Mezen

a city, center of Mezen’ Raion, Arkhangel’sk Oblast, RSFSR. Located on the right bank of the Mezen’ River, 45 km from the White Sea and 273 km northeast of Arkhangel’sk. The Mezen’ sea and river ports are on the left bank of the river, 7 km from the city in the settlement of Kamenka.

Mezen’ was founded in the 16th century on the site of the Okladnikovo and Kuznetsovo slobodas (tax-exempt settlements), which had existed since the Novgorod Feudal Republic, and became part of Arkhangel’sk Province, Vologda Vicegerency. In 1779 it became a district city of Arkhangel’sk Province. Until the October Revolution of 1917 it was a place of exile.

a river in Komi ASSR and Arkhangel’sk Oblast, RSFSR. Length, 966 km; basin area, 78,000 sq km.

The Mezen’ rises in the swamps on the western slopes of the Timanskii Ridge and empties into the Gulf of Mezen’ on the White Sea. In its upper course the shores are high cliffs; in its middle course the Mezen’ is meandering and has many shoals, which make navigation difficult. In the lower course, below the mouth of the Vashka River, there are abundant shallows and shoals. In the mouth of the Mezen’ there are tides that extend 64 km upstream. The river is fed by various sources, mostly snow. The average water flow is 886 cu m per sec, and the maximum is 9,530 cu m per sec. The Mezen’ is in high water in May and June, and there are floods caused by summer and fall rains. The river freezes over between late October and mid-November and opens up between late April and mid-May. The main right-hand tributaries are the Mezenskaia Pizhma, Sula, and Peza; the Vashka is the main left-hand tributary. The Mezen’ is used for floating timber. It is navigable up to 201 km from the mouth to the confluence of the Vashka River and in the spring, up to 681 km from the mouth to the Makar-Ib landing. Fishing is developed in the mouth of the Mezen’. The city of Mezen’ is situated on the river.