| Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (English) Южно-Сахалинск (Russian) |
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View over a residential area of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk |
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Location of Sakhalin Oblast in Russia |
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Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
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| Administrative status | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Sakhalin Oblast |
| Administrative center of | Sakhalin Oblast |
| Municipal status | |
| Urban okrug | Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Urban Okrug |
| Head | Andrey Lobkin |
| Representative body | City Duma |
| Statistics | |
| Population (2010 Census, preliminary) |
181,727 inhabitants[1] |
| - Rank in 2010 | 99th |
| Population (2002 Census) | 175,085 inhabitants[2] |
| - Rank in 2002 | 100th |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Previous names | Vladimirovka (until 1882), Toyohara (until 1946) |
| Postal code(s) | 693000 |
| Dialing code(s) | +7 4242 |
| Official website | |
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russian: Ю́жно-Сахали́нск) is a city and the administrative center of Sakhalin Oblast (which includes Sakhalin Island and the Kurils). The city was formerly called Vladimirovka between 1882–1905, then Toyohara (豊原) between 1905-1946. Population: 181,727 (2010 Census preliminary results);[1] 175,085 (2002 Census);[2] 159,299 (1989 Census).[3]
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The city began as a small Russian settlement called Vladimirovka, founded by convicts in 1882. The Treaty of Portsmouth in 1905, which brought an end to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, awarded the southern half of Sakhalin Island to Japan. Vladimirovka was renamed Toyohara (meaning "bountiful plain"), and was the prefect capital of Japanese Karafuto.
After the end of World War II, the Japanese portion of Sakhalin island was occupied by Soviet troops. Ownership of the city transferred back to the Soviet Union and it was renamed Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Town status was granted to it in 1946.
Due to significant investment from oil companies like ExxonMobil and Shell, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk has experienced substantial economic growth. Although this growth has primarily occurred in the northern part of the island, both companies maintain headquarters and residential complexes in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk itself. The demand for natural resources by the Japanese, Chinese, and South Koreans has ensured continued prosperity in the foreseeable future for the entire island.
There has been significant criticism, including from Presidential Envoy Kamil Iskhakov, that Sakhalin is not caring for its citizens. Despite sizable gas deposits and incoming investments from gas companies, the regional administration does not yet have plans for the installation of gas services on the island. The oblast also continues to have the highest rate of juvenile crime in all of Russia, and more than 40% of its businesses are unprofitable.[4]
Out of very few remaining Japanese buildings in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, one now functions as the local museum.
It is served by Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport. The city is also the hub for the island's narrow gauge railway network, the Sakhalin Railway, built under the Japanese administration in the early 20th century.
Institutes of higher education in the city include Sakhalin State University and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk institute of economics, law and informatics. Also there are some branches of other high schools:
The city is located on the Susuya River. It is the largest city on the island, and the only one with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The straight-line distance to Moscow is 10,417 kilometers (6,473 mi).
Due to restrictions, foreigners wishing to leave Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in order to travel to any other part of the Sakhalin Oblast and its internal and territorial waters are required to seek permission from the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Border Guard. Scuba diving and recreating on the seacoast is permitted only in places defined by the Border Guard.[5]
The climate is humid continental (Köppen Dfb) with mild summers and cold winters. Maritime influences can be seen in that precipitation is much higher than in interior Russia and that summers are distinctly cooler than in Khabarovsk or Irkutsk, while winters are much milder. Summers are frequently foggy, reducing the amount of sunshine.
| Climate data for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) |
6.2 (43.2) |
12.5 (54.5) |
22.9 (73.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.8 (87.4) |
34.7 (94.5) |
29.0 (84.2) |
22.8 (73.0) |
18.1 (64.6) |
7.4 (45.3) |
34.7 (94.5) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −6.7 (19.9) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
6.9 (44.4) |
13.4 (56.1) |
17.7 (63.9) |
20.8 (69.4) |
22.4 (72.3) |
18.9 (66.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
8.3 (46.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −12.2 (10.0) |
−11.6 (11.1) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
1.7 (35.1) |
6.9 (44.4) |
11.7 (53.1) |
15.5 (59.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
13.2 (55.8) |
6.5 (43.7) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
2.8 (37.0) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −17 (1.4) |
−17.3 (0.9) |
−10.7 (12.7) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
2.5 (36.5) |
7.5 (45.5) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.6 (56.5) |
8.5 (47.3) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−13.1 (8.4) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −31.6 (−24.9) |
−34.8 (−30.6) |
−31.1 (−24.0) |
−17.3 (0.9) |
−10 (14.0) |
−2 (28.4) |
1.5 (34.7) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−9 (15.8) |
−22.6 (−8.7) |
−29 (−20.2) |
−34.8 (−30.6) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 49 (1.93) |
37 (1.46) |
49 (1.93) |
59 (2.32) |
67 (2.64) |
51 (2.01) |
83 (3.27) |
110 (4.33) |
114 (4.49) |
99 (3.9) |
81 (3.19) |
62 (2.44) |
861 (33.9) |
| Sunshine hours | 133.9 | 142.3 | 186.0 | 194.4 | 200.9 | 208.3 | 171.1 | 156.2 | 187.2 | 163.7 | 115.2 | 100.8 | 1,960 |
| Source no. 1: Pogoda.ru.net[6] | |||||||||||||
| Source no. 2: [7] | |||||||||||||
Most residents are ethnic Russians, but there also exists a sizable population of Koreans. Of the 43,000 Sakhalin Koreans, half are estimated to live in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, comprising roughly 12% of the city's population. Also smaller numbers of indigenous minorities, such as Ainu, Nivkhs, and Oroks can be found.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is twinned with:
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