2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AREA
2.3. Human populations
9140 33 630
4202
11 000 54 305 12 340
(14%) (70%) (16%)
Total 24 862 5811 46 972 77 645 (100%)
2.3. HUMAN POPULATIONS
2.3.1. A demographic description of the Russian territories adjacent to the Barents and Kara Seas
2.3.1.1. Territories adjacent to the Barents Sea
The coastal areas of the Barents Sea administratively belong to the Murmansk Region and the Nenets Autonomous District, which is part of Arkhangelsk Region (see Figure 14).
Murmansk Region occupies the Kola Peninsula and extends to the southwestern coast of the Barents Sea.
Nenets Autonomous District is situated along the length of the southern coast of the Barents Sea from the Kanin Peninsula to Baidaratskaya Bay. Kolguev Island and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago also belong to the Nenets Autonomous District.
2.3.1.2. Territories adjacent to the Kara Sea
The southern coast of the Kara Sea administratively belong to the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, which is part of Tyumen’ Region, and the Taymyr Autonomous District, which is part of Krasnoyarsk Region (see Figure 14).
The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District occupies the Yamal peninsula, part of the Gydansk peninsula and the lower reaches of the Ob and Taz Rivers, including Ob and Taz Bays.
The Taymyr Autonomous District occupies the Taymyr peninsula; the lower reaches of the Yenisey River, including Yenisey Bay, the islands of Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya.
2.3.2. Population distribution and density
The area and population of administrative regions on the coast of the Barents and Kara Seas are given in Table XX [26].
The average population density in the Nenets, Yamalo-Nenets and Taymyr Autonomous Districts is less than 1 person per 1 km2. In the coastal areas of the Kola Peninsula (Murmansk Region) the population density is less than 10 persons per 1 km2. A more dense population is characteristic of the estuaries in the Barents and Kara Seas, as well as of the bays. The population density distribution is presented in Table XX.
2.3.3. Nationalities of the population in the regions adjacent to the Barents and Kara Seas
Russians constitute a major part of the population on the coast of the Barents and Kara Seas. The indigenous population is represented by “nationalities of the North” that are small in numbers, namely, nenets, dolgans, nganasans and selkoops.
Table XXI presents the numbers of the indigenous people living in the territory of the above listed administrative regions [27].
TABLE XX. THE AREA AND POPULATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS ON THE COAST OF THE BARENTS AND KARA SEAS [26]
Administrative region Area
km2× 103 Population Urban
%
Rural
%
Population density per km2 Murmansk Region 144.9 1 155 000 92 8 8.0 Nenets Autonomous District 176.7 55 000 62 38 0.3 Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous
District
750.3 495 000 78 22 0.7
Taymyr Autonomous District 862.1 55 000 67 33 0.1
TABLE XXI. NATIONALITIES OF THE NORTH, LIVING IN THE REGIONS ADJACENT TO THE BARENTS AND KARA SEAS [27]
Administrative region Indigenous
population Comments Nenets Autonomous District 6000 Nenets
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District 19 000 Nenets (17 400), selkoops (1600) Taymyr Autonomous District 8200 Nenets (2300), dolgans (5900)
2.3.4. Economic activities of the natives in the western part of the Russian Arctic
In the European part of the Russian Arctic, the Nenets population lives in the area between the eastern coast of the White Sea and the Ural Mountains. In the Asian part of the Russian Arctic, the Nenets people inhabit the lower reaches of the Ob’ and Yenisey rivers, and the Yamal, Tazovsk and Gydansk peninsulas. Nenets settlements are also found on Kolguev and Vaigach islands.
The main occupation of the Nenets populations is reindeer breeding. They also hunt wild
An important economic activity is fishing. There is a network of fish factories in Arkhangelsk and Tyumen’ Regions. Fish, such as whitefish, omul, pelad, Arctic char and white salmon (nelma), in rivers and tundra lakes occupies an important place in the life of the Nenets.
An important occupation of the population on coasts of the Arctic seas is hunting sea mammals. Hunting artels (co-operative associations) in the Ob’, Gydansk and Taz Bays, as well as in the Yenisey Bay, are engaged in hunting ringed seals. Hunting bearded seals is typical of the western shores of the Yamal peninsula and Dikson island. White whales dwelling near the coast of Yamalo-Gydansk Region come to the Ob, Taz and Gydansk Bays, and to the Yenisey Bay, where hunting artels hunt these sea mammals. For the winter, white whales migrate to the Barents Sea by the Novaya Zemlya straits or round the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. In the Barents Sea, hunting ringed seals takes place in the Cheskaya Bay, Pechora Sea and on the Nenets shore (see Figure 14).
In the White Sea region, fish and sea mammals are caught by the Russian coast-dwellers and the Komi population. Fishing plays an important part in the life of the native-born (Komi and Russian) inhabitants of the White Sea coasts, Cheskaya Bay and Pechora Sea. Many artels are engaged in fishing. Most of the valuable fish species caught are offered for sale. The fish to be stored is predominantly slated, but also dry-cured or dried.
2.3.5. Peculiarities of the diet of the natives in the western part of the Russian Arctic A.A. Perova, et al, investigated the diets of nationalities of the north, including Nenets and Lapps [28]. A specific character of the diet in the Extreme North is determined by the natural conditions. The consumption of meat or fish amounted to 0.5–1.0 kg/day and on holidays up to 1.5 kg/day. According to Perova’s information the average daily assortment of food products consumed by Nenets (g/day) in 1930–1935 used to be:
Venison 832 Fish 150
Dried fish 114
Fish oil 17
Sea-animal fat 22
Reindeer blood 32
Bread 285
Flour products 61
According to the data obtained by D.I. Gusev [29], the fish consumption by the inhabitants of the Extreme North amounted to 500–1000 g/day, and the content of fish (g/day) in the diet of servicemen was as follows:
Soldier’s ration 100
Naval Officer’s ration 153
Officers (in remote areas) 206
Population (in coastal regions of the North) 150
The diet of reindeer breeders of the Extreme North was investigated by Troitskaya et al. in 1980 [30]. The venison consumption by male herdsman – reindeer breeders can be as great as 1 kg/day. However, this amount is likely to be a limiting value and refers to the winter period.
In summer, fish makes a greater contribution to the diet. The fish consumption can be as great
as 1.0–1.5 kg/day. Fresh-water fish from tundra lakes and rivers constitutes a major portion of fish consumed by the reindeer breeders. The average fish consumption is estimated at 500 g/day.
By the character of diet, the population of the Russian Arctic can be classified into 3 groups:
(1) Group 1 includes the indigenous population engaged in reindeer breeding. This group is represented mainly by the nationalities of the Extreme North and amounts to about 100,000 people. Reindeer breeders migrate seasonally: in summer to the north towards the coast of the Arctic seas and in winter to the south. Local food products occupy a significant place in their diet. In villages on the coast of the Arctic seas, the natives are engaged in sea animal hunting and fishing. No more than 10–15% of the natives of the North live directly on the coast.
(2) Group 2 is represented by a rural population of non-native nationalities and by inhabitants of small villages and towns. The diet of this group has a mixed character, with a large portion of imported food products. The numbers of this group in the Russian Arctic were estimated at 200 000 people. Among the population living in the European part of the Russian Arctic, 80% is made up of non-native nationalities, and 20% by the nationalities of the North.
(3) Group 3 includes the population of large ports and industrial cities of the Russian Arctic, including Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and others. The total numbers of this group are estimated a 1 million people. Their diet includes much imported food products.
The average fish consumption for the areas adjacent to the Barents Sea is given in Table XXII [31].
TABLE XXII. THE AVERAGE FISH CONSUMPTION RATE IN NORTHERN REGIONS OF RUSSIA (kg/a) [31]
Area Year
1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 Northern Regions of Russia 34 32 28 18 17
Murmansk Region 68 53 50 23 19
Arkhangelsk Region 32 39 34 21 19