The city of Vladivostok is an important administrative, strategic and economic center of Primorsky Krai. It houses one of the main Russian ports in the Far East. In terms of cargo turnover, it is the fourth in the country. The city is also considered the final destination of the well-known Trans-Siberian Railway. The main base of the Russian Pacific Fleet is located on the coast of Vladivostok.
History of the nation
In ancient times, on the territory of the modern city there was a small state called Bohai. The locals were the Khitans. Then the territory passed into the possession of the Jurchen tribes. In the 8th century A. D. e. an Asian state was formed here, the name of which in translation meant "Eastern Xia". However, already in the middle of the 13th century, the Jurchen settlements were destroyed. The reason for this was the numerous attacks of the Mongols, as a result of which the territory fell into complete disrepair.
No one lived here for several decades, but gradually the region began to fill with nomadic peoples. At the end of the 13th century on the territory of the city, whose nametoday Vladivostok, the population numbered in the thousands. The main ethnic groups were the Han and the Manchus. They inhabited the southern region of Primorye.
The city received its official name in 1860. The Siberian flotilla landed in the Golden Horn Bay to establish a strategic post. The operation was commanded by Captain Alexei Shefner. It was he who named the port in the Sea of Japan Vladivostok.
In the 1930s, the city served as a transit point for large cargoes and prisoners. At that time, the local transit camp was very famous, in which all those objectionable to the Soviet regime were behind bars. Among those were the poet Mandelstam, and academician Korolev, and the writer Ginzburg, and many other popular figures. In the early 1940s, a correctional camp was based near the station Vtoraya Rechka, which was called Vladlag. Here the prisoners were engaged in logging and construction. In terms of spaciousness, Vladlag had no equal in the whole country. It could simultaneously contain up to 56 thousand people.
City after the collapse of the USSR
Until September 1991, Vladivostok was considered a closed administrative center. Its borders were open only to official delegations. Since January 1992, all foreigners have been free to visit the region at any time. Immediately after the signing of the corresponding decree by Yeltsin, the population of the city rapidly increased. Vladivostok has become an international center. A sea of emigrants poured across the border into the Soviet Union. Most of them were from China and nearby countries.
The collapse of the USSR had an extremely negative impact on the economic side of the city. Along with this, the standard of living of local residents fell. The result was a demographic crisis. The birth rate has dropped tenfold. In the late 1990s, young and able-bodied people rapidly left the country in search of a better life. China and Kazakhstan were the main points of urban migration.
Nevertheless, the crisis has not diminished the strategic importance of Vladivostok. It still remained one of the main trade and transport centers of the country. Improvement of the economic and social situation was outlined only by the beginning of the new millennium. The city peaked in 2012.
Administrative divisions
Vladivostok itself, as well as adjacent villages, such as Trudovoye, Beregovoye, Popova and others, are currently part of the municipality.
As for the city, it is divided into several districts. Each has its own history and economic structure. There are 5 administrative districts in Vladivostok: Pervomaisky, Leninsky, Sovetsky, Pervorechensky and Frunzensky.
The largest settlement in the region is Trudovoye. It is divided into 6 districts at once: Kurortny, Central, Northern, Southern, Ussuriysky and Western.
The city is managed by the Head of Administration, who forms decrees and orders based on the legislation of the Primorsky Territory and the Russian Federation. The structure of municipal authorities also includes the local Duma and sectoral executive bodies.
Population
Vladivostok is one of the fastest growing cities in Russia in recent years. The population has increased 6 times since the 1920s. The first census in the region was carried out at the end of the 19th century. Vladivostok, whose population was gradually growing, numbered about 29 thousand people. By the 1920s, similar figures amounted to about 90 thousand inhabitants.
With each successive decade, the demographic component has gotten better. In 1931, Vladivostok, with a population of around 140,000, was one of the most progressive cities in the eastern part of the RSFSR. After 25 years, the number has doubled. The city passed the threshold of 300 thousand citizens in the early 1960s. The positive trend continued until the early 1990s. The consequences of the collapse of the USSR in Vladivostok, whose population at that time was about 645 thousand people, felt already in the first months.
The economic crisis that has engulfed the whole of Russia and other post-Soviet countries has had a negative impact on the population of Primorsky Krai. So, over the next 10 years, Vladivostok was empty by almost 10%. The situation began to level off only in 2010. In 2013, the number was just over 600 thousand people.
Demographic component
On average, the population of Vladivostok is replenished by 4,000 inhabitants annually. Most of the newly minted citizens are migrants from the Asian half of the continent. As for the birth rate, it is slightly less than 4%from the total number of citizens. In turn, the mortality rate for the past few years has been at the level of 3.5%. In 2013, for the first time since the collapse of the USSR, the number of newborns exceeded the number of deaths. Every year, between 6,000 and 7,000 children are born in the city.
The migration balance is also positive. It's all about the increased comfort level of life. Every year, the city authorities invest huge sums in the development of he althcare, the economy, housing and communal services and social construction. In the last couple of years alone, more than 50,000 migrants have come to the city. At the same time, 20% less people left Vladivostok.
Population of Vladivostok in 2014
During this period, the number of the city increased by 1, 4 thousand citizens. This is far from a record result, but the positive trend continues. The total population of Vladivostok in 2014 is about 603 thousand people.
There is also a positive trend in fertility. Together with a decrease in mortality, the demographic natural increase amounted to more than 200 people. Similar migration indicators are kept at around 1.1 thousand visitors.
Despite the fact that the population of Vladivostok in 2014 is more than 600 thousand citizens, the authorities of the region are doing everything possible to provide their residents with work. At the moment, only about 3% of able-bodied citizens need employment.
Population of Vladivostok today
In terms of demographic size, the city is in the all-Russian rating on the 25thplace. In total, 1114 settlements of the Russian Federation take part in the offset. This result is the highest in the history of the city with the proud name of Vladivostok.
The population in 2015 is more than 604.6 thousand citizens. At the moment, the birth rate has exceeded the death rate by 9 thousand people. There is a slight migration decline.
National composition
The population of Vladivostok in 2014 is 86% Russian. The next largest nationality are Ukrainians. More than 2.5% of them live in the city. Next on the list are Koreans and Tatars - 1% and 0.5% respectively.
From other ethnic groups with a significant number, one can distinguish Uzbeks, Armenians, Belarusians, Chinese, Azerbaijanis and Kazakhs.
