What's in big cities? The largest cities in Russia by population
Several cities at once claim to bear the honorary title of the third capital of Russia. It is not clear, to be honest, what exactly is honorable or beneficial in this, because the city automatically recognizes the primacy of Moscow and St. Petersburg in all areas. Yes, this is exactly the reality, but our cities could not follow the two capitals, but immediately adopt, say, the European experience.
Maybe for foreign tourists coming to Russia there is some charm in this label, and it’s all about their wallets? We don’t have any special deductions from the federal budget for this title... Be that as it may, there was a serious struggle for the status of the third capital some time ago, and the disputes do not subside to this day.
Now the Third Capital brand belongs to Kazan. The city took him away Nizhny Novgorod and other less successful competitors. But times are changing. IN last years There are often proposals to move the capital of Russia somewhere to the Urals or Siberia, so soon the struggle for the right to carry the banner of the third capital may again become relevant.
What do you think about this? Let's vote, because we have so many cool candidates!
Kazan
Everything is clear with Kazan. The capital of Tatarstan, an ancient but modern city, which Putin himself called the third capital! True, sometimes this happens there...
Novosibirsk
The third largest city in Russia, the capital of Siberia (although Krasnoyarsk would argue here), which in 100 years has transformed from a provincial provincial town into a metropolis. True, in 1993 Rutskoi and Khasbulatov wanted to set up their temporary capital here, but the Novosibirsk residents are not to blame for this!
Ekaterinburg
The capital of the Urals with a rich history, a constant contender for the title of third capital, the city in which the first president of Russia matured!
Nizhny Novgorod
The capital of the Volga region... True, this is the only million-plus city in Russia that is losing population, but Nizhny Novgorod residents will still never recognize the primacy of Kazan!
Velikiy Novgorod
One of the oldest cities in Russia, once a rich center international trade, which remained independent even during the Horde occupation of Rus', has now turned into a backwater (even though it is the capital of the region). Nikita Mikhalkov himself proposed to assign the status of the third capital to Veliky Novgorod.
Samara
During the years of great upheaval, Samara was already (in fact) the temporary capital of Russia and the USSR. Another city whose residents could not help but be offended by the fact that Kazan had leapfrogged them.
Omsk
Ah, Omsk! Once upon a time Kolchak sat here, and now Dvorakovsky was barely kicked out... But maybe the status of the third capital will help this beautiful Siberian city to revive?
Sevastopol
A staple city, which, after the annexation of Crimea to Russia, received a unique status: along with Moscow and St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, from the point of view of legislation, is an independent region - a city federal significance.
Grozny
Another city on which the center willingly spends money. The city that rose from the ashes after Chechen wars and acquired important political significance, each time guaranteeing the current president and the ruling party an excellent result in the elections.
Great, but we need another option for fans of the Soviet Union!
Maybe Ruzaevka in Mordovia? 
Or Naberezhnye Chelny in Tatarstan? But then the whole of Kazan will be bombed... 
May it be better Volgograd! Moreover, I have not been there yet and cannot judge biasedly. And especially for fans of the USSR, we will also rename it Stalingrad, don’t mind!
So let's practice choosing!
UPD: There will still be a second round. Kazan residents, with the active support of the Tatarstan media, tried very hard and pushed hard, but still did not make it before midnight, and the voting results turned into a pumpkin!
At 0:05 Moscow time it was like this:
As you may have guessed, Kazan and Yekaterinburg are reaching the finals! I hope that by the second round the residents of Yekaterinburg will also wake up, and an exciting fight will await us.
Which city is worthy of the title of the third capital of Russia? Velikiy Novgorod 83
(2.5
%
)
Volgograd
79 (2.4 % )
70 (2.1 % )
Ekaterinburg
687 (20.6 % )
1576 (47.3 % )
or the largest cities in the world by area they occupy in square kilometers
What is a city?
The encyclopedic dictionary gives the following interpretation: « City- a populated area whose residents are usually employed outside Agriculture. The classification of a settlement as a “city” is formalized by law; At the same time, the criterion for the city's population varies - from 200 people in Iceland until 30 thousand people in Japan......In Russia, a city must have at least 12 thousand inhabitants and at least 85% of the population employed outside agriculture".
At the same time, from general rules always exist exceptions, in particular in Russia until now smallest in population and wherein with city status is new town Innopolis, with a population at the time of receiving city status in 2012 of only 10 people, and as of January 1, 2016 with a population of 96 people.
What territory is included in the concept of “largest city”?
The main sources of data on the size of urban areas are statistical authorities, and for statistical purposes, each city is primarily an administrative unit (municipal entity).
In other words - territory controlled by the city administration and is called a city or urban district.
This is where situations arise when in 1st place among largest cities in the world by territory is a Chinese city Chongqing, in which most of the territory is agricultural land, around the former city border. IN in this case the expansion of the administrative boundaries of the city is associated with the desire of the administration to urbanize rural areas, increasing population density.
Chongqing (China). Most Big city in the world by territory
Therefore, in the list of the largest cities in terms of area occupied, you can find not at all big cities in terms of population of 20,000 - 30,000 people, and the territory they occupy is comparable to multimillion-dollar cities- the only difference is that in cities with a population of millions there is a high population density over the entire or most of the city’s territory, and in cities with a small population, this is usually the area around the main building with a low population density.
What is included in the city territory. Examples.
The largest cities in the world by area in square kilometers may include within their administrative boundaries, in addition to land territory, Also water area. This is most typical for cities on the water, in particular in the American New York, where the water area is more than 35% of the total area of the city.
New York (USA). More than 35% of the city's territory is water
Also a frequent option for large cities, but with a small population, are cities with one main source of income (mining coal, ore and other minerals), when a relatively large mining area, where few people live, is included in administrative boundaries of the city.
A similar example is mountain ranges, territories of nature reserves, natural parks adjacent to the territory of the city, as well as cities in which residents live mainly in private houses and, accordingly, have a low population density, typical for cities Australia.
Brisbane (Australia). Most of the residents of this city of 2 million live in private houses
Hello, dear readers of the site “I and the World”! We are glad to welcome you again! What do you think is the largest city in the world and what is its name? In our new article we want to talk about cities and present the top 10 largest in the world by area and population.
10th place - New York - 1214.4 sq. km
America starts the list. If you look at the population for 2017, the city is small - 8,405,837 people. Quite young, about 400 years old.
In the territory where New York is now located there were Indian tribes. Arrows, dishes and other Indian attributes are found here. Throughout the 19th century, emigrants from different countries, due to which it grew. It includes several islands, the largest of which is Manhattan. People of almost all religions live here, but Christians predominate.
We give 9th place to Mexico City – 1485 sq. km
The population of the capital of Mexico is 9,100,000 people. Mexico City was founded by the Aztecs in 1325. According to legend, the Sun God ordered them to come to this place.
At the beginning of the 16th century, Mexico City was the most beautiful in the Western Hemisphere until it was destroyed during the reign of Cortez, but was soon rebuilt. It is located at an altitude of more than 2000 km above sea level and is surrounded by mountains.
London is in 8th place – 1572 sq. km
London is the capital of Great Britain and the largest city in the country. It was founded in 43 AD. e. There are now 8,600,000 people living in London.
The terrible plague of the 17th century claimed about 70,000 lives. This is a place of wonderful historical and architectural monuments: Tower, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral and others.
We put Tokyo in 7th place - 2188.6 sq. km
But the population is quite large - 13,742,906 people. Tokyo is one of the modern cities and the capital of Japan. Even if you live here for a month, you won’t see all the sights.
The main part is solid concrete and wires. Tokyo was inhabited by tribes of people back in the Stone Age. Over the course of several years from 1703 to 2011, Tokyo suffered many earthquakes, and as a result of one of them, 142,000 people died at once.
In 6th place is Moscow – 2561.5 sq. km
Moscow is the capital Russian Federation, is located between the Oka and Volga rivers. 12,500,123 people live here. In terms of length, Moscow is quite long - 112 km. Is an important tourist center Russia.
The age of the city is still unknown exactly, but there is evidence that the first settlements appeared on this territory around 8 thousand years BC. e.
Middle of the top - Sydney - 12144 sq. km
The development and history of Australia began with a small settlement. 200 years ago the navigator Cook landed here. Sydney is the largest metropolis and capital of the state of New South Wales.
The capital is home to 4,500,000 people. The city is located in one of the beautiful bays of the world, where business skyscrapers coexist with cozy beaches, which are always full of tourists.
In 4th place is Beijing – 16,808 sq. km
Beijing is the capital of China People's Republic. Huge and noisy, its population numbers 21,500,000 inhabitants.
In the 13th century, it was almost completely burned by Genghis Khan, but rebuilt 43 years later in a different place. Here is a famous architectural monument - the Forbidden City - the residence of the rulers.
At the beginning of the 20th century it was occupied by the Japanese. After Russia's victory in World War II and the fall of Japan, the capital became free again.
We give 3rd place to Hangzhou – 16847 sq. km
The city has 8,750,000 inhabitants. The metropolis is famous for its tea plantations and natural beauty.
Previously, it was the capital of China, and now it is a major religious center. In the 19th century, as a result of an uprising, it was partially destroyed and restored in the 50s, where industry began to rapidly develop.
Weaving folk items, harvesting tea leaves, and making bamboo products are still done by hand.
In second place is Chongqing – 82,300 sq. km
Chongqing is the largest city in the world in terms of population, with about 32 million people living here. The highest population density is 600 people per square meter. km.
The metropolis arose 3,000 years ago and at that time was the capital of the kingdom of Ba. Now it is a huge industrial center. There is a large base for the production of automobiles - 5 factories and 400 - for the production of car parts. Real estate construction here is proceeding at such a fast pace that 10 years of construction for Moscow is 1 year for Chongqing. Old buildings are being demolished very actively, in their place skyscrapers are appearing. It is more business than architectural. And the main attraction is the overpasses that entangle the entire city.
We give 1st place to the unusual city of Ordos - 86,752 sq. km
Ordos is a ghost town. Where is the strange metropolis, the largest in territory, but empty? In China, it began to be built 20 years ago for people involved in the extraction and sale of coal.
A large city was built with museums, theaters, and a stadium. There is everything for the life of a city dweller here. But almost no one wanted to move here. Over the past few years, the number of people has increased to 300,000. There are so few inhabitants in the huge settlement that even in broad daylight, the streets are completely empty.
Beautiful, abandoned houses, museums, cinemas. There are even unfinished buildings - there is no one to build for. Everywhere is clean and well-groomed. And silence! A metropolis inhabited by “ghosts”. There are several of these in China.
Also, there are cities beyond the Arctic Circle and living there is quite cold. The largest “cold” city is in Russia - Murmansk - 154.4 square meters. km. It is quite small in size and has a population of 298,096 people.
We showed you the ranking of major cities in the world with photos and descriptions. Ten different metropolises, with different amounts inhabitants, with different lengths and architecture. 2018 will be a new year for everyone and everything, and our rankings may change. In the meantime, if you liked the information, share it with your friends.
Every year the population of large cities, and, therefore, their territory continues to increase steadily. Therefore, cities can be compared not only by population, but also by the area they occupy.
1. Moscow (2511 sq. km)
Moscow is gradually expanding and increasing its area. As of 2012, its area was 2511 square meters. km, the mayor of the capital Sobyanin stated this in the Moscow City Duma when he gave a report on the results of the work of the city government over the previous two years. In 2012, there was a sudden increase in the size of the capital, when it was decided to annex a significant piece of the territory of the Moscow region. Thus, the area of the metropolis now consists of 780 square meters. km located within the Moscow Ring Road (which was traditionally considered Moscow) and 1641 sq. km of the region's territories located outside the Moscow Ring Road in the south-west direction.
Lives in Moscow more people than in some rather large European countries(for example, Norway and Finland taken together, about the same number live in Belgium and the Czech Republic). And this is only according to official statistics. In a giant “anthill” there are native Muscovites, people coming for a better life from the Russian hinterland, labor migrants from neighboring countries, and students. Moscow's population growth is driven not by birth rates, but by influx from outside. The main goal of visitors is to earn money.
2. St. Petersburg (1439 sq. km)
This city is the most important economic, cultural and scientific center of the country after Moscow; it is also a major transport hub. Is under the protection of UNESCO historical Center cities and historical and architectural monuments located in it and in its suburbs. Therefore, St. Petersburg is one of the most important tourist routes in Russia. In 2015, the city's population exceeded the 5 million mark. In terms of population in Europe, it is second only to Istanbul, Moscow and London. Among the northern cities of the world, it is the largest, as well as the first in Europe among cities that are not capitals. St. Petersburg has the status of a city of federal significance. The population of Leningrad in the 1980s also reached 5 million, but in the crisis years of the 90s there was a depopulation phenomenon - when the mortality rate began to exceed the birth rate, as a result of which the city's population decreased significantly. And only in 2012 it again reached the same 5 million mark.
3. Volgograd (859.4 sq. km)
Volgograd is a hero city, originally called Tsaritsyn, then Stalingrad for some time. Now it has more than a million inhabitants. The city stands on the Volga, along which ancient trade routes passed. This city forever linked its name with the largest war in World War II. Battle of Stalingrad, which demonstrated the heroism, courage and unbending will of our soldiers. To perpetuate the memory of this battle, the majestic Motherland monument was erected in Volgograd, which has since become the hallmark of the city.
4. Perm (799.7 sq. km)
Perm is another Russian city with a million population. It is a major industrial and transport center of the country. Peter I ordered the construction of a city in a place in the Siberian province where copper could be mined, and the specific location was chosen by V. Tatishchev. The year of foundation of Perm is considered to be 1723. First Ural Railway was laid through Perm in 1876. In 1940 it was renamed Molotov, but in 1957 it was returned historical name. Before the formation of the city, people had settled in this place since ancient times; over 130 archaeological sites were discovered within the city, which date back to late Middle Ages and even the Stone Age.
5. Ufa (708 sq. km)
About a million people live in modern Ufa, the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan. If we take into account the population density, then the residents of Ufa live much more freely than other city residents - for each Ufa resident there is approximately 700 square meters of the city. This city is great economically, scientifically, culturally and sportingly Russian center. Its importance was emphasized by the meetings of the leaders of the SCO and BRICS held here in 2015. A large share of the city's territory is occupied by green spaces, squares and parks. There are many different monuments in the city.
Russia is unique in that, thanks to its vast territory, it finds itself in four climatic zones. It is clear that in different parts of it the climate...
6. Tyumen (698.5 sq. km)
The first Russian city founded in Siberia was Tyumen, which happened in the 16th century. The city owes its appearance to the construction of the Tyumen fort, which was ordered to be built by the third son of Ivan IV, Fyodor Ivanovich. The population of Tyumen is now 697,000 people, it is divided into 4 administrative districts. Until 2014, 19 more surrounding villages were part of the urban district and subordinate to the city, but after that they lost their independent status settlements. The share of urban development from the entire territory of Tyumen accounts for just over 160 sq. km, that is, only 23% of the area of the urban district. Near the city there are at least five geothermal springs with water temperatures from 37 to 50 degrees; they have good balneological properties. Quality of life studies conducted in Russian cities in 2015-2016, Tyumen was ranked first.
It is noteworthy that during World War II, Lenin’s body was sent from the mausoleum in Moscow to Tyumen.
7. Orsk (621.3 sq. km)
Orsk is divided into three administrative district, and its population is only 233,000 people. The city is located in picturesque places- on the spurs of the Ural Mountains. Along the bed of the Ural River flowing through Orsk there is a division into Europe and Asia. This is basically industrial city, second most important in Orenburg region. It operates in such industries as mechanical engineering, non-ferrous metallurgy, mining, petrochemicals, light and food industry. There are about 4 dozen archaeological sites in Orsk. The local variegated jasper is especially famous, the deposit of which is located right within the city, on Mount Colonel. Orsk jasper has the widest variety of colors and patterns.
According to a sociological survey, Muscovites perceive their city as a place where they can realize their spiritual, financial, business and cultural...
8. Kazan (614.2 sq. km)
Unofficially, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, is called the third Russian capital. This ancient city more than 1000 years. It is multinational, 115 nationalities coexist peacefully in Kazan, but the backbone is made up of Russians (48.6%) and Tatars (47.6%). Kazan is a significant cultural, economic, scientific and religious center of Russia, as well as a large river port. Sports in Kazan are also developing very rapidly. The city authorities give great importance development of tourism, encourage the holding of various festivals. The main architectural attraction here is the Kazan Kremlin, which is under UNESCO protection.
9. Voronezh (596.5 sq. km)
In 2010, the Voronezh urban district included over 20 suburban small settlements, which significantly increased the birth rate. As a result, in 2012 the city's population exceeded the million mark. From the west, the Don River flows through the city, and to the east the Voronezh River, turned into a reservoir. This proximity allowed Voronezh to become a major river transport hub. Although Voronezh has preserved many wonderful architectural monuments, it does not lag behind in contemporary creativity: here are sculptures of White Bim from the famous feature film and a charming kitten from a Soviet cartoon. A monument to Peter I was also erected in Voronezh.
10. Omsk (572.9 sq. km)
During Civil War in the 20s of the last century, Omsk was proclaimed the capital of the Russian State, since Admiral Kolchak’s Headquarters and the center of the White movement were located here. Now Omsk is one of the largest Russian cities, and recently it has again become the capital - this time of the Siberian Cossack army. It is the second most populous city in Siberia (1.1 million inhabitants). Many architectural monuments have been preserved in Omsk, the most significant of which are included in the list cultural heritage UNESCO Omsk Fortress and Assumption Cathedral, included in the catalog of examples of world temple architecture.