Liinakhamari (in English) Лиинахамари (Russian) |
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- Rural locality - Posyolok |
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Location of Murmansk Oblast in Russia |
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Administrative status (as of 2010) | |
Country | Russia |
Federal subject | Murmansk Oblast |
Administrative district | Pechengsky District |
Statistics | |
Population (2010 Census) | 475 inhabitants |
Time zone | MSK (UTC+03:00) |
Postal code(s) | 184402 |
Dialing code(s) | +7 81554 |
on |
Liinakhamari (Russian: Лиинахамари; Finnish: Liinahamari; Swedish: Linhammar) is an ice-free harbour and a rural locality in Pechengsky District of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. The harbour belonged to Finland from 1920 until 1944 when it was handed over to the Soviet Union.
Liinakhamari was handed over to Finland after the Treaty of Tartu in 1920. Liinakhamari was Finland's only ocean harbour. The so-called Arctic Ocean Highway from Rovaniemi to Liinakhamari was ready by 1931. The harbour housed a toll, a fish factory, and a hotel. The harbour was extended by the end of the 1930s.
During the Russo-Finnish Winter War, the Soviet Union conquered Liinakhamari, but it was given back to Finland in the Moscow Peace Treaty. During 1940–1941, the peace-time period between the Winter War and the Continuation War, Liinakhamari was Finland's and Sweden's only route past the German and Soviet areas of influence. Ten thousand men were working along the Arctic Sea Road helping thousands of trucks to transport cargo from the northernmost railway station in Rovaniemi to Liinakhamari harbour. The trip was almost 700 miles up North along the narrow gravelled road, in the middle of sparsely inhabited Arctic taiga.
During the Continuation War 1941–1944 Liinakhamari was governed by German forces. The harbour was attacked by Royal Air Force Fairey Albacore and Fairey Swordfish bomber aircraft on 30 July 1941. Fairey Fulmar fighters were covering the bombers. (See Raid on Kirkenes and Petsamo.) The United Kingdom announced the declaration of war between UK and Finland half a year later.