MURMANSK, May 17. /TASS/. Business residents of preferential tax-regime territories - Capital of the Arctic, and the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation - invested in projects that are being implemented in the Murmansk Region more than 216 billion rubles ($2.4 billion) since 2019, the region's authorities said in an annual report to the regional legislators.

"The Murmansk Region is an absolute leader in terms of investments by business residents and in terms of the number of residents," the government reported. "The Russian Federation's Arctic Zone has 242 residents, and 8 residents are at the Capital of the Arctic. Their investments have been more than 216 billion rubles, and they have offered about 5,000 jobs."

Over five years, more than 8,500 jobs have been offered in the region. In 2023, the unemployment rate decreased threefold against 2020, and for the first time it was under the national level of unemployment. The average monthly nominal salary in 2023 increased by 11.9% and amounted to 98,400 rubles ($1,082), which is 33% higher than the national average.

In March, the Murmansk Region's Governor Andrey Chibis at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev in Kirovsk reported investments in projects in the region were about 1.2 trillion rubles ($13.2 billion) over the past five years, while the gross regional product (GRP) increased by 2.5 times from 2019 to 2022.

There are more than 250 residents of the Capital of the Arctic and the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation advance-development territories in the Murmansk Region. The Capital of the Arctic residents enjoy the following incentives: insurance premiums for newly created jobs - 7.6% for 10 years, income tax - 5% instead of 20% for the first five years, in the next five years - 12%, full exemption from property tax for the first five years and from the land tax for three years.