While you complain about the food you eat, some people usually don't even eat twice a day. While you are unhappy with your apartment, homeless people are living on the streets. While you hate your life, there are those people who are struggling to survive. In a survey cited by the United Nations, the ten poorest cities in the world are mainly made up of cities African continent. African countries are the least developed countries in the world. In all aspects - supply, clean water, transport, infrastructure, health and medical facilities, overcrowding and illiteracy are the main problems of these cities. When we talk about the least developed countries(LDCs), we are talking about the poorest and most vulnerable countries in the world. These countries are classified according to their low gross national income (GNI), vulnerable human resources and high degree economic vulnerability. Let's take a look at the 10 poorest cities in the world. The Poor City of Addis Ababa, is largest city and the capital of Ethiopia with a population of over 3,384,569. It is often referred to as the "political capital of Africa" ​​due to its historical, diplomatic and political significance to the continent. Although the city is slowly thriving, it still has a long way to go. Addis Ababa has various types of economic activities - trade, manufacturing and industry, housekeeping of various varieties, civil administration, transport and communications, education, health and social services, hotel and Catering and agriculture. Some rural areas engage in livestock farming and horticulture. Construction of new high-rise buildings is also observed. Addis Ababa, also called the “resort capital of Africa”, does not have a standardized transport system, and the main problem, preventing further development city, is the lack of water. Read also about.
Main administrative center– Dakar is home to the National Assembly of Senegal and the Presidential Palace with a population of over 1,030,594 people and industries such as fishing, cotton and agriculture. As the city's economy continuously prospers, the UN has highlighted the city's development as positive, especially in terms of infrastructure and overall progress. These achievements were achieved thanks to efficient telecommunications, which served key point. However, the supply of clean water is a major concern, as is political instability throughout West Africa.
Zimbabwe's capital Harare is the most populous city in Zimbabwe with a population of 1,606,000. Harare is a major financial, commercial and communications centre. it's the same shopping mall for the production of tobacco, corn, cotton and citrus fruits. The city is filled with multi-storey buildings and may seem developed and different from other African cities. However, the population living in slums increased by 17 percent. Outbreaks of typhoid fever were the biggest problem in the city, as well as water shortages. Read also.
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania The largest city in Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam is also the largest city in East Africa by population. It is the country's main center for art, fashion, music, media and film and television. It is also the most famous city for business and government. However, the city's population is growing rapidly and has already reached four million inhabitants. Nowadays, overcrowding leads to diseases, especially when people do not have access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities. Gender discrimination and sexually transmitted infections (HIV/AIDS) are major problems in the city. Income inequality is also a problem because it gets worse over time.
Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, is considered one of the fastest growing cities in South Africa. Given the low level natural resources, poor infrastructure and housing, pollution environment and low standard of living for ordinary citizens, Lusaka was ranked as the third worst city in the world. The average life expectancy of local residents in the city is 56 years, due to the harsh living conditions in the country. High level of HIV/AIDS infection.
The capital Niger-Niamey is the administrative, cultural and economic center of Niger. Although the city tried to move forward, this resulted in a division of wealth between the city and rural areas countries. Because of this conflict, Niamey has experienced little progress, making it one of the poorest cities in the world. As the population grows, crime rates such as drug smuggling, kidnapping, terrorism, and violations of women's rights are becoming a serious problem in the region. Racism, religion and ethnic discrimination are also issues that cause tension in the capital and the country. Another problem facing Niamey is food shortages.
Bamako, Malibamako is the capital of Mali with a population of 1.4 million people. The city produces textiles, processed meats and metals. The city center is very crowded and polluted. Like Niamey, Bamako is developing while population growth increases. The city's agriculture is actively developing. IN last years Saudi Arabia and China have invested in Bamako to develop its infrastructure and facilities. A water pumping station has also been established in Bamako, which receives water from the Niger River. However, water shortages are still experienced during the hot or summer season. Massive wars in the country left people without food.
The capital, Antananarivo, is a major political, economic, educational and cultural center of the country. This is the president's house National Assembly, Senate and Supreme Court. Agriculture and industry in the city is the most active sector, they cultivate the land, engage in livestock raising and brick making. In the city, your access to land is protected by law, as you are required to pay rent or purchase the property. However, much of the marginal land was illegally occupied and developed, leading to overcrowding in the area. This compounds the risks of improper sanitation and safety for residents. Transport in the city is poor, infrastructure is inadequate and national roads are not even paved.
CONAKRY, GUINEA Guinea's capital, Conakry, has an estimated population of two million. The city is the main administrative, communication and economic center. The economy includes cargo handling and storage, banana and alumina exports. This city is very poor. Public transport is rare, highlighting a major factor limiting city improvement. Ethnic discrimination also stifles the city. Due to its division, the country is slow to develop as it is haunted by its war-torn history. Routine power and water outages were also a problem in the city.
Rounding out the list is Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. Its economy is centered on the export of latex and iron ore. Manufacturing includes cement, petroleum products, food products, bricks and tiles, furniture and chemicals. Most residents in downtown Monrovia live without electricity. While the country's development is slow, the infrastructure requirements are dire. Roads remain abandoned and clean water and electricity remain a problem. Most residents rely only on tanker trucks driving around the city to supply household supplies. The narrow streets are a parking lot due to the increasing number of cars on the road. There is no public transport. Health is another major concern, and informal settlers experience floods and landslides that increase the risk of illness and infection.

Despite the general trend toward economic recovery in Russia, there are cities that currently can hardly be called prosperous. High unemployment, low incomes, and, as a consequence, high crime rates. In this article we will look at the 10 poorest cities in Russia.

10.

The placement of the city of Voronezh at the top of the ranking is due to the liquidation of the industrial sector of the economy, which ultimately affected the increasing pace of social stratification. The situation is also worsened by the fact that an increase in profits does not affect even a partial increase in income. According to statistics, the poorest category of citizens are pensioners.

9.

A high level of unemployment and a lack of jobs with decent wages is what makes Naberezhnye Chelny a city in which there is something to work on. The low-income segments of the population officially include pensioners and military personnel.

8.

Barnaul is characterized by a significant gap between wealthy and poor citizens. Only 60% of residents have incomes that allow them to buy the most necessary products. Only 10% of the city's population can openly admit that their income level will allow them to purchase a car.

7.

Lipetsk's inclusion in the rating is due to the deplorable state of affairs in the public utilities sector. Maintaining buildings and transport owned by the city in optimal condition requires sufficient funding, along with healthcare and the social sphere. According to statistics, 16% of the urban population are recognized as poor.

6.

A city as huge by Russian standards as Rostov-on-Don cannot boast of its wealth, since more than half of the residents consider themselves poor, the bulk of whom are such a disabled category of citizens as pensioners.

5.

Saratov's inclusion in this anti-rating is due to the unfavorable environmental situation and the lack of timely medical support in the healthcare sector. Outside the city limits, unauthorized waste disposal sites pollute the surrounding area. The high mortality rate also negatively affects the successful development of the city. In addition, the population needs sufficient food. Every fifth city dweller considers himself to be in the low-income category, and 64% are poor.

4.

Volgograd, while maintaining its tourist attractiveness and having industrial buildings, provides citizens with a meager level of income. The cause of the problem lies in the financial well-being of urban youth, which makes up almost half of the total number of low-income people.

3.

Despite the industrial specialization of the city, the problem of unemployment has been eliminated, but there are no jobs with decent earnings. The low level of wages will be dissolved in the form of spending on food products, vital housing and communal services and payment of debts and loans.

2.

Being a major economic center on the Volga, it needs financing for transport logistics and utilities. Approximately 11% of city residents have difficulty earning a decent income, and more than half of city residents cannot afford to fork out for their own plans.

1.

Strange is the fact that the industrial center of mechanical engineering, Togliatti, topped the anti-rating. Of the 700 thousand urban population, 13% are poor. The reason lies in the lack of full implementation of industrial development. Even on the domestic market, our own production is being crowded out by high-quality Chinese products.

If we carry out general statistics federal news, about new successes in production or ongoing events in cities, then these cities will be encountered much less frequently than others.

Specialists from the Department of Sociology at the Financial University Russian Federation Every year they conduct a large-scale study of how citizens of the country’s cities assess their material well-being. The poorest city in Russia, according to experts, is Tolyatti. Cities with a population exceeding 500 thousand people took part in the research. Residents of the country had to independently assess their level of well-being on a 5-point scale. The number one hides a situation where citizens of the state barely earn enough to buy food. The number five indicates the opportunity to buy real estate. Based on these indicators, it was possible to calculate the poverty index for each locality.

10 most disadvantaged cities in Russia

According to the Department of Sociology, the list of the poorest cities in Russia includes the following settlements:

• Tolyatti with a poverty index of 0.8.
• Astrakhan with an indicator of 0.68.
• Penza with an indicator of 0.6.
• Volgograd with an indicator of 0.59.
• Saratov with an indicator of 0.55.
• Rostov-on-Don with an indicator of 0.53.
• Lipetsk with an indicator of 0.52.
• Barnaul with an indicator of 0.5.
• Naberezhnye Chelny with an indicator of 0.5.
• Voronezh - indicator 0.49.

In contrast to the poorest settlements in the country, the lowest poverty index was recorded in Vladivostok and Moscow, and in Kazan. The assessment of the situation was not based on official statistical data; it was based solely on own opinion residents of each individual locality.

General characteristics of poverty by city

The share of critically poor young men recorded in Saratov was 5%. This figure for cities averages 4%. To assess the situation, young people from 18 to 30 years old were considered. In the same locality the most a large number of low-income men - about 36%, compared to the national average of 35%. The settlement is also noted for having the poorest youth, whose share is at least 5%, compared to the national figure of 4%. Low-income youth make up 42%, while the national average does not exceed 38%. The share of critically poor residents is 14% with an average of 11%, and low-income residents are 53% with an average of 51%. The total poverty index of this locality is 0.55, and it ranks 5th in the ranking. Despite record figures, the poorest city in Russia is Togliatti. The study provided information that the peak of poverty, which affected both the northern and southern cities of Russia, occurred at the end of 2011. It was during that period that more than 18% of the country’s residents did not have money for food. By mid-2012, the population that classified themselves as poor had dropped to 9-11%.

The other side of the coin or the most affluent cities

Russia's millionaire cities are the other side of poverty. According to the Department of Sociology and with a focus on the poverty index, the wealthiest residents of the country live in the following settlements:

• In Vladivostok - with a poverty index of 0.08.
• In Moscow - 0.08.
• In Yekaterinburg - 0.14.
• In Kazan - 0.2.
• In Tyumen - 0.23.
• In Krasnodar - 0.25.
• In St. Petersburg - 0.26.
• In Orenburg - 0.27.
• In Irkutsk - 0.27.
• In Novosibirsk - 0.28.

35 cities took part in the research. Those surveyed in the most prosperous cities of the country practically did not consider the situation of lack of funds for food and basic necessities. The majority of respondents confidently classified themselves as either the fourth or fifth income category, where there is the opportunity to purchase personal transport and real estate.

General summary of information

Togliatti is the poorest city in Russia. About 57% of the locality's residents are low-income. Second place went to Saratov, which is home to 56% of low-income people. The top three in this category is completed by Penza, whose population is 53% low-income. Yekaterinburg is on the other side of the scale. According to the survey, only 2% of critically poor men and critically poor youth live in the Northern capital. Poor people account for only 10%. The category of low-income men here is 32%, and low-income youth - only 33%. In total, low-income residents account for no more than 48%. Here we can add that over the past 10 years, from 2003 to 2014, the number of critically poor people in the country has decreased from 37% to 10%. At the same time, there has been a growth trend in the low-income population over the past few years - from 46% to 54%.

A little about Togliatti

The top of the poorest cities in Russia is headed by Tolyatti, a settlement inhabited by about 700 thousand people. According to preliminary data, there are 13% of residents who have certain difficulties with purchasing food. The share of low-income people in the locality reaches 57%. It is worth mentioning the 45% of young people who fall into this category. By misfortune, Togliatti's twin cities became Astrakhan and Penza with populations of 530 and 520 thousand people. The poverty rate is 56% and 53%. The statistics surprised experts, since Togliatti is usually called the “capital of the domestic automobile industry.” which now adorns the poorest city in Russia is the flagship of the automobile industry, AvtoVAZ OJSC. Information about whether the mass layoffs of 2014 had an impact on the situation and statistics does not appear or disseminate anywhere. Only the risk of social unrest has been recorded, which could affect the cities of the south of Russia and the north.

What does the government say?

On December 16, 2014, O. Golodets, who holds the post of vice president, stated that there are 15.7 million poor people in Russia. In conditions of inflation, their number will systematically increase. The names of Russian cities that will fall into the poor category will appear more and more often in the media in the future. According to them, the purchasing power of the country’s citizens will decrease significantly in the near future. This trend will cover cities in both the north and south of Russia. Rosstat provided very interesting information that in just the first 12 days of January 2015, the inflation rate in the country reached 0.8%. If we talk about this value at the end of last year, it corresponded to only 0.3%. According to forecasts, by the end of spring the growth rate should reach 15-17%. As for inflation, by the end of 2015 its value is expected to reach 13.7%.

Methodology for assessing poverty in Russia

The list of the poorest cities in Russia was compiled for a reason, but based on a large-scale study. The indicator was studied not on the basis of statistical data or even on the availability of access to benefits. The poorest city in Russia was determined based on a self-assessment of the level of well-being made by the population itself. In the process of sociological research, Russians were asked to answer a question about their own income, namely, which category it fits into. There were five options to choose from:

• There is hardly enough money for food.
• There are only enough funds for food and basic necessities.
• There are enough funds to purchase large household appliances such as a refrigerator and washing machine.
• There is an opportunity to purchase a new car.
• There are enough funds for all needs, including the purchase of real estate.

Combining categories into groups

The following approach allowed us to conclude that Togliatti is the poorest city in Russia. According to the presented classification, the first group of people is the critically poor population. The first and second groups together form the stratum of the low-income population of Russia. The issue of poverty is very relevant and plays an important social and political role. This is due to the emergence of social unrest with a significant decrease in Russians. Similar trends do not cover millionaire cities in Russia.

What formed the basis for calculating the poverty index?

The poverty index, which made it possible to determine the names of Russian cities where the poorest population of the country lives, was calculated based on the fact that the basis of the state workforce is not low-income citizens as such, but unemployed youth. The study focused on the share of low-income and critically poor men and young people aged 18 to 30 years. In order to determine which southern and northern cities of Russia are the most disadvantaged, it was decided to use only six classes:

• Percentage of critically poor young men aged 18 to 30.
• Percentage of young men aged 18 to 30 living in poverty.
• Percentage of critically poor youth aged 18 to 30, both men and women.
• Percentage of low-income youth aged 18 to 30, both men and women.
• Volume of critically poor city residents.
• Volume of low-income city residents.

Each indicator was recalculated into a special index. The final poverty index, which became the basis for the formation of the rating, is the arithmetic average of all the indicators listed above. The higher the index value, the worse the situation within a particular locality. The ongoing research has only confirmed the fact that in Russia today there is a fairly large percentage of people who are accustomed to classify themselves as belonging to the lowest income groups.

A group of sociologists conducted research in the field of well-being of Russian cities, which took place in 35 cities with a population of over 500,000 people. A survey of citizens made it possible to create a “poverty index” value, according to which the top 10 poorest cities in Russia were compiled.

10 Voronezh

9 Naberezhnye Chelny

8 Barnaul

7 Lipetsk

6 Rostov-on-Don

5 Saratov

4 Volgograd

3 Penza

2 Astrakhan

1 Togliatti

What is the poorest city in Russia? The Department of Sociology of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation compiled a poverty level rating. During the research, the conclusion was made: Tolyatti is the poorest city in Russia. In this article we will try to understand on what basis such conclusions were made. We will also list the rest of the poorest Russian cities. But first, a little about the history of Tolyatti itself.

Tolyatia: first appearance

The poorest city in Russia did not always have such an “honorable” status. At one time it was one of the five most developing in the world. It has been compared to the American Orleans.

The founder is considered to be the famous ethnologist, geographer, historian Vasily Tatishchev. In 1737, Empress Anna Ioannovna granted the Kalmyk princess Anna Taishina a certificate of ownership of Kalmyk lands. She converted to Christianity and expressed her loyalty to the Russian administration. To protect these lands from raids by Kalmyk nomads who did not want to follow her example, the letter indicated the need to build fortresses. So, on the site of the future Tolyatti, which in the future will receive the status of “the poorest city in Russia,” the first settlement was formed. The official founding date is June 20, 1737.

First name

The first name of Tolyatti is Stavropol, i.e. “City of the Cross”. The first paramilitary settlement received this name thanks to a decree of the Senate. Tatishchev himself suggested calling it Epiphania, which means “baptism.” The settlement was supposed to become the center of all Kalmyk Christians who decided to switch to a sedentary lifestyle.

Thrice reborn

Today's poorest city in Russia has changed not only its name, but also its location throughout the history of its existence.

By the beginning of the 20th century, it was poorly developed economically and was no different from an ordinary village. In 1924 it was demoted to settlement status. The previous status of the city was returned to it only after the Great Patriotic War.

In 1950, it was decided to build the Kuibyshev reservoir. Then it was decided to move the settlement to a new location. At the bottom of the Zhiguli Sea there are fragments of old Stavropol.

In 1964, it received its new name - Tolyatti, in honor of the leader of the Italian communists. It must be said that the city owes Italy not only its name, but also its industry: it is with this European country connected with the construction of the Volga Automobile Plant. The enterprise was built under the control of Italian engineers, and the first car - VAZ 2101 - was an exact copy of the Italian brand FIAT 124. Perhaps this is why the first "kopecks" are distinguished by their durability and reliability. Subsequent brands of VAZ cars, according to car enthusiasts and auto mechanics, cannot boast of this. The plant was built in record time, and the new industrial center began to actively develop.

Grand construction

In the 60-70s. of the last century, few would have guessed that half a century later Tolyatti would bear the title “The poorest city in Russia.” At that time it was considered a construction site of union significance. Its growth rate was comparable to the American city of Houston. In record time, it became a powerful industrial center of the USSR with the youngest population in the Union. To this day, Tolyatti is considered the largest city of republican subordination with a population of more than 700 thousand people. Even many capitals of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation cannot boast of such a population. It was the number of residents that made it possible to participate in the ranking “The poorest and richest cities in Russia,” since research is carried out only in those whose population exceeds half a million people. Tolyatti is one of the few in this ranking that is not the capital of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

Top 10 poorest cities in Russia

The top five poorest cities look like this:

1. Tolyatti.
2. Astrakhan.
3. Penza.
4. Volgograd.
5. Saratov.

Note that they are all geographically nearby - these are the regions of the Volga region and the central part of Russia.

It was believed that Lipetsk was the poorest city in Russia. At least that's what many of its residents think. This is not so: Lipetsk is not the poorest, but is in the top ten: today, the city of half a million in the European part of Russia occupies an “honorable” seventh place. Also, in addition to them, the top ten includes Rostov-on-Don, Barnaul (the capital of the Altai Territory), Naberezhnye Chelny (the capital of Chuvashia), Voronezh (the administrative center Voronezh region). It is striking that almost all of these cities in Soviet time were powerful industrial centers.

We have compiled the top poorest cities in Russia. Let's try to understand what criteria were used to conduct the research. Is the ranking of the poorest cities in Russia objective and why? official authorities"winner" are unhappy with him? More on this later in the article.

Why do the Tolyatti authorities not agree with the “high rank”?

The authorities and the “winner” media controlled by it are dissatisfied with the results. Naturally, who would like such a “high” status, especially if you determine the direction of its development? Let's try to figure out what criteria were used to conduct the research.

The level of socio-economic status can be studied based on objective data on income level and access to various services. This method is the most objective, but requires a significant amount of time, effort, and resources. In fact, a huge army of economists, lawyers, and social workers should participate in the work. In each test city, it is necessary to monitor average prices for food, essential services, determine the level of healthcare and education, and much more. However, there is another approach: according to it, poverty is assessed by the self-assessment of the level of well-being of the residents themselves. It was the second method that was used by the Department of Sociology financial university under the Government of the Russian Federation.

What does it mean? In fact, the ranking of the poorest cities was determined by the respondents themselves. With this approach, there is no need to talk about objectivity. For example, in many cities of Chechnya and Dagestan, the official unemployment rate is fixed at 30% of the working population, but the residents themselves do not feel poor. Also, in some cities the average income of residents is lower than in Tolyatti. The study is more psychological than economic in nature. If we analyze the ranking of the poorest cities in Russia based on the feelings of the residents of these cities themselves, we will see one pattern: they are all located in close proximity to rich and developed megacities. This explains that the list mainly includes cities in European Russia and the Volga region, which are located next to what they consider to be prosperous cities: Moscow, Samara, Kazan, etc. This list also includes the city of Barnaul, the capital of the Altai Territory, whose residents are located in close proximity to Novosibirsk, which is included in the list of the richest cities in Russia.

Are residents of “poor cities” really becoming poor?

Of course, the authorities of those included in the “black list” of the poorest cities in Russia are unhappy. Like, “our residents are becoming poor, some have loans, others want to eat a lot,” etc. However, in the settlements on the list there are really serious economic problems. This is noted not only by the creators of the rating, but also by specialists from the Ministry economic development, Ministry of Health and social development etc. In Tolyatti there are serious economic problems associated with the AVTOVAZ crisis. Behind Lately Tens of thousands of workers were laid off. There are many reasons: automation of production, competition from Chinese manufacturers selling cars in the Russian Federation in the same price category as the Volga plant, financial problems, etc.

The crisis of the plant, which is a city-forming enterprise, cannot but affect the socio-economic situation of all residents, since, according to the “domino principle,” it takes over other spheres of public life.

Why conduct such research?

Why conduct such research and compile such ratings?

Experts are confident that they do not set themselves the task of helping residents of the poorest cities in Russia, otherwise fundamental economic research would be carried out. Respondents were only interviewed by phone, on the streets. Hence the conclusion: the purpose of the study is to identify the most “explosive” areas in which revolutionary movements. That is why they study not macroeconomic indicators, but the sentiments of residents, which are subjective in nature.

The driving force behind protests is often poor, unemployed male youth: they have nothing to lose and more than enough strength and energy. Therefore, the level of “critically poor young men” was measured separately. In Togliatti there are 13% of them, the average for Russia is 4%. Hence the conclusion: the city in the Samara region is not only the poorest, but also with the highest risk of potential revolutionary unrest.

Methodology for assessing urban poverty

We have listed the poorest cities in Russia. We will not list the name again. Also, it was already said above about the research method, which is not objective. The winner was determined based on the residents' self-assessed level of well-being. During sociological surveys, respondents were asked a closed question: “What is your salary enough for?” Next, you had to choose one of the five answers provided.

Poverty index

The rating is based on the so-called poverty index. It was calculated based on not all social groups. The research was based only on unemployed youth, which confirms the assumption that the state is flagging possible future “hot spots” of social unrest.

Poorest million-plus city

Among the thirteen million-plus people in Russia, a rating is being built. Rosstat compiled it taking into account the average salary, which is also not objective without price monitoring. The poorest million-plus city in Russia is Volgograd: the average salary at large and medium-sized enterprises is 32,441 rubles (2016 data).

Not far from Volgograd there is another million-plus city - Rostov-on-Don - with an average salary of 32.7 thousand rubles.

Is the Caucasus a future threat to Russia?

If we consider unemployed poor youth as a potential threat to future revolutions, then we need to pay attention to two regions of the Caucasus: Chechnya and Ingushetia. The highest youth unemployment rates were recorded in the Chechen Gudermes (25%), the Ingush Malgobek (24%) and Karabulak (23%). However, their population does not reach half a million, so they were not included in the rating.

Loaf index

The loaf index allows you to correlate wages and prices for the most basic product - bread. Unfortunately, Rosstat does not have data on all cities. However, the available data allow us to conclude: the highest loaf index is in oil-producing and oil-refining cities, also leading the city of Mirny in Yakutia, which is a diamond mining center.

It’s a paradox: residents of the grain-growing regions of Siberia and the European part of Russia, as well as some cities of the North Caucasus, can buy less bread with an average salary.

Results

We hope that in the near future not only the energy sectors, but also industry will develop in our country. And then there won’t be that depressive state of many residents settlements which we are seeing today.