Vladivostok

Vladivostok is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It sits around the Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area of 331.16 square kilometers (127.86 square miles), with a population of 603,519 residents as of 2021. The city is the second-largest in the Far Eastern Federal District and the Russian Far East, after Khabarovsk.

Historically part of Outer Manchuria, Vladivostok was founded as a Russian military outpost on July 2, 1860, after the Treaty of Aigun and the Convention of Peking. In 1872, it became the main Russian naval base on the Pacific Ocean, which helped it grow quickly. By 1914, the city's population had exceeded 100,000, with many Asian communities living there.

After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the city was occupied in 1918 by White Russian and Allied forces, including troops from the Japanese Empire, who stayed until 1922. That year, the Red Army took control, and the city became part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

Today, Vladivostok is a major Russian port on the Pacific Ocean and a key cultural, economic, scientific, and tourism center for the region. It is the end point of the Trans-Siberian Railway and home to the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy. The city is known for blending Russian architecture with its Asian setting, earning it the nickname “Europe in the Far East.” Many foreign consulates and businesses are located there, and it hosts the annual Eastern Economic Forum. Despite its coastal location, Vladivostok has a cold climate due to winter winds from the Eurasian landmass and cool ocean temperatures.

Names and etymology

See also: Names of Vladivostok in different languages

The name Vladivostok means 'Lord of the East' or 'Ruler of the East'. It comes from Slavic words meaning 'to rule' and Russian words meaning 'east'. People in Russia sometimes shorten the name to Vladik or "vdk".

The city was given its name in 1859 by Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky. It was first used for the bay and later for the settlement. The name sounds similar to another city called Vladikavkaz, which means "Ruler of the Caucasus".

In Chinese, the city was historically called Haishenwai or Haishenwei, meaning 'sea cucumber bay', because of the many sea cucumbers there. Today, it is officially called Fúlādíwòsītuōkè, but the older name is still used in places outside Mainland China.

In Japanese, the city is called Urajiosutoku, and it was historically written with special characters as 浦鹽斯德 and shortened to Urajio.

Geography

The city of Vladivostok is found at the southern tip of the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which stretches about 30 kilometers long and 12 kilometers wide. The tallest point in the city is Mount Kholodilnik, rising to 257 meters above sea level. Another well-known spot is Eagle's Nest Hill, which is the highest point in the city center but not the whole city.

Vladivostok lies in the far southeast of the Russian Far East and is closer to faraway places like Anchorage in Alaska and Darwin in Australia than it is to Moscow, the capital of Russia. It is also nearer to Honolulu in Hawaii than to Sochi in Southern Russia. The city is the easternmost point in Russia, farther east than any part of China or the Korean peninsula.

Climate

Vladivostok experiences a climate with warm, rainy summers and very cold, dry winters. Winters can get quite chilly, with temperatures often dropping below −20 °C. Snow falls during winter, but it usually doesn't pile up very high. The city sees a lot of rain during the summer, especially in August, which is the warmest month. Humid weather is common in summer, with moisture levels often reaching 90%. Occasionally, the area can feel the effects of typhoons and tropical storms coming from the Sea of Japan.

History

Main articles: History of Vladivostok and Timeline of Vladivostok

Foundation

Some Chinese historians think the city was once a Chinese settlement around the year 600 AD, called Yongmingcheng, meaning "city of eternal light."

For a long time, Russia searched for a good spot in the Far East. Many places were tried, but none had a safe and easy harbor near trade routes. After Russia made treaties with China, they took over the land where Vladivostok is now. The name Vladivostok first appeared in 1859. On July 2, 1860, Russian soldiers arrived and set up a military post, naming it Vladivostok.

Early history

In 1861, the first family moved to Vladivostok. By 1862, land was bought, and by 1870, the leader of the post was chosen. Vladivostok became Russia’s main port in the Far East in 1871, and a naval base was set up there.

By 1878, there were over 4,000 people living there. In 1880, Vladivostok became an official city. In the 1890s, many people moved there, and the city grew quickly after railways were built. By 1897, almost 29,000 people lived in Vladivostok, and ten years later, the number more than tripled. Many Korean divers also lived and worked there.

World War I and Russian Civil War

See also: Far Eastern Republic and Provisional Priamurye Government

During World War I, Vladivostok was important for bringing in supplies for Russia’s war effort.

After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Vladivostok was controlled by different groups. In 1918, it was taken over by forces opposed to the new government, and later became a base for foreign troops who were helping these groups. By 1920, a new government was set up in the area, but fighting continued.

In 1922, troops loyal to the new government took control of Vladivostok, ending the fighting there.

Soviet period

When the new government took over, Vladivostok was in bad shape. Many people had left, and things were not working well. Over the next few years, the city started to recover. Factories and ports began to work again.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Vladivostok was used as a place to send people to work far away. The city was not attacked during World War II, but there was always a risk from Japan. People in Vladivostok helped support the war effort by giving money and supplies.

In 1952, Vladivostok became a closed city, meaning foreigners were not allowed to visit. In the 1960s, the city started to grow and improve with new buildings and transportation.

Modern period

In 2012, Vladivostok hosted an important meeting of world leaders on Russky Island near the city. New bridges, buildings, and a university campus were built for this event.

In 2018, Vladivostok became the main city for a large part of Russia’s far east region.

In 2020, the city had unusual freezing rain that damaged trees and caused problems with electricity and water for many homes.

Politics

Vladivostok’s city administration is led by the City Council. The council helps manage local issues, create plans for the city’s growth, and handle the city’s budget and property according to laws and decisions made by the Duma of Vladivostok.

The City Council holds the main legislative power. It started its work in 2001, and since then, elected deputies have been managing city matters. The council has 35 members who are chosen by the people of Vladivostok.

Administrative and municipal status

Vladivostok is the main city for managing the area known as the krai. It works together with five rural areas and is called Vladivostok City Under Krai Jurisdiction. This gives it the same importance as the districts in the area. For city management, Vladivostok is called Vladivostoksky Urban Okrug.

Administrative divisions

Vladivostok is split into five parts, called administrative districts. These are Leninsky, Pervomaisky, Pervorechensky, Sovietsky, and Frunzensky.

Local government

The city has a special group called the City Duma that helps make decisions. The top leader of the city is called the head. There is also a group that helps run the city day-to-day.

The City Duma started in 1875 when people were first chosen to help lead. Big changes happened after 1917 when everyone, including women, could vote. The old City Duma stopped meeting in 1922. Later, a new group took over until 1993 when changes were made again. The current City Duma started working in 2017 with 35 members helping to guide the city.

The head of Vladivostok leads the city and chooses people to help run it, following rules set by higher laws and the city's own rules.

Demographics

Vladivostok had a population of 603,519 people in 2021, with even more people living in the surrounding area. The city's population has grown a lot over time, except during tough periods like the Russian Civil War and after the Soviet Union ended in the 1990s. In the 1970s, over 500,000 people lived there, and in 1992, the number reached its highest point at over 648,000.

The city has more women than men and many older people. Most people in Vladivostok today are Russian, but there are also small groups of Koreans, Chinese, and people from Central Asia like Uzbekistan. Historically, the city had large Asian communities, especially Chinese and Koreans, but these groups were moved away in the 1930s. Today, Vladivostok's population includes people from over seventy different nationalities and ethnic groups.

Cityscape

The city of Vladivostok grew around its port. It began as a small military outpost with basic buildings like barracks and a church near the northern edge of Golden Horn Bay. In 1868, the city’s layout was planned with rectangular blocks, each containing eight plots. The city’s first architect designed the main street, which followed the coastline of the bay.

When the Siberian Fleet moved to Vladivostok in the 1870s, the city expanded quickly. New streets were built, and the city spread along the shores and up the hills. By the end of the 19th century, the city’s layout centered around two main streets: one running parallel to the bay and the other crossing it. The railway station was built at their meeting point, giving most areas a view of the water.

In the Soviet era, new building plans were made. Multi-story buildings replaced the old wooden houses, and large structures appeared on the outskirts. Though Vladivostok was far from World War II fighting, it was not heavily developed during that time. Later plans focused on building new districts and improving transportation, including a bridge across the bay. As the city grew, buildings were constructed up the slopes of nearby hills, increasing costs for infrastructure and travel.

Economy

The main industries in Vladivostok are shipping, fishing, and its naval base. Fishing makes up almost 80% of the city's commercial production, with other food production making up 11%.

Another big part of the city's work and money comes from importing cars from Japan. This industry employs many people, including car sellers, repair workers, and shipping staff. Vladivostok sells around 250,000 cars each year, with many going to other parts of Russia. Recently, the Russian government tried to build more cars locally, making it harder for the car import business. To help, a car factory was moved to Vladivostok in 2009, creating jobs for about 700 locals.

Seaport

Main article: Port of Vladivostok

See also: Free port of Vladivostok

Vladivostok is an important port connecting the Trans-Siberian Railway to the Pacific Sea. It handles many types of cargo and serves both passengers and goods. In 2018, the port moved over 21 million tons of cargo.

Tourism

Vladivostok is a popular place for tourists because it is close to many countries in Asia and offers a unique mix of European culture. It is part of a project to grow tourism in the Far East, with plans to open branches of famous museums like the Mariinsky Theater, Hermitage Museum, Russian Museum, Tretyakov Gallery, and the State Museum of Oriental Art. The city also has many places to stay and visit, including over 11 sanatoriums along Amur Bay. Vladivostok attract many visitors, with around 3 million tourists in 2017, including many from China, South Korea, and Japan. The city also has many hotels and travel companies, making it a busy place for both international and business travelers.

Transportation

The Trans-Siberian Railway connects European Russia to Vladivostok, Russia's most important Pacific Ocean port. Finished in 1905, the railway runs from Moscow to Vladivostok through several major Russian cities. A part of the railway, called the Chinese Eastern Line, goes into China through Harbin. Today, Vladivostok is the main starting point for the Trans-Siberian part of the Eurasian Land Bridge.

Vladivostok is the main air center in the Russian Far East. Vladivostok International Airport (VVO) is the home of Aurora, a subsidiary of Aeroflot. The airline started in 2013 by combining SAT Airlines and Vladivostok Avia. The airport was upgraded in 2013 with a new runway that can handle all types of planes. Terminal A was built in 2012 and can serve 3.5 million passengers each year.

International flights go from Vladivostok to Japan, China, the Philippines, North Korea, South Korea, and Vietnam.

You can travel to Vladivostok from many big cities in Russia. Flights to Seattle, Washington were available in the 1990s but are no longer offered. Vladivostok Air flew to Anchorage, Alaska from July 2008 until 2013 before becoming part of Aurora.

Vladivostok is where the Ussuri Highway (M60) begins, heading to Khabarovsk. This is the far eastern part of the Trans-Siberian Highway, which continues to Moscow and Saint Petersburg through Novosibirsk. Other main roads go east to Nakhodka and south to Khasan.

Urban transportation

On June 28, 1908, Vladivostok's first tram line began along Svetlanskaya Street, starting from the railway station on Lugovaya Street. On October 9, 1912, the first wooden trams made in Belgium started running. Today, public transport in Vladivostok includes trolleybuses, buses, trams, trains, funiculars, and ferryboats. The main city routes are Downtown—Vtoraya Rechka, Downtown—Pervaya Rechka—3ya Rabochaya—Balyayeva, and Downtown—Lugovaya Street.

In 2012, Vladivostok was the host for the 24th Summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). To get ready for the event, the city's infrastructure was renewed and improved. Two large cable-stayed bridges were built in Vladivostok: the Zolotoy Rog Bridge over Golden Horn Bay, and the Russky Bridge from the mainland to Russky Island, where the summit was held. The Russky Bridge is the second longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Education

Vladivostok has many schools and places to study. In 2015, there were 114 schools with about 50,700 students. These schools include kindergartens, primary schools, middle schools, high schools, special schools for deeper learning, and extra learning centers.

The city also has special schools called gymnasiums and lyceums, and some schools where students can study subjects more deeply. Three of Vladivostok's schools are among the top 500 schools in Russia. The city holds contests for students and gives scholarships to those who do very well.

In 2016, new branches of the Academy of Russian Ballet and the Nakhimov Naval School opened. There are also many colleges and universities. The largest is the Far Eastern Federal University, where over 41,000 students study.

Other universities in the city include:

• Far Eastern Federal University
• Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service
• Pacific State Medical University
• Maritime State University
• Far Eastern State Institute of Arts
• Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University
• Pacific Higher Naval School
• Branches of the Russian Customs Academy
• The International Institute of Economics and Law
• Far Eastern Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
• Saint Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia

Media

Vladivostok has over fifty newspapers and regional editions from Moscow. The largest newspaper is Vladivostok News, with a circulation of 124,000 copies in 1996. It covers local and international events. Another newspaper, Zolotoy Rog (Golden Horn), focuses on economic news, while Novosti (News) is popular with young people for its entertainment and cultural stories. There is also an online newspaper called the Far East Times for foreigners visiting the area.

As of 2020, nineteen radio stations serve the city. Some popular ones include Radio VBC, which plays classic and modern rock music, Radio Lemma with news and various songs, and Vladivostok FM with local news and popular music. The local station "Vladivostok" also broadcasts news and music programs at certain times each weekday.

Culture

Galleries and showrooms

Art museums in Vladivostok started growing in the 1950s. In 1960, the House of Artists was built with exhibition halls. By 1965, the Primorsky State Art Gallery became its own place, and later, a special gallery just for children was created there. In 1989, a modern art gallery called "Artetage" opened its doors.

In 1995, the Arka gallery showed its first 100 paintings given by a collector named Alexander Glezer. This gallery takes part in shows around the world. In 2005, another private gallery named "Roytau" opened. Today, places like "Salt" and "Zarya" are busy with modern art.

Music, opera, and ballet

Vladivostok has its own pops orchestra. The famous Russian rock band Mumiy Troll comes from this city and often performs there. In 1996, the city hosted the VladiROCKstok International Music Festival. This event brought together nearly 10,000 music fans and featured popular bands from places like St. Petersburg and Seattle.

Now, Vladivostok holds another yearly music festival called Vladivostok Rocks. This three-day event lets new artists meet famous professionals and perform for new audiences.

The city also has the Primorsky Regional Philharmonic Society, which organizes concerts and orchestras. In 2013, the Primorsky Opera and Ballet Theater opened. By 2016, it became part of the famous Mariinsky Theater. The Russian Opera House is home to the State Primorsky Opera and Ballet Theater.

Museums

The Vladimir K. Arseniev Museum of Far East History, opened in 1890, is the main museum for the whole area. It has several branches in Vladivostok and other places. The museum’s collection includes important stones from a temple built in the 1400s that came from the lower Amur area.

Movie theaters

In 2014, Vladivostok had 21 movie theaters that showed films 1,501,000 times. Many of these theaters, like Ocean, Galaktika, and Moscow, were built a long time ago but have been updated. The Ocean theater has the biggest screen in the Far East, measuring 22 by 10 meters. It is located in the city center near Sports Harbor. Together with the Ussuri theater, it hosts the Pacific Meridians film festival every year since 2002. Since 2014, the Ocean theater also has an IMAX 3D screen.

Theaters

The Maxim Gorky Academic Theater, named after the writer Maxim Gorky, started in 1931 and shows plays, musicals, and shows for children.

Vladivostok has five professional theaters. In 2014, almost 370,000 people watched shows there. The Primorsky Regional Academic Drama Theater named after Maxim Gorky is the oldest theater in the city. It opened on November 3, 1932, and has 202 workers, including 41 actors.

The Primorsky Pushkin Theater was built between 1907 and 1908 and is a key cultural spot today. Other theaters opened between the 1930s and 1940s include the Drama Theater of the Pacific Fleet, the Primorsky Regional Puppet Theater, and the Primorsky Regional Drama Theater of Youth. In 2015, the puppet theater had 484 shows that over 52,000 people attended. The theater has 500 puppets and 15 artists, and its group often travels to Europe and Asia.

In 2012, a granite statue of the actor Yul Brynner was placed in Yul Brynner Park, right in front of the house where he was born on Aleutskaya Street.

Parks and squares

Vladivostok has many beautiful parks and squares. Some of the well-known ones are Pokrovskiy Park, Minnyy Gorodok, Detskiy Razvlekatelny Park, Park of Sergeya Lazo, Admiralskiy Skver, Skver im. Neveskogo, Nagornyy Park, Skver im. Sukhanova, Fantaziya Park, Skver Rybatskoy Slavy, and Skver im. A.I.Shchetininoy.

Pokrovskiy Park used to be a cemetery before it became a park in 1934. It was closed in 1990, and now the land belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Minny Gorodok is a large 91-acre park that used to be a military base. It was built in 1880 to store mines underground. When it became a park in 1985, it included lakes, ponds, and a place to ice-skate.

Detskiy Razvlekatelny Park is a fun place for children near the city center. It has a carousel, games, a Ferris wheel, cafes, an aquarium, a movie theater, and a stadium.

Admiralsky Skver is a famous spot near downtown. It is an open area with a big arch called the Triumfalnaya Arka. Nearby, there is a museum about the Soviet submarine S-56.

Sports

Vladivostok has many sports teams. There is a football club called Dynamo Vladivostok that plays in the Russian Second Division. The city also has an ice hockey club named Admiral Vladivostok that competes in the Kontinental Hockey League's Chernyshev Division. Additionally, there is a basketball club called Spartak Primorye in the Russian Basketball Super League.

In the past, another football club named Luch Vladivostok was the main team until it stopped operating in 2020. Vladivostok also has a motorcycle speedway club called Vostok Vladivostok. Every year, the city holds different competitions. In 2022, it hosted the 35th Regatta boat race for the Goblet of Peter the Great and the 19th Russian Championship of Conrad-25R yachts.

Pollution

See also: Animal welfare and rights in Russia, Siberian fur trade, and List of power stations in Russia

Some people who care about the environment in Vladivostok say that parts of the city's outskirts are not very clean and could be bad for health. They say this is because of many factories and industries around the city, like building and fixing ships, making power, printing, farming animals for fur, and digging up minerals.

The city’s location also makes it harder to keep clean. Some busy parts of Vladivostok are in low areas where wind does not blow the dust and smoke away easily. Also, there is not much snow or plants in winter to help trap and clear away dust.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia

Vladivostok has many friendship cities around the world. Some of these cities include Akita in Japan, Busan in South Korea, and Dalian in China. In 2010, special arches with the names of these friendship cities were placed in a park in Vladivostok. From the city's ferry port, ships travel to places like Donghae in South Korea and Sakaiminato on the island of Honshu in Japan.

Notable people

Main category: People from Vladivostok

Vladivostok has been home to many interesting people from different fields. Some are known for their work in art, sports, science, and more.

A few examples include:

• Alexandra Biriukova, an architect who helped design buildings.
• Anna Shchetinina, a captain who led ships.
• Diana Ankudinova, a talented singer.
• Eugene Kozlovsky, a writer of stories and books.
• Igor Tamm, a physicist who studied energy and matter.
• Ilya Lagutenko, a singer and musician.
• Lilia Akhaimova, a gymnast who performed amazing flips and moves.
• Mikhail Koklyaev, a strongman known for his strength.
• Natalia Pogonina, a chess player with great strategy skills.
• Vladimir Arsenyev, an explorer who discovered new places.

Many other people from Vladivostok have made important contributions in many different areas.