One of the most famous Russian cities in the world is St. Petersburg. He is very unusual. Its history, climate, architecture and even people are very different from other cities in the country. We will tell you about the characteristics of the population of the Northern capital, about which areas of St. Petersburg are most popular with residents and how things are going with work.
Settlement history
The city on the Neva appeared due to the desire of Peter the Great, who saw the gate to Europe here. The settlement dates back to May 16, 1703, when the first stone of the future Peter and Paul Fortress was laid on Hare Island. Under Peter, the city was actively built and in 1712 became the capital of Russia. In the Petrine era, Petersburg acquires a new face and continues to grow. At the end of the 18th century, the population exceeded 220 thousand people, then the Northern capital overtook ancient Moscow.
The second half of the 18th and 19th centuries became a real golden age for the city: many palaces, churches are being built here, educational institutions and various enterprises are opening. All this had a beneficial effect on the number of inhabitants. At the beginning of the 20th century, indigenous Petersburgers witnessed dramatic revolutionary events. The population of St. Petersburg is therefore declining. After 1917, the capital was renamed Petrograd, devastation and difficult times ensued. In 1918, the city loses its capital status. And in 1924 it was renamed Leningrad. He will return his historical name only in 1991, after a referendum among residents. Today, St. Petersburg rightfully bears the status of the cultural capital of Russia and is one of the most famous cities in the country.
Climate and ecology
The city of St. Petersburg is located in a zone of humid continental climate. Here, short, moderately warm summers and short, wet, cool winters. The longest seasons are spring and summer. The average annual temperature is about 6 degrees Celsius. In winter, the thermometer keeps at around minus 5-8 degrees during the day, in summer it rises to plus 20. The population of St. Petersburg experiences a shortage of sunlight, since there are only about 60 clear days in a year. The city has a lot of rainfall (approximately 660 mm) and is usually cloudy. In summer, a special natural phenomenon is observed in St. Petersburg - white nights.
The constantly growing number of city residents and cars leads to the fact that the environmental situation in St. Petersburg is unfavorable. The atmosphere is clogged with exhaust fumes, the Neva’s waters are polluted by poorly treated effluents. The ecology of the city is an object of constant monitoring and care of the administration.
Population size
To watch the number of citizens in St. Petersburg began in 1764, then almost 150 thousand people lived here. Until 1917, the population of St. Petersburg was growing steadily. In 1891, it overcame the figure of 1 million people. By the beginning of the revolutionary events of 1917, the city had 2.4 million inhabitants. The coup and the ensuing Civil and World War I led to the fact that the city begins to decline.
In 1918, 1.4 million people were already registered here, and after the transfer of the capital to Moscow in 1919, already 900 thousand people. Since 1921, a period of relative demographic stability sets in, the city is growing a bit. By the beginning of World War II, almost 3 million Petersburgers were living in the northern capital. During the war, the inhabitants of St. Petersburg fell into a blockade, which led to huge casualties. In 1945, 927 people remained here. After the war, the townspeople are gradually returning from evacuation, new residents begin to come to Leningrad.
At the end of the 50s, a 3-million population is already fixed here. With the beginning of perestroika, the cultural capital begins to experience significant demographic difficulties, the birth rate is falling, and mortality is increasing. If in 1991 there were 5 million inhabitants, then by 2008, 4.5 million remained. Migrants save the situation from catastrophic, as the natural growth of residents over the decades has remained negative. Since 2010, the situation has begun to improve slightly. For 2016, there are 5.22 million inhabitants in St. Petersburg.
City districts and population distribution
St. Petersburg is divided into 18 administrative districts. The fastest growing is the Primorsky district, it is also the largest, there are almost 550 thousand people. Many areas of St. Petersburg are gradually becoming a place of localization of enterprises and tourists. The central, Admiralteysky and Vasileostrovsky districts show a steady decrease in the number of inhabitants.
Demographic indicators
Today, St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia, the third in Europe and the largest northern city in the world. At the same time, the megalopolis has many demographic problems. The low birth rate so far can not overtake mortality. Growing life expectancy and low birth rates lead to the fact that the population of St. Petersburg is aging, and the demographic burden on able-bodied residents is growing. The population growth is provided by migrants, who are attracted to work in St. Petersburg and a fairly high standard of living.
