Severodvinsk is located in the north-western part of the Arkhangelsk Region. Built in 1936 as a shipbuilders' settlement near the Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery, founded in 1410, the city was called Sudostroi. In 1957 it was renamed Severodvinsk.
The population as of November 1, 2010 was 187,500 people.
There are over 3,000 enterprises and organisations operating in the city. The main sectors of the economy are shipbuilding and repairs, the energy sector, the production of construction materials and the food industry.
Severodvinsk's major companies are: Sevmash (with an average of 24,800 employees as of November 1, 2010), the Zvyozdochka ship repair yard (employs 9,100 people) and the Arktika company (employs 4,000 people).
Goods worth a total of 20.6 billion roubles were shipped by the region's large and medium-sized enterprises and organisations in the period January-October 2010.
The average wage across the city's large and medium-sized enterprises was 23,700 roubles during the first ten months of 2010.
A total of 4,987 unemployed residents sought help finding work from state employment agencies in 2010. The number of unemployed residents officially classed as unemployed was 900 people as of November 1. The unemployment rate (only counting those officially registered as unemployed) was 0.8%
The city boasts four higher educational institutions, which currently have over 10,000 students. The city also has eight special secondary and elementary schools. The municipal educational system comprises 31 comprehensive schools, including a cadet school, 57 preschool institutions and 10 further education institutions for children.
The city's healthcare provision includes over 20 medical facilities, including six municipal hospitals, a dispensary, a maternity hospital and 13 clinics.
There is also a theatre, city museum, seven clubs, a culture and leisure park, and an exhibition hall in the city.
There are more than 195 sports facilities in Severodvinsk, including four stadiums, 55 sports halls, two children's physical education schools, two shooting ranges and over 80 playgrounds.