What is Lands

The Arctic zone of Russia includes nine regions (five of them partially). In total, it covers an inland area of 4.9 million square kilometers and 0.2 million square kilometers of islands. Traditionally, land management has been well developed in Russia as a part of public policy with its established goals, including carrying out different land reforms. However, during previous years, the level of land management in the country as a whole and in the Arctic zone, in particular, has decreased significantly due to a number of economic, organizational, and legal factors. Various federal and regional legislative acts regulate a range of issues related to the activities of indigenous peoples and land management. However, a character of such regulation is neither consistent nor sufficient. Notwithstanding the fact that all territories of Russian Arctic inhabited by indigenous people are recognized as the specially protected natural areas, those territories are still engaged in business activities.