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.

News

22.04.2025
Vologda and Tot’ma will host IX All-Russian conference “Russian North”.

The conference “Russian North” held on April 22-26 in Vologda and Tot’ma will gather over 70 students and postgraduates, university professors and school teachers, scientists, archivists and museum employees from Russia. The event will touch upon problems of study and preservation of historical and cultural heritage.

04.04.2025
Totma (Vologda Region) is in the shortlist of the  All-Russian Tourist Cities Award.

The All-Russian Tourist Cities Award is awarded to municipalities or individual settlements of Russia based on the results of an open competition.

14.08.2024
Russian America: traditional bell ringing with performances in Russian Orthodox churches from France to Moscow and from Totma to Alaska.

This summer, Russians and fellow citizens celebrate a triple date in the history of the development of Russian America with the bell ringing in Orthodox churches from France to Moscow and from Totma to Alaska.

08.09.2023
Totma claims to be the capital of the “Silver Necklace of Russia”.

Last year Ust-Tsilma was the capital of the tourist project "Silver Necklace of Russia”, an interregional tourism project, which involves 11 regions of the North-Western Federal District. The main goal of the project is to combine efforts to increase the tourist flow to the regions.

08.08.2023
Next weekend, Totma, located in the eastern part of the Vologda Region will mark its 886-year birthday.

On August 12 Totma, one of the oldest cities of the Vologda Region will celebrate its 886th birthday. The city is often called a museum in the open air.

28.02.2023
All-Russian conference “Russian North” will gather over 70 scientists and professors from Russia.

The conference “Russia’s North” held on March 2-5 in Tot’ma will gather over 70 experts from Russia. The event will touch upon problems of study and preservation of historical and cultural heritage.

12.08.2022
This weekend, Totma, located in the eastern part of Vologda Region will mark its 885-year anniversary.

The histoty of the city begins with the salt deposits which the locals found in the 13th century on the bank of the Kovda river (it is 2 km off today's city location). As history annals say, the underground salt waters were extracted for the first time in the country's history. A new economic and administrative centre of the volost (small rural district) - the surburb of Usoliye - sprouted up near the salt mines. Later, outside its walls the new surburb of Tot'ma appeared. It was known as a major centre for salt production. Being situated on the major trading route from the Moscow State to Western Europe via the White Sea, the city grew and thrived.

08.08.2022
On August 12-14 Totma will celebrate a traditional Day of Russian Columbus.

This weekend, Totma, located in the eastern part of the Vologda Oblast will mark its 885-year anniversary and celebrate a traditional Day of Russian Columbus.

13.04.2022
Vologda Region Governor Oleg Kuvshinnikov paid a working visit to the District of Tot’ma in the eastern part of the Vologda Region.

The visit was arranged as part of a series of visits throughout the Vologda Oblast examining economic and social development of regions.

02.02.2022
Totma will host International Dog Sledding “Russian North-2022” on February 4-6.

The international sled dog race “Russian North-2022” will attract 104 participants from 21 Russian regions, Belarus, the Czech Republic and Estonia. Professional jury from Latvia will judge the competitions.

14.01.2022
International Dog Sledding “Russian North-2022” is to be held on February 4-6 in Totma, Vologda Region.

The international sled dog race “Russian North-2022” will attract participants from 21 Russian regions, Belarus, the Czech Republic and Estonia. Professional jury from Latvia will judge the competitions.

11.02.2021
Totma entered the top 12 original cities of Russia.

Totma is in the list of 12 original Russian cities located outside the famous tourist route "Golden Ring". The Golden Ring is a group of medieval towns and cities that form a ring to the northeast of Moscow.

01.12.2020
First Museum of Russian America marks 30th anniversary of its foundation.

The year 1990 saw the opening of the Kuskov Memorial Flat in Tot’ma, a small town even by the Vologda Region’s standards. The town once prided itself on its salt making and the seafaring merchants who traded in Siberia and America. It was a native of Totma, Ivan Kuskov, who founded Fort Ross in California.

14.08.2020
Russian-French architectural studio has developed the Sukhona River embankment improvement.

Vologda Region Governor Mr. Kuvshinnikov paid a working visit to the District of Tot’ma in the eastern part of the Vologda Oblast. The visit was arranged as part of a series of visits throughout the Vologda Oblast examining economic and social development of regions.

06.08.2020
On August 7-9 Totma, Vologda Region will celebrate a traditional Russian America Day.

This weekend, Totma, located in the eastern part of the Vologda Oblast will celebrate a traditional Russian America Day. The major events of the celebration will be dedicated to the key moments of the Russian-American history of Totma lands.

28.02.2020
On February 27 Vologda’s Governor paid a working visit to the District of Tot’ma in the eastern part of the Vologda Oblast.

The visit to Tot’ma District, the oblast's third biggest district in terms of total area, was arranged as part of a series of visits throughout the Vologda Oblast examining economic and social development of regions. Mr. Kuvshinnikov got acquainted with the industrial and agricultural enterprises of the municipality.

03.02.2020
Totma dog sled race: crowds gathered before World Cup Race event “Russian North” started.

Crowds gathered in Totma (Vologda Region, Russia) on February 1 to celebrate the ceremonial start of the World Cup Sled Dog race “Russian North”.