The Leningrad region is a subject of the Russian Federation, located
in the north-west of the European part of the country. It is part of the
Northwestern Federal District and the Northwestern Economic Region.
The territory is 83,908 km², which is 0.49% of the area of Russia.
According to this indicator, the region ranks 39th in the country. From
west to east, the region stretches for 500 km, and the greatest length
from north to south is 320 km.
Population - 2,027,068 people.
(2023).
It was formed as a result of the
administrative-territorial reform on August 1, 1927. Historically, it
was preceded by Ingermanland, later - St. Petersburg province, formed in
1708.
Borders:
in the north - with the Republic of Karelia;
in the east - with the Vologda region;
in the southeast - with the
Novgorod region;
in the south - with the Pskov region;
in the west
in the central part - with St. Petersburg (marine enclave);
in the
southwest - with Estonia;
in the northwest - with Finland.
From the west, the territory of the region is washed by the waters of
the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea).
The location of the highest
bodies of state power is the city of Gatchina (since 2021), as well as
the city of St. Petersburg (from 1924 to 1991 - Leningrad, hence the
name of the region).
Central part (Vsevolozhsky, Kirovsky and Tosnensky districts).
Northwest (Vyborgsky and Priozersky districts).
Southwest
(Gatchinsky, Lomonosovsky, Volosovsky, Luga, Kingiseppsky and
Slantsevsky districts).
East (Kirishsky, Volkhovsky, Lodeynopolsky,
Tikhvinsky, Podporozhsky and Boksitogorsky districts).
The most convenient way to get to the Leningrad region is through St.
Petersburg. From the adjacent regions of Russia, as well as from Finland
and Estonia, the Leningrad Region can be reached by rail and road
transport.
By rails
The length of the railways is more than 3 thousand km, most of them
are electrified (almost all of them are 3 kV direct current, except for
the neutral insert on the Buslovskaya section - the border with Finland
and the alternating current section in the northeast of the region from
Svir station to the border with Karelia). The density of the railway
network is 32 km per 1000 km². Cargo turnover is more than 100 million
tons per year.
The railways of the region are part of the St.
Petersburg, St. Petersburg - Vitebsk, Petrozavodsk and Volkhovstroevsky
regions of the Oktyabrskaya Railway.
The main railway lines are:
Saint Petersburg - Moscow
Saint Petersburg — Pskov
Saint
Petersburg — Petrozavodsk
Saint Petersburg — Vologda
St.
Petersburg - Dno
St. Petersburg — Sortavala
International
highways are the lines:
St. Petersburg — Vyborg — Buslovskaya (RHDPP)
— Helsinki
Mga - Ivangorod (St. Petersburg - Ivangorod (RHDPP) -
Tallinn)
St. Petersburg - Nevel - Ezerishche (ZHDPP) - Vitebsk -
Vilnius - Kaliningrad (via Belarus and Lithuania)
St. Petersburg -
Sebezh - Posin (ZhBP) - Riga
The main railway junctions of the
region are:
Volkhovstroevsky railway junction, where the main part of
transit freight trains going to the St. passenger traffic.
Kirishi
railway junction, where freight transit is ensured and oil trains are
formed.
Gatchina railway junction, which ensures the passage of
freight transit to the port of Ust-Luga and to the western borders of
the country with the change of locomotives according to the type of
traction.
The Ust-Luga railway junction serves the Ust-Luga
commercial sea port.
The Vyborg railway junction serves high-speed
passenger traffic on the St. Petersburg-Helsinki route, suburban traffic
on the Vyborg-St.
The main directions of suburban trains in the
Leningrad region:
St. Petersburg — Roschino — Vyborg
St.
Petersburg — Sosnovo — Priozersk — Kuznechnoye
St. Petersburg —
Vyritsa — Oredezh
St. Petersburg — Kalishche
St. Petersburg —
Gatchina-Varshavskaya — Luga
St. Petersburg — Tosno — Luban
St.
Petersburg — Mga — Volkhovstroy
St. Petersburg — Mga — Budogoshch
St. Petersburg — Mill Creek — Nevskaya Dubrovka
St. Petersburg - Mill
Creek - Lake Ladoga
The main rolling stock on suburban routes
are:
On electrified routes: ET2M, ET2, ER2, ED4M, ET4A, ED2T, ES2GP
Lastochka.
On non-electrified directions: DT1, RA2.
By ferry
There is a ferry service between Stockholm and St.
Petersburg.
The only operating airport "Pulkovo" is located in St. Petersburg. It
is impossible to get from the airport even to the border of St.
Petersburg with the Leningrad region by municipal transport (buses,
electric trains), however, some cities located near St. Petersburg (for
example, Vsevolozhsk, Kirovsk, Gatchina) can be reached by taxi.
The region has an extensive network of railways. On electric trains you
can reach the farthest corners of the region.
In all regional centers of the Leningrad Region, all mobile operators work confidently, and there are usually no problems with connecting to the Internet. In smaller cities, as well as in villages, it can be different, but you can only be left completely without communication in very remote places.
In most large cities (regional centers and cities of regional subordination), night walks should be avoided due to the possibility of encountering drunken hooligans. This is especially true in Vyritsa, Gatchina, Volkhov and Tikhvin. The exceptions are Vyborg and Priozersk, but recently Vyborg has ceased to be considered an exception due to cases of shooting (not carrying an international character).
The region is entirely located on the territory of the East European
(Russian) plain. This explains the flat nature of the relief with
insignificant absolute heights (mostly 50-150 meters above sea level).
The territory of the Karelian Isthmus (and especially its northwestern
part) is distinguished by rugged relief, numerous rocky outcrops and a
large number of lakes. The Karelian Isthmus is part of the Baltic
Crystalline Shield. The highest point of the Karelian Isthmus is Mount
Kivisyurya, 203 m above sea level (according to Finnish pre-war
topographers - 205 m), located near the village of Novozhilovo, in the
Kamennaya Gora tract.
The lowlands are mainly located along the
shores of the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, as well as in the valleys
of large rivers. The main ones are Vyborgskaya, Priozerskaya,
Priladozhskaya, Predglintovaya (Primorskaya), Plusskaya, Luga,
Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya and Tikhvinskaya.
The largest uplands are
the Lembolovskaya, Izhora, Lodeynopolskaya, Vepsovskaya uplands and the
Tikhvin ridge. The highest point of the region - Mount Gapselga (291
meters above sea level) - is located on the Vepsovskaya Upland. An
interesting geographical feature is the Baltic-Ladoga Glint - a high (up
to 40-60 meters) cliff, stretching for more than 200 km from the west to
the east of the region. It is the shore of the ancient sea.
The territory of the region is located at the junction of two major
tectonic structures.
The north-west of the region is located on
the Baltic crystalline shield, where Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks
come to the surface. They were formed over 600 million years ago as a
result of powerful volcanic eruptions. Therefore, the main minerals in
this area are granite, facing stone and sand and gravel.
On the southern shores of the Gulf of Finland and Lake
Ladoga in the Cambrian period (about 500 million years ago), thick
strata of sedimentary rocks (blue clays with sandstone interlayers) were
formed.
Approximately 400 million years ago, during the
Ordovician period, obol sandstones were formed, containing deposits of
phosphorites and oil shale (west of the region). In the south of the
region, rocks of the Devonian period come to the surface.
From
the west to the east of the region, a layer of dictyonema shales is
traced, which at one time was considered as a promising source of
uranium. However, the pilot mining of poor uranium ores near the village
of Rannolovo showed the economic inefficiency of enriching this raw
material.
In the eastern part of the region, close to the
surface, there are rocks formed during the Carboniferous period. There
are deposits of bauxites, limestones and dolomites.
The relief of
the region was finally formed in the Quaternary period as a result of
four glaciations and interglacial epochs successively replacing them.
Therefore, in most of the region there are deposits of peat, clay and
sand.
The climate of the region is Atlantic-continental. Marine air masses
cause relatively mild winters with frequent thaws and moderately warm,
sometimes cool summers. The average temperature in January is −4.9… −8.6
°C, in July +17.1…+18.5 °C. The absolute maximum temperature of +37.8 °C
was registered on July 28, 2010 (Tikhvin), the absolute minimum of -54.8
°C was recorded on January 16, 1940 (the village of Shugozero, Tikhvin
region). The coldest are the eastern regions, the warmest - the
south-western.
The amount of precipitation per year is 600-700
mm. The greatest amount of precipitation falls on the uplands, the
maximum - on Lembolovskaya. The minimum amount of precipitation falls on
the coastal lowlands. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in
summer and autumn.
In winter, precipitation falls mainly in the
form of snow. Permanent snow cover appears in the second half of
November - the first half of December. Snow melts in the second half of
April.
The territory of the region, with the exception of a small extremely southeastern part, belongs to the Baltic Sea basin and has a dense, well-developed river network. The total length of all rivers in the Leningrad region is about 50 thousand km. There are also 1,800 lakes in the region, including Ladoga, the largest in Europe. A significant part of the region is swampy.
The main type of soils in the region are podzolic, poor in humus and
characterized by significant acidity. At the same time, on loams, in low
places with increased accumulation of moisture, mainly in spruce
forests, strongly podzolic soils with a thick upper layer are formed. In
higher places, less favorable for the accumulation of moisture, medium
podzolic soils are formed. On sandy loams and sands that do not retain
moisture well, slightly podzolic soils are found in pine forests. Where
herbaceous vegetation predominates—in forest clearings, in sparse mixed
or deciduous forests—soddy-podzolic soils have formed.
On the
territory of the Izhora Upland, on rocks containing lime, which
neutralizes acidity and protects the top layer of soil from leaching,
soddy-calcareous soils have formed. These are the best among the soils
of the region: they are richer than others in humus and minerals, and
have a well-defined lumpy structure. They are also called "northern
chernozems".
In lowlands and flat areas, with a weak runoff (poor
drainage) of atmospheric waters, causing them to stagnate on the
surface, and sometimes with a high level of standing groundwater, peaty
and swampy soils are formed. They are distributed in the central part of
the region, in the east of the Karelian Isthmus, on the coast of the
Gulf of Finland, in the Ladoga region.
In some places on meadow
terraces (along the rivers Volkhov, Luga and others), flooded with water
during floods, alluvial soils rich in humus are formed from river
sediments. Their area is small.
The main soil-forming rocks are
clays, loams, sands and peat. The agricultural use of the region's soils
requires their artificial improvement.
The territory of the region is located in the taiga zone in its
middle (in the north of the region) and southern subzones (most of the
region), an insignificant part - in the zone of mixed forests (south of
the region) - mainly within the Luga region, as well as islands on the
Izhora Upland, Putilovsky Plateau and in some areas adjacent to them,
for example, in Kingisepp. Dense coniferous and mixed deciduous forests,
interspersed with swamps, cover almost 70% of the region's territory,
serve as an important raw material resource of the region and abound in
fauna, forest "population", which is very diverse.
In damp places
there are forests of black alder. In areas with fertile soils, the
forests sometimes contain broad-leaved species - maple, small-leaved
linden, pedunculate oak, rough and smooth elms, common ash, and in the
undergrowth - common hazel. Predominantly in the western and southern
parts of the region, even small areas of relict broad-leaved forests can
occasionally be found. Medicinal plants and berries grow in the forests
of the region: May lily of the valley, bearberry, blueberry,
lingonberry, cranberry, raspberry, rosemary, juniper, erect cinquefoil.
The territories adjacent to St. Petersburg are occupied by agriculture
(arable land, meadows, shrubs).
The area is inhabited mainly by forest animals, including 68 species
of mammals. The main ones are squirrel, polecat, marten, mole, hare,
hare, hedgehogs, various rodents (field and forest mice, rats and
others). There are also wolf, wild boar, roe deer, fox, elk, bear, lynx,
weasel, otter, spotted deer, seal, beaver, seal, mink, raccoon dog.
About 300 species of birds live in the region, the main ones are
capercaillie, white partridge, gray partridge, hazel grouse, black
grouse, local duck, flying duck, goose, sandpiper. Some forest birds
(woodpecker, thrush, tit, cuckoo, starling) are beneficial by
exterminating harmful insects. Only the raven, sparrow, titmouse,
bullfinch, woodpecker winter in the region; the majority leave the
region starting from the end of August.
About 80 species of fish
are found in the waters of the region. Of marine fish, Baltic herring,
Baltic (Reval) sprat, cod, and sea pike are more common. From migratory
fish there are smelt, salmon, brown trout, eel. Among freshwater fish,
whitefish is of the greatest importance; perch, pike perch, bream,
roach, and smelt are also found. The following are listed in the Red
Book: Baltic ringed seal, Ladoga seal, gray seal, golden eagle,
short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey, white-tailed eagle.
On the territory of the region created and operate:
2 state
natural reserves: Nizhnesvirsky, East of the Gulf of Finland
1
federal complex reserve: Mshinsky swamp
12 regional complex reserves:
Bely Kamen, Birch Islands, Vepssky Forest, Vyborgsky, Gladyshevsky,
Vyaryamyanselkya Ridge, Oak forests near the village of Velkota,
Kotelsky, Lisinsky, Crayfish Lakes, Syabersky, Pure Moss
4 regional
hydrological reserves: Lamminsuo Bog, Ozernoe Bog, Glebovskoye Bog,
North Mshinsky Bog
3 regional botanical reserves: Gostilitsky,
Lindulovskaya grove, Rakitinsky
1 regional ornithological reserve:
Lake Melkovodnoe
2 regional landscape reserves: Cheremenetsky,
Shalovo-Perechitsky
16 complex natural monuments: Babinsky swamp with
adjacent dry valleys on the Sokoliy Mokh swamp massif, Gladkiy Mokh
swamp massif and the Sharya river valley, Gontovoye swamp, the sources
of the Oredezh river in the Dontso tract, Lava river canyon, Kokorevsky,
Lazarevsky swamp, Lowland swamp to the west of the village of Bereznyak,
Lake Kazyan, Lake Yastrebinoye, Pozhupinskoye Lake with adjacent dry
valleys, the Ragusha River, Sablinsky, Pine forests on the rocks in the
vicinity of the village of Budogoshch, Staroladozhsky, Dry Islands in
the Fox Moss swamp massif
7 geological monuments of nature:
Geological outcrops of Devonian and Ordovician rocks on the Saba River,
Geological outcrops of the Devonian on the Oredezh River and near the
village of Yam-Tesovo, Geological outcrops of the Devonian and adits on
the Oredezh River near the village of Borshchovo (Lake Antonovo),
Devonian outcrops on the Oredezh River near the village of Belogorka,
the island of Gustoy, Pugarevsky, Shcheleyki
2 geological and
hydrological monuments of nature: Lake Krasnoye, radon springs and lakes
in the village of Lopukhinka
1 regional natural park: Veps forest
In 1999, the Red Book of Nature of the Leningrad Region was published.
The first volume is devoted to specially protected natural areas, the
second - to plants and fungi, and the third - to animals.
On the territory of the modern Leningrad region, the oldest
population appeared in the 9th-8th millennium BC. e. (Mesolithic) after
the retreat of the glacier (Listvenka). By the middle of the 1st
millennium A.D. e. settled Finno-Ugric tribes already existed here,
engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, hunting and fishing. In the 8th
century, the Slavs settled in this territory.
The emergence of
Ladoga (from the 18th century Staraya Ladoga) dates back to the 750s -
the oldest Russian settlement on the territory of Russia. In the
9th-10th centuries, Ladoga became the most important political and
economic center for the formation of the statehood of Ancient Rus'. Only
at the end of the 10th century did it lose its significance, giving way
to Novgorod.
In the XII century, Novgorod gained political
independence, and the lands along the shores of the Gulf of Finland,
Luga, Neva, Ladoga, Volkhov became part of the Novgorod Republic.
In the XIII-XIV centuries, these lands became the arena of the
struggle of the Novgorod and Pskov republics with the aggression of the
Livonian knights and Swedish feudal lords. In 1240, the famous Battle of
the Neva took place, in which Russian troops under the command of Prince
Alexander Yaroslavich defeated the Swedish aggressors. To protect the
northwestern borders of Rus', Novgorodians in the 13th-14th centuries
created the fortresses of Yam, Koporye, Oreshek, Korela, Tiversky town.
In January 1478, the Novgorod Republic ceased to exist due to its
capture by the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan ΙΙΙ. After the annexation of
the Novgorod state to the Grand Duchy of Moscow, most of the Novgorod
land was divided into five patches, the borders between which passed
mainly along the rivers. The patches, in turn, were divided into halves.
At the end of the XV - beginning of the XVI century. Novgorod land is
described by Moscow scribes, who went on special expeditions for this
purpose. The result of these expeditions was "Scribe Books", a valuable
source of information on the history and geography of the North-West in
general and the territory of the present-day Leningrad Region in
particular. The year of foundation of many settlements of the Leningrad
region is considered to be the year of their mention in the scribe
books.
At the beginning of the 17th century, during the Time of
Troubles, Russia was cut off from the Baltic Sea: the North-West of the
country was captured by Sweden. Russia's attempt in 1656-1658 by armed
means to return the lost territory was unsuccessful.
At the
beginning of the 18th century, as a result of the Northern War, the
territory of the region was again annexed to Russia, and a new capital
of the country, St. Petersburg, was built here. In 1708, the
Ingermanland province was formed. In 1710 it was renamed St.
Petersburgskaya, in 1914 - Petrogradskaya, in 1924 - Leningradskaya.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Soviet authorities began to be
created in the Petrograd province. In 1919, an armed confrontation
between the Red Army and the troops of General N. N. Yudenich unfolded
in the Petrograd province.
In 1926, the Northwestern Region was
formed in the northwest of the RSFSR. The administrative-territorial
structure of the North-Western region was approved by the decision of
the North-Western ECOSO of May 7, 1926. The region included 5 provinces:
Murmansk, Novgorod, Pskov, Leningrad and Cherepovets. In 1927-1929, an
administrative reform took place in the USSR (gubernias were abolished),
while by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the
Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR of August 1, 1927, the
North-Western Region was renamed Leningrad, the composition of the
territory was approved by the decisions of the Presidium of the
All-Russian Central Executive Committee "On Borders and composition of
the districts of the North-Western Territory" of July 18, 1927 and "On
the borders and composition of the districts of the Leningrad Region" of
August 1, 1927. The area of the territory of that region was 360.4
thousand km², subsequently it decreased significantly.
By January
1, 1931, there were 95 districts and 1 district (Murmansk district) in
the region, which included 2603 village councils, 39 cities, including 6
separated into independent administrative and economic units (Leningrad,
Pskov, Novgorod, Kronstadt, Borovichi, Cherepovets), workers'
settlements - 20, rural settlements - 44,644. The area of the region
on 01/01/1931 was 330,293 km² (excluding the territory of Leningrad and
Kronstadt), the population was 6,174,900 people, including 2,940,000 -
urban population ( 47.6%), population density - 18.7 people / sq. km.
National composition: Russians - 90.2%, Finns - 2.3%, Jews - 1.7%,
Estonians - 1.4%. The largest settlements were:
Leningrad - 2,236,515
inhabitants.
Pskov - 39,997 inhabitants
Novgorod - 36,000
inhabitants
Murmansk - 29,194 inhabitants
Kronstadt - 28,167
inhabitants
Detskoye Selo - 27,800 inhabitants
Borovichi - 23,500
inhabitants
Kolpino - 20,748 inhabitants
Cherepovets - 19,412
inhabitants
Krasnogvardeysk - 19,028 inhabitants
Staraya Russa -
18,409 inhabitants
rp. Kukisvumchorr - 16,300 inhabitants
Peterhof
- 14,979 inhabitants
Sestroretsk - 14,000 inhabitants
During
the Great Patriotic War, most of the territory of the region was
occupied and suffered significantly. In January 1945, the population of
the region was 483 thousand people, although before the war 1258
thousand people lived in this territory. During the blockade of
Leningrad, the Road of Life passed through the territory of the region -
the only highway that connected the besieged city with the country. The
partisan movement made a great contribution to the victory over the
enemy: by the beginning of 1944, 13 partisan brigades, which consisted
of 35 thousand fighters, were operating in the region.
The
longest and most bloody battle in the history of World War II, connected
with the blockade of Leningrad and its deblockade, unfolded on the
territory of the region. In agreement with the administration of the
Leningrad Region and the People's Union of Germany, after lengthy
negotiations, despite public protests, it was decided to turn the
cemetery of German soldiers in the village of Sologubovka (the
Sinyavinsky Heights region) into a military cemetery. Now about 22,000
people are buried on it. By the end of the search, the remains of about
80,000 people will find their rest here.
There is also a monument
to Soviet soldiers.
In the region, the memory of Finnish soldiers
and residents of the settlements that departed to Russia under an
agreement with Finland is preserved.
In the post-war period, the
economy of the region was restored, new cities and towns appeared. In
1949, the status of a city was assigned to Slantsy, in 1950 to
Boksitogorsk, in 1953 to Kirovsk, in 1954 to Pikalevo and Ivangorod, in
1956 to Podporozhye, in 1963 to Tosno and Vsevolozhsk. In 1973, the
Leningrad nuclear power plant was put into operation in Sosnovy Bor,
which in the same year received the status of a city.
In
1991-1996 Alexander Semyonovich Belyakov was the Head of the
Administration of the Leningrad Region. With the adoption of the
Constitution of Russia in 1993, the Leningrad Region became a subject of
the Russian Federation. In 1994, the Charter of the Leningrad Region was
adopted. In 1996-1998, Vadim Gustov was the governor of the Leningrad
Region; in 1998-2012 - Valery Serdyukov.
The flag of the Leningrad region is a rectangular panel with a length
to width ratio of 3:2. At the top of the flag is a white field, which
occupies 2/3 of its width. The coat of arms of the Leningrad Region is
depicted on a white field in the center. The overall width of the coat
of arms on the flag of the Leningrad Region should be 2/9 of the length
of the flag. In the lower part of the flag along the entire length in
the form of pointed waves there is a red stripe, above it - a blue
stripe, divided in half by a white wavy stripe, which is 1/60 of the
width of the flag's cloth.
The reverse side of the flag is a
mirror image of its front side.
Coat of arms of the Leningrad
region: “in an azure (blue, light blue) field, a silver anchor crosswise
and on top of it - a golden key with the eye up; in the scarlet (red)
head of the shield there is a silver battlemented wall.
The
official anthem of the Leningrad Region is the composition "Leningrad
Family" (music by Svetlana Mironova, lyrics by Mikhail Leikin).
The gross regional product of the region in 2014 amounted to 713.9
billion rubles.
Sectoral structure of the gross regional product
of the region by type of economic activity (2014):
agriculture, hunting and forestry - 7.7%
fishing, fish farming - 0.1%
mining - 0.9%
manufacturing industries - 27.2%
production and
distribution of electricity, gas and water - 6.3%
construction - 8.2%
wholesale and retail trade; repair of vehicles, motorcycles, household
and personal items - 12.7%
hotels and restaurants - 1.2%
transport
and communications - 15.9%
financial activities - 0.2%
real estate
transactions, rent and provision of services - 8.8%
public
administration and military security, mandatory social security - 4.0%
education - 2.2%
health care and provision of social services - 3.6%
provision of other communal social and personal services - 1.0%
The basis of the economic potential of the Leningrad region is
industrial production. The industry of the region has a deeply
diversified structure.
Mining takes 1.6% in the structure of
shipped products of the region's industrial complex. The volume of
shipped goods of own production, performed works and services for the
extraction of minerals in 2014 amounted to 12,321 million rubles, or
95.8% of the level of 2013 in current prices. The largest enterprises in
the field of mining are: CJSC LSR-Basic Materials North-West, CJSC
Kamennogorsk Plant of Nonmetallic Materials, CJSC Gavrilovskoye Quarry
Administration, CJSC Kamennogorsk Quarry Administration, LLC
Cement-Concrete Products, CJSC Vyborg Quarry Administration, Kampes
OJSC, Gavrilovskoye Quarry Administration CJSC, Shchebservis LLC. The
main types of manufactured products are non-metallic building materials
(crushed stone, gravel, sand and gravel mixtures, crushed stone and
gravel mixtures, clays).
In the structure of shipped products of
industrial enterprises of the Leningrad Region, manufacturing industries
account for 84%. The volume of shipped goods of own production,
performed works and services of manufacturing industries in 2014
amounted to 364,630 million rubles, or 115.6% of the level of 2013 in
current prices.
The agro-industrial complex of the Leningrad
Region includes 526 large and medium-sized enterprises of various forms
of ownership, including 232 agricultural enterprises, 17 feed mills, 130
food and processing industries, 147 fisheries enterprises. The largest
enterprises in the region are: Galaktika LLC, Volkhovkhleb Combine OJSC,
Neuma Meat Processing Plant LLC, Gatchina Khlebokombinat OJSC, Volkhov
Feed Mill OJSC, Gatchina Feed Mill CJSC, fishing collective farm NEVO ”,
ZAO Confectionery Association Lyubimy Krai, LLC Nevskie Porogi, LLC
Kraft Foods Rus, ZAO Sinyavinskaya Poultry Farm named after the 60th
Anniversary of the USSR, OAO Severnaya Poultry Farm, ZAO Roskar Poultry
Farm. The Talosto factory is located in Volkhov, and the Philip Morris
Izhora tobacco factory is located in the Lomonosovsky District.
The enterprises of the transport complex are located in various cities
of the region. Vyborg is home to one of the largest shipbuilding
enterprises in the North-West of Russia - OJSC "Vyborg Shipbuilding
Plant", in Vsevolozhsk - the assembly plant "Ford Sollers", LLC "Gestamp
Severstal Vsevolozhsk", in Tikhvin there is a large car building plant
in Russia - CJSC "Tikhvin Carriage Works ”, in Tosno - one of the
largest manufacturers of road and municipal equipment in the North-West
- ZAO Tosnensky Mechanical Plant.
The center for the production
of coke and petroleum products in the Leningrad region is the city of
Kirishi, where the region's leading oil refinery, OOO PA
Kirishinefteorgsintez, is located. The enterprise, in terms of oil
refining, is one of the five largest plants in the country. LLC "PA
"Kirishinefteorgsintez" produces all types of fuel, as well as products
that are in great demand in the petrochemical and paint and varnish
industries, at household chemical enterprises and in the construction
industry. The main types of products are: gasoline, diesel fuel,
kerosene, oxygen, fuel oil, solvents.
The complex of the chemical
industry is developed in the Leningrad Region, represented by the
following main enterprises: OOO PG Phosphorit (production of mineral
fertilizers, feed additives), JSC Volkhov Chemical Plant (production of
household chemicals), JSC Khimik (production of solvents) , LLC
"Interfill" (manufacture of soap; detergents, cleaning and polishing
products; perfumes and cosmetics), a plant for the production of protein
casings for sausages and sausages "Belkozin" in Luga.
The leading
manufacturers of rubber and plastic products are Nokian Tiers LLC (plant
for the production of tires for passenger cars), Penoplex Kirishi LLC
(production of heat-insulating boards from extruded polystyrene), NTL
Packing LLC (plastic bags, film, flexographic seal).
Metallurgical enterprises of the region, as well as enterprises
producing metal structures (JSC RUSAL Boksitogorsk, CJSC
BaselCement-Pikalyovo, LLC Tikhvin Ferroalloy Plant, LLC Tikhvin
Machine-Building Plant, LLC PO Onima-Stal) produce alumina, primary
aluminum, spare parts for tractors, metal products for road construction
equipment and much more.
The largest mechanical engineering
enterprises are Priborostroitel CJSC (information security tools),
Caterpillar Tosno LLC (earth-moving equipment, construction equipment,
diesel engines, power plants), PELLA-MASH OJSC (fiberglass boats and
boats), LLC "Helkama Forste Viipuri" (refrigerated display cases).
Machine-building enterprises are located in various cities of the
region.
The share of production of electrical equipment,
electronic and optical equipment in the total volume of shipped products
in the region is 1.2%. The main enterprises of the region - JSC Nevsky
Plant Electroshield, LLC NPF Svit, North-Western Production Complex - a
branch of JSC United Electrotechnical Plants (SZPK - a branch of JSC
ELTEZA) produce the following types of products: for railway automation
and telemechanics systems, electrical distributors and control
equipment, electric motors, generators, transformers, radio and
television transmission equipment and other products.
Textile,
clothing and leather goods production is represented by the following
manufacturing enterprises: Uzor OJSC, Volkhovchanka CJSC, Komatso LLC
(fabrics, knitwear and garments), Slantsy Plant Polymer OJSC (rubber
footwear production) and CJSC "Novoladozhskaya leather goods factory"
(leather goods).
The power industry is represented by all its
main types: nuclear power, thermal power and hydropower. The share of
energy in the total volume of production in the region is 14.3%. The
power industry of the region is represented by all its main types -
nuclear, thermoelectric, hydroelectric. The volume of electricity
produced in 2014 amounted to 38.1 billion kWh, or 112.6% of the level of
2013, thermal energy - 222.6 million Gcal, or 104.8%. The volume of
shipped goods of own production, performed works and services for the
production and distribution of electricity, gas and water in 2014
amounted to 108.3 billion rubles, or 116.5% of the level of 2013 in
current prices. The largest enterprises: the branch of Rosenergoatom
Concern OJSC Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant in Sosnovy Bor, the
Kirishskaya GRES branch of OAO Wholesale Generating Company No. 2, the
Nevsky branch of OAO Territorial Generating Company No. 1, OAO
Lenenergo, OAO Leningrad Regional Power Grid Management Company, ZAO
Gazprom Mezhregiongaz St. Petersburg, OAO Gatchinagaz. In Kirishi and
Kirovsk there are large thermal power plants. Small hydroelectric power
stations have been built on the rivers Vuoksa, Svir, Volkhov.
The
forest complex retains an important place in the economy of the
Leningrad region. The timber and woodworking industries are developed in
many districts of the Leningrad Region. Large timber industry
enterprises are located mainly in the east of the region. The region's
leading furniture factories are located in Gatchina, Priozersk and
Volkhov. In the Boksitogorsk district there is the largest timber
processing enterprise in Russia - MM-Efimovsky LLC. The largest
manufacturers of pulp, paper and cardboard are St. Petersburg Cardboard
and Printing Plant OJSC, International Paper CJSC,
MediaWiki:Badtitletext OJSC, and Syassky Pulp and Paper Plant OJSC.
In the construction complex of the Leningrad Region, the largest
companies producing building materials are: OJSC Slantsy Cement Plant
CESLA, LLC Cement, CJSC Pikalevsky Cement, OJSC Pobeda LSR. Brick Plant,
Pavlovsky Plant CJSC, Etalon Building Materials Plant CJSC, Tolmachevsky
ZhBiMK Plant OJSC, Petrokeramika CJSC, LSR-Basic Materials North-West
LLC, Luga Abrasive Plant OJSC, CJSC "DSK-Voyskovitsy", OJSC "LSR
Zhelezobeton-North-West", LLC "211 KZhBI", glass factories in the Luga
region and many others. The development of the production of building
materials in the Leningrad region is facilitated by a rich mineral
resource base with a significant amount of explored reserves of various
minerals that are raw materials for the production of building
materials; a developed transport infrastructure that provides logistics
for the construction market not only in the Leningrad region, but also
in other regions.
On the territory of the Leningrad Region, 13
enterprises of the military-industrial complex operate: FSUE “Plant
named after Morozov”, FSUE “NITI im. A.P. Aleksandrova, Federal State
Unitary Enterprise Research Institute Poisk, OAO Research Institute of
Optoelectronic Instrumentation, OAO Burevestnik Plant, OAO Krizo Plant,
OAO Ladoga Plant , JSC "15 Arsenal of the Navy", JSC "218 Aircraft
Repair Plant" and others.
On the territory of the region, in the
Vsevolozhsk district, there is the Utkina Zavod, the largest class A
logistics complex in the North-West of Russia, which has been operating
since autumn 2007. The total area is 34,000 m².
In 2017-2018, 2.6 million square meters of housing were commissioned
in the Leningrad Region, mainly in the Vsevolozhsk District.
The
most active construction is carried out near St. Petersburg, namely in
the cities of Murino, Kudrovo, Sertolovo, Vsevolozhsk, the villages of
Novoselye, Bugry, Novoe Devyatkino, Yanino-1.
New construction in the Leningrad region is criticized
by urbanists due to excessive building density, insufficient social
infrastructure and underdeveloped public transport.
Agriculture of the region has a pronounced suburban specialization,
the leading industries are dairy and meat animal husbandry, potato
growing and vegetable growing. At the same time, livestock production
noticeably prevails over crop production, livestock production accounts
for more than 2/3 in monetary terms.
At the end of 2020, the
Leningrad Region ranks 1st in the production of eggs and milk
productivity of cows, 2nd in the number of poultry; 3rd place - for
growing trout, 3rd place - for the production of poultry meat in
agricultural organizations, 9th place - for the production of milk in
agricultural organizations. The region also has a good yield of lettuce,
mushrooms, potatoes, berries and other things. The volume of food
industry goods also increased - 167.7 billion rubles (123.7%). The
Leningrad region ranks second in Russia (second only to the Kaliningrad
region) in 2020 in terms of rapeseed yield of 30.9 centners per hectare,
the average yield in Russia is 17.7 centners per hectare.
The number of cattle in farms of all categories at the beginning of
2020 amounted to 176 thousand heads, including 75.6 thousand heads of
cows. Milk yield per cow in agricultural enterprises was 8738 kg.
The volume of livestock production in the Leningrad Region in 2020
amounted to 63.3 billion rubles, or 101.9% of the 2019 level. Milk
production is carried out by 84 agricultural organizations, as well as
peasant (farmer) households and personal subsidiary plots. In 2020,
655.4 thousand tons of milk were produced (+18 thousand tons, 102.8%
compared to 2019), 2% of the volume of the Russian Federation (32.2
million tons) and 33% of the volume of the NWFD, including agricultural
organizations - 617.7 thousand tons (+17.3 thousand tons or 102.9%).
94.2% of milk is produced in agricultural organizations. Households and
farmers produced 5.8% of milk, 2.5% of meat and 1.9% of eggs. Milk yield
per feed cow in agricultural organizations amounted to 9156 kg (+418 kg
or 104.8% compared to 2019). The sale of breeding young cattle of the
dairy direction is 5353 heads or 114.2% by 2019.
In 2020, 655.4
thousand tons of milk were produced, milk yield per 1 feed cow - 9,431
kg (104.2%), meat - 376.2 thousand tons (99.9%), eggs - 3,198 billion
pieces. (104.3%).
The main livestock of cows in the Leningrad
region is 67% black-and-white breed; the Ayrshire breed accounts for
18%; about 15% - Holstein. The region's agro-industrial complex
development program includes the creation of a cheese cluster in the
Leningrad Region. To this end, the Bugry breeding farm in the
Vsevolozhsk District plans to replace the Black-and-White breed of a
thousand heads with the same number, but of the Jersey breed of cows.
In addition, fur farming is developing in the region: mink, muskrat,
blue and black-and-silver fox and other animals are bred.
The grain harvest in 2020 amounted to 157.1 thousand tons (in 2019 -
145.6 thousand tons), the yield was 38.9 centners per hectare (in 2019 -
37.0 centners per hectare).
A significant part of the harvest of
potatoes and vegetables comes from personal subsidiary plots of the
population. The main vegetable crops are cabbage, carrots, cucumbers,
onions, and beets. Also, grain crops are grown in the region: barley,
rye, oats, oilseed rapeseed, mainly for livestock and poultry feed.
As of July 1, 2006, agricultural lands of all categories
amounted to 640 thousand hectares, of which arable land - 337 thousand
hectares). There are more than 200 large and medium-sized agricultural
enterprises in the region (in the past - state farms, now - joint-stock
companies). Farming has not yet become widespread.
3 commercial banks were registered in the Leningrad region:
"Russian Commercial and Industrial Bank". Headquarters - in Vsevolozhsk,
branches in many cities of the region.
"Vyborg-Bank". Headquarters -
in Vyborg, branches in Primorsk and Svetogorsk.
"LENOBLBANK". The
headquarters is in Murino.
Now all three banks have their licenses
revoked and their activities have been terminated. Banking services in
the cities of the region are provided by branches and departments of
other banks. The North-Western Bank of Sberbank of Russia has the most
extensive branch network. Also in the region are the banks "VTB
North-West", "VTB 24", "Rosselkhozbank", "Baltic Bank",
"Baltinvestbank", JSCB "Investbank" (OJSC), "Russlavbank",
"Moskomprivatbank", "Inkasbank", Petersburg Socio-Commercial Bank,
Orient Express Bank and others.
Part of the territory of the Leningrad region is a border zone. On
the Karelian Isthmus, along the Finnish border, this zone has largely
existed since the Soviet era. On the southern coast of the Gulf of
Finland, the regime of the border zone partially existed in Soviet times
(Sosnovy Bor and adjacent territories), and was partially established in
the 1990s. along the Estonian border. In addition, the islands in the
Gulf of Finland to the west of Kotlin Island are included in the border
zone. The right to enter the border zone is given by a specially
obtained pass, a visa of another state (where there are border
checkpoints), and many other documents (passport with registration at
the place of residence in the border zone, travel certificate, tourist
or sanatorium voucher, certificate of ownership land or real estate,
etc.).
In the 1990s, the regime of the border zone was
established by the regional authorities on the proposal of the border
service, and the borders of these zones were somewhat larger than the
current ones. In 2006, the establishment of border zones was transferred
to the competence of the Federal Security Service. The first order of
the director of the FSB was issued on the establishment of border zones
on the territory of the Leningrad Region, in which the border zone was
established the same as before. In 2007, the size of the established
border zone was slightly reduced.
State power in the region is exercised on the basis of the Charter,
which was adopted on October 27, 1994.
The highest official of
the region is the governor, who is elected for a term of 5 years. Since
May 28, 2012, he has been Alexander Yuryevich Drozdenko.
The
executive power in the region is exercised by the Administration, which
includes:
The Government of the Leningrad Region is the highest
executive body of state power, which includes the Governor (Chairman of
the Government), vice-governors and chairmen of committees
sectoral,
territorial and other executive authorities.
Legislative power in
the region is exercised by the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad
Region, which consists of 50 deputies elected by the inhabitants of the
region according to a mixed proportional-majority system for a period of
5 years. In 2016, the Legislative Assembly of the sixth convocation was
formed, in which there are 4 factions: United Russia (40 deputies), Fair
Russia (3 deputies), Communist Party of the Russian Federation (3
deputies), LDPR (4 deputies). The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly
is Sergei Mikhailovich Bebenin.
The location of the highest state
authorities is the city of Gatchina (since 2021), as well as the city of
St. Petersburg. At the same time, St. Petersburg is not part of the
region, being an independent subject of the Russian Federation. The
Leningrad Region is the only subject of the federation whose authorities
until 2021 were completely located on the territory of another subject.
It was assumed that the relocation of the regional authorities to
Gatchina was to be completed in 2022. At the first stage, committees
were supposed to move, which, according to their profile, "gravitate
most" to Gatchina: this is the committee for culture, including the
Museum Agency, the committee for tourism, the committee for youth
affairs, the committee for physical culture and sports. Also, at the
first stage, part of the administration of the governor and the
government of the Leningrad region was supposed to move. The governor's
office, located in Gatchina, Kirgetova Street, 1, was to become the
legal address of the regional administration units. This is a former
city hospital built in the 19th century. The architect of the building
is Alexander Shtaubert.
Representatives of the Leningrad Region
in the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian
Federation:
Vasilenko Dmitry Yurievich - from the Legislative
Assembly.
Igor Vadimovich Fomin - from the Government of the region.
"Leningrad Regional Television Company" (LOT) broadcasts on the
frequency of the "Fifth Channel" in the time intervals from 7:00 to
8:00. In the future, it is possible to switch broadcasting to the
frequency of the STO TV channel, and the option of switching to cable TV
broadcasting is also being considered (as of autumn 2007, there are 27
cable TV studios in the municipalities of the region).
The regional
newspaper "Vesti" is the official printed organ of the Government of the
region.