Ural Federal District
Ural Federal District includes Kurgan region, Sverdlovsk region, Chelyabinsk region, Tumen region, Khanty-Mansi autonomous district and Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district. The total area of Ural Federal District is 1788.9 thousands square kilometers (10.5% of the territory of Russian Federation). The population of the District amounts to 12603 thousands people (8.6% of the population of Russian Federation). The density of population is 7 persons per one square kilometer.
Yekaterinburg is the capital of Ural Federal District. It is a big industrial, transport, scientific and cultural centre. There are 112 big and small cities and towns in Ural Federal District. Chelyabinsk, Tumen, Magnitogorsk, Nizhny Taguil are the biggest ones.
Peter Latyshev is Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russian Federation in Ural Federal District.
Fuel and power complex, especially gas and petrol extraction, predominates in economy of Ural Federal District. Owing to this fact, the District is considered as the principle base of Russian economy. Besides, the other important industries of Ural Federal District are ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, engineering amd metal-working.
In 2003 the output of industrial enterprises of the district amounted to 1369 milliards rur. The contribution of industries oriented to export in this result is very considerable. In comparison with 2002 the gas extraction increased 5%, the petrol extraction – 11.6%; the output of ferrous metallurgy demonstrated 12.2% of increase and the output of non-ferrous metallurgy - 12.4%. Among the industries producing high surplus value production, it is the engineering that shows the most considerable increase (7%).
In 2003 the size of investments in fixed capital increased 8% in comparison with 2002 and exceeded 350 milliards rur (including all financial sources). For 9 months of 2003 the size of foreign investments increased 56% in comparison with the same period of the last year and amounted to 2.855 milliards dollars. In other words, during 9 months of 2003 they have attracted more foreign investments than for the whole year 2002. It is supposed that at the end of 2003 the size of foreign investments exceeds 3.7 milliards dollars.
Small and middle-scale business is showing its further development. The share of small enterprises of Ural Federal District in total output of Russian small-scale business is equal to 8.19%; 10.22% of total size of Russian small business investments in fixed capital are realized in Ural Federal District. At the same time the share of Ural Federal District in total number of Russian small enterprises’ workers equals only to 6.47%. In 2004 the output of small and middle enterprises increased 40%, 4 times more than in the economy on the whole. Only for the last three months of this year 15000 persons have found a job in small and middle enterprises.
Several last years an active development of cooperation in the field of foreign trade can be observed. By preliminary estimation, in 2003 foreign trade turnover increased almost 40% and exceeded 3 milliards dollars. The share of Ural Federal District in All-Russian foreign trade turnover increased till 19% (17.4 in 2002). The export achieved record level for all post-soviet years. The average salary in Ural Federal District is the highest in Russia – 8500 rur per month. It varies from 4123 rur per month in Kurgan region till 21652 rur per month in Khanty-Mansi autonomous district. The real people income augmented 16%.
Sverdlovsk region
By its population Sverdlovsk region is the fifth region of Russian Federation. There are 4.702 million people living in the region that corresponds to 3.2% of the Russian population. Sverdlovsk region occupies Middle and Northern Urals and western part of huge Western Siberian Lawland. The area of the region is almost equal to 195 thousands square kilometers and it makes up 1.2% of Russian area. The density of population is 24 persons per one square kilometer that exceeds three times Russian average density. Sverdlovsk region is one of the most urban regions of Russia. Yekaterinburg (1280000 residents or 28% of total region population), Nizhny Taguil (437400 residents), Kamensk-Uralsky (207800 residents), Pervouralsk (165400 residents) are the biggest cities of the region. The population of Asbest and Serov exceeds 100000 people as well.Yekaterinburg is the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk region.
Sverdlovsk region is situated on the crossroads of very important transport ways between western and eastern parts of Russia. Trans-Siberian Railway crosses the region in the South. Air, railway and auto transports are very developped in Sverdlovsk region. The total lenth of railroads is 3500 kilometers. The lenth of auto roads is 10000 kilometers. Koltsovo is one of the biggest airports of Russia. It has an international status and serves as the point of departure for passenger and cargo flights in 38 directions including cities of Russia, CIS and 15 states of the world (Germany, France, Turkey, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and others).
Industries and agriculture
Sverdlovsk region is one of the leading Russian regions by the volume of industrial output. The level of the industrial concentration in it is four times more than Russian average level. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, engineering, metal-working, chemical and petrochemical industries, wood-workind and timber industry, power engineering, building materials manufacturing are the most developped industries in the region. Among the biggest and famous mining and metallurgical enterprises there are Nizhniy Tagil Iron and Steel Works, Kachkanar Mining Works “Vanadium”, Ural Aluminium Plant, Bogoslovsky Aluminium Plant, Uralelectromed Plant, Ural Electrochemical Integrated Plant, Verkhnaya Salda Metallurgical Production Association, Pervouralsky Novotrubny Works, Sinarsky Pipe Works and others.
Iron-ore, cast iron, steel, rolled products of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, steel tubes, ferro-alloys, crude and refined copper, aluminium, titanium are the basic products of metallurgical complex. The enterprises of Sverdlovsk region produce 10% Russian rolled iron, 39% Russian steel tubes, 35% Russian copper, 10% Russian aluminium, 16% Russian ferro-alloys.
Sverdlovsk region engineering complex produces chemical, metallurgical, electrical equipment, equipment for petrol extraction, steam and gas turbines, excavators, agricultural machines, motor-cycles, radioelectronic equipment. Uralmashzavod, Uralelectrotiazhmash, Urals Plant of Chemical Machine Building, Urals Turbine Works are the biggest enterprises of engineering industry.
Electric power stations of Sverdlovsk region (Sredneuralskaya hydro-electric power station, Reftinskaya hydro-electric power station, Beloyarskaya nuclear electric power station and others) produce more than 40 milliard kilowatts per year.
Among the leading enterprises of chemical and timber industries of Sverdlovsk region there are Uralkhimplast, Ural Tyre Plant, Uralelastotekhnika, Ural Technical Rubber Plant, Ural Asbestos Plant, Fancom, Novolyalinsky Pulp and Paper Mill, Turinsky Pulp and Paper Mill etc. They produce plastics, synthetic resins, tyres, rubber products, sulphuric acid, mineral fertilizers, timber, paper, cardboard, plywood etc.
Natural and geographical conditions and structure of the economy of Sverdlovsk region don’t presuppose a wide-scale development of agriculture. Anyway in comparison with other regions of Russian Federation, Sverdlovsk region keeps one of the leading places in producing agricultural products. On the All-Russian scale, Sverdlovsk region is the third in eggs producing, the fourth in meat producing, the fourth in potatoes harvest and the fifth in vegetables harvest.
Sverdlovsk region possesses a developed for regional level infrastructure of financial institutions. Their whole number exceeds 200.
Last several years small-scale business has been getting a considerable financial, organization and information support from state authority and due to this fact shows stable development today. The share of small-scale business in the regional economy including the whole output, number of workers, taxes and other indices increased 1.5-2 times and is equal to 9-10%.
Foreign trade and investments
Sverdlovsk region has a considerable export potentiality and this fact plays a very important role in the development of regional economy. The enterprises oriented to export produce 35% of industrial regional output. Organizations and enterprises of Sverdlovsk region keep foreign economic relations with more than 100 countries. The foreign trade turnover of Sverdlovsk region exceeds 3 milliard dollars per year.
Sverdlovsk region traditionnaly exports metals and metal goods, production of chemical industry and enginnering. On the other hand import of Sverdlovsk region consists of engineering production, coal, food-stuffs and raw materials for their manufacturing, petrochemical production, furniture, cloths, shoes and other consumers goods. The United States, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Italy, Taiwan, Egypt, China, Germany, Byelorussia, Great Britain, Ukraine are the most important trade partners of Sverdlovsk region enterprises.
In 2003 according to the size of attracted foreing investments Sverdlovsk region was on the second position among all the other regions and districts of Ural Federal District after Khanty-Mansi autonomous district. On the whole in Russia Sverdlovsk region was the fifth by this economic index after the city of Moscow, Khanty-Mansi autonomous district, Sakhalin region and Omsk region.
In 2003 according to the size of investments in fixed capital Sverdlovsk region took the tenth place in the Russian Federation after the city of Moscow, Khanty-Mansi autonomous district, Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district, the city of Saint-Petersburg, Moscow region, Sakhalin region, Krasnodar krai, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Since 1999 Sverdlovsk region economy has got more than 150 milliards rur interior investments and about 3.9 milliard dollars of foreing investments. During this period the size of foreing investments increased more than 8.5 times. In Sverdlovsk region there are more than 900 enterprises with foreign capital. In 2004 international rating agency “Standard & Poor’s” once again increased the long-term credit rating of Sverdlovsk region till the level “B”. This means that Sverdlovsk region possesses a high economic potentiality and trustworthy level of creditworthiness.
The economic growth of the last six years observed in Sverdlovsk region explains an amelioration of standard of living of people. On the whole in 2004 the average salary in Sverdlovsk region amounted 6500-7000 rur. In November 2004 the average salary in the regional economy was equal to 7488.4 rur. In comparison with 2003 the real people income augmented 25%.
Yekaterinburg
Telephone code: 343
Time shift: Moscow +2
The city of Yekaterinburg is the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk region. It is situated on the border between Europe and Asia, 1667 kilometers far east from Moscow. The city is stretched for 15 kilometers from the west to the east and for 26 kilometers from the north to the south. Yekaterinburg is one of 5 most populated cities of Russia. Today its population is equal to 1300000 people.
Yekaterinburg lies on the cross-roads of very important transport ways between western and eastern parts of Russia. It is crossed by the Trans-Siberian Railway. Airport Koltsovo, one of the biggest Russian airports, serves as the air gate of the city. It has an international status and serves as the point of departure for passenger and cargo flights in 38 directions including cities of Russia, CIS and 15 states of the world (Germany, France, Turkey, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and others).
Yekaterinburg is a big Russian industrial centre. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, engineering and metal-working, chemical and petrochemical industries, power engineering, building materials manufacturing are much developped in it. Between the biggest and most famous enterprises of Yekaterinburg there are Uralmashzavod, Kalinin Machine Plant, Production Association “Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant”, Uralelectrotiazhmash (the biggest Russian supplier of electrical machines), Ural Turbine Works, Verkh-Isetsky Metallurgical Works, Ural Technical Rubber Plant , Concern “Kalina” (the biggest Russian producer of perfumery, cosmetics and household chemical goods).
Today Yekaterinburg is not only industrial centre. Its infrastructure is actively developping. Improvements and large-scale building can be observed everywhere in th city. The authors of Conception for city development see in the future Yekaterinburg as one of big tourist centres. Several last years the city authorities have been paid a lot of attention to the development of sectors oriented to services. Many new hotels, trade and entertainment complexes, enterprises of public catering are opened in Yekaterinburg. According to people income and standards of living Yekaterinburg is one of successful Russian cities.
By its importance Yekaterinburg is the fourth scientific centre of Russia following only Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and Novosibirsk. There are about 140 research, design and project institutions and organizations in the city. Among many institutions of higher education concentrated in Yekaterinburg there are Ural State University, Ural State Polytechnical University, Architectural and Medical Academies, Academy of Law and others.
Yekaterinburg is residence of the Representatives of Ministry of Foreign Trade of Russian Federation, Ural Customs Department, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade in Ural region.
The number of foreign representatives in Yekaterinburg is permanently growing. The general consulates of United States, Great Britain and Czech Republic, the department of the Byelorussia embassy, the department of British Council, the cultural and information centre “Japan”, the contact bureau for education and culture of the Germany embassy, the representative of the Mongolia embassy, the coordination bureau “TACIS”, the Centre for information and documents of Europe Council have chosen Yekaterinburg as the place of their location. China and Kirghizia are going to open their General Consulates in the city. The number of the foreign companies representatives has already exceeded 100.
Today this city is evolving from industrial to multifunctional centre with predominance of trade, distributive, financial, administrative, social and innovation functions. On that ground Yekaterinburg got the status of the capital of Ural Federal District found on the May of 2000
Yekaterinburg historical essay
Yekaterinburg was founded by Tatishchev as industrial, cultural and trade centre of Ural. The official date of its foundation is considered to be 7th (18th) November, 1723. This day the State metal-working plant on the Iset river was put into operation and large-scale residential building was started. The plant-castle was given the name of Yekaterinburg, after the Emperor Peter the Great’s wife, Catherine (1684-1727). The Ural Mining Administration and the Mining School were located in Yekaterinburg. These years near Yekaterinburg they were building Verkh-Isetsky and Yelizavetinsky metal-working plants. Afterwords these plants were included inside the city borders.
In 18th century Yekaterinburg became a big centre of stone-cutting industry. In 1751 a lapidary plant manufacturing porphyry and malachite goods (vases, boxes and so on) was built in the city. In 1763 the Siberian Road connecting Moscow and Siberie via Yekaterinburg was finished.
Since 1781 Yekaterinburg got the status of the central city of Yekaterinburg oblast; since 1796 it became a uyezd city of Perm Guberniya.
Yekaterinburg played a considerable role in founding and developping of Russian gold-mining. The gold ore from neighbouring mines was melted in the city. Since 1840th years Yekaterinburg is considered as a centre of metal-working. After the railway had been built between Perm and Yekaterinburg in 1878, Yekaterinburg became an important railways centre. By the beginning of 20th century Yekaterinburg was one of the biggest uyezd city of European part of Russia.
Since 1919 Yekaterinburg was the centre of Yekaterinburg Guberniya; since 1923 it got the status of the centre of Ural oblast.
Since 1924 till 1991 Yekaterinburg was renamed Sverdlovsk, after the revolutionnary leader and statesman Jacob M. Sverdlov (1885-1919).
Since 1934 the city is the capital of Sverdlovsk region.
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