The Onega Bay is located in [the Republic of Karelia

Republic of Karelia

The Republic of Karelia is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:The republic is located in the northwestern part of Russia, taking intervening position between the basins of White and Baltic seas...

 and Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....

 in Northwestern Russia, west of the city of Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...

. It is the southernmost of four large bays and gulfs of the White Sea

White Sea

The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...

, the others being the Dvina Bay

Dvina Bay

The Dvina Bay is located in Arkhangelsk Oblast in Northwestern Russia. It is one of four large bays and gulfs of the White Sea, the others being the Mezen Bay, the Onega Bay, and the Kandalaksha Gulf. The two main river emptying into the Dvina Bay is the Northern Dvina River, while the two cities...

, the Mezen Bay

Mezen Bay

The Mezen Bay is located in Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Northwestern Russia. It is one of four large bays and gulfs of the White Sea, the others being the Dvina Bay, the Onega Bay, and the Kandalaksha Gulf. The Mezen Bay is the easternmost of these, as it lies to the south of...

, and the Kandalaksha Gulf

Kandalaksha Gulf

The Kandalaksha Gulf is located in the Republic of Karelia, and Murmansk Oblast in northwestern Russia. Forming the north-western corner of the White Sea, it is one of four large bays and gulfs of this sea, the others being the Onega Bay , the Dvina Bay , and the Mezen Bay .The Kola Peninsula...

. The area of the bay is 6630 square kilometre. The Mezen Bay is 185 kilometres (115 mi) long and 50 kilometres (31.1 mi)-100 kilometres (62.1 mi) wide. The average depth of the bay is 16 metres (52.5 ft), and the maximum depth is 36 metres (118.1 ft). The bay freezes in winter.

Onega

Onega River

The Onega is a river in Kargopolsky, Plesetsky, and Onezhsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. The Onega connects Lake Lacha with the Onega Bay in the White Sea southwest of Arkhangelsk, flowing in the northern direction. The discharge at the source is and at the mouth is . The river is ...

, Kem

Kem River

Kem is a river in Republic of Karelia, Russia. It starts from Lake Lower Kuyto and flows through a number of lakes into the White Sea. There is a cascade of 5 hydroelectric power plants. A town of Kem is located in the mouth of the Kem River. Tributaries: Chirka-Kem, Kepa, Shomba....

, and Vyg

Vyg River

The Vyg is a river in Republic of Karelia. Consists of the Upper Vyg, 135 km long, discharging into Lake Vygozero, and the Lower Vyg, 102 km long, flowing from Lake Vygozero and discharging into Onega Bay of the White Sea near Belomorsk. The Upper Vyg flows through several small lakes in...

 Rivers flow into the bay. The bay has numerous islands. Solovetsky Islands

Solovetsky Islands

The Solovetsky Islands , or Solovki , are an archipelago located in the Onega Bay of the White Sea, Russia. The islands are served by the Solovki Airport. Area: ....

, which are the largest and the most famous, are located on the entrance to the bay and separate it from the main body of the White Sea. Along the west coast, there are hundreds of small islands . The biggest of these are Shuyostrov Island, Russky Kuzov Island, Myagostrov Island, Kondostrov Island, and Sumostrov Island. The group of islands around Kondostrov Island are collectively known as the Sumsky Skerries

Sumsky Skerries

The Sumsky Skerries are an extensive cluster of islands, islets and shoals in the White Sea. They are located in the Onega Bay, close to its southern shore....

. Between the Sumsky Skerries and Solovetsky Island, in the open sea, there is an archipelago consisting of Bolshoy Zhuzhmuy Island and Maly Zhuzhmuy Island. On the west coast of the bay there are the town of Belomorsk

Belomorsk

Belomorsk is a town and the administrative center of Belomorsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located on the Onega Bay on the shore of the White Sea. Population:...

 and the outlet of the White Sea-Baltic Canal

White Sea-Baltic Canal

The White Sea – Baltic Sea Canal , often abbreviated to White Sea Canal is a ship canal in Russia opened on 2 August 1933. It connects the White Sea with Lake Onega, which is further connected to the Baltic Sea. Until 1961, its original name was the Stalin White Sea – Baltic Sea Canal...

. From the east, the bay is limited by the Onega Peninsula

Onega Peninsula

The Onega Peninsula is located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It protrudes into the White Sea, with Onega Bay to the south-west, and Dvina Bay to the north-east. The length of the peninsula is about , and the width varies between and .-Geography:...

. In the south-east, the town of Onega is located close to the shore of the bay.

Administratively, the coast and the islands are shared between Kemsky

Kemsky District

Kemsky District is an administrative district , one of the fifteen in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Kemsky Municipal District. Its administrative center is the town of Kem. District's population: 5,386 ; Population of Kem accounts for 73.5% of the...

 and Belomorsky District

Belomorsky District

Belomorsky District is an administrative district , one of the fifteen in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Belomorsky Municipal District. Its administrative center is the town of Belomorsk. District's population: 24,003 ; Population of Belomorsk accounts for...

s of the Republic of Karelia, and Onezhsky

Onezhsky District

Onezhsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Onezhsky Municipal District...

, Primorsky

Primorsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast

Primorsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Primorsky Municipal District...

, and Solovetsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast. Most of the minor islands, including all of Sumsky Skerries, belong to Belomorsky District.

The Onega Bay coast was populated by Russians (Novgorodians

Novgorod Republic

The Novgorod Republic was a large medieval Russian state which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains between the 12th and 15th centuries, centred on the city of Novgorod...

, of whom the pomors are the descendants) not later than in 12th century. The selo of Soroki, currently Belomorsk, is known from that time. Most of the villages at the Onega Bay coast such as Purnema or Unezhma (now abandoned), are old Pomor villages, many of them still depend on fishery.

Solovetsky Islands are on the World Heritage list, and there is intensive passenger sea traffic to the islands, mostly originating from Kem and Belomorsk. There are also regular but infrequent passenger connections between Arkhangelsk and the villages of the Onega Peninsula.