St. Petersburg in Facts and Figures

Location:

• Eastern Europe, the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland)

Latitude:

• 59 degrees 57' North

Longitude:

• 30 degrees 19' East

Time Zone:

• GMT +3, Eastern +8

Founded:

• 16 (27) May, 1703

City's birthday:

• celebrated each year on May 27

Population:

• 5 million (as of October 2012)

How does St. Petersburg compare?

• The most Northern city in the world with a population over 1 million

Area:

• 1400 square kilometers

Main river:

• Neva. The city is located in the delta of the Neva River on numerous islands, a fact which prompted some observers to call it "The City on 101 Islands"

Main natural phenomena:

• White Nights, Floods

Origin of the name:

• Named in honor of St. Peter and not Peter the Great, the founder of the city.
  
• The name can be translated as "The City of St. Peter". St. Petersburg, FL was named in honor of St. Petersburg, Russia by Russian-born railroad builder Piotr Dementyev (Peter Demens)

Name changes:

May, 1703 - August, 1914		St. Petersburg
August, 1914 - February, 1924		Petrograd
February, 1924 - July, 1991		Leningrad
July, 1991 - Present		St. Petersburg

Nicknames:

• "The Venice of the North"(referring to St. Petersburg's many rivers and canals)
• "The Palmyra of the North"
• "The Northern Capital of Russia" (referring to the centuries-old rivalry between St. Petersburg and Moscow)

Symbols:

• the Angel with a Cross (weather-vane on top of the Peter and Paul Cathedral)
• the Little Ship - Korablik (weather-vane on top of the Admiralty tower)

The Seal:

• A sea anchor and a river anchor with a scepter - a symbol of royal power - on a red field.

Local government:

• The Governor and the Governor's Office, The Legislative Assembly

Zoning:

• 20 administrative districts, including satellite towns under St. Petersburg's jurisdiction

Main cultural attractions:

• The Hermitage Museum
• The Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater
• The Imperial palace and park ensemble at Peterhof

Airports:

• Pulkovo-2 International
• Pulkovo-1 Domestic

Sea port:

• Passenger terminal on Vasilievsky Island