POPULATION CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SOVIET UNION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP63-00314R000200160047-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 23, 1998
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: August 22, 1960
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 200 4R000200160047-4
CIA/RR aP 6o-88:L (Part I)
22 August -1960
POPULATION CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SOVIET UNION
A total of 299 cities in the Soviet Union have 50,000 or mare
inhabitants each. An estin3.ated 69,189,000 persons, or 33 percent of
the total population of the Soviet Union (208.8 mill.i.on ), live in and
around these cities* -- that is, within a 10-mile radius of their
centers. The regional pattern of these population concentrations
is shown on Map No. r , ' following page , which shows the distri-
Nation of urban centers in the Soviet Union.
The densest urban concentration is in Moskovskaya Oblast', where
an estimated 77 percent of the total population lives in and around
cities. This oblast' also contains more cities than any other
second-order administrative division (Oblast', Kral, ASSR) in the
Soviet Union. The oblart' that ranks second is in the Ukrainsks a SSR
Staalnnekaya Oblast', which covers the central and western portions of the
highly industrialized Donets Basin. Here 76 percent of the inhabitants
live in and around cities. Fight other political divisions now have
50 percent or more of the total populatin concentrated in and around
cities -- Kemerovska?ja Oblast' with 61 percent, Chelyabinskays Oblast'
with 54 percent, Tashkentskaya. Oblast' With 53 percent, Ilraepropetrov-
skaya Oblast' and Kuybyshevakeyca, Oblast' each have 52 percent, Alma-
Atinskaya Oblast' and Karagandi.nskaya Oblaasta have 51 percent, and
*For purpose of this study the word "city" means an urban center of
50,000 or more Inhabitants.
**This nap, CIA Map No. 277140.1, should be revised by the Cartography
Division before being published in this report.
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finally, Adzbarsksya ARSR has 5o percent. In other second-order divisions
the percentages of urban population range flan 49 percent to zero;
several divisions have no u+bsn centers an large as 50,000 inhabitants.
ie Census of population of 1959 gives a basis for comparison of
ethnic composition of each of the iiaioi Republics with the date given
in the Census of Population of 1939 as shown by the following table.
Ethnic Gros in the MOB
1959 1939
Census Census
ub1~c ercent
B hric
202.
ArM5wakaya SSR
88
84
Armenian
Azerbaydzhanekeya SSR
67
63
Azerbaiy+i.bani.
Relorusskeya SSR
8o
81
Belorussian
Estonskay MR
73
91*
Estoniea
0ruzinskeya SSR
63
61
Ceorgie?n
~8kalra SSR
29
57
Kazakh
Kirgizakaya SSR
67
Kirgiz
Lstvi.yskaya. SSR
62
76*
Latvia
Litovskasya 23R
79
8o
Lithusnian
Roldavskaya SSR
65
65
Moldaavi an
RMH
It.
83
73
Russia
7fzhikakaya. SSR
53
78
TumMlka,ya SSR
61
72
Turkmen
nays, SR
76
80
tikraini en
Uzbekskaya SB
62
87
Uzbek
Dot included in 1939 Census; figures obtained from other sources.
The HMR in the 1959 Census includes the former Kerelo-riiskaya
SSR, listed separately in the 1939 Census.
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An extensive redistribution and Mixing of ethnic gz oups has
occurred since 1939? The changes of greatest magnitude have taken
place in larger cities, which have experienced a heav-r influx of Riau
industrial. and administrative wafters. The 1939 Census, which was
compiled at the time when the proportion of urban dwellers was lower,
in many oases now may be more representative of the ethnic cos osition
in areas outside cities than are the 1959 figures.
In Karekhakaya SSE, according to the 1959 Census, the proportion
of Raissieca is considerably greater than that of the titular ethnic
pups the Russians representing 43.1 percent of the total population
con,ared with 29.6 for the xazabs. Ruiasia &3.80 comnMse signl.ficent
sectors of the Population of the other Republics -- 27 percent in
Lutviyskays SSE, 9 percent in Belorusakaaya SSR, 18 percent in
Dk inskaya SSR, 22 percent in Eastonekays SSR, and 30 percent in
Rirgiaskaya SSR. Significant minority groups axe present in several
of the vestern border A-.publice of the USSR. In Belor ya SSR
6.7 percent of the people are Poles,, 1.9 percent are Iflrainians and
another 1.9 percent are Jews. Poles also comprise 8.5 percent of the
population of ll.tovskay s SFR Belorussians another 1.1 percent, and
Jews and tlkrainians each less than 1 percent. In Mold vskaya SSR
Imra1nia make up 14.6 percent of the population; + uzy and dews
each mike up another 3.3 percent} and lul.gars make up 2.1 percent.
east of the people of the various ethnic groups understand the
I-angwW of their own ethnic group, and many of them also understand
and use Russian, because study of the Russian language is compulsory
in all Soviet schools.
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The following table gives population data for all the cities in
the Soviet Union With populations of more than 50,000- Bach city is
listed under the first- or second-order a8ministrative division. in
Which it is located. Col=an one of the table shows the total
population of (1) the P*Public, (2) Qblast', Kray, or AMR, and (3)
City. The figures in this column are from the 1959 Census and were
published in a statistical su muery by the Soviet 0overmment. Column
two gives the total number of inhabitants living Within cities for
each of the administrative urnits. Column three presents estimates of
the total number of inhabitants living in and around cities; that is,
within a 10 mile radius of the center of each. The figures in column
thare estimates med. on very excel information., such as election
district data at the All-Union level and settlernnt patterns Shown on
obleat' maps.. and should be so regarded. Column', four shove the
percentage of the population of each administrative unit that lives in
and around cities.
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