PETROZAVODSK, February 27. /TASS/. A family from Sochi was the first to formalize ownership in a land plot, received for free under the Arctic Hectare Program, Karelia's property authority told TASS.

"The family of Igor and Darya Sergeev from Sochi in 2022 received for free a land plot of 1.06 hectares in Kyargozero [village] in the Segezh District," the authority said. "The family has built a house and thus they were able to move in and to be the first in Karelia to formalize the property."

The family is using the plot to develop the tourism business.

The Arctic Hectare Program offers a free plot of land of up to 1 hectare. The program started on August 1, 2021. The regional authorities have provided land plots to almost 1,400 applicants.

Applicants may use an interactive map to choose a plot. Early ownership may be obtained in two cases: if an applicant is building a house or if an applicant has a mortgage agreement to build one. Karelia offers plots in the Kostomuksha, Segezha, Belomorsk, Kalevala, Loukhi, Kem Districts, the authority said. Karelia's one in three districts are in the Russian Arctic Zone.