The population of cities in the Russian Federation. The largest cities in Russia by population

There are cities in the world with a large number population. And nothing else if the city occupies a large territory, and the population density in it is small. And if the city has very little land? It happens after all, that the country is small, but around the city there are rocks and the sea? So the city has to build up. At the same time, the population per square kilometer is growing rapidly. The city goes from simple to densely populated. We immediately note that it is population density that is taken into account here, while there are other ratings, where megacities are located by area, number of inhabitants, number of skyscrapers, as well as many other parameters. You can find most of these ratings on LifeGlobe. We will go directly to our list. So what are the biggest cities in the world?

Top 10 most populous cities in the world.

1. Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city in China and one of the largest cities in the world, located in the Yangtze River Delta. One of the four cities of the central subordination of the PRC, an important financial and cultural center of the country, as well as the world's largest seaport. By the beginning of the XX century. Shanghai has evolved from a small fishing town to China's most important city and the world's third financial center after London and New York. In addition, the city became the focus of popular culture, vice, intellectual disputes and political intrigue in Republican China. Shanghai is the financial and commercial center of China. Market reforms in Shanghai began in 1992, a decade later than in the southern provinces. Prior to this, most of the city's income went irrevocably to Beijing. Even after the tax relief in 1992, tax revenues from Shanghai accounted for 20-25% of revenues from all of China (before the 1990s, this figure was about 70%). Today, Shanghai is the largest and most developed city in mainland China. In 2005, Shanghai became the world's largest port in terms of cargo turnover (443 million tons of cargo).

According to the 2000 census, the population of the whole of Shanghai (including the non-urban area) is 16.738 million, this figure also includes temporary residents in Shanghai, whose number is 3.871 million. Since the last census in 1990, the population of Shanghai has increased by 3.396 million or 25.5%. Men make up 51.4% of the city's population, women - 48.6%. Children under 14 make up 12.2% of the population, age group 15-64 years old - 76.3%, older people over 65 - 11.5%. 5.4% of Shanghai's population is illiterate. In 2003, there were 13.42 million officially registered residents in Shanghai, and more than 5 million people. live and work informally in Shanghai, of which about 4 million are seasonal workers, mainly from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The average life expectancy in 2003 was 79.80 years (men - 77.78 years, women - 81.81 years).

Like many other regions in China, Shanghai is experiencing a construction boom. The modern architecture of Shanghai is distinguished by its unique style, - in particular, the upper floors of high-rise buildings, occupied by restaurants, are shaped like flying saucers. Most of the buildings under construction in Shanghai today are high-rise residential buildings, varying in height, color and design. Organizations responsible for urban development planning are now increasingly focusing on the creation of green spaces and parks within residential complexes to improve the quality of life of Shanghainese people, which is in line with the slogan of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai: “ Best City - better life". Historically, Shanghai was very westernized, and now it is again taking on the role of the main center of communication between China and the West. One example of this is the opening of the information center for the exchange of medical knowledge between Western and Chinese health institutions Pac-Med Medical Exchange. Pudong has houses and streets that are very similar to the business and residential areas of modern American and Western European cities. Nearby are major international shopping and hotel areas. Despite the high population density and a large number of visitors, Shanghai is known for its very low crime rate towards foreigners.

As of January 1, 2009, the population of Shanghai is 18,884,600, if the area of ​​this city is 6,340 sq. km, and the population density is 2,683 people per sq. km.

2. Karachi

KARACHI, the largest city, the main economic center and seaport of Pakistan, is located at the Indus River Delta, 100 km from its confluence with the Arabian Sea. The administrative center of the province of Sindh. The population in 2004 is 10.89 million people. It arose at the beginning of the 18th century. on the site of the Baloch fishing village Kalachi. From the end of the 18th century under the rulers of Sind from the Talpur dynasty, it was the main Sindh maritime and trading center on the Arabian coast. In 1839 it became a naval base of Great Britain, in 1843-1847 - the capital of the province of Sindh, and then the main city of the region, which was part of the Bombay Presidency. Since 1936 - the capital of the province of Sindh. In 1947-1959 it was the capital of Pakistan. The favorable geographical position of the city, located in a convenient natural harbor, contributed to its rapid growth and development during the colonial period, and especially after the partition of British India into two independent states in 1947 - India and Pakistan.

The transformation of Karachi into the main political and economic center of the country led to a rapid population growth, mainly due to the influx of immigrants from outside: in 1947-1955. from 350 thousand people up to 1.5 million people. Karachi is the largest city in the country and is one of the largest cities in the world. The main trade, economic and financial center of Pakistan, a seaport (15% of GDP and 25% of tax revenues to the budget). About 49% are concentrated in Karachi and suburbs industrial production country. Plants: a metallurgical plant (the largest in the country, built with the assistance of the USSR, 1975-85), oil refineries, machine-building, car assembly, ship repair, chemical, cement plants, enterprises of the pharmaceutical, tobacco, textile, food (sugar) industries (concentrated in several industrial zones : CITY - Sind Industrial Trading Estate, Landhi, Malir, Korangi, etc. The largest commercial banks, branches of foreign banks, central offices and branches of insurance companies, stock and cotton exchanges, offices of major trading companies (including foreign ones). International Airport (1992) Port of Karachi (handling over 9 million tons per year) serves up to 90% of the country's maritime trade and is the largest port in South Asia.
The largest cultural and scientific center: university, research institutions, Aga Khan University of Medical Sciences, Hamdard Foundation Center for Oriental Medicine, National Museum of Pakistan, Naval Forces Museum. Zoo (in the former City Gardens, 1870). Mausoleum of Qaid-i Azam M. A. Jinnah (1950s), University of Sindh (founded in 1951, M. Ecoshar), Art Center (1960). from local pink limestone and sandstone. The business center of Karachi - Shara-i-Faisal streets, Jinnah Road and Chandrigar Road with buildings mainly of the 19th-20th centuries: the High Court (early 20th century, neoclassical), the Pearl Continental Hotel (1962), architects W. Tabler and Z. Pathan), State Bank (1961, architects J. L. Ricci and A. Kayum). Northwest of Jinnah Road - Old Town with narrow streets, one and two-story houses. In the south - the fashionable area of ​​Clifton, built up mainly with villas. Buildings of the 19th century are also distinguished. in the Indo-Gothic style - Frere Hall (1865) and Express Market (1889). Saddar, Zamzama, Tarik Road are the main shopping streets of the city, where hundreds of shops and shops are located. A significant number of modern high-rise buildings, luxury hotels (Avari, Marriott, Sheraton) and shopping centers.

In 2009, the population of this city is 18,140,625, the area is 3,530 sq. km, the population density is 5,139 people. per km.sq.

3.Istanbul

One of the main reasons for the transformation of Istanbul into a world metropolis was the geographical position of the city. Istanbul, located at the intersection of 48 degrees north latitude and 28 degrees east longitude, is the only city in the world that is located on two continents. Istanbul lies on 14 hills, each of which has its own name, but now we will not bore you with listing them. The following should be noted - the city consists of three unequal parts, into which it is divided by the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn (a small bay 7 km long). On the European side: a historical peninsula located in the south of the Golden Horn, and in the north of the Golden Horn - the districts of Beyolu, Galata, Taksim, Besiktash, on the Asian side - the "New City". On the European continent there are numerous commercial and service centers, on the Asian - mostly residential areas.

Overall, Istanbul, 150 km long and 50 km wide, has an approximate area of ​​7,500 km. But no one knows its true borders, it is about to merge with the city of Izmit in the east. With continuous migration from villages (up to 500,000 per year), the population is intensively increasing. Every year, 1,000 new streets appear in the city, and new residential areas are built up in the west-east axis. The population is constantly increasing by 5% per year, i.e. doubles every 12 years. Every 5 resident of Turkey lives in Istanbul. The number of tourists visiting this marvelous city reaches 1.5 million. The population itself is not exactly known to anyone, officially, according to the latest census, 12 million people lived in the city, although now this figure has increased to 15 million, and some argue that 20 million people already live in Istanbul.

Tradition says that the founder of the city in the 7th century BC. there was a Megarian leader Byzant, to whom the Delphic oracle predicted where it would be better to arrange a new settlement. The place really turned out to be very successful - a cape between two seas - the Black and Marble, half in Europe, half in Asia. In the IV century AD. The Roman emperor Constantine chose the settlement of Byzantium to build the new capital of the empire, which was named Constantinople in his honor. After the fall of Rome in 410, Constantinople finally established itself as the undisputed political center of the empire, which since then was no longer called Roman, but Byzantine. The city reached its highest prosperity under the emperor Justinian. It was the center of fabulous wealth and incredible luxury. In the 9th century, the population of Constantinople numbered about a million people! The main streets had sidewalks and sheds, they were decorated with fountains and columns. It is believed that a copy of Constantinople architecture is represented by Venice, where bronze horses are installed on the portal of St.
In 2009, the population of this city is 16,767,433, the area is 2,106 sq. km, the population density is 6,521 people. per sq. km

4.Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan, its administrative, financial, cultural and industrial center. It is located in the southeastern part of the island of Honshu, on the Kanto plain in the bay of the Tokyo Bay of the Pacific Ocean. Area - 2 187 sq. km. Population - 15,570,000 people. The population density is 5,740 people/km2, the highest among the prefectures of Japan.

Officially, Tokyo is not a city, but one of the prefectures, more precisely, the metropolitan area, the only one in this class. Its territory, in addition to part of the island of Honshu, includes several small islands to the south of it, as well as the islands of Izu and Ogasawara. Tokyo District consists of 62 administrative divisions - cities, towns and rural communities. When they say "the city of Tokyo", they usually mean the 23 special districts included in the metropolitan area, which from 1889 to 1943 constituted the administrative unit of the city of Tokyo, and now they themselves are equated in status to cities; each has its own mayor and city council. The metropolitan government is headed by a popularly elected governor. The government headquarters is located in Shinjuku, which is the county's municipal seat. Tokyo is also home to the state government and the Tokyo Imperial Palace (the obsolete name is also used - Tokyo Imperial Castle) - the main residence of the Japanese emperors.

Although the Tokyo area was inhabited by tribes as early as the Stone Age, the city began to play an active role in history relatively recently. In the 12th century, a fort was built here by the local Edo warrior Taro Shigenada. According to tradition, he received the name Edo from his place of residence. In 1457, Ota Dokan, ruler of the Kanto region under the Japanese shogunate, built Edo Castle. In 1590, it was taken over by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of the shogun clan. Thus, Edo became the capital of the shogunate, while Kyoto remained the imperial capital. Ieyasu created long-term management institutions. The city grew rapidly and by the 18th century became one of the largest cities in the world. In 1615, Ieyasu's armies destroyed their opponents - the Toyotomi clan, thereby gaining absolute power for about 250 years. As a result of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the shogunate came to an end, in September, Emperor Mutsuhito moved the capital here, calling it the "Eastern Capital" - Tokyo. This sparked a debate whether Kyoto could still be the capital. In the second half of the 19th century, industry began to develop rapidly, followed by shipbuilding. The Tokyo-Yokohama railway was built in 1872, and the Kobe-Osaka-Tokyo railway in 1877. Until 1869 the city was called Edo. On September 1, 1923, the largest earthquake (7-9 on the Richter scale) occurred in Tokyo and the surrounding area. Almost half of the city was destroyed, a strong fire broke out. About 90,000 people became victims. Although the reconstruction plan turned out to be very expensive, the city began to partially recover. The city was again seriously damaged during World War II. The city was subjected to massive air attacks. More than 100,000 inhabitants were killed in one raid alone. Many wooden buildings burned down, the old Imperial Palace suffered. After the war, Tokyo was occupied by the military, during the Korean War it became a major military center. Several American bases still remain here (Yokota military base, etc.). In the middle of the 20th century, the country's economy began to rapidly revive (which was described as the "Economic Miracle"), in 1966 it became the second largest economy in the world. The revival from war injuries was proved by the hosting of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where the city showed itself favorably on the international stage. Since the 70s, Tokyo has been swept by a wave work force from rural areas, which led to the further development of the city. By the end of the 1980s, it had become one of the most dynamically developing cities in the world. On March 20, 1995, there was a gas attack on the Tokyo subway using sarin. The attack was carried out by the religious sect Aum Shinrikyo. As a result, more than 5,000 people were injured, 11 of them died. Seismic activity in the Tokyo area has led to discussions about moving Japan's capital to another city. Three candidates have been named: Nasu (300 km north), Higashino (near Nagano, central Japan) and a new city in Mie province, near Nagoya (450 km west of Tokyo). A government decision has already been received, although no further action is being taken. At present, Tokyo continues to develop. Projects for the creation of artificial islands are being consistently implemented. The most notable project is Odaiba, which is now a major shopping and entertainment center.

5. Mumbai

The history of the emergence of Mumbai - a dynamic modern city, the financial capital of India and the administrative center of the state of Maharashtra - is quite unusual. In 1534, the Sultan of Gujarat ceded a group of seven useless islands to the Portuguese, who, in turn, gave them to the Portuguese princess Catharina of Braganza on her wedding day to King Charles II of England in 1661. In 1668, the British government surrendered the islands leased to the East India Company for 10 pounds of gold a year, and gradually Mumbai grew into a center of trade. In 1853, the first railway line in the subcontinent was laid from Mumbai to Thane, and in 1862, a colossal land management project turned the seven islands into a single whole - Mumbai embarked on the path of becoming the largest metropolis. During its existence, the city changed its name four times, and for those who are not an expert in geography, its former name, Bombay, is more familiar. Mumbai, after the historical name of the area, became known again in 1997. Today it is a lively city with a strong character: the largest industrial and commercial center, it is still actively interested in theater and other arts. Mumbai is also home to India's main film industry, Bollywood.

Mumbai is the most populated city India: In 2009, the population of the city was 13,922,125. Together with satellite cities, it forms the fifth largest urban agglomeration in the world with a population of 21.3 million people. The area occupied by Greater Mumbai is 603.4 square meters. km. The city stretched along the coast of the Arabian Sea for 140 km.

6. Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, the administrative, cultural and economic center of the country and one of the largest cities in South America.

Buenos Aires is located at a distance of 275 km from the Atlantic Ocean in a well-protected bay of La Plata Bay, on the right bank of the Riachuelo River. The average air temperature in July is +10 degrees, and in January +24. The amount of precipitation in the city is - 987 mm per year. The capital is located in the northeastern part of Argentina, on a flat area, in a subtropical natural zone. The natural vegetation of the surroundings of the city is represented by species of trees and grasses typical of meadow steppes and savannahs. The greater Buenos Aires consists of 18 suburbs, total area is 3646 square kilometers.

The population of the Argentine capital proper is 3,050,728 (2009 estimate) people, which is 275 thousand (9.9%) more than it was in 2001 (2,776,138, census). In total, the urban agglomeration, including numerous suburbs immediately adjacent to the capital, is home to 13,356,715 (2009 estimate). Residents of Buenos Aires have a half-joking nickname - porteños (lit. residents of the port). The population of the capital and suburbs is rapidly increasing, including due to the immigration of guest workers from Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru and other neighboring countries. The city is very multiethnic, but the main division of communities occurs along class lines, and not along racial lines, as in the United States. The majority of the population are Spaniards and Italians, descendants of both the settlers of the Spanish colonial period 1550-1815 and the larger wave of European immigrants to Argentina in 1880-1940. About 30% are mestizos and representatives of other nationalities, among which communities stand out: Arabs, Jews, British, Armenians, Japanese, Chinese and Koreans, there is also a large number of immigrants from neighboring countries, primarily from Bolivia and Paraguay, in Lately from Korea, China and Africa. During the colonial period, groups of Indians, mestizos and Negro slaves were noticeable in the city, gradually dissolving into the southern European population, although their cultural and genetic influences are still felt today. Thus, the genes of modern residents of the capital are quite mixed compared to white Europeans: on average, the genes of the inhabitants of the capital are 71.2% European, 23.5% Indian and 5.3% African. At the same time, depending on the quarter, African impurities vary from 3.5% to 7.0%, and Indian from 14.0% to 33%. . The official language in the capital is Spanish. Other languages ​​- Italian, Portuguese, English, German and French - are now practically out of use as mother tongues due to the mass assimilation of immigrants from the second half of the 19th - early 19th century. XX centuries., but are still taught as foreign. During the period of the mass influx of Italians (especially Neapolitans), a mixed Italian-Spanish sociolect lunfardo spread in the city, gradually disappearing, but leaving traces in the local language variant of the Spanish language (See Spanish in Argentina). Among the believing population of the city, the majority are adherents of Catholicism, a small part of the inhabitants of the capital profess Islam and Judaism, but in general, the level of religiosity is extremely low, as the secular-liberal way of life prevails. The city is divided into 47 administrative districts, the division was originally based on reference to Catholic parishes, and remained so until 1940.

7. Dhaka

The name of the city is formed from the name of the Hindu goddess of fertility Durga or from the name of the tropical tree Dhaka, which gives valuable resin. Dhaka is located on the northern bank of the turbulent Buriganda River almost in the center of the country and looks more like the legendary Babylon than the modern capital. Dhaka is a river port in the delta of the Ganges Brahmaputra, as well as a center for water tourism. Despite the fact that travel by water is quite slow, water transport in the country is well developed, safe and widely used. The oldest section of the city, lying north of the coastline, is an ancient trading center for the Mughal Empire. In the Old City there is an unfinished fortress - Fort LaBad, dating from 1678, which houses the mausoleum of Bibi Pari (1684). It is also worth paying attention to more than 700 mosques, including the famous Hussein Dalan, located in the old City. Now the old City is a vast area between the two main water transport terminals, Sadarghat and Badam Tole, where the impressions of observing everyday life the rivers are especially charming and interesting. Also in the old part of the city there are traditional large oriental bazaars.

The population of the city is 9,724,976 inhabitants (2006), with suburbs - 12,560 thousand people (2005).

8. Manila

Manila is the capital and main city of the Central Region of the Republic of the Philippines, which occupies the Philippine Islands in the Pacific Ocean. In the west, the islands are washed by the South China Sea, in the north they are adjacent to Taiwan through the Bashi Strait. Located on the island of Luzon (the largest in the archipelago), the metropolis of Manila includes, in addition to Manila itself, four more cities and 13 municipalities. The name of the city comes from two Tagalog (local Filipino) words "may" meaning "to be" and "nilad" - the name of the original settlement located on the banks of the Pasig River and the bay. Prior to the conquest of Manila by the Spaniards in 1570, Muslim tribes lived on the islands, who were intermediaries in the trade of the Chinese with South Asian merchants. After a fierce struggle, the Spaniards occupied the ruins of Manila, which the natives set on fire to escape the invaders. After 20 years, the Spaniards returned and built defensive structures. In 1595, Manila became the capital of the Archipelago. From that time until the 19th century, Manila was the center of trade between the Philippines and Mexico. With the arrival of Europeans, the Chinese were limited in free trade and repeatedly rebelled against the colonists. In 1898, the Americans invaded the Philippines, and after several years of war, the Spaniards ceded their colony to them. Then the American-Philippine war began, which ended in 1935 with the independence of the islands. During the period of US domination, several enterprises of the light and food industries, oil refineries, and the production of building materials were opened in Manila. During World War II, the Philippines was occupied by the Japanese. The state gained its final independence in 1946. Currently, Manila is the main seaport, financial and industrial center of the country. The plants and factories of the capital produce electrical engineering, chemicals, clothes, foodstuffs, tobacco, etc. The city has several markets and shopping centers with low prices attracting visitors from all over the Republic. In recent years, the role of tourism has been growing.

In 2009, the population of this city is 12,285,000.

9 Delhi

Delhi is the capital of India, a city of 13 million people that most travelers cannot miss. A city in which all the classic Indian contrasts are fully manifested - grandiose temples and dirty slums, bright holidays of life and quiet death in the gateways. A city in which it is difficult for a simple Russian person to live for more than two weeks, after which he will begin to quietly go crazy - incessant movement, general fuss, noise and din, an abundance of dirt and poverty will be a good test for you. Like any city with a thousand-year history, Delhi has many interesting places worth visiting. Most of them are located in two districts of the city - Old and New Delhi, between which there is the Pahar Ganj area, where most independent travelers (Main Bazaar) stop. Among the most interesting sights of Delhi include Jama Masjid Mosque, Lodhi Garden, Humayun Tomb, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, Lakshmi Narayana Temple ), the military fortresses of Lal Qila and Purana Qila.

For 2009, the population of this city is 11,954,217

10. Moscow

The city of Moscow is a huge metropolis, consisting of nine administrative districts, which include one hundred and twenty administrative districts, on the territory of Moscow there are many parks, gardens, forest parks.

The first written mention of Moscow dates back to 1147. But the settlements on the site of the modern city were much earlier, in a time remote from us, according to some historians, by 5 thousand years. However, all this belongs to the realm of legends and conjectures. No matter how everything happens, but in the XIII century Moscow is the center of an independent principality, and by the end of the XV century. it becomes the capital of the emerging unified Russian state. Since then, Moscow has been one of the largest cities in Europe. For centuries, Moscow has been an outstanding center of all-Russian culture, science, and art.

The largest city in Russia and Europe in terms of population (population as of July 1, 2009 - 10.527 million people), the center of the Moscow urban agglomeration. It is also one of the ten largest cities in the world.

The population of modern Russia lives mainly in cities. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the rural population predominated, currently the urban population dominates (73%, 108.1 million people). up to Until 1990, Russia experienced a steady increase in the urban population conducive rapid increase his specific gravity in the population of the country. If in 1913 the urban population accounted for only 18%, in 1985 - 72.4%, then in 1991 their number reached 109.6 million people (73.9%).

The main source of the steady growth of the urban population during the Soviet period was the influx of rural residents into the cities due to the redistribution between and agriculture. An important role in ensuring high rates of annual growth of the urban population is played by the transformation of some rural settlements into urban ones with a change in their functions. To a much lesser extent urban population countries grew due to the natural increase in the population of cities.

Since 1991 for the first time in many decades in Russia urban population began to decline. In 1991, the urban population decreased by 126 thousand people, in 1992 - by 752 thousand people, in 1993 - by 549 thousand people, in 1994 - by 125 thousand people, in 1995 .- per 200 thousand people. Thus, for 1991-1995. the reduction amounted to 1 million 662 thousand people. As a result, the share of the country's urban population decreased from 73.9% to 73.0%, but by 2001 it had risen to 74% with an urban population of 105.6 million people.

The largest absolute reduction in the urban population occurred in the Central (387 thousand people). Far East (368 thousand people) and West Siberian (359 thousand people) regions. The Far East (6.0%), Northern (5.0%) and West Siberian (3.2%) regions are leading in terms of the intensity of reduction. In the Asian part of the country, the absolute losses of the urban population as a whole are greater than in the European part (836 thousand people, or 3.5%, compared with 626 thousand people, or 0.7%).

The growth trend in the share of the urban population continued until 1995 only in the Volga, Central Black Earth, Ural, North Caucasus and Volga-Vyatka regions, and in the last two regions the growth of the urban population in 1991-1994. was minimal.

Main reasons for the decline of the urban population in Russia:

• the changed ratio of migration flows arriving in urban settlements and departing from them;
• reduction in recent years in the number of urban-type settlements (in 1991 their number was 2204; by the beginning of 1994 - 2070; 2000 - 1875; 2005-1461; 2008 - 1361);
• negative natural population growth.

In Russia, it left its mark not only on the ratio of the urban and rural population in the territorial context, but also on the structure of urban settlements.

Population of Russian cities

A city in Russia can be considered a settlement with a population of more than 12 thousand people and more than 85% of the population of which is employed in non-agricultural production. Cities are distinguished by functions: industrial, transport, scientific centers, resort cities. By population, cities are divided into small (up to 50 thousand inhabitants), medium (50-100 thousand people), large (100-250 thousand people), large (250-500 thousand people), largest (500 thousand people). - 1 million people) and millionaire cities (population over 1 million people). G.M. Lappo distinguishes the category of semi-medium cities with a population of 20 to 50 thousand people. The capitals of the republics, territories and regions perform several functions - they are multifunctional cities.

Before the Great Patriotic War, there were two millionaire cities in Russia, in 1995 their number increased to 13 (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Volgograd, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Chelyabinsk).

At present (2009), there are 11 millionaire cities in Russia (Table 2).

A number of the largest cities in Russia with a population of more than 700 thousand, but less than 1 million - Perm, Volgograd, Krasnoyarsk, Saratov, Voronezh, Krasnodar, Togliatti - are sometimes referred to as sub-millionaire cities. The first two of these cities, which were once millionaires, as well as Krasnoyarsk, are often called millionaires in journalism and semi-officially.

Most of them (except for Tolyatti and partly Volgograd and Saratov) are also interregional centers of socio-economic development and attraction.

Table 2. Cities-millionaires of Russia

More than 40% of the population lives in large cities of Russia. Multifunctional cities are growing very fast, satellite cities appear next to them, forming urban agglomerations.

Millionaire cities are the centers of urban agglomerations, which additionally characterize the population and significance of the city (Table 3).

Despite the advantages of large cities, their growth is limited, as there are difficulties in providing cities with water and housing, supplying a growing population, and preserving green areas.

Rural population of Russia

Rural settlement - the distribution of residents by settlements located in rural areas. At the same time, the entire territory located outside the urban settlements is considered rural. At the beginning of the XXI century. in Russia there are approximately 150 thousand rural settlements, in which about 38.8 million people live (data from the 2002 census). The main difference between rural settlements and urban settlements is that their inhabitants are predominantly engaged in agriculture. In fact, in modern Russia, only 55% of the rural population is engaged in agriculture, the remaining 45% work in industry, transport, non-manufacturing and other "urban" sectors of the economy.

Table 3. Urban agglomerations of Russia

The nature of the settlement of the rural population of Russia differs according to natural areas depending on conditions economic activity, national traditions and customs of the peoples living in those regions. These are villages, villages, farms, auls, temporary settlements of hunters and reindeer herders, etc. The average density of the rural population in Russia is approximately 2 persons/km2. The highest density of the rural population is noted in the south of Russia in the Ciscaucasia (Krasnodar Territory - more than 64 people / km 2).

Rural settlements are classified according to their size (population) and the functions they perform. The average size of a rural settlement in Russia is 150 times smaller than an urban one. The following groups of rural settlements are distinguished by size:

• the smallest (up to 50 inhabitants);
• small (51-100 inhabitants);
• medium (101-500 inhabitants);
• large (501-1000 inhabitants);
• the largest (over 1000 inhabitants).

Almost half (48%) of all rural settlements in the country are the smallest, but they are home to 3% of the rural population. The largest proportion of rural residents (almost half) live in the largest settlements. Especially large sizes different rural settlements in the North Caucasus, where they stretch for many kilometers and have up to 50 thousand inhabitants. The share of the largest settlements in the total number of rural settlements is constantly increasing. In the 90s of the XX century. settlements of refugees and temporary migrants have appeared, and cottage and dacha settlements are growing in the suburbs of large cities.

By functional type, the vast majority of rural settlements (over 90%) are agricultural. Most non-agricultural settlements are transport (near railway stations) or recreational (near sanatoriums, rest homes, other institutions), as well as industrial, logging, military, etc.

Within the agricultural type, settlements are distinguished:

• with a significant development of administrative, service and distribution functions (district centers);
• with local administrative and economic functions (centers of rural administrations and central estates of large agricultural enterprises);
• with the presence of large-scale agricultural production (crop brigades, livestock farms);
• without industrial enterprises, with the development of only personal subsidiary plots.

At the same time, the size of settlements naturally decreases from rural regional centers (which are the largest) to settlements without industrial enterprises (which, as a rule, are small and smallest).

The largest settlements Russian Federation traditionally chosen according to two criteria: occupied territory and population. The area is determined by the master plan of the city. Population - by the All-Russian population census, or Rosstat data, taking into account births and deaths, if they are relevant.

There are 15 largest cities in Russia with a population of more than 1 million people. According to this indicator, Russia ranks third in the world. And their number continues to grow. More recently, Krasnoyarsk and Voronezh have been included in this category. We present you the top ten most densely populated Russian cities.

Population: 1,125 thousand people.

Rostov-on-Don became a million-plus city relatively recently - only thirty years ago. It is the only one among the ten largest cities in Russia that does not have its own subway. Its construction in 2018 will only be discussed. While the administration of Rostov is busy preparing for the upcoming World Cup.

Population: 1,170 thousand people.

In the penultimate place in the list of the largest cities in Russia in terms of population is the administrative center of the Volga region - Samara. True, starting from 1985, the population preferred to leave Samara as soon as possible, until the situation improved by 2005. And now the city even has a small migration increase.

Population: 1,178 thousand people.

The situation with migration in Omsk is not brilliant - many educated Omsk residents prefer to move to Moscow, St. Petersburg and neighboring Novosibirsk and Tyumen. However, since 2010, the population in the city has been steadily growing, mostly due to the redistribution of the population in the region.

Population: 1,199 thousand people.

Unfortunately, Chelyabinsk is experiencing problems with amenities: residents complain about the abundance of dirt, giant puddles in spring and summer, when, due to non-functioning storm sewers, entire microdistricts turn into something like Venice. It is not surprising that about 70% of Chelyabinsk residents are thinking about changing their place of residence.

Population: 1,232 thousand people.

The capital of the Republic of Tatarstan rightfully bears the title of one of the most comfortable cities in Russia. This is probably one of the reasons why the city has experienced a steady population growth since the mid-90s. And since 2009, Kazan has become a plus not only due to migration, but also in terms of natural growth.

Population: 1,262 thousand people.

The ancient and very beautiful city is going through hard times in terms of the number of residents. The peak was in 1991, when its population exceeded 1,445 thousand people, and since then it has only been falling. A slight increase was observed only in 2012-2015, when the population increased by about 10 thousand people.

Population: 1,456 thousand people.

"The Capital of the Urals" became a million-plus city exactly 50 years ago, in 1967. Since then, having experienced a population decline in the "hungry 90s", the city's population has been growing slowly but steadily. It is rising, as in all large cities of Russia, mainly due to migrants. But not the ones you think about - the replenishment of the population mainly (more than 50%) comes from the Sverdlovsk region.

Population: 1,602 thousand people.

The third place in the list of the largest cities in Russia is occupied by the center of the Novosibirsk region. In addition to the status of "millionaire", the city can also boast of entering the top 50 cities in the world with the longest traffic jams. True, Novosibirsk is hardly happy with such a record.

However, unlike traffic jams, things are more or less successful with the demographic situation in the city. Novosibirsk is implementing a number of regional and state programs aimed at increasing the birth rate and reducing mortality. For example, at the birth of a third or subsequent child, a family is awarded a regional certificate for 100,000 rubles.

According to the city authorities, if the current dynamics of population growth continues, then by 2025 the number of residents of the Novosibirsk region will increase to 2.9 million people.

Population: 5,282 thousand people.

The cultural capital of Russia, where polite intellectuals bow to each other, raising their berets, and where such beasts as “bun” and “curb” live, demonstrates a steady increase in both area and population.

True, it was not always so; starting from the end of the USSR, the population preferred to leave St. Petersburg. And only since 2012, positive dynamics began to be observed. In the same year, the five millionth inhabitant was born in the city (for the second time in its history).

1. Moscow

Population: 12,381 thousand people.

It is unlikely that the answer to the question: "What is the largest city in Russia?" came as a surprise to some. Moscow is the largest city in Europe in terms of population, but is not included in the first.

More than 12 million people live here, and if we add to this the population of the Moscow region, which regularly travels to Moscow for work and shopping, the figure is more than impressive - 16 million. Due to the current economic situation in the country, the population as a modern Babylon and the territories adjacent to it will only increase. According to experts' forecasts, by 2030 this number may reach 13.6 million people.

Muscovites are traditionally not happy with "come in large numbers", and "come in large numbers" shrug their shoulders: "I want to live, and I even want to live well."

The largest cities in Russia by area

It would seem that the list of the largest cities in Russia in terms of area should coincide with the list of the most populated cities, but this is not so. In addition to the simple population, the area of ​​the city is influenced by many factors - from the historical way of increasing the territory up to the number of industrial enterprises in the city. Therefore, some positions in the ranking can surprise the reader.

Area: 541.4 km²

Opens the top 10 largest cities in Russia Samara. It stretches along the western bank of the Volga River for more than 50 km with a width of 20 km.

Area: 566.9 km²

The population of Omsk exceeded one million people back in 1979, the territory near the city is large and, according to the Soviet tradition, the city had to acquire a metro. However, the nineties broke out, and construction has been going on neither shaky nor rolls since then, but in general nothing at all. There is not even enough money for conservation.

Area: 596.51 km²

Voronezh became a million-plus city quite recently - in 2013. Some areas in it are almost exclusively a private sector - houses, from comfortable cottages to village ones, garages, vegetable gardens.

Area: 614.16 km²

Thanks to the historically established radial-ring building Kazan is a fairly compact city with a convenient layout. Despite its size, the capital of Tatarstan is the only one millionaire in Russia that fully recycles its waste and has managed to maintain a more or less favorable environmental situation.

Area: 621 km²

The only regional city that is not an administrative center and a millionaire, Orsk seems to have been included in this rating by mistake. Its population is only 230 thousand people, which occupy an area of ​​621 km2, with a very low density (only 370 people per km2). The reason for such a vast territory with a small number of inhabitants is a large number of industrial enterprises within the city.

Area: 707.93 km²

Residents of Ufa live spaciously - each has 698 m2 of the total area of ​​the city. At the same time, Ufa has the lowest density street network among Russian megacities, which often manifests itself in huge multi-kilometer traffic jams.

Area: 799.68 km²

Perm became a millionaire in 1979, then in the nineties, due to a general decline in the population, it lost this status for more than 20 years. Only in 2012 was it possible to return it. Permians live freely (population density is not too high, 1310 people per km2) and green - the total area of ​​green spaces is more than a third of the citywide.

Area: 859.4 km²

Although Volgograd became a million-plus city relatively recently - in 1991, however, in terms of the size of the territory, it has long been one of the top three. The reason is the historically established uneven urban development, where apartment buildings, village houses with plots and empty steppe spaces.

Area: 1439 km²

Unlike the compact radial-beam "old" Moscow, St. Petersburg is freely spread out at the mouth of the Neva. The length of the city is more than 90 km. One of the features of the city is the abundance of water spaces, occupying 7% of the entire territory.

1. Moscow

Area: 2561.5 km²

And unconditional first place among the largest cities in Russia is given to Moscow. Its area is 1.5 times larger than the area of ​​the second place in the rating, St. Petersburg. True, until 2012 the territory of Moscow was not so impressive - only 1100 km2. So it has grown significantly due to the annexation of the southwestern territories, the total area of ​​​​which reaches 1480 km2.