The Onega Bay (russian: Онежская губа, Онежский залив) is located in the
Republic of Karelia
The Republic of Karelia (russian: Респу́блика Каре́лия, Respublika Kareliya; ; krl, Karjalan tašavalta; ; fi, Karjalan tasavalta; vep, Karjalan Tazovaldkund, Ludic: ''Kard’alan tazavald''), also known as just Karelia (ru ...
and
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast (russian: Арха́нгельская о́бласть, ''Arkhangelskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solov ...
in
Northwestern Russia, west of the city of
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near i ...
. It is the southernmost of four large bays and gulfs of the
White Sea
The White Sea (russian: Белое море, ''Béloye móre''; Karelian and fi, Vienanmeri, lit. Dvina Sea; yrk, Сэрако ямʼ, ''Serako yam'') is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is su ...
, the others being the
Dvina Bay, the
Mezen Bay
The Mezen Bay (russian: Мезенская губа) is located in Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Northwestern Russia. It is one of four large bays and gulfs of the White Sea, the others being the Dvina Bay, the Onega Bay, an ...
, and the
Kandalaksha Gulf
The Kandalaksha Gulf (, sms, Käddluhtt), fi, Kantalahti) is located in the Republic of Karelia, and Murmansk Oblast in northwestern Russia. Forming the north-western corner of the White Sea, it is one of four large bays and gulfs of this sea, ...
. The area of the bay is . The Onega Bay is long and - wide. The average depth of the bay is , and the maximum depth is . The bay freezes in winter.
Onega,
Kem, and
Vyg Rivers flow into the bay. The bay has numerous islands.
Solovetsky Islands
The Solovetsky Islands (russian: Солове́цкие острова́), or Solovki (), are an archipelago located in the Onega Bay of the White Sea, Russia. As an administrative division, the islands are incorporated as Solovetsky District o ...
, which are the largest and the most famous, are located on the entrance to the bay and separate it from the main body of the White Sea. Along the west coast, there are hundreds of small islands (russian: луда, luda's). The biggest of these are
Shuyostrov Island,
Russky Kuzov Island,
Myagostrov Island,
Kondostrov Island, and
Sumostrov Island. The group of islands around Kondostrov Island are collectively known as the
Sumsky Skerries. Between the Sumsky Skerries and Solovetsky Island, in the open sea, there is an archipelago consisting of
Bolshoy Zhuzhmuy Island and
Maly Zhuzhmuy Island. On the west coast of the bay there are the town of
Belomorsk
Belomorsk (russian: Беломо́рск; krl, Šuomua; fi, Belomorsk/') is a town and the administrative center of Belomorsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located on the Onega Bay on the shore of the White Sea. Population:
...
and the outlet of the
White Sea-Baltic Canal
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
. From the east, the bay is limited by the
Onega Peninsula
The Onega Peninsula is located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It protrudes into the White Sea, with Onega Bay to the south-west, and Dvina Bay to the north-east. The length of the peninsula is about , and the width varies between and .
Geo ...
. In the south-east, the town of
Onega is located close to the shore of the bay.
Administratively, the coast and the islands are shared between
Kemsky and
Belomorsky Districts of the Republic of Karelia, and
Onezhsky,
Primorsky, and
Solovetsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast. Most of the minor islands, including all of Sumsky Skerries, belong to Belomorsky District.
Human settlement
The Onega Bay coast was populated by Russians (
Novgorodians, of whom the pomors are the descendants) not later than in the 12th century. The
selo of Soroki, currently Belomorsk, is known from that time. Most of the villages at the Onega Bay coast such as
Purnema or
Unezhma (now abandoned),
are old Pomor villages, many of them still depend on fishery.
Travel
Solovetsky Islands are on the
World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
list, and there is intensive passenger sea traffic to the islands, mostly originating from Kem and Belomorsk. There are also regular but infrequent passenger connections between Arkhangelsk and the villages of the Onega Peninsula.
See also
*
White Sea Rift System
References
{{Coord, 64, 20, N, 36, 30, E, region:RU_type:waterbody_scale:2500000, display=title
Bays of Russia
Bays of the White Sea
Bays of the Arctic Ocean
Bodies of water of the Republic of Karelia
Bays of Arkhangelsk Oblast
Ramsar sites in Russia