Vitebsk, population: national composition and size

The population of Vitebsk is about 369 thousand people, which allows the city to occupy the fourth place in terms of the population in Belarus. The latest data on the official website of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee reveals the regularity that the number of indigenous people is thinning out, but the number of foreign citizens who move to the city for permanent residence is increasing.

Representatives of almost 100 nationalities live on the territory of the city district and the region. Such a heterogeneous national composition became the reason for the decision to create national public associations. In the city there are conditions for the preservation and development of the culture of national minorities. Directly in Vitebsk there were such national mergers:

• Russian;
• Ukrainian;
• Gypsy;
• European;
• Latvian.

The main activities of these associations are charity and guardianship, legal and other assistance to fellow countrymen, as well as cultural enlightenment of citizens.

Population dynamics of Vitebsk

The first information about the population and numbers appeared in the first decade of the seventeenth century. So, in 1641 in the city there were one thousand ten estates. And the population living in the urban district, at that time, was just over ten thousand people.

The acceleration of population growth continued until the First World War, when the population was one hundred and nine thousand inhabitants. But during the war the city of Vitebsk and its population suffered great material and human losses, which led to a significant reduction in the number of inhabitants. So, in 1917 the population of Vitebsk was 100 thousand people, and by 1920 it was reduced to 80 thousand. After the number of citizens began to grow. Before the Great Patriotic War in the city lived almost 170 thousand people.

The most minimal mark on the population was recorded during the war and occupation. This period is regarded as the most difficult: the shooting of citizens, the death of citizens in concentration camps, the forcible removal of civilians to forced labor ...

But the hard times have passed. By the anniversary of the city, namely the millennium of Vitebsk, which took place in 1974, the population was already 270 thousand people. To the collapse of the Soviet Union, the population of Vitebsk again began to decline.

National composition of Vitebsk

The first data on the national composition of the population in Vitebsk appeared at the time of the population census in the Russian state in 1897. Conclusion concerning the nationality was carried out according to the native language of the respondents. Statistics were also drawn up based on surveys of religious affiliation and classes of the people.

According to the data of 1641, where the initials of the respondents (or, more precisely, the nicknames and nicknames of the owners of the estates) are also listed, the indigenous inhabitants - the Belarusians - had the advantage in the population. In addition, representatives of the Russian state were identified among the population. None of the estates, judging by the language of everyday communication and religion, at that time did not belong to the Jews. As it can be noted, the absence of Jews was noted in Vitebsk, but according to other sources it was revealed that they still lived in a small community and even helped in the defense of the state from Russian troops in 1654.

The first general census of the Russian Empire

The national composition of the city was first revealed in the general census of the Russian Empire (1897 ). However, in the absence of the "nationality" column, nationality was written in papers, based on the native language of the residents interviewed. According to many experts, these data do not reflect the real picture, since at that time many citizens called the language of other peoples their own native language.

Based on the figures obtained during the first general census (1897), an analysis was made of the national composition of the city. Data are given as a percentage of different classes located on the territory of the urban settlement. So, the national composition of Vitebsk is represented by such data:

• Jews accounted for 50% of the population;
• The share of Russians was 29%;
• Byelorussians there were 12%;
• Poles were 5%;
• The Germans in Vitebsk were only 1.5%;
• Persons who speak Latvian were slightly more than 1%;
• Lithuanians - less than 0.1%.

Language composition of the population of the city

Based on the census of citizens (2009), the native language of the majority of the population in Vitebsk is Russian (60.5% of the number of citizens residing in the city). Belarussian speakers were almost thirty-four percent. The composition of those who did not specify their native language or citizens with knowledge of other languages, is five and a half percent of the population.

If you take into account the fact, in which languages citizens communicate in everyday life, you can rely on the following data:

• The number of people who communicate in Russian at home is almost 92% of the total population;
• Almost 3% of urban residents use the Belarusian language;
• Persons who speak other languages or refused to indicate the prevailing language of communication constitute 5.5%.

The second language, which was allocated by the majority of citizens, is Belarusian - 24.6% (for those who speak Russian at home) and Russian - 1.5%.

Social Protection Fund of the City of Vitebsk

The Social Protection Fund provides its citizens with a range of social services. Areas for which social security services are provided:

• Granting pensions of any kind;
• Appointment of benefits to persons who raise children;
• Support for citizens who are in search of work;
• Establishment of minimum wage standards;
• Help in the device for the workplace of residents for whom employment represents a problem;
• The identification and elimination of offenses that have affected occupational safety and health.

For families or single parents, social benefits are provided on the basis of average per capita income for the last twelve months.

The state can also help citizens who find themselves in a difficult life situation that affects the capacity for work and daily activities of a person. Payments are made to socially unprotected layers of the population.

Social benefits are granted to under-age citizens who are given a third degree of disability, or to persons who do not need to assign a group, but who need medical help, according to a medical examination.

Current status and residents of Vitebsk

As of January 1, 2017, the population of Vitebsk is 369.9 thousand people. After a long recession, the number of residents of the city has finally started to grow at a stable pace. The majority of citizens are Belarusians (80%), Russians (12.7%) and Ukrainians (1.3%) live slightly less in Vitebsk. Among the representatives of other nationalities, the most numerous are Jews and Poles. Today, 60% of Vitebsk residents speak Russian, 33.8% speak Belarusian, or 5.6% other languages (or their mother tongue is not specified).

The city is divided into three administrative districts. In addition, the urban district includes three resort towns, where local residents buy dachas and build country houses. The historical, business and cultural center of the city is Oktyabrsky district, where most of the municipal institutions are concentrated. Industrial facilities are concentrated mainly in Zheleznodorozhny district, which also includes the aforementioned suburban settlements. Pervomaisky district - these are sleeping quarters, quiet squares, green parks and developed infrastructure. Historically, two massifs are distinguished in the district, separated by the rivers Zapadnaya Dvina and Luchesa.

Modern Vitebsk is a city of festivals. Annually, it hosts more than twenty cultural events. The most significant event is the Slavic Bazaar.

In the city there are many educational institutions. The majority consists of secondary schools (38), gymnasiums (9) and lyceums (5), colleges (11), kindergartens (93). There are only five institutions, but it is in Vitebsk that one of the largest medical universities is located, the only university in Belarus that produces veterinarians. Especially good in educational institutions developed sports facilities, because in addition to conventional sports halls, universities and schools have swimming pools, gyms and athletics arenas.