The Cities of the Soviet Union

Abstract

T HE Soviet Union is rapidly becoming a land of great cities. Moscow, with more than 4 million inhabitants, and Leningrad, with more than 3 million, are among the great cities of the world.' Between 1926 and 1939 the number of Soviet cities of more than Ioo,ooo population increased from 31 to 82. In number of such cities the Soviet Union has overtaken the West European industrial-urban countries of Germany and Great Britain and the populous Asiatic countries of India and China and now is exceeded only by the United States, which has 92 (Io8 metropolitan districts).2 In the 12-year intercensal period between December 17, I926, and January 17, I939, the total urban population increased from 26,314,114 to 55,909,908, a numerical increase roughly comparable with that which took place in the United States in the 26 years between 1895 and 1921. The urban population of the Soviet Union now exceeds that of any other European country. This paper is a study of the growth, functions, and distribution of the cities of the Soviet Union. Since the I939 census the Soviet Union has enlarged its territory by annexation of a strip on the western border. This strip, with a population of some 23 million, includes seven cities of more than Ioo,ooo population (Table I, p. II9) and six in the 5o,ooo-Ioo,ooo class. These cities are shown on the maps, but they are not included in the discussion, since boundary settlements are still pending and strictly comparable data are lacking. GROWTH, 1926-1939