District of Tot'ma

General Information

Location: the eastern part of the Vologda Oblast

Foundation: 1539 first mentioned

Total area: 8,200 sq km

Area - comparative: the oblast's third biggest district in terms of total area

Border regions: the Kostroma Oblast in the south, the districts of Mezhdurech'ye, Sokol, Syamzha, Verkhovazh'ye, Tarnoga, Nyuksenitsa, Gryazovets, Babushkino within the Vologda Oblast

Administrative divisions: 16 administrative areas

Distance from Vologda: 215 km by highway, 247 km by water transport, 195 km by air

Total population: 27,400 people

Population of Tot'ma: 10,500 people. The majority of the district's population lives in the neighbouring settlements.

Density of population: 3,34 inhabitants per square kilometre

Total area of housing: 665,000 sq m

The most common building style: timbering owing to the abundant nearby forests

Oil and gas delivery: four gas pipe lines and an oil pipe line pass through the territory of the district of Tot'ma

Inland waters: numerous rivers (all in all 120) and 6 lakes that are used for water supply, transport communication, fishing and tourism. The Sukhona is the longest water course known on the territory of the district of Tot'ma. It flows some 126 km (within the boundaries of the district).

Terrain: mostly wavy moraine plains pertaining to the north-western part of the Permian plateau.

Plant life: The district of Tot'ma is a vast wooded area with some 50-60 percent of its total land area covered by coniferous and deciduous forests. The plant life map looks quite mixed.

Fauna: mammals typical of the woodlands of the European part of Russia - bears, wolves, foxes, elks, wild boars, martens, lynxes and others; many species of fish - salmon, white-fish, bream, pike perch, perch, pike and others; species of birds - wood grouse, hazel grouse, loom, golden eagle, black grouse.

Climate: temperate continental with long winters (average temperature in January is -13.7°C), short warm summers (average temperature in July is +19.0°C). The winter days are short, lasting only six hours or so. Summer days last about 19 hours. The summer, although short, is one of the most prized assets. On the whole the weather is rather changeable due to frequent cyclones and various air masses that permeate into the district.