Russia is rich in unique places. One of them is the capital of the Kamchatka Territory. Both the history, the location and the surrounding nature of this city are unusual and interesting, which makes this place a source of pride for the population and an object of desire for tourists. Let's talk about the features of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, its climate, structure and sights.
Geographic location of the city
In the north-east of Russia is one of the most amazing regions of the country - Kamchatka. The capital of the Kamchatka Territory is located in the Avacha Bay of the Pacific Ocean, which is connected to it by a narrow strait. The city covers an area of 360 sq. km. Its relief is complex, with large elevation differences. The lowest point is Avacha Bay (0-5 m above sea level), and the highest point is Mount Rakovaya (513 m above sea level).
The whole city is located on the hills, so the roads consist of some ups and downs. Several streams flow through the area.the Krutoberega and Taenka rivers, there are lakes. Therefore, there are no difficulties with providing residents with water. The city is located in one of the most earthquake-prone areas of the earth. Small earthquakes happen here very often. Major, devastating disasters are rare, but people are always ready for them.
The city is located at a distance of almost 12 thousand kilometers from Moscow, so all residents of the European part of the country are always interested in the question, what time is it in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, when, for example, 9 am in the capital? The time difference with Moscow is 9 hours. Therefore, when it is 9 am in the capital, it is already 6 pm in Kamchatka.
Climate and ecology
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. This fact forms the climate of the settlement: it is temperate maritime, monsoonal. The location determines the specifics of the local weather: there are cool and fairly dry summers, mild, long winters. The region is characterized by high rainfall - about 1200 mm per year. The wettest months are October and November, with the least rainfall in June.
The region is experiencing year-round instability of the weather, susceptibility to the strong influence of cyclones. Summer begins in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in June and lasts until the end of August. But the capital and cities of the Kamchatka Territory feel an acute shortage of heat. Despite the fact that the region is located at the same latitude as Moscow and Tambov, the air temperature here rarely rises above 17 degrees in summer. True, inthis period has little rain. And it makes summer comfortable.
Winter starts in the region in November and ends in April. At this time, the greatest amount of precipitation falls. The average temperature in January is minus 7 degrees. But snow and rain and biting winds make this weather very unpleasant. The best time of the year in the city is autumn. In September, dry sunny weather is usually set without winds. But in the region, everything is relatively safe from the point of view of ecology. There is no malicious industry here. The main source of pollution is a person and a car. But since there are not very many of both, the air and water in Kamchatka are quite clean.
History of the settlement
The capital of the Kamchatka Territory was created by the discoverers of the region in the early 18th century. Before that, the local population lived here - Kamchadals and Chukchi. In the middle of the 17th century, Russian Cossacks got here and announced the annexation of the lands to the Russian Empire. But for another four decades, only small prisons were built here. This continued until Ivan Elagin went to these places to study these territories. He, still going on an expedition, looked after the bay as the most convenient place for anchoring ships. Yelagin measured the depth off the coast and confirmed her navigability.
In 1740, an expedition led by V. Bering and A. Chirkov arrived here on ships that gave the name to the new settlement. At first it was called Petropavlovsk. But, apart from a small prison and the name, in this placenothing appeared for another 70 years. Over the years, several expeditions arrived here, but the inhabitants did not increase. At the beginning of the 19th century, Catherine the Great issued a decree on the development of local lands and the creation of a city called Peter and Paul Harbor. From this moment, the development of the settlement begins.
The British and French claimed new lands. Local Cossacks had to keep a severe defense. Later, the city once again had to defend its independence, fighting off the Japanese during World War II. Since the 30s of the 20th century, the region has been actively developed. The city is growing, shipyards and the necessary infrastructure for life appear in it. But living conditions here have always remained harsh. In Soviet times, several educational institutions were opened here, mainly of a marine profile.
City features
The main specific feature of the settlement is its remoteness from the "mainland". Despite the fact that the city is connected with other regions of the country by the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky airport and a highway, the cost of air tickets makes this settlement inaccessible to many. This leads to the fact that there are few visitors to the village, most often from tourists there are representatives of Japan and China. Therefore, the city is poorly prepared to receive the influx of guests.
The first question visitors ask is: what time is it in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky compared to Moscow, Novosibirsk, etc.? Then they start looking for the usual tourist service. And with surprisediscover that they can find almost nothing of the way. Another feature of life in the capital of Kamchatka is the rather high prices in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. All products are delivered here from afar. This explains their high cost.
Administrative divisions
Initially, a small town had no division into districts. But in Soviet times, they tried to artificially divide the settlement into three districts. This innovation did not take root, and later the division was canceled. Today, the city consists of microdistricts, according to which people navigate in space.
The main streets of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are Sovetskaya and Karl Marx Avenue. Around them are grouped many significant objects of the city. But in general, the settlement has a large length, which is sometimes a problem for residents who need to get to some remote places. The population density is 500 people per sq. km.
Population
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky today has 180 thousand people. After perestroika, the city is going through hard times. If in 1991 there were 273,000 people living here, today the number of citizens is reduced by at least 1,000 every year. Despite a moderate increase in the birth rate and a decrease in mortality, it is not possible to stop the decline in the number of inhabitants. People are leaving the city due to the poor quality of life and declining economic performance. The indigenous population of the region - Kamchadals - is also gradually declining. Today in the citythere are just over 100 people.
Economy
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the economic center of the Kamchatka Territory. Administrative power is concentrated here, several educational institutions operate. Fish processing enterprises bring the main income to the city. But with the advent of modern fishing and processing companies in other settlements of the region, the importance of this industry in the capital is falling.
The authorities are betting on the mining industry. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, companies are opening for the extraction of gold, nickel, silver, and platinum. However, the city has a high unemployment rate. Despite the fact that the official figure does not exceed 2%, in reality there are much more unemployed people. The average unemployed person in the city is a 37-year-old man with a higher education. And the main vacancies are related to seasonal activities for catching and processing fish.
Attractions
The capital of the Kamchatka Territory cannot boast of any special architectural and historical sights. The main monuments are associated with the discoverers of Kamchatka. In general, the city is not very beautiful. It is additionally disfigured by sheets of iron, with which residents insulate the facades of their houses. The metal rusts and creates a feeling of being abandoned and dying.
The main attraction of the region is nature. These are active volcanoes, geysers, beautiful landscapes, the ocean. The landscape is presented almost untouched. Tourists are invited tonational parks and reserves to see salmon spawning and bears hunting for them, wild rosemary blossoms, the tranquility of autumn landscapes. Guests are also offered to go skiing: there are several good slopes within the city.
City infrastructure
The city gives the impression of a bit of an abandoned and abandoned settlement. And the reason for this is the aging infrastructure of the Soviet era, bad roads. The only modernized place is the airport. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is little repaired and built. Residents are in constant expectation of an earthquake. Therefore, there is very little private construction here, and the state does not have enough funds to subsidize the city. There is an acute shortage of good hotels in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The best places to stay are outside the city.
