Population of St. Petersburg: size, composition, distribution

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

One of the most famous Russian cities in the world is St. Petersburg. He is very unusual. Its history, climate, architecture and even people differ in many ways from other cities in the country. Let's talk about the characteristics of the population of the Northern capital, about which districts of St. Petersburg are the most popular among residents and how things are going with work here.

History of settlement

The city on the Neva appeared thanks to the desire of Peter the Great, who saw here the gateway to Europe. The settlement traces its history 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 era of Peter the Great, Petersburg takes on 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 were built here, educational institutions were opened andvarious enterprises. All this had a beneficial effect on the number of inhabitants. At the beginning of the 20th century, native Petersburgers witnessed dramatic revolutionary events. As a result, the population of St. Petersburg is declining. After 1917, the capital was renamed Petrograd, devastation and hard times set in. 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 the inhabitants. 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 the zone of humid continental climate. There are 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 during the day stays around minus 5-8 degrees, 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 a year. The city receives a lot of precipitation (approximately 660 mm) and is usually overcast. 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 gases, the waters of the Neva are polluted by poorly treated sewage. The ecology of the city is an object of constant monitoring and careadministration.

Population

Monitoring the number of citizens in St. Petersburg began in 1764, when almost 150 thousand people lived here. Until 1917, the population of St. Petersburg grew steadily. In 1891, it surpassed the figure of 1 million people. By the beginning of the revolutionary events of 1917, there were 2.4 million inhabitants in the city. The coup and the ensuing Civil War and World War I caused the city to shrink.

In 1918, 1.4 million people were already recorded here, and after the transfer of the capital to Moscow in 1919, already 900 thousand people. Since 1921 there has been a period of relative demographic stability, the city is growing a little. By the beginning of World War II, almost 3 million Petersburgers lived in the northern capital. During the war years, the inhabitants of St. Petersburg fell into a blockade, which led to huge human casu alties. In 1945, 927 people remained here. After the war, the townspeople gradually returned from evacuation, new residents began to arrive in Leningrad.

At the end of the 50s, 3 million people were already recorded here. With the beginning of perestroika, the cultural capital begins to experience significant demographic difficulties, the birth rate falls, and the death rate rises. If in 1991 there were 5 million inhabitants, then by 2008 there are 4.5 million. Migrants are saving the situation from a catastrophic one, since the natural increase of inhabitants has remained negative for decades. Since 2010, the situation has started to improve slightly. For 2016 in St. Petersburgthere are 5.22 million inhabitants.

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, almost 550 thousand people live here. Many districts of St. Petersburg are gradually becoming a place of localization of enterprises and tourists. The Central, Admir alteisky and Vasileostrovskiy districts show a steady decrease in the number of residents.

Demographics

Today St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia, the third largest in Europe and the largest northern city in the world. At the same time, the metropolis has many demographic problems. The low birth rate still cannot overtake the death rate. Increasing life expectancy and a low birth rate are causing the population of St. Petersburg to age, and the demographic burden on the able-bodied population is growing. Population growth is provided by migrants who are attracted by work in St. Petersburg and a fairly high standard of living.

Economy and employment

The northern capital attracts migrants and residents primarily by the opportunity to find work. The city is one of the largest economic centers of the country; there are many manufacturing, industrial and service enterprises operating here. Therefore, many districts of St. Petersburg are turning into real industrial zones, but on the other hand, this provides great opportunities for employment. Unemployment in the city is fixed at the level1.5%, while there are always a fairly large number of vacancies, mainly for unskilled personnel and workers. Therefore, there is work in St. Petersburg, but the residents do not like it.