|
Economic potential |
|
|
 |
|
INFRASTRUCTURE |
Saratov is a large transport nodal point that connects the center of Russia with
the Urals, Siberia and Central Asia. The transportation system of the Saratov
Region is represented by railway, river, air, motor transport and pipeline
transportation.
The leading position in the transport infrastructure of the region is held by railway to the share of which falls more than 90% of turnover of goods and 52% of passenger turnover. Two most important railways – Privolzhskaya and South-East – provide connection of the region with all the Russian areas.
Flights to Moscow, Samara, Surgut, Hannover, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Antalya are made from the Saratov airport. Saratov is the largest river port on the Volga. Water way connects the city with the industrial centre of Russia, Moscow (Canal Named after Moscow), the West Urals (Kama River), Black Sea (Volga-Don Canal), Baltic States and White Sea (Volgo-Balt water system).
1,2 million passengers use transportation utilities every 24 hours.
| Readings | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Commercial transportation of goods by transport enterprises, thousand tons |
122 091,1 |
| including: Railway |
14 700,6 |
| Motor | 7 190,9 |
| Water |
654 |
| Pipeline |
99 545,6 |
| Commercial turnover of goods of transport enterprises, million tons/kilometer |
68 133,8 |
| including: Railway |
45 630,1 |
| Motor | 419,4 |
| Water | 130 |
| Pipeline | 21 954,3 |
| Readings | Route miles, km |
|---|---|
| Railway for general use | 2 277 |
| Tramway | 65,3 |
| Trolleybus route | 124,5 |
| Internal navigable paths |
723 |
| Motor roads |
18 450 |
| Readings | Length, km | Number of bridges, pcs/rm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| total | including roads with hard surface | ||
| Total length of roads in the region | 18 450 | 13 919 | 755/37925 |
| including: |
|||
| Roads for general use | 10 527 | 10 419 | 565/31636 |
| including: | |||
| Federal roads | 717 | 717 | 62/3823 |
| Territorial roads | 9 810 | 9 702 | 503/27813 |
| Departmental and private roads | 5 223 | 1 250 | 113/4232 |
| Municipal roads (within settlements) | 2 700 | 2 250 | 77/2057 |
It is the most dynamically developing sector in the region, pace of its development is twice as much as the rate of GRP growth.
In 2004 the volume of communication and telecommunication services amounted to 5,2 billion roubles (125% against 2003). The programme «Development of Electric Communication Means in Saratov Region in 2001-2005» was completed ahead of schedule. In 2004 2,2 billion roubles was allotted for development by communication companies, it is 40% more than in 2003.
62 organizations on the territory of the region render services of traditional telephone communication (total capacity of the telephone network is 661,5 thousand telephone numbers). The communication companies expand the scope of rendered services. Residents and guests of the region can take advantage of e-mail, facsimile communication, I? telephony and the Internet.
7 companies render mobile radiotelephone communication services on the territory of the region (OJSC «Mobile Communication Systems – «Povolzhye», OJSC «Mobile Telesystems», OJSC «Vympelkom-region», CJSC «Narodnyi Telephone Saratov» and others). The number of mobile telephones amounted to 41 units per 100 persons.
| Readings | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Volume of rendered communication services, million roubles | 5 224,2 |
| Dispatched, million pieces Letters |
13,9 |
| Newspapers and magazines | 71,4 |
| Parcels |
0,1 |
| Money transfers and pension payments |
7,2 |
| Telegrams | 0,5 |
| Number of long distance calls, million | 97,7 |
| Companies of communication service | 1 503 |
| including rural areas | 1 190 |
| Urban telephone exchanges | 170 |
| Total holding capacity of urban telephone exchanges, thousand numbers | 571,5 |
| Provision of urban residents with home landline telephones, units per 1000 residents | 225,2 |
| Number of rural telephone exchanges | 685 |
| Total holding capacity of rural telephone exchanges, thousand numbers | 90 |
| Provision of rural residents with home landline telephones, units per 1000 residents | 108,4 |
| Number of broadcasting units, units | 355,2 |
| including rural areas | 39,7 |
| Number of registered mobile communication terminals, thousand units | 800 |
| Number of registered Internet users, thousand persons | 77,2 |
| Readings | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Printing offices | 86 |
| News agencies | 9 |
| Local enclosures to federal newspapers | 9 |
| Regional newspapers |
184 |
| Urban and district newspapers |
77 |
| Branch newspapers |
32 |
| Total circulation of newspapers by subscription, thousand copies | 657,9 |
| Provision of population with printed media, copies per 1000 persons | 233,2 |
| National television channels | 2 |
| Commercial television channels | 13 |
| Radio programmes | 26 |
In 2004 17 regional commercial banks and one non-bank credit institutions, 18 branches of banks from other towns and cities and 24 branches of Savings Bank of Russia with a broad network of internal divisions operated on the territory of the region. For the number of credit institutions the Saratov Region holds the 11th position in Russia and 4th in the Privolzhskiy Federal District.
High rates of credit institutions’ resource base growth (in 2004 the banking resource base increased by 29,6%), leading growth rates against indices on average in the country (RF – by 27,4%) testify to dynamical development of the banking sector. In 2004 resources of operating credit institutions of the region increased by 8,4 billion roubles and amounted to 36,8 billion roubles, including own funds of 5,7% and borrowed funds of 89,5%. Aggregate authorized capital of credit institutions increased by 17% and amounted to 2,1 billion roubles in 2004.
The process of capitalization of the banking field is accompanied by an increase in credit activities. The amount of credit investments in 2004 increased by 49,6% and amounted to 25,9 billion roubles. The volume of customer credits as of 1.01.2005 mounted to 6,4 billion roubles, it is 3 times as much as analogues readings of 2003.
Borrowed funds of credit institutions increased by 24,8% during the year and amounted to 32,9 billion roubles. Their growth is accounted for mainly by an increase in deposits made by population (22,1 billion roubles). As compared to 01.01.2004 the amount of deposits made by population increased by 26,6%, it is worth mentioning that the share of deposits in borrowed funds increased from 66% as of 01.01.2004 to 67% as of 01.01.2005, the share of borrowed funds increased from 66% as of 01.01.2004 to 67% as of 01.01.2005.
Financial result of regional credit institution activities in 2004 improved. The amount of balanced profit increased by 14,1% against 2003 and totaled 807,4 million roubles.
In 2004 58 insurance companies, including 6 regional ones, operated on the territory of the Saratov Region. In 2004 about 2,1 billion roubles of insurance premium were raised, an increase is 169% against 2003. Comparison of this showing with the all-Russian one testifies to a high potential of the insurance market of the Saratov Region (RF – 107,5%). The Saratov Region holds the 6th position for the volume of premiums among regions of the Privolzhskiy Federal District.
In connection with coming into force of the Federal Law «On Compulsory Liability Insurance of Owners of Means of Transport» the share of compulsory insurance increased to 30,9%.
The structure of the insurance portfolio of voluntary insurance began to change. Obvious is a tendency to the more rational structure: the part of property insurance is growing due to reduction of the part of life insurance.
