Kirov Oblast

Oblast in Volga, Russia

Kirov Oblast

Oblast

Кировская область

Flag

Coat of arms

Anthem: Anthem of Kirov Oblast
Coordinates: 58°46′N 49°50′E﻿ / ﻿58.767°N 49.833°E﻿ / 58.767; 49.833
Country| Russia
Federal district| Volga[1]
Economic region| Volga-Vyatka[2]
Administrative center| Kirov[3]
Government

• Body| Legislative Assembly[4]
• Governor[4]| Aleksandr Sokolov[5]
Area

[6]

• Total

| 120,374 km2 (46,477 sq mi)
• Rank| 30th
Population

(2021 census)[7]

• Total

| 1,153,680

• Estimate

(2018)[8]

| 1,283,238
• Rank| 41st
• Density| 9.6/km2 (25/sq mi)
• Urban

| 77.8%
• Rural

| 22.2%
Time zone| UTC+3 (MSK [9])
ISO 3166 code| RU-KIR
License plates| 43
OKTMO ID| 33000000
Official languages| Russian[10]
Website| http://www.kirovreg.ru

Kirov Oblast (Russian: Кировская область, IPA: [ˈkʲirəfskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ]) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) located in Eastern Europe. Its administrative center is the city of Kirov. As of the 2010 census, the population is 1,341,312.[12]

## Geography

[edit]

The oblast is bordered by Vologda, Arkhangelsk, Kostroma and Nizhny Novgorod Oblasts, as well by the republics of Mari El, Tatarstan and Udmurtia and one krai (Perm). Animals living in the oblast include bears, beavers, squirrels, moose, wolves, etc.

### Natural resources

[edit]

Natural resources include forests (mostly conifers), phosphate rock, peat, furs, water and land. There are widespread deposits of peat and non-metallic minerals: limestone, marl, clay, sand and gravel, as well as the rare mineral volkonskoite.[citation needed]

In recent decades, a minor recoverable oil reserve was revealed in the east of the region, as well as deposits of bentonite clays. The region also contains the Vyatsko-Kama deposit of phosphate rock, the largest in Europe. Rich in mineral springs, the Kumyonsky District contains the resort town of Nizhneivkino.[citation needed]

### Hydrography

[edit]

Kirov Oblast is characterized by diverse hydrography, including numerous rivers, lakes, and reservoirs which play an essential role in its geography, economy, and ecology. The hydrographic network of Kirov Oblast is dominated by the Volga River basin, one of the largest river systems in Europe, but additionally encompasses the Severodvinsk.

The rivers in Kirov Oblast are numerous, with more than 19,000 rivers and streams and spanning 66.7 kilometers. Some of the most significant rivers include the Vyatka, Moloma, Cheptsa, and Kama rivers. The region contains approximately 4,500 lakes, many of which are of glacial origin, with a combined water surface area of 5.5 million hectares. These lakes provide habitats for various species of fish and birds and are often used for recreational purposes. The rivers and lakes of Kirov Oblast are integral to the region's natural environment and economy, providing water for agriculture, supporting fisheries, and transportation.

## History

[edit]

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 Soviet Socialist Republic and the Mari and Votskaya (now the Udmurt Republic) autonomous regions.

The territory did not escape the Russian Civil War and intervention of 1918–1921. Then between 1921 and 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.

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 (Uezd, Volost) and introduced a new system of division into regions, territories, and districts (raiony). Vyatka Province was abolished, and its territory became part of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The city of Vyatka became a district center.[13]

On 5 December 1934, the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) passed a resolution renaming the city from Vyatka to Kirov, and Kirov Oblast was formed on 7 December.[11] 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]

On 30 October 1997, Kirov, alongside Astrakhan, Murmansk, Ulyanovsk, and Yaroslavl, signed a power-sharing agreement with the government of Russia, granting it autonomy.[14] The agreement would be abolished on 24 January 2002.[15]

## Administrative divisions

[edit]

Main article: Administrative divisions of Kirov Oblast

Kirov Oblast was formed on 7 December 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.[16]

## Economy

[edit]

Pishchalskoye peat railway Kobrinskaya railway

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 railway. 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.[17]

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.[17]

### Transportation

[edit]

* The Dymnoye peat railway operates in Verkhnekamsky District
* The Gorokhovskoye peat railway operates in Kotelnichsky District
* The Otvorskoye peat railway operates in Kotelnichsky District
* The Pishchalskoye peat railway operates in Orichevsky District
* The Kobrinskaya narrow-gauge railway for hauling felled logs operates in Murashinsky District
* The Oparinskaya narrow-gauge railway for hauling felled logs operates in Oparinsky District

### Petroleum infrastructure

[edit]

#### 2024 oil infrastructure attack

[edit]

The Kirov Oblast is the site of the Rosrezerves' Zenit oil depot in Kotelnich, a large petroleum tank farm installation of the Russian State Reserve.

On 28 August 2024, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was attacked and set ablaze by a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone strike. This was the first attack on the region since the start of hostilities, and is deep in inland Russia, over 1000 km from the Ukrainian border.[18]

## Politics

[edit]

During the Soviet period, the high authority in the oblast was shared between three persons: The first secretary of the Kirov CPSU Committee (who in reality had the biggest authority), the chairman of the oblast Soviet (legislative power), and the Chairman of the oblast Executive Committee (executive power). Since 1991, CPSU lost all the power, and the head of the Oblast administration, and eventually the governor was appointed/elected alongside elected regional parliament.

The Charter of Kirov Oblast is the fundamental law of the region. The Legislative Assembly of Kirov Oblast is the province's standing legislative (representative) body. The Legislative Assembly exercises its authority by passing laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and by supervising the implementation and observance of the laws and other legal acts passed by it. The highest executive body is the Oblast Government, which includes territorial executive bodies such as district administrations, committees, and commissions that facilitate development and run the day to day matters of the province. The Oblast administration supports the activities of the Governor who is the highest official and acts as guarantor of the observance of the oblast Charter in accordance with the Constitution of Russia.

## Demographics

[edit]

Population: 1,153,680 (2021 Census);[19] 1,341,312 (2010 Census);[12] 1,503,529 (2002 Census);[20] 1,692,655 (1989 Soviet census).[21]

### Settlements

[edit]

Largest cities or towns in Kirov Oblast

2010 Russian Census

Rank  |  | Administrative Division | Pop.
1 | Kirov | City of oblast significance of Kirov | 473,695
2 | Kirovo-Chepetsk | Town of oblast significance of Kirovo-Chepetsk | 80,921
3 | Vyatskiye Polyany | Town of oblast significance of Vyatskiye Polyany | 35,162
4 | Slobodskoy | Town of oblast significance of Slobodskoy | 33,981
5 | Kotelnich | Town of oblast significance of Kotelnich | 24,979
6 | Omutninsk | Omutninsky District | 23,615
7 | Yaransk | Yaransky District | 17,253
8 | Sovetsk | Sovetsky District | 16,598
9 | Sosnovka | Vyatskopolyansky District | 11,960
10 | Luza | Luzsky District | 11,260

Vital statistics for 2024:[22]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1897| 3,030,831| —
1939| 2,226,000| −26.6%
1959| 1,913,600| −14.0%
1970| 1,727,348| −9.7%
1979| 1,661,546| −3.8%
1989| 1,692,655| +1.9%
2002| 1,503,529| −11.2%
2010| 1,341,312| −10.8%
2021| 1,153,680| −14.0%
Source: Census data

* Births: 7,912 (7.0 per 1,000)
* Deaths: 18,131 (16.1 per 1,000)

Total fertility rate (2024):[23]
1.43 children per woman

Life expectancy (2021):[24]
Total — 69.73 years (male — 64.80, female — 74.68)

Ethnic Composition (2010):[12]

* Russians – 91.9%
* Tatars – 2.8%
* Mari people – 2.3%
* Udmurts – 1%
* Ukrainians – 0.6%
* Others – 1.4%
* 35,385 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group.[25]

### Religion

[edit]

Religion in Kirov Oblast as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)[26][27]

|  |
Russian Orthodoxy |

| 40.1%
Other Orthodox |

| 1.3%
Old Believers |

| 1%
Other Christians |

| 5.3%
Islam |

| 0.9%
Spiritual but not religious |

| 32.9%
Atheism and irreligion |

| 13.1%
Other and undeclared |

| 5.4%

According to a 2012 survey[26] 40.1% of the population of Kirov Oblast adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 5% are unaffiliated generic Christians, 1% are Orthodox Christian believers not belonging to churches or members of non-Russian Orthodox churches, 1% are adherents to Islam, 1% to the Old Believers. In addition, 33% of the population deems itself to be "spiritual but not religious", 13% is atheist, and 5.9% follows other religions or did not give an answer to the question.[26]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Chairmen of the Kirov Oblast Duma

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Президент Российской Федерации. Указ №849 от 13 мая 2000 г. «О полномочном представителе Президента Российской Федерации в федеральном округе». Вступил в силу 13 мая 2000 г. Опубликован: "Собрание законодательства РФ", No. 20, ст. 2112, 15 мая 2000 г. (President of the Russian Federation. Decree #849 of May 13, 2000 On the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in a Federal District. Effective as of May 13, 2000.).
2. ^ Госстандарт Российской Федерации. №ОК 024-95 27 декабря 1995 г. «Общероссийский классификатор экономических регионов. 2. Экономические районы», в ред. Изменения №5/2001 ОКЭР. (Gosstandart of the Russian Federation. #OK 024-95 December 27, 1995 Russian Classification of Economic Regions. 2. Economic Regions, as amended by the Amendment #5/2001 OKER. ).
3. ^ Charter of Kirov Oblast, Article 9
4. ^ a b Charter, Article 3
5. ^ Official website of the Government of Kirov Oblast. Governor of Kirov Oblast Archived March 24, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "Сведения о наличии и распределении земель в Российской Федерации на 01.01.2019 (в разрезе субъектов Российской Федерации)". Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
7. ^ "Оценка численности постоянного населения по субъектам Российской Федерации". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
8. ^ "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
9. ^ "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
10. ^ Official throughout the Russian Federation according to Article 68.1 of the Constitution of Russia.
11. ^ a b c Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Union Republics. 1987., p. 155
12. ^ a b c Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1 [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
13. ^ Постановление ВЦИК от 14.01.1929 «Об образовании на территории Р. С. Ф. С. Р. административно-территориальных объединений краевого и областного значения»
14. ^ "Yeltsin Signs Power-Sharing Agreements With Five More Russian Regions". Jamestown. November 3, 1997. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
15. ^ Chuman, Mizuki. "The Rise and Fall of Power-Sharing Treaties Between Center and Regions in Post-Soviet Russia" (PDF). Demokratizatsiya: 146. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 8, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
16. ^ Государственный комитет Российской Федерации по статистике. Комитет Российской Федерации по стандартизации, метрологии и сертификации. №ОК 019-95 1 января 1997 г. «Общероссийский классификатор объектов административно-территориального деления. Код 33», в ред. изменения №278/2015 от 1 января 2016 г.. (State Statistics Committee of the Russian Federation. Committee of the Russian Federation on Standardization, Metrology, and Certification. #OK 019-95 January 1, 1997 Russian Classification of Objects of Administrative Division (OKATO). Code 33, as amended by the Amendment #278/2015 of January 1, 2016. ).
17. ^ a b "Kirov Region". kommersant.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
18. ^ Drones hit a Russian oil depot more than 1,000 kilometers away from Ukraine, MILITARYNYI, 28 August 2024.
19. ^ Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Всероссийская перепись населения 2020 года. Том 1 [2020 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1] (XLS) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
20. ^ Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек [Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
21. ^ Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров [All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly.
22. ^ "Естественное движение населения в разрезе субъектов российской федерации за декабрь 2024 года". Rosstat. February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
23. ^ "Рейтинг рождаемости в регионах: кто в лидерах, а кто в аутсайдерах | Москва". ФедералПресс (in Russian). February 25, 2025. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
24. ^ "Демографический ежегодник России" [The Demographic Yearbook of Russia] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat). Retrieved June 1, 2022.
25. ^ "ВПН-2010". www.perepis-2010.ru. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
26. ^ a b c "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia". Sreda, 2012.
27. ^ 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived.

### Sources

[edit]

* Кировская областная Дума. №12-ЗО 27 марта 1996 г. «Устав Кировской области», в ред. Закона №537-ЗО от 28 мая 2015 г. «О внесении поправки в Устав Кировской области и внесении изменения в статью 26.1 Закона Кировской области "О Законодательном Собрании Кировской области"». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального публикования (19 апреля 1996 г.), за исключением отдельных положений. Опубликован: "Вятский край", №66 (1314), 9 апреля 1996 г. (Kirov Oblast Duma. #12-ZO March 27, 1996 Charter of Kirov Oblast, as amended by the Law #537-ZO of May 28, 2015 On Amending the Charter of Kirov Oblast and Amending Article 26.1 of the Law of Kirov Oblast "On the Legislative Assembly of Kirov Oblast". Effective as of the date which is ten days after the official publication date (April 19, 1996), with the exception of several clauses.).
* "СССР. Административно-территориальное деление союзных республик. 1987." (USSR. Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Union Republics. 1987) / Составители В. А. Дударев, Н. А. Евсеева. – М.: Изд-во «Известия Советов народных депутатов СССР», 1987. – 673 с.

## External links

[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kirov Oblast.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kirov Oblast.

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Subdivisions of Russia

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Autonomous okrugs (4)|

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Autonomous oblast (1)|

* Jewish

* 1Considered by most of the international community to be part of Ukraine.

* 2Administratively subordinated to Tyumen Oblast.

* 3Administratively subordinated to Arkhangelsk Oblast.

Non-constitutional official divisions by various institutions

* Federal districts (by President)
* Economic regions (by Ministry of Economic Development)
* Military districts (by Ministry of Defence)
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Administrative divisions of Kirov Oblast

Administrative center: Kirov • Rural localities

Districts|

* Afanasyevsky
* Arbazhsky
* Belokholunitsky
* Bogorodsky
* Darovskoy
* Falyonsky
* Kiknursky
* Kilmezsky
* Kirovo-Chepetsky
* Kotelnichsky
* Kumyonsky
* Lebyazhsky
* Luzsky
* Malmyzhsky
* Murashinsky
* Nagorsky
* Nemsky
* Nolinsky
* Omutninsky
* Oparinsky
* Orichevsky
* Orlovsky
* Pizhansky
* Podosinovsky
* Sanchursky
* Shabalinsky
* Slobodskoy
* Sovetsky
* Sunsky
* Svechinsky
* Tuzhinsky
* Uninsky
* Urzhumsky
* Verkhnekamsky
* Verkhoshizhemsky
* Vyatskopolyansky
* Yaransky
* Yuryansky
* Zuyevsky

Closed administrative-territorial
formations|

* Pervomaysky

Cities and towns|

* Belaya Kholunitsa
* Kirov
* Kirovo-Chepetsk
* Kirs
* Kotelnich
* Luza
* Malmyzh
* Murashi
* Nolinsk
* Omutninsk
* Orlov
* Slobodskoy
* Sosnovka
* Sovetsk
* Urzhum
* Vyatskiye Polyany
* Yaransk
* Zuyevka

Urban-type settlements|

* Afanasyevo
* Arbazh
* Arkul
* Bogorodskoye
* Darovskoy
* Demyanovo
* Falyonki
* Kiknur
* Kilmez
* Krasnaya Polyana
* Kumyony
* Lalsk
* Lebyazhye
* Leninskoye
* Lesnoy
* Lyovintsy
* Mirny
* Murygino
* Nagorsk
* Nema
* Nizhneivkino
* Oparino
* Orichi
* Peskovka
* Pinyug
* Pizhanka
* Podosinovets
* Rudnichny
* Sanchursk
* Strizhi
* Suna
* Svecha
* Svetlopolyansk
* Tuzha
* Uni
* Vakhrushi
* Verkhoshizhemye
* Vostochny
* Yurya

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