Belushya Guba

Belushya Guba
Бeлyшья Гyбa
Work settlement
Belushya Guba shown on a map of Novaya Zemlya
Location of Belushya Guba
Belushya Guba
Location of Belushya Guba
Belushya Guba
Belushya Guba (Russia)
Coordinates: 71°32′44″N 52°19′13″E / 71.54556°N 52.32028°E / 71.54556; 52.32028
CountryRussia
Federal subjectArkhangelsk Oblast
Administrative districtNovaya Zemlya District
Founded1897
Urban-type settlement status sinceMarch 2005
Elevation
7 m (23 ft)
Population
  Total
1,972
  Urban okrugNovaya Zemlya Urban Okrug
Time zoneUTC+3 (MSK )
Postal code(s)
163055
OKTMO ID11712000051

Belushya Guba (Russian: Белу́шья Губа́; Russian pronunciation: [bʲɪˈɫuʂjə ɣʊˈba], lit.'beluga whale bay'), also known as Belushye (Белушье), is a work settlement and the administrative center of Novaya Zemlya District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Gusinaya Zemlya peninsula of the Yuzhny Island of the Novaya Zemlya arctic archipelago. Its population was reported as 1,972(2010 Census), a decline of more than 20% from 2,622(2002 Census). It is the largest settlement on the island, and is the main permanent settlement of the island territory of Novaya Zemlya.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
20022,622    
20101,972−24.8%
20211,972+0.0%
Source: Census data

A large proportion of its population is made up of military personnel associated with the nuclear test sites located on the island. About 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) northeast of Belushya Guba is the settlement of Rogachevo, the second largest in the archipelago, along with the Rogachevo air base.

The whole Novaya Zemlya archipelago, including Belushya Guba, is an area of restricted access (formally, as part of border security zone), and a special permit is needed to visit.