Territory of Kaliningrad City - 215.7 sq. km. Population of Kaliningrad City: 423 700. The population shares according to age are: Youth - 25 %, Labor force - 51 %, Pensioners - 24 %.
Climate: annual rainfall - 600 mm, average January temperature - 2.8ø C, average July temperature +17.5ø C, minimum temperature - 30ø, Maximum temperature + 36ø C.
Education:
There are three state high schools (17, 9 thousands students) and eight colleges (8,2 thousands students). The total numbers of students has been increased on 7 % in 1999.
Territory of region - 15,100 sg. km.(0,1% of sq. RF) - one of the smallest territories of Russia; Density of the population - 63 men/sq.¬. (The third place in Russia).
Population - 950 000, include 77% of urban population, 23% - rural; men - 48,3%, women - 51,7%.
Ethnic composition:
russian - 78%, belorussian - 8%, ukrainian - 7%, lithuanian - 2%, german 0,6%, pole - 0,5%, and other (In total 97 nationalities).
History
Indeed, in 1255 the main castle of Koenigsberg was founded on bank of the Pregel river. Since the beginning of its history, Koenigsberg actively participated in trade activities as a member of the Hanza Union. The University of Albertina was the main spiritual and cultural center of the city, which gave many impulses to the life in the city as well as to neighbors from the Baltic region.
Since World War II, the political map of Europe changed indeed and the former capital of Eastern Prussia, Koenigsberg be-came a Russian city named Kaliningrad. Today, Kaliningrad is an administrative center of the most western territory of Russia. The borders of the region were determined according to the Potsdam Conference of the Allies in 1945. One third of Eastern Prussia with capital of Koenigsberg was allocated to the former USSR and two thirds of it were attributed to Poland. The main part of the German population abandoned the territory together with the withdrawing army.
In 1946, Koenigsberg was renamed "Kaliningrad" and became an administrative center of the Kaliningrad region.
During the last years, Kaliningrad acquired new features. From the central square of the city one can see a panorama of ongo-ing construction of new housing facilities. Only the silhouette of the main cathedral built in the 14-th century reminds us of a real age of the city.
The city had lost its traditional role of bridging East and West because of the closed and limited entrance regime up to 1991 and the absence of international contacts. Nowadays, the unique geographical position of the city has become important again.
It was established historically that Kaliningrad is situated on the territory which is rich of in cultural traditions.
Kant, Bessel, Hoffman, Agnes Migel - all these names don't need to be presented. Russian people, settled at that place after the World War II, brought another culture, permanently developing and consisting of different traditions of our multinational state. Kaliningrad can be called "a small Russian America" in the center of Europe. In the city the following theatres are available: dramatic theatre, puppet theatre, the fashion theatre of Tamara Beletskaya, some private theatres, German theatre (the only in Russia), the "Art House" (concert and theatre complex).
Concerts of Russian and European organists and choir groups are held in the Organ hall of Kaliningrad Philharmonic Society.
New cinema and concert complexes equipped with modern facilities are opened in the city. The museums of Kaliningrad tell us the rich history of the region and its modern life. They are the Museum of the World Ocean, the Cathedral, the History and Art Museum, the Art Gallery, numerous monuments connected with the war history.
Kaliningrad zoo is one of best in Russia, it is located in the picturesque park territory in the centre of the city.
The sport fans of Kaliningrad can be proud of the world known names in tennis, free-style wrestling, light athletics. In the centre of the city there is a large sport complex "Yunost" where the competitions of the highest level can be held.
Foodstuff shops in Kaliningrad are open mainly from 9.00 till 22.00, neither breaks nor days-off, in every city district some of them are 24 hours at your disposal. The shops of consumer goods work from 10.00 till 20.00, several shops have a short working day. The city markets are acceptable every day except Monday.
The currency exchange points are situated everywhere in the city, their ordinary working time is from 9.00 till 19.00, a few ones, located in the centre, work 24 hours. In Kaliningrad the network of petrol stations with 24 h shops is well developed.