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Articles / Leningrad Oblast, the

Leningrad Oblast, the


Subject / Topography

LENINGRAD OBLAST, subject territory of RF. Area: 83,900 sq. Km (max. Extension from west to east: 446 km, north to south: 325 km.) Population (as of 2002): 1,669,000. The Oblast borders Pskov and Novgorod Oblasts in the south, Vologda Oblast in the east, Republic of Karelia in the north, and with foreign countries: Estonia in the west, and Finland in the north-west. The governing bodies of L. O. are located in SPb, neighboring subject of the Federation. Numerous archeological relics are evidences of the historic past of L. O. Staraya Ladoga, the first capital of Russia, is on the Volkhov River. The population of the region has always been polyethnic. The regional culture was generated under the influence of contacts between Finno-Ugric tribes and the Slavs. In the Middle Ages, the territory of L. O. belonged to Veliky Novgorod. At the break of the 15th – 16th centuries, the region was subdivided into four pyatinas (adm. and territorial units of Novgorod lands): Shelonskaya (left bank of the River Luga), Vodskaya (interfluve of the Luga and Volkhov Rivers), Obonezhskaya (east of the Volkhov River), Bezhetskaya (eastern part of the current Boksitogorsk District.) From the late 18th till early 20th century, the area of L. O. was divided between St. Petersburg, Vyborg, Novgorod, and Olonets Gubernias. Since the 18th century, the region’s economic development has been under primary influence of SPb (see Roads.) L. O. was established on 1 August 1927. Its area was 360,400 sq. km. L. O. consisted of nine Areas: Leningrad, Luga, Lodeynoye Pole, Pskov, Velikiye Luki (transferred to Western Oblast in 1929), Novgorod, Borovichi, Cherepovets, and Murmansk, which were subdivided into districts and rural soviets. In 1930, the Areas as adm. divisions of the oblast were canceled, except for Murmansk Okrug (due to its remoteness.) In 1931, Leningrad became a city of Republican dependence, the Oblast and City organizations were divided, which initiated the existence of L. O. as an independent adm. and economic entity. In 1937, Cherepovets and the adjacent districts were transferred to the new-established Vologda Oblast. In 1938, Murmansk Area was converted into a separate oblast. In 1944, Novgorod and Pskov Oblasts were formed. In 1940, after the Soviet-Finnish War, L. O. received the southern part of the Karelian Isthmus conquered from Finland (Kanneljarvi, Koivisto-Primorsk, Rautu-Sosnovo.) By the decree of the USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium, of 24 November 1944, Vyborg, Kexholm, and Jääski Districts of Karelo-Finnish Republic, and the territory of the Estonian Republic east of the Narova River with Ivangorod Town were incorporated in L. O. Since then, L. O. has existed within its current borders. L. O. has 17 municipal districts: Boksitogorsk, Volosovo, Volkhov, Vsevolozhsk, Vyborg, Gatchina, Kingisepp, Kirishi, Kirovsk, Lodeynoye Pole, Lomonosov, Luga, Podporozhye, Priozersk, Slantsi, Tikhvin, and Tosno. L. O. has 31 towns, 34 urban settlements, 2907 rural settlements (the population of rural settlements is constantly changing.) In 1996-97, municipal institutions were established, to be reformed in 2004-05 (currently, there are 222 MI of different levels.) L. O. has preserved monuments of wooden architecture, fortresses (see Fortresses and fortifications), manors; it has operating historical/local lore and industrial museums, theaters, schools or arts, schools of music. The L. O. system of cultural institutions includes houses and palaces of culture, clubs, folklore centers, amateur groups (see Amateur theatricals), and libraries. A component of cultural life is numerous festivals and feasts (see Festive culture of Leningrad Oblast, Festivals of arts.)

Authors
Chistyakov, Anton Yuryevich

Geography
Leningrad Oblast, the/Boksitogorsk District
Historical Toponyms/Borovichi Area
Historical Toponyms/Cherepovets Area
Neighbouring Territories/Cherepovets City
Neighbouring Territories/Estonia
Historical Toponyms/Estonian SSR
Neighbouring Territories/Finland
Neighbouring Territories/Finland
Leningrad Oblast, the/Gatchina District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Ivangorod Town
Leningrad Oblast, the/Vyborg District/Kannel'yarvi Settlement, Railway Station
Historical Toponyms/Karelian Finland SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic)
Topographical landmarks/Karelian Isthmus, the
Neighbouring Territories/Karelian Republic
Historical Toponyms/Keksgolm District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Kingisepp District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Kirishi District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Kirovsk District
Historical Toponyms/Leningrad Area
Saint-Petersburg City/Leningrad City
Historical Toponyms/Lodeynoye Pole Area
Leningrad Oblast, the/Lodeynoye Pole District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Lomonosov District
Historical Toponyms/Luga Area
Leningrad Oblast, the/Luga District
Topographical landmarks/Luga River, the
Historical Toponyms/Murmansk Area
Topographical landmarks/Narova River, the
Historical Toponyms/Novgorod Area
Neighbouring Territories/Novgorod City
Historical Toponyms/Novgorod Gubernia (Province)
Neighbouring Territories/Novgorod Oblast, the
Neighbouring Territories/Novgorod Oblast, the
Historical Toponyms/Olonets Gubernia (Province)
Leningrad Oblast, the/Podporozhye District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Vyborg District/Primorsk Town
Leningrad Oblast, the/Priozersk District
Historical Toponyms/Pskov Area
Neighbouring Territories/Pskov Oblast, the
Neighbouring Territories/Pskov Oblast, the
Historical Toponyms/Saint Petersburg Gubernia, the
Saint-Petersburg City
Historical Toponyms/Veliky Novgorod/Shelonskaya Pyatina ("Fifth")
Leningrad Oblast, the/Slantsi District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Priozersk District/Sosnovo Settlement
Leningrad Oblast, the/Volkhov District/Staraya Ladoga Village
Leningrad Oblast, the/Tikhvin District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Tosno District
Historical Toponyms/Velikiye Luki Area
Historical Toponyms/Veliky Novgorod/Vodskaya Pyatina ("Fifth")
Leningrad Oblast, the/Volkhov District
Topographical landmarks/Volkhov River, the
Topographical landmarks/Volkhov River, the
Neighbouring Territories/Vologda Oblast, the
Neighbouring Territories/Vologda Oblast, the
Leningrad Oblast, the/Volosovo District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Vsevolozhsk District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Vyborg District
Leningrad Oblast, the/Vyborg District
Historical Toponyms/Grand Principality of Finland/Vyborg Province
Historical Toponyms/Yaskino District

Bibliography
Гоголицын Ю.М., Гоголицына Т.М. Памятники архитектуры Ленинградской области. Л., 1987.
Гришина Л.И., Файнштейн Л.А., Великанова Г.Я. Памятные места Ленинградской области. Л., 1973.
Даринский А.В. География Ленинградской области. СПб., 1996.
Ленинградская область: Исторический очерк. Л. 1986.
Ленинградская область – 70 лет. Альбом. СПб. 1997.
Туристский путеводитель по Ленинградской области. СПб., 2003.