Slantsevsky District Сланцевский район (Russian) | |
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.png) Flag .png) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Slantsevsky District in Leningrad Oblast | |
| Coordinates:59°07′N28°05′E / 59.117°N 28.083°E /59.117; 28.083 | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Leningrad Oblast[1] |
| Established | 1949 |
| Administrative center | Slantsy[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,191.1 km2 (846.0 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 10,038 |
| • Density | 4.5813/km2 (11.865/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 0% |
| • Rural | 100% |
| Administrative structure | |
| • Administrative divisions | 6settlement municipal formation |
| • Inhabited localities[1] | 1cities/towns, 155rural localities |
| Municipal structure | |
| • Municipally incorporated as | Slantsevsky Municipal District[4] |
| • Municipal divisions[4] | 1 urban settlements, 6 rural settlements |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (MSK [5]) |
| OKTMO ID | 41642000 |
| Website | http://www.slanmo.ru |
Slantsevsky District (Russian:Сла́нцевский райо́н) is an administrative[1] and municipal[4] district (raion), one of theseventeen inLeningrad Oblast,Russia. It is located in the southwest of theoblast and borders withIda-Viru County ofEstonia in the west,Kingiseppsky District in the north,Volosovsky District in the northeast,Luzhsky District in the east,Plyussky District ofPskov Oblast in the south, andGdovsky District, also of Pskov Oblast, in the southwest. The area of the district is 2,191.1 square kilometers (846.0 sq mi).[2] Itsadministrative center is thetown ofSlantsy.[1] Population (excluding the administrative center):10,038 (2010 census);[3] 10,480 (2002 Census);[6]10,974 (1989 Soviet census).[7]
The area of the district is flat. Its western and southern parts belong to thedrainage basin of theNarva River. The Narva flows at the border between Russia and Estonia, and in the northwestern part of the district is dammed and forms theNarva Reservoir. The largest tributary of the Narva within the district is thePlyussa. The eastern part of the district belongs to the basin of theLuga River, with the largest tributary of the Luga within the district being theDolgaya River. The Luga itself forms the northeastern border of the district.
Originally, the area of the district was populated byFinnic peoples, eventually, the Slavs began arriving. After the 9th century, the eastern part of the area was dependent on theNovgorod Republic (from the 15th century, theGrand Duchy of Moscow), and the western part belonged toPskov. The area was constantly at the frontier and became the battleground between Germans and Swedes, on one side, and Russians, on the other side. It was desolated during theLivonian War. In 1617, according to theTreaty of Stolbovo, the west of the area was transferred to Sweden, and in the 1700s, during theGreat Northern War, it was conquered back by Russia.[8]
In the course of theadministrative reform carried out in 1708 byPeter the Great, the area was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 asSaint Petersburg Governorate). Later on,Gdovsky Uyezd with the administrative center inGdov was established, and the area was a part of Gdovsky Uyezd.[8] The governorate was renamed Petrograd in 1914 and Leningrad in 1924. In 1919, Gdovsky Uyezd was an area where important events of theRussian Civil War and theEstonian War of Independence were taking place. Originally, the area east of the Narva was under control of the revolutionary government. On May 15, 1919, the detachment under command ofStanislav Bulak-Balakhovich captured Gdov, and the whole uyezd thus came under control of theYudenich's White Army troops. In November 1919, theRed Army recaptured Gdov.[9]
On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished, andGdovsky District was established, with the administrative center in the town of Gdov. It included parts of former Gdovsky Uyezd. The governorates were abolished as well, and the district became a part ofLuga Okrug ofLeningrad Oblast. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished as well, and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. Between March 22, 1935 and September 19, 1940, Gdovsky District was a part ofPskov Okrug of Leningrad Oblast, one of the okrugs abutting the state boundaries of the Soviet Union.
On March 11, 1941, Slantsevsky District, with the administrative center in the urban-type settlement of Slantsy, was split from Gdovsky District. Oneselsoviet fromKingiseppsky District was transferred to newly established Slantsevsky District.[10] Between August 1941, and February 1944, Slantsevsky District was occupied byGerman troops.[11] In February 1944, theKingisepp–Gdov Offensive, a military operation in which the Soviet Army advanced to the east bank of theNarva and ofLake Peipus, took place here.
The areasadjacent to the Narva River were assigned to Estonia in 1920, following theEstonian War of Independence and theTreaty of Tartu, signed on February 2, 1920. On November 24, 1944 this area was transferred to Leningrad Oblast and shared between Slantsevsky (south) and Kingiseppsky (north) Districts.[11]
On April 5, 1949 Slantsy was granted town status. On January 1, 1963 Slantsevsky District was abolished and split between Kingiseppsky and Luzhsky Districts. On November 3, 1965 it was re-established and included some of the areas previously transferred to Kingiseppsky District.[11]
On August 1, 1927Osminsky District with the administrative center in theselo ofOsmino was established as well. It was a part of Luga Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. It included areas which were previously parts of Gdovsky,Luzhsky, andKingiseppsky Uyezds. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. Between March 22, 1935 and September 19, 1940, Osminsky District was a part ofKingisepp Okrug of Leningrad Oblast, one of the okrugs abutting the state boundaries of the Soviet Union. Between August 1941, and February 1944, Osminsky District was occupied by German troops. On August 2, 1961 Osminsky District was abolished and split between Slantsevsky and Volosovsky Districts.[12] After the abortive administrative reform of the 1960s, its territory became split between Slantsevsky, Volosovsky, Luzhsky, and Kingiseppsky Districts.[11]
Another district established on August 1, 1927 wasRudnensky District, with the administrative center in the selo ofRudno. It included parts of former Gdovsky Uyezd. The district was a part of Luga Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On August 30, 1930, the administrative center of the district was transferred to the village ofVyskatka. On August 10, 1933, Rudnensky District was abolished and split between Gdovsky and Osminsky Districts. Its area is currently split between Gdovsky and Slantsevsky Districts.[13]
The western part of the district, a strip along the Narva River, is included into theborder security zone, intended to protect the borders of Russia from unwanted activity. In order to visit the zone, a permit issued by the localFederal Security Service department is required.[14]
In the district, there are construction industry (including severalcement plants), chemical industry, and food industry enterprises.[15] The district has considerable deposits ofoil shale, one of the most important in Russia. In fact the word "slantsy" in Russian means oil shale.
The main specialization of agriculture in the district is cattle breeding with meat and milk productions. As of 2012, there were for large-scale farms in the district, as well as onetrout farm.[16]
A railway connects Slantsy withGdov in the south and withVeymarn in the north. Originally, the railway connectedPskov with Veymarn. It was destroyed during World War II, and the stretch between Gdov and Pskov was never rebuilt.
Slantsy is connected by roads with Pskov via Gdov and withKingisepp. There are also local roads, with bus traffic originating from Slantsy.
The district contains thirty-seven objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance (four of them in the town of Slantsy).[17] Most of those commemorate events related to World War II.
The Slantsy Museum of History and Culture, located in the town of Slantsy and focusing on the history of the town, is the only state museum in the district.[18]