Norilsk is an industrial city located in Krasnoyarsk Krai, in Russia.
Norilsk is almost cut off from the world.
It is connected by a railroad to only one city the port of Dudinka.
The only way to leave Norilsk is to then travel 2,000 km down the Yenisei River or by air.
But due to bad weather a flight can be delayed for up to two weeks.
Norilsks exports make up more than 2 percent of Russias GDP.
The mines original workers were camp prisoners who were forced to work in the freezing cold under inhumane conditions.
Out of the 500,000 forced laborers, 18,000 died of cold and starvation.
Life in Norilsk is extremely harsh.
The city lies in the continuous permafrost zone, where temperature drops to -30 degrees centigrade in the winter.
Between November and January, for a period of seven weeks, there is no sun.
But Norilsks biggest problem is pollution.
The soil is so contaminated that it is now economically feasible to mine it.
The average life expectancy of the workers is ten years shorter than the national average.
Residents suffer from numerous respiratory diseases, and the incidents of cancer, blood and skin disorders is high.
Only 4% of adults in the city are healthy.
They live, work, spend and reproduce for the mining company.
The town’s isolation means they pour their wages into company-owned shops and facilities.
The money goes back to the company, and eventually people pass away.
All photographs bygelio.livejournal.com
Sources:Wikipedia/www.worstpolluted.org/Basement Geographer/CorpWatch/Mines and Communities
