One of the oldest regions of Russia, the Tula region, has an ancient and interesting history, which happened primarily thanks to people. The population of the Tula region is, on the one hand, a typical picture for the country, on the other hand, there are specific features that are worth talking about.
Geography of the region
Tula region is located almost in the center of the European part of Russia. About 150 km separates Tula from the capital of the country. The region borders on the Moscow, Lipetsk, Ryazan, Oryol and Kaluga regions. The area of the region is 25.6 thousand square meters. km. Location in the northeastern part of the Central Russian Upland determines the flat relief of the region.
Tula region is located in the steppe and forest-steppe zones. There is a supply of fresh water in the form of a developed river network belonging to the Oka and Don basins. Several reservoirs have been created to provide water to settlements. However, during dry periods, the region experiences a slight water shortage.
Tula region has always been famous for its forests, today about 13% of the territory is occupied by deciduous plantations. There are few minerals around Tula. These are several coal and ore deposits, including strontium, rich peat deposits are being developed, limestone has been mined near Tula since the 15th century.
The fertile soils of the region have long been actively used for agriculture. The population of the Tula region most intensively develops the southern black earth territories.
Climatic conditions
The region is located in the temperate continental climate zone, which is characterized by cold but not severe winters and warm summers. Average annual temperatures are kept at plus 5 degrees. The period with positive indicators on the thermometer is up to 220 days a year.
Precipitation up to 570 mm quite often falls in the region. The summer season starts at the end of May and lasts until the beginning of September, the average temperature in July, the hottest month, is +19 degrees.
Winter starts in November, at the end of the same month the snow cover is established. The coldest month is January, the thermometer on average at this time drops to minus 10 degrees.
Sufficiently favorable, typical for central Russia weather conditions led to the fact that people have always lived here. The population of the Tula region has adapted well to its climate and finds it comfortable for living. There are no severe frosts and sweltering heat, the sun often shines. All this has a positive effect on agricultural yields. crops, as well as mushrooms and berries, which are rich in local forests.
History of settlement in the region
The first people came to these lands 12 thousand years ago. Remains of human settlements of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic eras have been repeatedly found here. Aliens from the banks of the Desna River, descendants of the B alts and Vyatichi people, lived here.
Scientists are wondering what kind of population of the Tula region is considered indigenous? The traditional version is accepted that the bulk of the inhabitants come from the first Slavic tribes, other peoples are only an additional ethnic composition.
Vyatichi were hardworking and skilled people, they were skilled in metallurgy, agriculture, weaving. They had to pay tribute to the Khazars, the princes of Kyiv, so as not to be raided. But from time to time, attacks did occur, for defense the fortress city of Dedoslavl was erected, then Belev with a powerful oak fortress, then Novosil, Tula and Aleksin appeared. All these were large and strong settlements. They are repeatedly mentioned by various chroniclers.
In 1380, the famous Battle of Kulikovo took place on the territory of the region, after which the unification of Russian lands around Moscow began. The Tula region is becoming an important defense region on the southern borders of the Moscow kingdom.
In the 17th century, the industrial development of the Tula lands began, powerful metallurgical workshops were built here, in which high-class weapons were made forRussian army. At the end of the 18th century, the Tula province was created, an industrial boom began, which lasted with short interruptions until the beginning of the 20th century.
In Soviet times, the Tula region was an ordinary, but significant region. Industry and agriculture are actively developing here, and mineral deposits are being developed. In post-Soviet times, the region begins to develop the tourism sector, and several enterprises appear here to ensure the relative economic stability of the region.
Population dynamics
Since 1897, regular monitoring of the number of inhabitants in the region has been carried out. At that time, 1.4 million people lived here. Prior to perestroika in the 20th century, the region grew quite steadily, albeit at an insignificant rate. And since the end of the 80s, a strong decline begins. So, in 1978 there were 1.906 million people in the region, and in 2000 - already 1.743 million. And the decline continues to this day.
Today the population of the Tula region is 1.506 million people. The “maternity capital” program, which showed high efficiency, did not help the region get out of the demographic peak. But many other factors lead to the fact that the region is empty. The catastrophe situation is held back by the annual arrival of migrants, mostly residents from the CIS countries. Almost 3,000 people come to the region every year. Today, experts are not ready to answer how many people will be in the Tula region in the future, but the administration clearly has problems thatit is necessary to decide so that the region is not completely empty.
Administrative division and population distribution
Today the average population density of the Tula region is 58.6 people per sq. km. km. However, there is a clear preponderance in density between cities and rural areas. Over the past 50 years, the number of city dwellers has increased by 20%. Today, 1.2 million people live in cities, that is, almost 80% of all residents are city dwellers. Villages are empty and dying. Today, the population of the cities of the Tula region is distributed as follows: the largest settlement is Tula (485 thousand people), other cities are much smaller in number. Novomoskovsk - 126 thousand people, Donskoy - 64 thousand people, Aleksin - 58 thousand people, Shchekino - 57 thousand people, Uzlovaya - 52 thousand people. Other cities are even smaller. The smallest town is Chekalin (965 people).
Demographic characteristics
The population of the Tula region shows a clear trend towards aging. Birth and death rates are falling, the population begins to live a little longer, on average up to 69 years. This is a very low figure for Russia, which indicates the unfavorable living conditions in the region.
The region has a high level of suicide, and deaths from social vices are also significant. The environmental situation, which is not very good in the region today, also negatively affects life expectancy. The demographic burden is 773 disabled people for each1,000 workers (in neighboring regions, this figure is 711 people).
Characteristics of the population
The population living in the Tula region is predominantly Russian, about 95%. 1% are Ukrainians, other ethnic groups are represented by groups of less than 1%. The main language of communication is also Russian. The dominant religion is Orthodoxy.
