Bilibino.

History

Gold mining and construction of a settlement began here in March 1955, and in February 1956 it was named after the geologist Yuri Bilibin, who discovered the gold of Kolyma. In 1965 the decision was taken to build a nuclear power plant, and its first reactor reached power in January 1974. Four 12 MW reactors supplied the remote district with energy. Bilibino became a town on 28 June 1993; its population fell sharply after the Soviet Union broke up.

Culture & traditions

The town has a local history museum named after G. S. Glazyrin. A monument to the geologist Bilibin was erected in 1968. The Orbita hill offers a view over the town and the surrounding tundra. The population is mixed, with Chukchi and Evens living alongside Russians and Ukrainians.

Practical information

The nearest airport is Keperveyem, a few dozen kilometres away along a gravel road, with flights to Anadyr, Pevek and Magadan. In winter an ice road runs to Pevek. Local time is Moscow plus 9 hours. The climate is very harsh, with a mean annual temperature of about −14 °C and a record low of −52.2 °C, so the short summer is the time to go.

What to see

• Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant — opened in 1974 and long the world's northernmost
• Glazyrin Museum of local history — the story of gold mining and settlement in the area
• Yuri Bilibin monument — a tribute to the geologist who gave the town its name
• Orbita hill — a viewpoint over the town and tundra