all in all, the soviet period saw a significant increase in population (799,000 in 1970 vs. 15,000 in 1913), although most of the population remained concentrated in the urban localities along the railroads and the sea coast. most of the sparsely populated territories outside the urbanized areas were used for deer herding. in 1920–1940, the town of kirovsk and several work settlements were established on the peninsula.