The history of the Volga region has more than one millennium. Once these lands were part of the Volga Bulgaria, the Polovtsian Steppe, the Golden Horde and Russia and were a habitat for different peoples. The composition of the population has changed over time. Today the Ulyanovsk region is located here. Who now inhabits these lands, what is the number, living and working conditions of the local population, what is the specificity of the region as a whole? This will be discussed in this article.
Geographic location of the Ulyanovsk region
In the Middle Volga region, south of Tatarstan, along the Volga, lies the Ulyanovsk region. In the south it borders on the Saratov region, in the east - on the Samara region, in the west - on Mordovia and the Penza region. The region ranks 59th in terms of area among 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, or 0.2 of the entire territory of the country. From a geographic pointIn terms of view, the region can be divided into the Trans-Volga region, which is distinguished by a hilly relief, and the Pre-Volga region, which has a flat surface. The main reservoir of the region, except for the Volga, is the Kuibyshev reservoir.
Climate
The geographical location of an area determines its nature and weather. The Ulyanovsk region extends in the temperate continental climate zone and in three natural zones: steppe, forest-steppe and taiga. There are many broadleaf and pine forests in the region.
Due to the abundance of flat territories and relatively mild climate, the population of the Ulyanovsk region is engaged in various types of agriculture. Winter in these parts begins in mid-November and ends in mid-March. Winters are quite snowy and moderately cold, the average January temperature is minus 13 degrees. But there are also frosts up to 40 degrees. Warmth in the region lasts from mid-March to mid-September. On average, the temperature rises at this time to 20-22 degrees. In summer, drought and heat often occur. Autumn and spring are usually dry and warm, with the most rainfall between April and October.
History of settlement
Relatively favorable climate, a large number of forests and lands suitable for agriculture, have led to the fact that the population of the Ulyanovsk region has very ancient roots. The first inhabitants in the region appeared 100 thousand years ago. The oldest culture, the existence of which in this area is confirmed by archaeological finds, dates back to the 3rd-6th centuries. AD and is called Imenkovskaya. These people were of Slavic origin. Later, representatives of the Volyntsev, Kolochin and Penkiv cultures lived here. It is believed that part of the ancestors of Kievan Rus - from here. In the 15th century, these lands became part of the Kazan Khanate. And since the middle of the 16th century, the Volga Cossacks have been mastering the region.
In the middle of the 17th century, the Simbirsk fortress was built in these parts, which was part of the notch line, i.e. borders. The first test of the fortress was the siege of the troops led by Stepan Razin. The 18th century is the time of active development of the Volga lands, the borders go further and the region becomes a province of the Russian state.
At the end of the 18th century, the Simbirsk province was established, which existed until 1924. Already under Soviet rule, Simbirsk began to be called Ulyanovsk. Later, the region became part of the Middle Volga region. And only in 1943, an independent territorial unit appears - the Ulyanovsk region.
Administrative division of the region
The capital of the region is the city of the same name - Ulyanovsk. The region has repeatedly undergone administrative reform. The last territorial division was established in 2006. Today, the population of the Ulyanovsk region lives in three cities of regional significance: Ulyanovsk, Novoulyanovsk and Dimitrovgrad and in 21 administrative districts.
31 urban settlements recorded in the region, not counting citiesregional scale, and 326 villages and towns. In the region, there is a gradual enlargement of cities and a decrease in the number of rural residents. However, this is a nationwide trend.
Population and its dynamics
Regular census of the inhabitants of the region began in 1897. At that time, 1.5 million people lived here. Due to social upheavals, by 1926 the population of the Ulyanovsk region decreased by about 200 thousand people. During the war and the period of restoration of the country, no one counted the inhabitants. And in 1959, 1.1 million people lived in the region. The next 40 years are marked by slow population growth. So, in 1995, 1.4 million people lived here. But perestroika and the social and demographic problems that followed it again provoked a decrease in the number of inhabitants of the region. Today, 1,252,887 people live in the Ulyanovsk region. There is a trend towards a slight decrease in the population of the region every year.
Ethnic composition of the population
The Volga region has always been a multinational region. Today, the employment center of the Ulyanovsk region notes the growth of ethnic diversity in the region, which is due to the migration of labor. However, Russians were and remain the dominant ethnic group in the region, their number is about 70%. In second place are the Tatars - 11.5%, their number is growing every year. In third place are the Chuvashs (7%), in fourth place are the Mordovians (3%). The rest of the nationalities are represented by small groups, in general, each ethnic group makes up less than 1% of the total number of inhabitants.
Population distribution
Like the rest of the country, the region is dominated by urban dwellers. 75% of all people in the region live in cities. The largest is the capital - Ulyanovsk. A little more than 600 thousand people live here, and this figure is constantly growing, and the urban agglomeration is also increasing. The population of the Ulyanovsk district of the Ulyanovsk region is about 70% of all residents of the region. The second largest city is Dimitrovgrad with a population of 110 thousand people. Six settlements have from 10 to 20 thousand people, 16 settlements have from 5 to 10 thousand people. Small settlements today are experiencing demographic difficulties, there is an outflow of the population, mainly young people. This suggests that the bias towards the urban population will only increase in the coming years.
Density and employment in the Ulyanovsk region
An important demographic parameter of the region is the number of inhabitants per square kilometer. The higher the population density, the more difficult it is to provide people with quality infrastructure. In the Ulyanovsk region, the population density is 33 people per sq. km. According to this indicator, the region ranks 29th in the country. This density indicates a moderately attractive place to live.
An equally important sign of the stability and success of the region is the provision of people with jobs. To date, the departmentemployment of the population of the Ulyanovsk region notes a slight increase in unemployment, it is 4.7%. This is somewhat less than the national average.
Infrastructure of the Ulyanovsk region
The quality of life in the region affects the number of inhabitants and their migration. The Ulyanovsk region is not a leader in terms of living conditions. The level of income and provision of the population with socially significant objects is at the average level in the country. Today, the region ranks 31st in the quality of life ranking. At the same time, quite active housing construction is underway here, industrial enterprises are successfully operating in the region, in particular, the Aviastar plant, UAZ, enterprises of the foreign concerns Mars and Henkel. The area is a traditional place for agriculture, which allows you to cover the local needs for basic foodstuffs.
