Monchegorsk is a town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located on the Kola Peninsula, 145km south of Murmansk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 52,242 ; 68,652 .NameThe name of the town derives from Akkalan Saame Sami word monce (montshe), meaning "beautiful". The name originally was intended for nearby Montshatuntur (Arctic Hill).HistoryIt was established in the 1930s as the inhabited locality of Moncha-Guba, which served copper and nickel mining in the Monchetundra Massif. It was granted work settlement status and renamed Monchegorsk by the Resolution of the Presidium of All-Russian Central Executive Committee on November 25, 1935. At the same time, it was transferred from Kolsky District to Kirovsky District. By 1937, the copper-nickel mining volume increased significantly, and, consequently, the area population grew as well. On February 19, 1937, the Presidium of the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee petitioned to create new Monchegorsky District by separating the town and its surrounding area from Kirovsky District and to grant Monchegorsk town status. As a result, town status was granted to Monchegorsk by the VTsIK Resolution of September 20, 1937, although no new district was formed. On October 10, 1937, Monchegorsk town council was subordinated directly to the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee.