Belgorod
Belgorod
| Belgorod (English) Белгород (Russian) |
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| - City - | |
 The Shchepkin Belgorod State Drama Theater |
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 Belgorod
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| Coordinates: 50°36′N 36°36′E / 50.6°N 36.6°ECoordinates: 50°36′N 36°36′E / 50.6°N 36.6°E | |
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| City Day | August 5 |
| Administrative status | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Belgorod Oblast |
| Administrative center of | Belgorod Oblast |
| Municipal status | |
| Urban okrug | Belgorod Urban Okrug |
| Mayor | Vasily Potryasayev |
| Representative body | City Duma |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 153.1 km2 (59.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2010 Census, preliminary) |
356,426 inhabitants |
| - Rank in 2010 | 49th |
| Population (2002 Census) | 337,030 inhabitants |
| - Rank in 2002 | 51st |
| Density | 2,328 /km2 (6,030 /sq mi) |
| Time zone | MSD (UTC+04:00) |
| Founded | 1596 |
| Postal code(s) | 308000 |
| Dialing code(s) | +7 4722 |
| Official website | |
Belgorod (Russian: Бе́лгород) is a city and the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, situated on the Seversky Donets River just 40 kilometers (25 mi) north of the Ukrainian border. Population: 356,426 (2010 Census preliminary results); 337,030 (2002 Census); 300,408 (1989 Census). Belgorod is served by Belgorod International Airport (EGO)
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History
The name Belgorod in Russian literally means "a white city", name being a compound of бе́лый (bélyj, “white, light”) and го́род (górod, “town, city”). The city was thus named after the region being rich in limestone. Etymologically, it corresponds to other Slavic city names of identical meaning: Beograd, Białogard, Biograd', Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi etc.
The settlement was first mentioned in 1237, when it was ravaged by the hordes of Batu Khan. In 1596 it was refounded by the order of Boris Godunov as one of numerous forts set up to defend Southern borders from the Crimean Tatars.
After the Russian border was moved further south, the fortress fell in disrepair and the town was assigned to the Government of Kursk. Peter the Great visited it on the eve of the Battle of Poltava, and a dragoon regiment was stationed in the town until 1917.
It was occupied by Nazi Germany on October 25, 1941. During the great Battle of Kursk, the village of Prokhorovka in Belgorod Oblast was a stage of the largest tank battle in world history (July 12, 1943). It was finally liberated on August 22, 1943 after this battle. The renowned World War II monuments include the Belgorod Diorama and a huge cathedral in Prokhorovka among others.
Belgorod is an administrative, industrial and cultural center of Belgorod Oblast, established in 1954. The major educational centeres of the City are Belgorod State University, Technological University, Agricultural Academy, Financial Academy.
Belgorod Drama Theater is named after one of the famous 19th-century actors Mikhail Shchepkin who was born in this region.
Notable people
- Svetlana Khorkina, a two time Olympic champion gymnast was born in Belgorod on January 19, 1979. A statue of Miss Khorkina is displayed in front of the Sports Center that has been built in her honor.
- Natalia Vladimirovna Zuyeva (Russian: Наталья Владимировна Зуева) (born October 10, 1988, in Belgorod, Soviet Union) is a Russian rhythmic gymnast and Olympic champion.
City okrugs
Belgorod is divided into two city okrugs (districts):
- Vostochny, population: 141,987 (2010 Census);
- Zapadny, population: 214,439 (2010 Census)
Climate
Belgorod's climate is humid continental (Köppen climate classification Dfb) featuring cold winters, warm summers and moderate precipitation.
| Climate data for Belgorod | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | -4.8 (23.4) |
-3.3 (26.1) |
1.9 (35.4) |
12.6 (54.7) |
20.7 (69.3) |
23.6 (74.5) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.3 (75.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
11.0 (51.8) |
2.7 (36.9) |
-1.8 (28.8) |
10.88 (51.59) |
| Average low °C (°F) | -11.1 (12) |
-9.6 (14.7) |
-4.9 (23.2) |
3.2 (37.8) |
9.4 (48.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
14.3 (57.7) |
13.3 (55.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
3.1 (37.6) |
-2.5 (27.5) |
-6.9 (19.6) |
2.44 (36.4) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 52 (2.05) |
40 (1.57) |
36 (1.42) |
46 (1.81) |
48 (1.89) |
67 (2.64) |
72 (2.83) |
53 (2.09) |
49 (1.93) |
40 (1.57) |
52 (2.05) |
50 (1.97) |
605 (23.82) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 100 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN) | |||||||||||||
International relations
Twin towns/sister cities
Belgorod is twinned with:
Wakefield, England, United Kingdom
Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
Opole, Poland
Vyshhorod, Ukraine
- ^ a b c d Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2010). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ a b Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "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)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ The value of density was calculated automatically by dividing the 2010 Census population by the area specified in the infobox. Please note that this value may not be accurate as the area specified in the infobox does not necessarily correspond to the area of the entity proper or is reported for the same year as the population.
- ^ "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.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ "World Weather Information Service – Belgorod". United Nations. http://worldweather.wmo.int/107/c01021.htm. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
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