| Kirov Oblast | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Кировская область (Russian) | |||
| — Oblast — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Political status | |||
| Country | Russia | ||
| Federal district | Volga[1] | ||
| Economic region | Volga-Vyatka[2] | ||
| Established | December 7, 1934 | ||
| Administrative center | Kirov | ||
| Government (as of August 2010) | |||
| - Governor[3] | Nikita Belykh[4] | ||
| - Legislature | Legislative Assembly[3] | ||
| Statistics | |||
| Area (as of the 2002 Census)[5] | |||
| - Total | 120,800 km2 (46,641.1 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 30th | ||
| Population (2010 Census)[6] | |||
| - Total | 1,341,265 | ||
| - Rank | 35th | ||
| - Density | 11.1 /km2 (29 /sq mi) | ||
| - Urban | 74.05% | ||
| - Rural | 25.95% | ||
| Population (2002 Census)[7] | |||
| - Total | 1,503,529 | ||
| - Rank | 32nd | ||
| - Density | 12.45 /km2 (32.2 /sq mi) | ||
| - Urban | 71.8% | ||
| - Rural | 28.2% | ||
| Time zone(s) | MSD (UTC+04:00)[8] | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | RU-KIR | ||
| License plates | 43 | ||
| Official languages | Russian[9] | ||
| http://www.ako.kirov.ru/ | |||
Kirov Oblast (Russian: Ки́ровская о́бласть, Kirovskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Kirov. Population: 1,341,265 (2010 Census preliminary results);[6] 1,503,529 (2002 Census);[7] 1,692,655 (1989 Census).[10]
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In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Vyatka remained a place of exile for opponents of the tsarist regime, including many prominent revolutionary figures. In 1920, a number of small southern and eastern districts (volosti) and villages were shifted from Vyatka as a result of the formation of the Tatar Autonomous Republic and the Mari and Votskaya [now the Udmurt Republic] autonomous regions.
The territory did not escape the Civil War and intervention of 1918-1921. Then in 1921-1922, it was hit by famine, followed by a typhus epidemic in late 1922. The death rate doubled during those years. The postwar period was accompanied by rebuilding of the province on the basis of the New Economic Policy (NEP), which consisted of free trade, entrepreneurship, and private sector stimulation. However, the basic principles of the NEP never really took hold in agriculture, where the only effect was to reduce all the peasants to the same level, or in industry.
The country's first office of the International Organization for Aid to Fighters of the Revolution (IOAR) began operations here in January 1923.
The administrative and territorial reforms of 1929 eliminated the old division of the country into provinces and districts (uezdy, volosti) and introduced a new system of division into regions, territories, and districts (raiony). Vyatsk Province was abolished, and its territory became part of Nizhny Novgorod Territory. The city of Vyatsk became a district center.
On December 5, 1934, the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) passed a resolution renaming the city from Vyatsk to Kirov, and Kirov Territory was formed on December 7. It included the Udmurt Autonomous Region, 37 districts (raiony) of Gorki Region (which had formerly been part of Vyatka Province), as well as Sapapulsky and Votkinsky districts of Sverdlovsk Region. Following the adoption of the new Constitution in 1936, Kirov Territory was transformed into Kirov Region and the Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) was separated from it.[11]
Kirov residents played an important role during the Second World War. Red Army units were quickly mobilized, and infantry divisions were formed. The people of Kirov not only worked heroically in industry and agriculture to bring about a speedy victory, but also rendered all possible assistance to the front. In the postwar years, the successes of Kirov residents in communal livestock farming and in fulfilling their socialist obligations to the state often received high praise from the Soviet government.[11]
On June 25, 1974, the region was awarded the Order of Lenin for achievements in economic and cultural development, and the city of Kirov received the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. The economic reforms and political transformations that took place during the perestroika years led to a deterioration of the region's socioeconomic situation
The main rivers are the Vyatka and Kama, which are part of the Volga Basin. The region borders on Tatarstan and the Republic of Mari El in the south, Kostroma Region in the west, Arkhangelsk Region and the Komi Republic in the north, the Perm Kray in the northeast, and the Udmurt Republic in the southeast, which ensures stable internal and foreign economic ties. The main topographical features are the Vyatskie Ridges in the central part of the region, the Verkhnekamskaya Upland (elevations to 337 m) in the northeast, and the Northern (Severnye) Ridges in the north.[11]
Kirov Oblast was formed on December 7, 1934. It is divided administratively into 39 districts, 6 cities under oblast jurisdiction, 13 town under district jurisdiction, 58 urban-type settlements, and 580 selsoviets.
Kirov Oblast is part of the Volga-Vyatka economic district located in the central part of European Russia in the Volga and Vyatka river basins. Its economic complex had already begun forming and developing before the Revolution, in large part because of the transfer points and trading posts located in Vyatka, which later led to the formation of large trading centers. Agriculture was the priority sector at first, but starting in 1940, there was an upsurge in development of an industrial complex, especially the engineering, metalworking, and chemical industries.[11]
Kirov Oblast is part of the Volga-Vyatka agricultural zone, where more than half of the area sown in grain is located in Kirov Oblast itself. Agricultural land occupies 27% of the region's territory. The most important grain crops are winter and spring wheat and rye. Barley and oats are grown for fodder. Increased specialization in the production of more promising fodder crops like winter rye, barley, oats that are most suited to the Oblast's climatic conditions is anticipated in the future. Potatoes are also extensively cultivated.[11]
Ethnic Composition (2010)[14]:
Russians - 91.9%, Tatars - 2.8%, Mari People - 2.3%, Udmurts - 1%, Ukrainians - 0.6%, Others - 1.4%
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