Orotukan
Encyclopedia
Orotukan is an urban-type settlement
in Magadan Oblast
, Russian Federation. Population 2,167 (2009 estimate).
around 300 km north of Magadan
, on the right bank of the Orotukan River, a tributary of the Kolyma
.
The town began on its present site in the mid-1930s. It received its name from the river, whose name came from the Yakut work Ortokon meaning small burnt meadow or forest area. From 1935 a camp in the regional section of the gulag
system operated by Dalstroy
was located in the town.
In the 1940s, a repair work and factory for mining equipment were established. The settlement received urban-type settlement
status in 1953.
The economic downturn that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union saw the town lose around half its population in the 1990s.
The settlement lies on the Kolyma Highway (M56), which runs from Magadan, through Susuman
in the north-western part of Magadan Oblast, and onto Yakutsk
, although the road is only completely passable during winter when the rivers en route are frozen. The road distance between Orotukan and Magadan is around 400 km, and almost 1500 km to Yakutsk.
Urban-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...
in Magadan Oblast
Magadan Oblast
Magadan Oblast is a federal subject of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Magadan....
, Russian Federation. Population 2,167 (2009 estimate).
Geography
The settlement is located in the Kolyma regionKolyma
The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East. It is bounded by the East Siberian Sea and the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Sea of Okhotsk to the south...
around 300 km north of Magadan
Magadan
Magadan is a port town on the Sea of Okhotsk and gateway to the Kolyma region. It is the administrative center of Magadan Oblast , in the Russian Far East. Founded in 1929 on the site of an earlier settlement from the 1920s, it was granted the status of town in 1939...
, on the right bank of the Orotukan River, a tributary of the Kolyma
Kolyma River
The Kolyma River is a river in northeastern Siberia, whose basin covers parts of the Sakha Republic, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, and Magadan Oblast of Russia. Itrises in the mountains north of Okhotsk and Magadan, in the area of and...
.
History
The history of the town began in 1931, as geologists found gold reserves in the valleys of the Kolyma region and built a camp on the river close to present location of the town. Shortly thereafter began the construction of the Kolyma Highway (also known as the Road of Bones) through the region.The town began on its present site in the mid-1930s. It received its name from the river, whose name came from the Yakut work Ortokon meaning small burnt meadow or forest area. From 1935 a camp in the regional section of the gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
system operated by Dalstroy
Dalstroy
Dalstroy , also known as Far North Construction Trust, was an organization set up in 1931 by the Soviet NKVD in order to manage road construction and the mining of gold in the Chukotka region of the Russian Far East, now known as Kolyma. Initially it was established as State Trust for Road and...
was located in the town.
In the 1940s, a repair work and factory for mining equipment were established. The settlement received urban-type settlement
Urban-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 1953.
The economic downturn that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union saw the town lose around half its population in the 1990s.
Economy and Infrastructure
During the Soviet era, the town was a centre for gold mining and exploration.The settlement lies on the Kolyma Highway (M56), which runs from Magadan, through Susuman
Susuman
Susuman is a town in Magadan Oblast, Russia, located on the Berelyokh River some 650 km northwest of Magadan. It is the administrative center of Susumansky District, as well as the only town in the entire oblast excepting the capital Magadan...
in the north-western part of Magadan Oblast, and onto Yakutsk
Yakutsk
With a subarctic climate , Yakutsk is the coldest city, though not the coldest inhabited place, on Earth. Average monthly temperatures range from in July to in January. The coldest temperatures ever recorded on the planet outside Antarctica occurred in the basin of the Yana River to the northeast...
, although the road is only completely passable during winter when the rivers en route are frozen. The road distance between Orotukan and Magadan is around 400 km, and almost 1500 km to Yakutsk.
Sons and Daughters of the town
- Tina KarolTina KarolTina Karol , born Tatiana Grigorievna Liberman , is a Ukrainian singer. Karol represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006.- Biography :...
(born 1985 in Orotukan), pop singer - Matvey KorobovMatvey KorobovMatvey Georgiyevich Korobov is a Russian professional boxer best known for winning the middleweight amateur world title in 2005 and 2007, and being a part of the Russian team at the 2005 Boxing World Cup.-Amateur career:...
(born 1983 in Orotukan), Boxer