Babushkinsky District Бабушкинский район | |
|---|---|
 Mount Isakova near the village ofIsakovo in Babushkinsky District | |
.gif) Flag .png) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Babushkinsky District in Vologda Oblast | |
| Coordinates:59°45′N43°08′E / 59.750°N 43.133°E /59.750; 43.133 | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Vologda Oblast[1] |
| Established | July 15, 1929[2] |
| Administrative center | imeni Babushkina[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 7,761 km2 (2,997 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 12,779 |
| • Density | 1.6/km2 (4.3/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 0% |
| • Rural | 100% |
| Administrative structure | |
| • Administrative divisions | 15Selsoviets |
| • Inhabited localities[3] | 138rural localities |
| Municipal structure | |
| • Municipally incorporated as | Babushkinsky Municipal District[6] |
| • Municipal divisions[6] | 0 urban settlements, 7 rural settlements |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (MSK  [7]) |
| OKTMO ID | 19608000 |
| Website | http://www.admbabush.ru/ |
Babushkinsky District (Russian:Ба́бушкинский райо́н) is an administrative[1] and municipal[6] district (raion), one of thetwenty-six inVologda Oblast,Russia. It is located in the southeast of theoblast and borders withNyuksensky District in the north,Kichmengsko-Gorodetsky District in the northeast,Nikolsky District in the east,Kologrivsky andChukhlomsky Districts ofKostroma Oblast in the south, and withTotemsky District in the west. The area of the district is 7,761 square kilometers (2,997 sq mi).[4] Itsadministrative center is therural locality (aselo) ofimeni Babushkina.[3] District's population:12,779 (2010 Census);[5] 14,994 (2002 Census);[8]18,037 (1989 Soviet census).[9] The population of imeni Babushkina accounts for 31.6% of the district's population.[5]
Prior to 1941, the district was known as Ledengsky District, and theselo of imeni Babushkina was known as Ledengskoye. Both the district and its administrative center were renamed in March 1941 to commemorateBolshevik revolutionaryIvan Babushkin, who was born in Ledengskoye.[2]
The district is located at the divide between thebasins of theSukhona, theYug, and theUnzha Rivers (the lefttributary of theVolga), and thus at the divide between the basins of theArctic Ocean and theCaspian Sea. The landscape is dominated by theNorthern Ridge chain of hills. The Unzha crosses the southern part of the district from east to west, and many rivers in the center and the south of the district drain into the Unzha. The rivers in the northeast of the district drain into theSharzhenga, the left tributary of the Yug. The rivers in the west drain into various right tributaries of the Sukhona, such as theTolshma, theLedenga, and theStaraya Totma.
Over 80% of the total area of the district is covered by coniferous forests.[10]
The area was populated byFinnic peoples and then colonized by theNovgorod Republic. In the 12th century,Totma and the surrounding areas were already under the control of Novgorod. After the fall of Novgorod, the area became a part of theGrand Duchy of Moscow. In the 14th century, salt was discovered in the valley of the Ledenga, and theselo of Ledengskoye (now called imeni Babushkina) became known for its salt production.[11]
In the course of theadministrative reform carried out in 1708 byPeter the Great, the area was included intoArchangelgorod Governorate. In 1780, the governorate was abolished, and transformed intoTotemsky Uyezd ofVologda Viceroyalty. The latter was abolished in 1796, and the part of it which included Ledengskoye was made intoVologda Governorate.
On July 15, 1929, several governorates, including Vologda Governorate, were merged intoNorthern Krai, and the uyezds were abolished. Instead, Ledengsky District with the administrative center in theselo of Ledengskoye was established as a part ofVologda Okrug. It included parts of the former area ofTotemsky Uyezd. In the following years, the first-level administrative division of Russia kept changing. In 1936, Northern Krai was transformed intoNorthern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast. Ledengsky District remained in Vologda Oblast ever since, but was renamed Babushkinsky in 1941.[12] During the abortive Khrushchyov administrative reform of the 1960s, Babushkinsky District was briefly disestablished in 1962 and then reestablished in 1965.[2]
In 1918,Northern Dvina Governorate with the administrative center inVeliky Ustyug was established on the areas previously in the northeast of Vologda Governorate. In 1924, theuyezds in Northern Dvina Governorate were abolished and replaced with the districts. On June 10, 1924,Roslyatinsky District was established, among others. The administrative center of Roslyatinsky District was theselo ofRoslyatino. In 1929, Northern Dvina Governorate was merged intoNorthern Krai. On July 30, 1931, Roslyatinsky District was merged into Ledengsky District, then in 1935 it was re-established, and on November 12, 1960 Roslyatinsky District was abolished again, and its area was divided between Babushkinsky and Nikolsky Districts.[2][12]
Administratively, the district is divided into fifteenselsoviets.[3]Municipally, the district is incorporated asBabushkinsky Municipal District and is divided into seven rural settlements.[6] The municipal district includes all of the inhabited localities of the administrative district, as well as two rural localities (the settlements ofIda andKordon) fromGryazovetsky District and one rural locality (the settlement ofIlezka) fromNyuksensky District.[3][6]
The economy of the district is based on timber production.[10]
As of 2009, there were twelve large-scale farms in the district, mostly producing meat and milk, as well as growing crops. The agriculture is steadily shrinking.[15]
A paved road connectingTotma withNikolsk passes through the district and, in particular, through imeni Babushkina. Before the road between Totma andVeliky Ustyug along the Sukhona was completed in the first decade of the 2000s, this was the only road connectingVologda and Totma to Veliky Ustyug.
The only railroad in the district is theMonza Railroad, built for timber transport and operated by the timber production authorities, which runs along the border of Vologda and Kostroma Oblasts. The railroad crosses Babushkinsky District from west to east. Plans to extend it further east to Nikolsk were never implemented.[16]
The district contains 1 object classified as cultural heritage of the federal significance (a monument to Ivan Babushkin in theselo of imeni Babushkina) and 106 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance.[17] Most of these are wooden farms and churches built before 1917.
The only state museum in the district is the Memorial Museum of Ivan Babushkin, located in imeni Babushkina.[18]
The LedengskSpa Resort in imeni Babushkina uses underground lakes with high concentration of salt.