Some of the population of Birobidzhan annually leaves their hometown. This to a small extent affects the “indigenous” inhabitants - the Jews, who long ago left the land they didn’t like, but which concerns a large number of other peoples of Russia that inhabit Birobidzhan. The problem of population outflow is also acute for other cities in the Far East, be it Khabarovsk or Nakhodka. According to statistics, they are gradually reducing the Russian population and growing Chinese.
Population decline
Questions of reducing the population of Birobidzhan are on the surface. These are mainly socio-economic problems: unemployment, high prices, in particular, for utilities, high housing costs, reduced social guarantees, poor ecology. Lack of decent pay makes young people leave in search of a better life, as this problem gives rise to many others.
The overall population decline consists of two parts:
- Natural decline.
- Migration.
It is generally accepted that the decline in the population in Birobidzhan and in the region as a whole is due to the departure of the Jewish population to Israel. But this is not entirely true. Jews have never constituted the majority in Birobidzhan. It is worth noting that the largest surge in the departure of residents from the autonomous region occurred in the 90s of the last century, when the Jewish population drove to Israel in droves. From 1992 to 2002, about 6 thousand Jews left the EAO.
Natural population decline
The reason for the decline in the population of Birobidzhan cannot be considered solely the departure of residents from the region, although this factor amounted to more than 86% of the total population decline. There is another indicator here - the excess of mortality over fertility. It amounted to more than 13% of the total population decline. This factor is very alarming and shows that in this region not everything is successful with many social indicators that affect the normal functioning of the population.
These include poor public health services, the environment, and much more. Low salaries do not allow residents of the region to eat well and create world-class living conditions for their families.
Another factor that affects population decline is price increases and declining purchasing power. According to official statistics, on average, wages for 2016 increased by 3.3%. Prices for consumer goods for this year increased by 6%. The life expectancy of residents is also closely related to this indicator.
Migration
The departure of the population to Israel occurred in the 90s. Today it is not relevant, since the number of the Jewish population in Birobidzhan is about 1% of the total. Currently, there is a departure of residents to other regions of Russia. The leaders here remain the Khabarovsk and Krasnodar Territories. Most of the population (mainly young people) preferred Khabarovsk, where enterprises still work, and the unemployment rate is not so high relative to Birobidzhan, and wages are higher.
Those who live in Birobidzhan are well aware that leaving for the central regions of Russia is a rather expensive undertaking. However, older people preferred the Krasnodar Territory. Most of them are pensioners who have a regular income. In 2016 alone, 810 people left the capital of the EAO.
The closure of large enterprises
The population in Birobidzhan was affected by the closure of the industrial enterprises on which the region's economy was based. This sharply affected the welfare of its inhabitants. The standard of living in the region is the lowest in the country. Large enterprises of the city, which gave work to a large number of people, such as Dalselkhozmash, Radio Engineering Plant, Power Transformer Plant, were declared bankrupt and closed at different times.
Their workers were on the street. Today, unemployment in the region is the highest in the country. This could not but affect the population of Birobidzhan. More than 60 percent of the working population are state employees, the bulk of which are security forces, numerous officials, teachers and medical workers.
Population
How many people live in Birobidzhan? This issue is very relevant in determining the causes of population decline. If in 1992 the population of the city was 86,700 people, and in 2003 - 77,300 people, then by mid-2018 this figure was 73,623 people. As you can see, it is steadily declining.
Some officials are trying to explain the decline in the population of Birobidzhan by emigrating the Jewish part of the population to Israel. This is partly true. But in recent years, people continue to leave. However, people come to Birobidzhan for permanent residence. For the most part, these are residents of the northern territories of the Far East and young specialists. Those who managed to find a job with decent pay remain here. The rest, having worked out the time prescribed by the contract, leave.
Currently, this process has declined, but has not stopped. I would like to note a few more aspects related to the history and geographical position of the city, which served as the reason for its foundation, as well as climatic conditions that affect people's health.
Foundation of Birobidzhan
Its history began in 1912, when the Russian government decided to create stations located along the Amur Railway, and villages where the workers serving them will live. So, on the site of the current city of Birobidzhan with a population of more than 73 thousand people, a station appeared, built near the settlement of Sopka Tikhonkogo.
In 1928, in the working village of Tikhonkaya station, there were 273 houses and a little more than 600 people. This area was practically uninhabited. The government of the USSR makes a decision on this section of the railway to create settlements of Jewish nationality for compact residence. A committee on land management for the Jewish population is being set up in Moscow, which has begun recruiting citizens to live in those distant lands.
The reasons for the settlement of the Far East
There were several reasons for the decision to relocate people to the Far East. The external and internal conditions that developed on the territory of the Amur section of the Far Eastern Territory were not easy. The most difficult issue was the settlement of Far Eastern lands.
He was especially acute in relation to the border areas. Before the revolution, the Russian government took measures to populate the land adjacent to the Amur Railway. In these places, villages were massively created, in which agricultural work and responsibilities for border protection were combined.
Cossacks moved to these places with their families, with their household and pets. The Soviets did not have a relationship with the Cossacks, since they for the most part opposed the establishment of Soviet power in Transbaikalia and the Far East. Most of them went to China, where they made predatory attacks on the territory of the USSR.
The occupation of Manchuria by the Japanese, the Soviet-Chinese conflict, the non-recognition of the USSR by the countries of Europe and the USA - all these issues needed to be addressed. An uninhabited border area in such a situation would be a mistake. A decision is being made to relocate people to empty land. It should be noted that the Soviet Union coped with this. The share of urban population in this area in the 30s increased from 18 to 32%.
Creation of the Jewish Autonomous Region
Some try to present the resettlement of Jews to the Far East as a kind of exile of peoples. It is not true. Before the start of World War II, about 147 thousand immigrants left for the Far East. In the early years, 19 635 Jews came to the Far East, of which 11 450 people left after some time. In addition to them, people of other nationalities moved here, who, along with the Jews, mastered these lands.
In 1931, the workers' settlement was renamed Birobidzhan. This name comes from two tributaries of the Amur River. They flow along the territory of the Autonomous Region parallel to each other, one river is called Biro, the other is Bijan. Together they form the name of the city, which until today is the capital of the Jewish Autonomous Region and is called Birobidzhan. More than 1,400 Jews came here from Argentina, Palestine, Europe, and the USA.
In 1937, the workers' settlement received city status. What population was in Birobidzhan at that time? Most were Russians, followed by Ukrainians and Jews. The settlers who came here were engaged not only in agriculture. Furrier shops, brick workshops, and shoe shops were opened. Later, small enterprises of the woodworking, light, metal processing industries began to function.
The railway station was also actively working, where cargo was delivered for the region and Birobidzhan. And how many people got apartments thanks to active housing construction! Cultural institutions, schools, hospitals, kindergartens were built in the city, newspapers began to be published, bus routes opened. Birobidzhan received the status of a regional center. The Jewish theater, bearing the name of L. Kaganovich, was considered the most popular. By the way, the formation of the Jewish region is also connected with the name of L. Koganovich.
Climatic conditions and the state of ecology
Birobidzhan is located in the temperate monsoon climatic zone. Winters are cold, but not very snowy. Therefore, the freezing of the earth can reach two meters. There are practically no strong winds. The average January temperature is -24 ° C. The summer is warm. The average temperature in June is + 25 ° C. But at high humidity, even such temperatures are difficult to tolerate. At the end of summer - beginning of autumn, the monsoon rainy season begins, as a result of which there is a flood of rivers, sometimes leading to flooding.
The city has clean drinking water, more than half of the population drink it from the tap. The ecological situation is normal, no large air pollution is observed. The city is surrounded by greenery. The source of pollution is the CHP located in its line. There is also a natural source of pollution. This is radon accumulating in peat, of which the soil is composed.
Location
Far enough from the capital of Russia is Birobidzhan. Who lives there? The majority of the country's inhabitants cannot give an exact answer to this question. EAO is the only autonomous region in the territory of modern Russia.
It is located at a distance of 9,000 kilometers from Moscow. To fly to Birobidzhan from the capital by plane, it will take 8 hours. It takes 7 days to get here by rail. The time difference is 7 hours. Not every Russian citizen can afford to come to Birobidzhan as a tourist.
The location of the region for living is considered the most favorable in the Far East. In the south along the Amur River it borders on China, in the east - with the Khabarovsk Territory, in the west - with the Amur Region. The relief of the territory is mixed: there are mountains and plains covered with dense forests.
Birobidzhan, national composition of the population
For an ordinary person, much here may seem strange. First of all, the name itself is "an autonomous Jewish region", in which only one percent of Jews live. Only this is already perplexing. According to official figures, there are only 1.6 thousand people. Most are Russians, Ukrainians. Also here representatives of other peoples of Russia live. In Birobidzhan, the composition of the population is very diverse.
There are many reminiscent of Jews here. For example, when arriving in the city by rail, you see that the name of the station Birobidzhan is written both in Russian and in Yiddish. State University (the only higher educational institution in the city) bears the name of Sholom Aleichem. A funny milkman figure will meet you at the station.
In the USSR, the main languages of the region were considered Russian and Yiddish - the language spoken by Jews in eastern and central Europe. It was once studied at schools and the university. But now this is not necessary. In our time, only 86 people speak it in the region, and about 300 Jews speak Hebrew. The Birobidzhaner Stern newspaper once appeared in Yiddish. Today it is published in Russian with a tab in Yiddish.
Conclusion
Despite all these problems, Russia has a wonderful city of Birobidzhan, which is officially the administrative center of the Jewish Autonomous Region. Discussions at the highest level on the abolition of this administrative unit, as the failed project of the USSR to create a compact place for Jews and create autonomy for them, have been going on for many years. There is a proposal to join it in the Khabarovsk Territory. Another scenario is the formation of the Amur Region, which will include the Amur and Jewish regions. The only party who opposes this is the Jewish community of the EAO.