The name "Mogocha" is derived from the river on which it stands, whose name comes from the Evenki word mongochi. This meaning of this word is ambiguous; it can be translated as golden valley, but also as belonging to the Mongo tribe.
It was founded in 1910, with the construction of the local section of the Trans-Siberian Railway.[citation needed] Rail traffic began in 1914. In addition to its status as a supply point for the railway, from the 1920s and 1930s it became the base for gold mining in the surrounding area. Town status was granted to it in 1950.[citation needed]
From 1947 until 1953, Mogocha was site for the Klyuchevlag prison labor camp of the gulag system. The camp held up to 3,000 prisoners at any one time, mainly used as forced labor for molybdenum and gold mining in the villages to the southwest of the town.
During the deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations in the 1950s, a large airbase was created near Mogocha, which hosted several helicopter regiments until the 1990s. The remoteness of Mogocha combined with the harsh climatic conditions, gave rise to the Soviet military slang expression God created Sochi, and Satan Mogocha.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent economic crisis, Mogocha lost around one third of its population, a common occurrence for cities in the Russian Far East. At the same time, a significant number of Chinese citizens and companies have moved to the region.
↑Федеральная служба государственной статистики. Федеральное агентство по технологическому регулированию и метрологии.№ОК 033-20131 января 2014 г. «Общероссийский классификатор территорий муниципальных образований. Код76 626 101». (Federal State Statistics Service. Federal Agency on Technological Regulation and Metrology.#OK 033-2013January1, 2014 Russian Classification of Territories of Municipal Formations. Code76 626 101. ).
↑"Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
↑Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
Министерство территориального развития Забайкальского края.1 января 2014 г. «Реестр административно-территориальных единиц и населённых пунктов Забайкальского края», в ред. Распоряжения №209-р от10 июня 2014 г.. (Ministry of the Territorial Development of Zabaykalsky Krai.January1, 2014 Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and the Inhabited Localities of Zabaykalsky Krai, as amended by the Directive#209-r ofJune10, 2014. ).
Законодательное Собрание Забайкальского края.Закон№317-ЗЗКот18 декабря 2009 г. «О границах сельских и городских поселений Забайкальского края», в ред. Закона №1070-ЗЗК от31 октября 2014 г.«О внесении изменений в Закон Забайкальского края "О границах сельских и городских поселений Забайкальского края"». Вступил в силучерез десять дней после дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Забайкальский рабочий", №239–242, 21 декабря 2009 г. (Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai.Law#317-ZZKofDecember18, 2009 On the Borders of the Rural and Urban Settlements of Zabaykalsky Krai, as amended by the Law#1070-ZZK ofOctober31, 2014 On Amending the Law of Zabaykalsky Krai "On the Borders of the Rural and Urban Settlements of Zabaykalsky Krai". Effective as ofthe day which is ten days after the day of the official publication.).
Законодательное Собрание Забайкальского края.Закон№316-ЗЗКот18 декабря 2009 г. «О границах муниципальных районов и городских округов Забайкальского края», в ред. Закона №770-ЗЗК от26 декабря 2012 г.«О внесении изменений в Закон Забайкальского края "О границах муниципальных районов и городских округов Забайкальского края"». Вступил в силучерез десять дней после дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Забайкальский рабочий", №239–242, 21 декабря 2009 г. (Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai.Law#316-ZZKofDecember18, 2009 On the Borders of the Municipal Districts and Urban Okrugs of Zabaykalsky Krai, as amended by the Law#770-ZZK ofDecember26, 2012 On Amending the Law of Zabaykalsky Krai "On the Borders of the Municipal Districts and Urban Okrugs of Zabaykalsky Krai". Effective as ofthe day which is ten days after the day of the official publication.).
