43°10N 131°53E, pop (2000e) 645 000. Seaport capital of Primorskiy kray, Russia, on the East Sea (Sea of Japan); chief Russian port on the Pacific Ocean (kept open in winter by ice-breakers); base for fishing and whaling fleets; founded, 1860; terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway; university (1920); naval base; shipbuilding and repairing, precision instruments, foodstuffs, building materials.
Vladivostok (Russian: Владивосто́к (help·info)) is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Sino border and North Korea.
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History
Geography
Vladivostok is in the Russian Far East, on the coast of the Sea of Japan and near both the Chinese and Korean borders.
It is located in the Southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky peninsula (полуостров Муравьева-Амурского), which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide. Geographical coordinates: 43°08′N 131°54′E
The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik (гора Холодильник), the height of which is 257 m.
Vladivostok shares the latitude with: Sukhumi, Almaty, Marseille, Tuscany, Boston, and Toronto.
Railroad distance to Moscow is 9,302 km.
Climate
Mean annual temperature: 4.3°C Average temperature in January: −13.7°C Average temperature in August: 20.2°C Average annual precipitation: 722 mm -- strong summer maximumKöppen classification: Dwb
Demographics
The city's population was 594,701 as of the 2002 Census.
From 1958 to 1991, only Soviet citizens were allowed to live in, or even visit, Vladivostok (and even Soviet citizens had to obtain official permission in order to enter the city).
Vladivostok has one of the largest Armenian communities in eastern Russia.
Economy
The city's main industries are shipping, commercial fishing, and the naval base.
In 1995, Vladivostok's annual international trade totalled 725 million USD, including 206 million USD of exported goods, and 519 million USD of imported goods.
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many businesses have opened offices in Vladivostok, taking advantage of its location.
Unfortunately, the crime rate and cost of living have also increased, and the city is believed to be a hotbed of organized crime activity and abuse of power by regional and municipal authorities.
Transportation
The Trans-Siberian Railway was built to connect European Russia with Vladivostok, Russia's first Pacific Ocean port. Finished in 1905, the rail line ran from Moscow to Vladivostok via several of Russia's main cities.
Air routes connect Vladivostok International Airport with Japan (Tokyo Narita Airport, Niigata, Toyama, Osaka Kansai Airport); It is possible to get to Vladivostok from several of the larger cities in Russia.
Urban Transport :: On 28 June 1908, Vladivostok's first tram line was started along Svetlanskaya Street from the railway station in Lugovaya Street.
Education
Vladivostok is home to numerous educational institutions, including six universities:
the Far Eastern National University (Дальневосточный государственный университет, or ДВГУ), the Far Eastern State Technical University (Дальневосточный государственный технический университет имени Куйбышева or ДВГТУ), the Marine State University (Морской государственный университет имени адмирала Г.И. Невельского), the Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service(Владивостокский государственный университет экономики и сервиса or ВГУЭС), Vladivostok State Medical University(Владивостокский государственный медицинский университет), and Pacific State University of Economics (Тихоокеанский государственный экономический университет).The Presidium of the Far Eastern Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ДВО РАН) as well as ten of its research institutes are also located in Vladivostok, as is the Pacific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (Тихоокеанский научно-исследовательский рыбохозяйственный центр or ТИНРО).
Media
Over fifty newspapers and regional additions to Moscow publications are issued in Vladivostok.
As of 2006, there are fourteen channels broadcasting.
As of 1999, there are also seven radio stations, the most popular being 24-hour VBC (612 kHz, 101.7 MHz) and Europa+ (738 kHz, 104.2 MHz).
Arguably Russia's most famous rock band, Mumiy Troll (Мумий Тролль), hails from Vladivostok and frequently puts on shows there.
Pollution
Two thirds of Vladivostok's suburbs are so polluted that living in them is classified as a health hazard, according to the local ecological specialists, Ecocenter.
The Ecocenter report has taken ten years to compile and is believed to be the most comprehensive of its kind.
The pollution has a number of causes, according to Ecocenter geo-chemical expert Sergei Shlikov. Vladivostok has about 80 industrial sites, which may not be many compared to Russia's most industrialized areas, but those around the city are particularly environmentally unfriendly, such as shipbuilding and repairing, power stations, printing, fur farming and mining.
Sport
Vladivostok is home to the football club FC Luch-Energia Vladivostok, who play in the Russian Premier League, and basketball club Spartak-Primorye.
Miscellaneous
Vladivostok's phone code is +7 4232, or simply 8 22 if you call from inside of Primorsky Krai.
It is a sister-city of:
Niigata (Japan) Akita (Japan) Hakodate (Japan) Busan (South Korea) Dalian (China) San Diego (USA) San Francisco (USA) Tacoma (USA)Yul Brynner was born in the city;
It is the nearest city to the massive Sikhote-Alin Meteorite, which fell on February 12, 1947, in the Sikhote-Alin Mountains, approximately 440 km northeast of Vladivostok.
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