Ust-Nera (Усть-Нера; ) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Oymyakonsky District in Yakutia, Russia. Located in one of the coldest permanently inhabited regions on Earth, Ust-Nera is approximately 870 km northeast of the republic's capital, Yakutsk. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 6,463.

Geography

Ust-Nera is located at the confluence of the Nera and Indigirka Rivers, from which it takes its name (the ust- part means river mouth in Russian). Ust-Nera is located about 200 km north of the selo of Oymyakon, which is one of two places in the Sakha Republic (the other being Verkhoyansk) that lays claim to being the northern Pole of Cold, the coldest location in the northern hemisphere. The Tas-Kystabyt, Silyap Range and the Nera Plateau are located in the district.

Climate

Ust-Nera has an extremely cold subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dwd) with short, mild, wet summers with chilly nights, and severely cold, dry winters.

History

Ust-Nera was founded in 1937 in conjunction with gold mining and exploration in the Indigirka and Kolyma regions. In the Soviet era, it served as a base for forced labor camps of the gulag. Urban-type settlement status was granted to Ust-Nera in 1950.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, the urban-type settlement of Ust-Nera serves as the administrative center of Oymyakonsky District. As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Oymyakonsky District as the Settlement of Ust-Nera. As a municipal division, the Settlement of Ust-Nera is incorporated within Oymyakonsky Municipal District as Ust-Nera Urban Settlement.

Economy

Gold mining is the main occupation. The Kolyma Highway was extended northwest to Ust-Nera in 1937; this section is now the main route between Yakutsk and Magadan. The Ust-Nera Airport is serving air traffic. River traffic on the Indigirka is limited by the rapids 100 km downstream.

Culture

There is a small museum in Ust-Nera.

Sources