Nizhnevartovsk, city (1989 pop. 241,000), N Siberian Russia. The discovery of a huge oil field at nearby Lake Samotlor in 1965 quickly transformed the small village of Nizhnevartovsk into an oil and gas center. The population quintupled in the 1970s as hundreds of thousands of oil workers settled in the region.

Nizhnevartovsk (Нижнева́ртовск) is the second largest city in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is located along the right bank of the Ob River. Population: 239,044 (2002 Census).

It was founded in 1909; its development into a large city was boosted in 1960s by the discovery of the Samotlor Oil Field, the largest in the country. Town status was granted in 1972. Now Nizhnevartovsk is the center of the West Siberian oil-producing region and one of the richest cities in the country. Nizhnevartovsk Airport is the 15th busiest airport in Russia, well ahead of those in many larger cities.

The city is laid out on a grid system; however, due to its location on the bank of the river, there is a central kink in the grid to follow the river's course.

Each winter temperatures can drop to −50°C, and the locals build a number of ice parks with snow and ice sculptures and play areas of the kids; mostly comprising images of Father Frost (Russian Santa) and ice slides. In the summer temperatures climb to +35°C.

External links

• Official site of the city administration Nizhnevartovsk
• Public site of the city Nizhnevartovsk