-fishing
.
Bolshoy Kamen is connected by a goods rail line to the Trans-Siberian Railway
. Although the town is only around 40 km in a straight line to Vladivostok
, the road connection is around 130 km around the coast.
Primorsky Krai
Primorsky Krai , informally known as Primorye , is a federal subject of Russia . Primorsky means "maritime" in Russian, hence the region is sometimes referred to as Maritime Province or Maritime Territory. Its administrative center is in the city of Vladivostok...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It serves as the administrative center of Shkotovsky District
Shkotovsky District
Shkotovsky District is an administrative and municipal district of Primorsky Krai, Russia; one of the twenty-two in the krai. It is located in the southern portion of the krai. The area of the district is . Its administrative center is the urban locality of Smolyaninovo...
, although it is not administratively a part of it. Population:
The town is connected with Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
by road and by railway. It is located on the opposite side of the Ussuri Bay
Ussuri Bay
Ussuri Bay is a northern east part of Peter the Great Gulf.Its length is 67 km, a wide is 10–55 km, depth is approximately 40 m.Ussuri Bay is a popular recreation area in Primorsky Krai ....
as seen from Shamora
Shamora
Lazurnaya Bay - part of the Ussuri Bay of the Sea of Japan. Shamora is a Chinese and traditional Russian name. The Chinese name translates as "sandy desert", referring to the sandy beaches that attract scores of holiday-makers from Vladivostok and other towns of the Russian Far East. Several rest...
(Bukhta Lazurnaya). "Bolshoy Kamen" is translated as "Big Stone", and is nicknamed "Bigston" in Russian by some locals. Bolshoy Kamen should not be confused with Kamen-Rybolov
Kamen-Rybolov
Kamen-Rybolov is a village on the shore of Khanka Lake, and the administrative center of Khankaysky District, Primorsky Krai, Russia. It was founded by peasants who migrated from the Western areas of Russia and by the Cossacks in 1865. Population: 11,769 ....
, another settlement in Primorsky Krai
Primorsky Krai
Primorsky Krai , informally known as Primorye , is a federal subject of Russia . Primorsky means "maritime" in Russian, hence the region is sometimes referred to as Maritime Province or Maritime Territory. Its administrative center is in the city of Vladivostok...
.
Bolshoy Kamen is a mono-city mostly specialized in engineering. Shipbuilding and repair works together with food industry and construction constitutes the basis of its economy. The status of city was awarded to Bolshoy Kamen in 1989. Bolshoy Kamen is a closed city
Closed city
A closed city or closed town is a settlement with travel and residency restrictions in the Soviet Union and some of its successor countries. In modern Russia, such places are officially known as "closed administrative-territorial formations" ....
due to its naval base.
History
Bolshoy Kamen began as a naval support base in 1947, receiving urban-type settlementUrban-type settlement
Urban-type settlement ; , selyshche mis'koho typu ) is an official designation for a type of locality used in some of the countries of the former Soviet Union...
status in 1956, followed by town status on 31 August 1989. During the Soviet era, the town's nature as a naval base saw it designated as closed
Closed city
A closed city or closed town is a settlement with travel and residency restrictions in the Soviet Union and some of its successor countries. In modern Russia, such places are officially known as "closed administrative-territorial formations" ....
. This was relaxed in 1989, with plans for a civilian harbor in the town; however, these plans were later cancelled and the town was closed again in 1996.
A large proportion of the town's population left during the 1990s, as the ship repair facilities operated almost at a standstill after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
.
Climate
The mean temperatureTemperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
in January is -14 C, and 24 °C (75.2 °F) in July. The mean precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
is 900 millimetres (35.4 in).
Economy and infrastructure
Most of the town's population is employed in the repair and construction of nuclear submarineNuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
s. There are three bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s and seven joint-venture companies, specializing in ships, shipping, and sea-fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
Bolshoy Kamen is connected by a goods rail line to the Trans-Siberian Railway
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world...
. Although the town is only around 40 km in a straight line to Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, the road connection is around 130 km around the coast.