MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. The NAFI Research Center, supported by the Federation Council's Council for Development of the Far East, Arctic and Antarctic, found in a survey that one in four Russians plans to visit the Arctic in 2025, the survey materials, obtained by TASS, read.
"The Arctic's potential is seen in the intentions of Russians to visit that region. One in four plans to visit the Arctic in 2025: 13% are interested in tourist trips, 8% eye moving there for work or study, and 4% are planning business visits, including shift trips," the survey results read.
According to the document, Russians are rather poorly informed about the Arctic. More than 90% are not aware of that region's structure - they associate the Arctic only with the Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Regions, while others mistakenly attribute the Kamchatka and Khabarovsk to Arctic territories. At the same time, 29% of the surveyed failed to name at least one Arctic region. Russians aged between 35 and 44 and one in five Arctic residents (18%) have a particularly low level of awareness.
About 46% of the surveyed have seen information in the media about the Arctic over recent few months. The information is dominated by data on the environment (37%), on production and industry (36%), on national defense and weapons (30%). Additionally, one in five Russians has come across materials related to tourism or incentive programs, for example, the Arctic Hectare Program (23% and 22%, respectively).
No more than 8% of the poll have heard something about education, business and culture in connection with the Arctic. "A certain shortage of topics in the mass media generates a high demand among Russians for such information about the Arctic, especially about its nature, scientific research, relocation opportunities and development projects. 76% of Russians said they wanted to receive more information about the Arctic," the document reads.
Stereotypes about the Arctic
The analysis of Russians' perceptions of the Arctic has revealed a number of common stereotypes. As many as 72% of Russians believe that the Arctic is just snow, ice and polar bears, though more than 20,000 biological species live in that macroregion.
Some 70% believe that the Russian Arctic is suitable for shift work only, though there are more than 125 cities in the Arctic, and 88.9% of their population live in cities - more than the average in Russia. Murmansk is the biggest city north of the Arctic Circle.
The Russian Arctic is covered with snow and ice all year round, 65% of respondents say, while in fact, the Arctic lies in several natural zones, two to three months in summer are warm - the ice melts and the earth opens up.
Living conditions
Though most stereotypes are related to climatic features, the perception of living difficulties in the Arctic is changing in a positive way. For example, over the recent year, Russians less likely consider as problems the Arctic's remoteness from big industrial centers and its dependence on fuel and food supplies. The share of such responses decreased from 46% to 35% and from 44% to 37%, respectively.
The research has reflected a number of serious barriers that Russians point out when considering life in the Arctic. The region is eyed rather as a place for work and career growth rather than for creating and developing a family, or for meeting old age. The polled 48% positively assess the region's opportunities for career fulfillment and 64% consider the conditions rather unfavorable for the birth and upbringing of children. Some respondents say conditions in the Arctic are not so favorable for receiving high-quality medical care (69%) and for ensuring active longevity (63%).
Russians comment on a number of other living conditions in the Arctic regions as "quite favorable" or "very favorable". To a greater extent, this applies to opportunities for active sports (46%), business development (46%) and travel (45%). Among Arctic residents, 55% say travel and education are important advantages, and 49% see opportunities for career fulfillment in their region.
"The Arctic retains the image of a harsh, hard-to-reach region, the survey conclusions show results from the attention paid to the region's development. 7% fewer citizens against last year's results believe the harsh climate is a serious barrier to life. Fewer respondents (than the number of those surveyed in 2023) named as obstacles remoteness from industrial centers (2023 - 46%, 2024 - 35%) and the dependence on food, goods and fuel supplies (2023 - 44%, 2024 - 37%). An increase in interest in working opportunities in the Arctic has changed accordingly (22% in 2024 against 18% in 20023), in moving (12% against 10%), in doing business (15% against 13%)," the survey results' document quoted Chair of the Council for Development of the Far East, Arctic and Antarctic at the Federation Council Galina Karelova as saying.
About the research
The NAFI Analytical Center conducted the national population survey in November, 2024 using its own Tet-o-tvet research platform ('otvet' is 'response' in Russian). The center's specialists surveyed 1,600 Russians over the age of 18. The error margin does not exceed 3.1%.