Svelgrenik
| Native name: о́стров Свелгреник | |
|---|---|
 Svelgrenik | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Preschayska sea |
| Coordinates |
69°05′N 49°15′E / 69.083°N 49.250°E{{#coordinates:69|05|N|49|15|E|scale:2500000_source:GNS|| | |name= }} |
| Area | Template:Convinfobox/pri2 |
| Highest elevation | 166 m (545 ft) |
| Highest point | Gora Zrechna |
| Country | |
|
Socialist Federative Republic of Sornia | |
| Oblast | Svelgrenik Oblast |
| Okrug | Svelgrenik Okrug |
| Largest city | Olorsko (pop. 3000) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 11 000 |
| Ethnic groups | Vrezhachs |
Svelgrenik Island (о́стров Свелгреник) is an island in Svelgrenik Okrug and federal subject of the Socialist Federative Republic of Sornia located in the south-eastern Preschayska sea. The highest point on the island is at 166 m (545 feet). The vast wetland consists of many taigas and morainic hills, covered by vegetation characteristic of the tundra. Notably, a proposed subspecies of the Candle Larkspur, Delphinium elatum ssp. cryophilum, is only found on this island, but its distinctness from the mainland population is disputed. It is the coldest point in Sornia. Temperatures can reach as low as -78 degrees celsius and -87 in the Trolarsk circle.
There are only two major settlements,(however small communities of Vrezhachs often build their own huts and lone cottages can also be found) Svetokrej, located near the southwest coast and Olorsko located on the northeast coast. Vrezhachs form the majority of the population, with fishing, reindeer farming and trapping being their main economic activities. Oil and gas are also present.
History
The island was first settled in the early 10th century by the exiled scherians who were sent out to sea to die, but ended up settling the island, these settlers became known as vrezhachs and shaped their own unique nomadic culture. The island was later discovered by the sornian captain, Slavomir Orlov in 1689, who wiped out much of the vrezhach population. In 1831, tzar Nikolaj IV granted territorial rights to the vrezhach population and demanded that each year fifty boys be conscripted to the imperial army. This treaty was abolished after the revolution.
In 1949 a large concentration of oil was found along the south coast of the island, which resulted in many vrezhach families being evicted from their land. In 1953, a major oil spill polluted an area of 1243 km2, since then, the area has been off limits.
Svelgrenik played a large part in the 1962 nuclear crisis. After Sornia deployed nuclear warheads in Hurgoza, Thirania deployed its weapons in Mizhenova (a small area in the east of Svelgrenik).
