Stavropol is the administrative, business, cultural and industrial center of the region, which was given the name. This is one of the largest cities in the North Caucasus District. For the third year in a row, he was awarded first place at the All-Russian Competition in the nomination "The Most Comfortable Administrative Center of the Russian Federation." The population of Stavropol today is 429.571 thousand people. According to this indicator, the city is in 43rd place among the settlements of the Russian Federation.
Dynamics
The history of Stavropol began with the construction of a military fortress on this site. Over time, a settlement began to form inside her and in her environs. The expansion of the city is largely due to the capture of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire and the development of trade with it.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the population of Stavropol was about 20 thousand people. Over a period of one hundred years, it has doubled. At the beginning of the 19th century, the population of Stavropol already amounted to almost 50 thousand. The threshold of 100, 000 people was passed after the end of World War II. In 1956, the population of Stavropol already amounted to 123 thousand people. Over the next three years, it increased by 1.2 times.
In 1961, the population of Stavropol already exceeded 150 thousand. Over the next five years, it grew by 23 thousand. And in 1979, 258233 people lived in the city. The threshold of 300 thousand was passed by Stavropol in 1987. Then 306, 000 people lived in it. In 1989, the population of the city was 318.298 thousand.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Stavropol continued to expand. The population decline was recorded compared to the previous year only in the 1996th, 1998th and 2001th. At the beginning of 2000, 339.5 thousand lived in Stavropol. And in 2010, the population of the city was 398539 people. In 2012, the barrier of 400 thousand was finally overcome. In 2012, 404, 606 people lived in the city.
Thus, in the 1960s, the largest population growth rate was recorded. Its average rate was + 5.4% per year. It was somewhat smaller in the 1970s. Then the natural increase was about 3% per year. In the 1980s, city expansion slowed even further. The average growth rate during this period was about 2.11% per year. The lowest rate was recorded in 1989-2002. Then the growth rate averaged 0.84%. Over the past five years, the population of Stavropol has increased by 1.33% per year.
Important historical events
The settlement was founded in 1777. There was a Russian-Turkish war, and the soldiers had a camp here. Prince Grigory Potemkin built ten fortresses between Azov and Mozdok on the orders of Catherine the Great. Stavropol is one of them. Over time, Don Cossacks began to settle in him and his environs in order to defeat the Russian Empire from the inside. Stavropol received the status of the city in 1785th.
During its existence, he managed to change several names. Until 1935, the city was called the Stavropol-Caucasus. Over the next eight years - Voroshilovsky. Since 1943, it has a modern name.
Alexander the First in 1809 settled several Armenian families in Stavropol. This should have contributed to the development of trade in the region. The strategic location of Stavropol greatly helped the Russian Empire in the capture of the Caucasus.
By the beginning of the 19th century, the city turned into an important shopping center. During the Civil War, power in Stavropol changed several times. For a long time it was held by Denikin's units. Finally, the Red Army managed to recapture the city on January 29, 1920. Stavropol was occupied by the Germans during the Great Patriotic War from August 1942 to January 1943. The city was the base of the Luftwaffe and was used for the bombing of Soviet oil suppliers in Grozny. In January 1943, the Soviet Army managed to free the city. In 1946, a natural gas field was found in the vicinity of Stavropol. This greatly changed the fate of the city.
The etymology of the modern name
The word comes from combining two Greek words. In Caria, a Roman province in modern Anatolia, there was an archbishopric of Stavropolis. However, historically it has nothing to do with the name of the Russian city in question. Only translation is interesting. Stavropolis is the "City of the Cross." This name is associated with the legend. According to her, when the soldiers built a fortress on the future site of the city, they found a stone cross. Hence such an interesting name. Circassians call the city in a different way - Shetkala. That is Fort Shet.
Current performance
In 2015, the population of Stavropol was about 425.9 thousand people. This is 0.297% of the total number of residents in the Russian Federation. Between 2010 and 2015, the average population growth rate was positive. It amounted to + 1.33% per year. In 2016, 429.766 thousand live in Stavropol. Of these, only 195 people are rural residents. The population of the entire Stavropol Territory, according to January 2016, is 2.8 million people.
National composition
The population of Stavropol is almost entirely Russian. According to the 2010 census, 87.9% of those living in the city consider themselves to be this national group. In second place is the share of the population of Armenians. This national group makes up about 4.5% of all Stavropol residents. In third place in terms of numbers are Ukrainians. Their share is about 1% of the total population. Also in Stavropol live Karachevtsy, Greeks, Dargins, Azerbaijanis, Tatars and Lezghins.
By area
The population of Stavropol lives in three districts. The largest in area is Industrial. Then go Leninsky and October. Industrial occupies more than 165 square kilometers. Its population is 219.294 thousand. Thus, it is the largest not only in area, but also in the number of residents. In second place in terms of population Leninsky district. By area - October. According to the data for January 2016, 125.431 thousand people live in the Leninsky district. And in Oktyabrsky - 84846 people.
