Sillamäe

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Sillamäe linn
Flag of Sillamäe
Coat of arms of Sillamäe
Flag Coat of arms
County Ida-Viru County
Mayor Ain Kiviorg
Area 10.54 km²
Population (as of 2004)
 - Density
16,806
1,594.5/km²
Coordinates 59°24' N 27°45' E
Location of Sillamäe
Location of Sillamäe

Sillamäe is a town in Ida-Viru County in the northern part of Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland.

During the Soviet regime in Estonia, Sillamäe was a closed town mainly because of the chemical factory in there which produced fuel rods and nuclear materials for the Soviet nuclear power plants and weapon facilities. At first, uranium was mined in the same location, later it was imported from various locations from the Eastern Bloc, mainly Czechoslovakia. Rumors are that the first Soviet nuclear bomb was created from the uranium mined at Sillamäe.

Near the city, there is located a beach and a spa (Toila and Narva-Jõesuu), used during the Soviet period for Communist Party members and leaders.

In 2005 a port was opened in Sillamäe and from 2006 there is a regular ferry connection between Sillamäe and Kotka, Finland.

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Coat of arms of Ida-Viru County Municipalities of Ida-Viru County
Urban municipalities: Kiviõli | Kohtla-Järve | Narva | Narva-Jõesuu | Püssi | Sillamäe
Rural municipalities: Alajõe | Aseri | Avinurme | Iisaku | Illuka | Jõhvi | Kohtla | Kohtla-Nõmme | Lohusuu | Lüganuse | Maidla | Mäetaguse | Sonda | Toila | Tudulinna | Vaivara