In the latest bid to solidify territorial claims within the Arctic Circle, Russia has unveiled plans to build a city for 5,000 year round residents 1,000 miles from the North Pole on the remote island Kotelniy in the Novosibirsk archipelago. Part of a strategic plan to assert its claim over the vast reserves of natural resources underneath the polar ice cap, the planned development will cost several billion dollars.
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Architects of the design tout its luxury lifestyle within a specially regulated temperate climate that will feature all the amenities of modern day cities such as scientific laboratories, parks, hotels, cathedrals, schools, sporting facilities and a hospital. Stretching out 1 mile in length and reaching a width of 800 yards, the resources required to power such an outpost are significant. The current scheme proposes a floating nuclear power plant to supply the needs of the city. Refuse disposal will be handled by two factories that will convert all trash into ash. A self-sufficient food production structure that incorporates fish and poultry farms, greenhouses and wheat processing factories will provide the necessary sustenance for the population.
Currently, there is no set timetable for commencement. However, with such ambitious plans on the table, this proposal is sure to spark debate on the very essence of activity around the North Pole.
References: www.dailymail.co.uk Photographs: www.dailymail.co.uk
