The Murmansk Region is the most northern region in European Russia and a large part of it is located beyond the Arctic Circle.  The region shares borders with the Republic of Karelia and the Arkhangelsk Region and international borders with Norway and Finland.  A large proportion of the region’s territory remains in its original form of tundra, forest and rocky coasts.  In winter, it is also a land of polar nights and northern lights.

  The administrative centre of the region is Murmansk which was named a Hero City after the role it played during the Second World War and the polar convoys.   It is the biggest city located in the Arctic Circle, but despite its location it enjoys milder temperatures thanks to the Gulf Stream.  From here nuclear icebreakers head to the North Pole.  Some of the cities in the region remain closed-cities, including Polyarny - a city of military glory - and Severomorsk - the base of Russia’s Northern Fleet.  In addition, the region has two skiing resorts in Khibiny and Kirovsk and ecological and ethno tourism are becoming more and more popular here.