The history of the Volga region has more than one millennium. Once these lands were part of the Volga Bulgaria, the Polovtsian Steppe, the Golden Horde and Russia and were the habitat for different peoples. The composition of the population has changed over time. Today, the Ulyanovsk region is located here. Who now inhabits these lands, what is the size, living and working conditions of the local population, what are the specifics of the region as a whole? This will be discussed in this article.
Geographical location of the Ulyanovsk region
In the Middle Volga region, south of Tatarstan, along the Volga is located the Ulyanovsk region. In the south, it borders with the Saratov region, in the east - with Samara, in the west - with Mordovia and the Penza region. The region occupies the 59th place among 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation or 0.2 from the entire territory of the country. From a geographical point of view, the region can be divided into the Volga region, which has a hilly relief, and the Volga region, which has a flat surface. The main body of water in the region, except for the Volga, is the Kuibyshev reservoir.
Climate
The geographical location of the region determines its nature and weather. The Ulyanovsk region extends in the zone of temperate continental climate and in three natural zones: steppe, forest-steppe and taiga. The region has many broad-leaved and pine forests.
Due to the abundance of flat areas and relatively mild climate, the population of the Ulyanovsk region is engaged in various types of agriculture. Winter in these parts begins in mid-November and ends in mid-March. Winters are rather snowy and moderately cold, the average January temperature is minus 13 degrees. But there are frosts up to 40 degrees. Heat in the region lasts from mid-March to mid-September. On average, the temperature rises at this time to 20-22 degrees. In summer, drought and heat often occur. Autumn and spring are usually dry and warm, with the highest rainfall from April to October.
Settlement history
The relatively favorable climate, a large number of forests and land suitable for agriculture, have led to the fact that the population of the Ulyanovsk region has very ancient roots. The first inhabitants in the region appeared 100 thousand years ago. The most ancient culture, the existence of which in this territory is confirmed by archaeological finds, dates back to the 3rd-6th centuries A.D. and called Imenkovskaya. These people were of Slavic origin. Later, representatives of the Volintsev, Kolochin and Penkov cultures lived here. It is believed that part of the ancestors of Kievan Rus - from here. In the 15th century, these lands became part of the Kazan Khanate. And from the middle of the 16th century, the region was developed by the Volga Cossacks.
In the middle of the 17th century, the Simbirsk fortress was built in these parts, which was part of the notch, i.e. borders. The first test of the fortress was the siege of the army led by Stepan Razin. The 18th century is a time of active development of the Volga lands, the borders go further and the region becomes a province of the Russian state.
At the end of the 18th century, the Simbirsk province was established, which lasted until 1924. Already during the Soviet era, Simbirsk became known as Ulyanovsk. Later, the region became part of the Middle Volga region. And only in 1943 did an independent territorial unit appear - the Ulyanovsk Region.
Administrative division of the region
The capital of the region is the city of the same name - Ulyanovsk. The region has undergone administrative reform more than once. The last territorial division was established in 2006. Today, the population of the Ulyanovsk region lives in three cities of regional significance: Ulyanovsk, Novoulyanovsk and Dimitrovgrad and in 21 administrative districts.
In the region, 31 urban settlements were recorded, not counting cities of regional scale, and 326 villages and towns. In the region, there is a gradual consolidation of cities and a decrease in the number of rural residents. However, this is an all-Russian trend.
Population and its dynamics
A regular census of residents of the region began in 1897. Then 1.5 million people lived here. Due to social upheaval, by 1926 the population of the Ulyanovsk region had decreased by about 200 thousand people. During the war and the period of restoration of the country, no one counted the inhabitants. And in 1959, 1.1 million people lived in the region. The next 40 years are marked by slow population growth. So, in 1995, 1.4 million people lived here. But perestroika and the subsequent social and demographic problems again provoked a decrease in the number of inhabitants of the region. To date, 1 252 887 people live in the Ulyanovsk region. There is a tendency to a slight decrease in the region’s population annually.
Ethnic composition of the population
The Volga region has always been a multinational region. Today, the employment center of the Ulyanovsk region notes an increase in ethnic diversity in the region, due to labor migration. However, Russians were and remain the dominant ethnic group in the region, their number is about 70%. In second place are the Tatars - 11.5%, their number is growing every year. In third place are the Chuvashs (7%), in fourth - Mordvinians (3%). The remaining nationalities are represented in small groups, in general, each ethnic group accounts for less than 1% of the total number of inhabitants.
Population distribution
As in the whole country, the region is dominated by urban residents. 75% of all people in the region live in cities. The largest is the capital - Ulyanovsk. A little more than 600 thousand people live here, and this figure is constantly growing, and the urban agglomeration is also increasing. The population of the Ulyanovsk region of the Ulyanovsk region is about 70% of the total population of the region. The second major city is Dimitrovgrad with a population of 110 thousand people. Six settlements comprise from 10 to 20 thousand people, 16 settlements are inhabited by 5 to 10 thousand people. Small settlements today are experiencing demographic difficulties, there is an outflow of the population, mainly young people. This suggests that in the coming years, the roll towards the urban population will only grow.
Density and employment of the population of the Ulyanovsk region
An important demographic parameter of the region is the number of inhabitants per square kilometer. The higher the population density, the more difficult it is to provide people with quality infrastructure. In the Ulyanovsk region, the population density is 33 people per sq. Km. According to this indicator, the region ranks 29th in the country. This density indicates the moderate attractiveness of the place to stay.
An equally important sign of stability and success in the region is the provision of people with jobs. To date, the Department of Employment of the Ulyanovsk Region has noted a slight increase in unemployment, it is 4.7%. This is slightly less than the national average.
