In Russia there were several large and significant cities, one of the most famous among them is Veliky Novgorod. The population here over the centuries of existence has grown significantly, the area of the settlement has also increased. And what is it like to live today in this ancient city? Let's talk about the features of the city, its population, living conditions of people.
Geographical position
Veliky Novgorod, whose population we are considering, is located on the Volkhov River, in the north-west of the Russian Federation. It is separated by about 500 km from Moscow. The flat terrain of the city is determined by geographical location: it is located on the Priilmen lowland.
Ecology and weather
Veliky Novgorod is located in the zone of temperate continental climate. Therefore, there are quite cold winters, sometimes the thermometer drops to -30 degrees, and in warm summers, with average temperatures of about +20 degrees. Winters are quite snowy, and summers are often rainy, with a total annual rainfall of 550 mm.
The ecological situation in Veliky Novgorod is generally characterized as favorable. In the suburbs is the potentially dangerous chemical plant Akron. But the necessary checks are constantly carried out there, so that he does not pose a threat. The city has a lot of greenery, which allows the air to be kept clean enough, despite the growing number of cars.
Settlement history
The official date for the emergence of Novgorod is 859, although many historians insist on an earlier date. Archaeologists find evidence of the residence of Finno-Ugric tribes in the 5th century. In the 8th-9th centuries, there were already a certain number of people, trade was conducted.
A prosperous settlement constantly attracted invaders and Veliky Novgorod, whose population was gradually growing, was often subjected to ruin and siege. This tempered the Novgorodians, and they became very skilled warriors, could withstand the most modern troops of those times.
From the 12th to the 15th century the city was the capital of the republic of the same name. The independence and wealth of Novgorodians did not give rest to the states surrounding it: Livonians, Tatars, Swedes, Muscovites. And under heavy pressure in 1478, the republic was annexed to the Moscow Principality.
As part of the Russian state, Novgorod had to go through many difficult periods. But he always remained a city of military glory. In different periods, the city belonged to different administrative units of the country. And only in 1944 the Novgorod region was formed, and the settlement became the capital.
Administrative division
Geographically, Veliky Novgorod, whose population is distributed unevenly in different parts of it, is divided into 9 districts. These are several villages absorbed by the city, and the original parts: center, train station, west.
The western region is the most attractive for life. It has a well-developed social infrastructure, high-quality, but not new housing, and high transport availability. The city center is famous for sights that are pleasant to see, but living here is quite expensive and problematic due to transport difficulties and cramped spaces.
The most populated area is the so-called Trading Side, many shops, banks, restaurants are really concentrated here. But there are a lot of residential real estate here.
Urban infrastructure
The comfort of the city is usually assessed by the development of its social sphere. Social protection of the population in Veliky Novgorod notes that a sufficient number of social welfare facilities are operating in the city. There are many kindergartens and schools in Novgorod, there are enough clinics and hospitals. The city is not bad with roads and transport, traffic jams, of course, happen, but not catastrophic.
Population dynamics
Veliky Novgorod, whose population began to be counted as early as 1571, today belongs to small Russian cities. In 2017, 222 thousand people live in it. The smallest number of inhabitants in the city was in 1671 - only 200 people. And the maximum number was recorded in 1992, then there were 235 thousand people. Since 1993, the number of Novgorodians has decreased slightly, but not as much as in many other cities. In the past 10 years, the balance of numbers has fluctuated either upward or downward, but these changes are very small.
Employment
The attractiveness of any city for residents is due to the availability of jobs. The Employment Center in Veliky Novgorod notes that unemployment here is at levels lower than the national average. But the crisis leads to an increase in the number of unemployed people. The main employers are the Akron plant, as well as a developed trading infrastructure. In recent years, tourism has provided employment.
