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St. Petersburg in Facts and Figures

Location:

· Eastern Europe, the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland)

Latitude:

· 59 degrees 57' North

Longitude:

· 30 degrees 19' East

Time Zone:

· GMT +3, Eastern +8

Founded:

· 16 (27) May, 1703

City's birthday:

· celebrated each year on May 27

Population:

· 4 million 750 thousand (as of January 1998)

How does St. Petersburg compare?

· The most Northern city in the world with a population over 1 million

Area:

· 1400 square kilometers

Main river:

· Neva. The city is located in the delta of the Neva River on numerous islands, a fact which prompted some observers to call it "The City on 101 Islands"

Main natural phenomena:

· White Nights, Floods

Origin of the name:

· Named in honor of St. Peter and not Peter the Great, the founder of the city.

· The name can be translated as "The City of St. Peter". St. Petersburg, FL was named in honor of St. Petersburg, Russia by Russian-born railroad builder Piotr Dementyev (Peter Demens)

Name changes:

Nicknames:

· "The Venice of the North"(referring to St. Petersburg's many rivers and canals)

· "The Palmyra of the North"

· "The Northern Capital of Russia" (referring to the centuries-old rivalry between St. Petersburg and Moscow)

Symbols:

· the Angel with a Cross (weather-vane on top of the Peter and Paul Cathedral)

· the Little Ship - Korablik (weather-vane on top of the Admiralty tower)

The Seal:

· A sea anchor and a river anchor with a scepter - a symbol of royal power - on a red field.

Local government:

· The Governor and the Governor's Office, The Legislative Assembly

Zoning:

· 20 administrative districts, including satellite towns under St. Petersburg's jurisdiction

Main cultural attractions:

· The Hermitage Museum

· The Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater

· The Imperial palace and park ensemble at Peterhof

Airports:

· Pulkovo-2 International

· Pulkovo-1 Domestic

Sea port:

· Passenger terminal on Vasilievsky Island

During the course of the Northern War with Sweden, Russia's forces gradually moved from Lake Ladoga down the Neva River to the Swedish fort of Nienchanz. After an 8-day siege on May 1 1703, the Swedish garrison surrendered. To protect the newly conquered lands on the Neva delta Peter the Great needed a fortress, but Nienchanz was small and badly damaged. Looking for a site for his new fortress Peter the Great chose the Island of Enisaari, which was known to the Russians as Hare's Island. The first structure to be built in the new city was the Peter and Paul fortress. Althout it was originally designed to protect the area from possible attacks by the Swedish army and navy, the fort did not actually take part in any fighting. On May 16 1703 (May, 27 by the modern calendar) St. Petersburg's fortress (the Peter and Paul Fortress) was founded and that day became the official birthday of the city.

For its first few years the St. Petersburg of Peter the Great was limited to a small town around the fortress, but by 1712 it had grown enough to become the new Russian capital.

The most basic strategic resource of the city is the large number of highly educated and professional workers present in all sectors of the economy. Furthermore, Saint‑Petersburg is the centre for attracting professionals from the entire North Western region of Russia. This allows for the companies which work in it to select the best personnel under advantageous conditions.

With each year in Saint‑Petersburg the consumer activity is strengthened and the sphere of services is further developed. This is connected to a stable increase in the incomes of the population.

Saint‑Petersburg is an attractive city for conducting business, living ones life, for studies and for relaxation. It is quite a cosmopolitan city in Russia, and is viewed as being safe and tolerant, with a developed business, cultural and night life. The city has about 8 thousand sights of interest and more than a thousand cultural establishments, including museums, theatres, concert‑halls, exhibitions and cinemas.

Saint‑Petersburg has been rightfully included among the most beautiful cities of Europe. Its historical centre, palaces and park ensembles in the suburbs have been included in the list of the objects protected for world heritage by UNESCO. The city of the White Nights, one built on abundant waters and with many bridges, occupies the first place among Russia cities and one of the first of those in the world. All of this makes for an attractive tourist centre which is highly appreciated by guests from all over the world.

The economic situation in Saint‑Petersburg has been stable for a period of many years. This is reflected in the basic indices of economic development such as, for example, the volume of incoming foreign direct investment (FDI) and the volume of the gross regional product (GRP); both of these have been demonstrating positive trends over the last few years.