YAMAL PENINSULA - OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT AND PROBLEMS OF DEMOGRAPHY AND HEALTH AMONG INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS

This article is based primarily on data collected by the authors in 19 93 for a feasibility study of natural gas production and for a documen t assessing the environmental and social impacts of development of gas production on the Yamal Peninsula. The article provides data on the s ettling, structure, and dynamics of the Yamal population (both aborigi nal and newcomers) and analyzes the current demographic situation on t he Yamal Peninsula. In addition, issues related to the health status o f both the native population and newcomers are considered, and a progn osis of a likely negative impact of industrial development of the Yama l Peninsula on the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic-the Yamal Nene ts and Khanty peoples-is given.