Kiev is rightfully considered the oldest city and one of the most beautiful among European capitals. Excavations by archaeologists show that settlements existed on its territory about twenty thousand years ago.
Historian Ilovaisky D.I. at the end of the nineteenth century, for the first time unveiled the population of Kiev in the era of Ancient Russia. According to historical chronicles discovered, in the 12th century, 100,000 people lived in Kiev. This figure is approved by other researchers. Modern historians believe that the population of Kiev at that time reached 120,000 people. This discrepancy in numbers shows the lack of research methods. Indeed, specific facts can be found in the annals, which talk about pestilence, fires, the number of troops that went out to fight the enemy. The testimonies of foreign travelers, which indicate the vast size of the city at that time and the number of its inhabitants, should not be ignored.
According to historical facts, 30 thousand people lived in Novgorod in the XIII century, 20 thousand people in London in the XI century (about 35 thousand in the XIV century), Gdansk and Hamburg totaled 20 thousand people in the XII century. If we compare the population of Kiev with the number of Slavic and Western European cities of that time, we can conclude that Kiev significantly exceeded them. It was the largest trade and craft center.
Much later, from archaeological sources, scientists learned more accurate statistics. In the 17th century, Old Russian cities differed little from the large cities of the ancient world. At that time, 100-150 people per hectare of land. The average population density of ancient Kiev was 125 people. on 1 ha. Consequently, 47.5 thousand people lived on 380 hectares. By population, Kiev at that time was considered a rival to Constantinople. And the data of the late eighteenth century indicate that the population of Kiev at that time was approximately 30 thousand people.
In the post-Soviet period, the capital of Ukraine was the only region of the country where the number of inhabitants remained stable for a decade.
Modern Kiev, whose population is 2.9 million people according to 2010, is constantly growing. Every year, the number of people in Kiev increases due to the arrival of migrants from rural and small urban regions of Ukraine. In the first two quarters of 2010 alone, the population of Kiev due to migration increased by 880 people. These are the official facts of the Kiev Main Department of Statistics. Also, the increase in the number of inhabitants was reflected in the number of newborn children. The official number is 810 babies. The natural growth of Kiev has long been negative.
The bulk of the population of the city are Ukrainians. The rest of the national composition of Kiev is formed by Belarusians, Jews, Russians, Crimean Tatars, Poles and Moldavians. According to the Constitution, the state language is Ukrainian. But many residents of the capital are fluent in Russian and communicate in it.
The bulk of Kiev profess Orthodoxy. This is due to the historical past of Kiev. The religion of some residents (Poles, immigrants from Western Ukraine and Belarus) is Catholicism.