The history of Arsenyev begins in 1895, when the settlement of Semyonovka was founded. In 1952 the Semyonovka settlement was granted town status and renamed Arsenyev, after Vladimir Arsenyev, an explorer of the Far East, a scientist, a traveler, and a writer, who visited Semyonovka in 1912. The climate of the town is characterized by a great contrast between summer and winter temperatures in comparison with the coastal Primorye. The average temperature in January is −20 °C. The average temperature in July is +20 °C. The largest enterprise of the town are Askold Shipbuilding Plant and Progress, producing generally products for defense. Due to the highly technical industries located there, Arsenyev is characterized by a larger proportion of specialists with higher education compared with other cities of the Krai.