INCOME OF POPULATION

Dynamical growth of economy of the Saratov Region is accompanied by rise in living standards, all-round development of every resident. The region holds the 34th position in Russia for the rate of the human development index.
The portion of remuneration of labour increased in GDP and it lead to an increase in tax payments and receipts in off-budget funds.

A stable tendency to growth of average population income can be traced. The number of poor people in the region was reduced by 20 thousand persons in 2004.

The main income source of the majority of population – wages – increased by 32% on average in the region in 2004 (by 23% in Russia). The region holds the first position in the Privolzhskiy Federal District for the rate of wage increase.

There was a rise in wages purchasing capacity, the increase in real wages (20,6% against 2003) exceeded this value on the whole in Russia (10,8%).

Readings	2004	2003
Subsistence wages per capita, roubles
I quarter 2004	2229,0	1930,0
I I quarter 2004	2250,0	>1968,0
III quarter 2004	2244,0	1929,0
IV quarter 2004	2325,0	2021,0
Purchasing power of average cash income per capita, times	1,7	1,7
Income ratio of 10% of most well-to-do population and 10% of least provided population of region	9,6	9,4

Average Monthly Wages by Sectors, roubles

HOUSING AND PUBLIC UTILITIES

Housing resources of the region amount to 58 444,9 th.sq.m, including 73% of city housing resources. Provision of one resident with habitation in the Saratov Region is more than in Russia on average (Saratov Region – total area of 22.3 m2 per one resident, RF – 20 m2).

Structure of Housing Resources by Type of Ownership in 2004

 

Readings	2004
Heat supply
Thermal transmission distance, km	2 219,7
Annual heat production, thousand Gcal	11 733,9
including heat delivered to population and utilities	8 885,6
Heat production per capita, Gcal	3,3
Water supply
Single water-transmission distance, km	7 965
Water distribution, million m3	261,6
including to population and utilities	208,1
Water supply per citizen, litres per day	>217

 

CONSUMER MARKET

The income level and moderate growth of consumer prices secured high rate of retail sales turnover in 2004 (115,0% by 2003). For this index the Saratov Region held the 5th position in the Privolzhskiy Federal District and the 31st one in Russia.

Consumer expenditures in total income of the population amounted to 68,7%. Expenditures on buying foods increased at the fastest pace. The amount of given consumer credits was 6,4 billion roubles in 2004.

In the field of consumer market there are over 10 thousand enterprises that employ more than 215 thousand persons. Provision of goods is enough for 43 trading days.

The regional network of enterprises is being developed in order to create objects of a high comfort level that meet modern trade requirements of a high service level.

Readings	2004
Retail sales, mln roubles	67 219,5
Retail sales structure, %     Food products	45,1
Non-food products	54,9
Public catering sales, mln roubles	1 281,1
Paid services, mln roubles	17 891,8
Consumer services, mln roubles	2 186,7

Dynamics of Consumer Market, % by last year

Structure of Retail Sales Turnover in 2004

SOCIAL PROTECTION

The Saratov Region has developed an effective social service network. In 2004 hospitals 4 317 people were helped. The amount of services rendered by social service centres annually increases by 11%. The index «Number of People Provided with Social Services at Home per 10 Thousand Pensioners and Disabled People» in the Saratov Region is 1,5 times more than this index on average in Russia. Over 21 thousand families with underage children are under the patronage of social service centres.

In order to increase efficiency of children’s and teenagers’ rehabilitation such method as family groups was introduced at children social protection establishments of the region. 60% of children and teenagers after the rehabilitation course come back to biological or substitutional families.

Readings	2004
Provision with sanatorium and improving treatment: Under Federal Law «On Veterans»	1 788
Under Federal Law «On Social Protection of Disabled People»	1 615
Number of treated children from large families and families of moderate means and disabled children	13 966
Number of disabled people who took an individual rehabilitation course	9 620
Provision of disabled people with technical means of rehabilitation:     Cars «Oka»	1 024
Wheel chairs	1 372

Institutions	2004
Homes for advanced in years and disabled people	11
Number of places	2220
Psychoneurological institutes	9
Number of places	1 725
Boarding schools for children with severe mental disorders	3
Number of places	475
Social service centres	47
Number of people provided with social services at home, persons	43 582
Family and children’s social service centres «Semya»	8
Number of families rendered help at social service centres «Semya»	26 759
Social rehabilitation centres and orphanages for underage children	12
Number of children treated at social rehabilitation centres and orphanages for underage children, persons	1 915
Rehabilitation centres	6
Sports school for physically challenged children and young people «Rehabilitation and Physical training»	1
Branches	13
Number of children training at sports school for physically challenged children and young people «Rehabilitation and Physical Training», persons	638
Educational and rehabilitation centre for physically challenged people	1
Vocational boarding school for physically challenged people	1
Social rehabilitation centres for homeless people	4
Number of places	125
Telephone helpline service	9
Number of registered telephone calls	16 511

 

HEALTH CARE

Availability of physicians of all specializations and mid-level medical personnel in the Saratov Region is higher than on average in Russia. In the Russian Federation the index «Availability of Physicians» is 41,9 persons per 10 000 residents, in the Saratov Region – 50,5. The index «Availability of Mid-Level Medical Personnel» in the Russian Federation is – 95,5 persons per 10 000 residents, in the Saratov Region – 113,4. in spite of the annual bed reduction the number of treated patients remains stable – around 100 thousand persons per year. The amount of therapeutic help rendered in hospitals increased by 10% in 2004. Out-Patients’ surgery centres where operations of the 1st and 2nd complexity rates (the most difficult operations) are conducted are being established. The institution of general practice is being actively developed. In 2004 the total number of general practitioners amounted to 71 persons, general nurses – 42 persons.

Readings	2004
Number of hospitals	193
Provision with hospital beds, beds per 10 000 of residential population	106,3
Number of hospitalized patients, persons per 1 000 of residential population	225
Out-patients’ clinics (including out-patients’ departments of hospitals and health centres)	456
Capacity of out-patients’ clinics, visits per shift per 10 000 of residential population	238,8
Average number of visits to doctors made by one resident per year.	11,1
Offices of general practitioners	42
Number of ambulance stations	49
Number of calls for ambulance, per 1 000 of residential population	292,8

 

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

The Saratov land is known as one of largest scientific centres in Russia. Saratov boasts great potentialities for scientific research – 6 institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 21 scientific research institutes, 19 planning institutes, as well as scientific and technical divisions at enterprises of the region where scientific potential for solving scientific tasks and conducting fundamental and applied research was created and is being increased.

In the region there are 10 state higher education institutions, including Saratov State University; Technical, Medical, Social and Economic, Agrarian Universities; Law Academy and Academy of Public Service, 4 branches of Moscow universities having full-time programmes of study. Besides, 2 private higher education institutions operate in the region.

Reading	2004
Preschool establishments	1 087
Number of seats in preschool establishments per 100 children aged 1-6	75
Number of children per 1 child-minder, persons	12
Day-time comprehensive schools	1 422
Number of students, thousand persons	288,0
including those who study in:     1st shift	250,1
2nd and 3rd shifts	33,6
Number of teachers (including part-time employees), thousand persons	28,2
Number of vocational schools	63
Number of students, thousand persons	32,1
Number of colleges	44
Number of students, thousand persons	52,7
Number of higher education institutions	12
Number of students, thousand persons	119,4

 

CULTURE

In the course of home culture history the Saratov Region has long been a region possessing a high cultural potential. Before opening of the Museum Named after Radishchev in 1885 in Saratov there were no public art galleries in Russia. In Saratov the Russian national circus was founded (1873), the third Russian conservatoire was open (1912), as well as the first theatre for children (1918). The Saratov land gave Russia many prominent scientists, cultural workers and public figures. They are Nickolay Vavilov, inventor of «Russian light» Pavel Yablochkov, writers Nickolay Chernyshevskiy, Konstantin Fedin, Lev Kassil, Mikhail Alexeev, actors Ivan Slonov, Boris Babochkin, Boris Andreev, Oleg Tabakov, Oleg Yankovskiy, Evgeniy Mironov, artists Victor Borisov-Musatov, Pyotr Utkin, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, Pavel Kuznetsov, composers Alfred Shnitke, author of the popular worldwide song «Kalinka» I. Larionov.

A bright cultural event in our region is the Sobinov Musical Festival which annually takes place at the Saratov Academic Opera and Balley House. The Russian Festival named after Henrich Neigauz which already has become a traditional event arouses much interest. The All-Russian Contest of Folk Music Performers named after Lidia Ruslanova still a pleasure for its devoted fans.

Reading	2004
Number of theatres	13
Theatre visits per 1000 persons	203
Number of museums	26
Museum visits per 1000 persons	317
Number of public libraries	1 105
per 10 000 persons	4,2
Book stock of public libraries, thousand copies	17 862,2
per 10 000 persons	6,8
Number of culture-leisure establishments	1 288
per 10 000 persons	48
Number of places (seats) in culture-leisure establishments, thousands	252,6
per 10 000 persons	95
Number of cinema units	630
per 10 000 persons	2,4
Cinema visits, thousands	677,9

 

PHYSICAL TRAINING AND SPORTS

85 sports, including 35 Olympic ones, are developed in the Saratov Region. The region has all conditions needed for development of sailing. The width of the Volga is 3 km. The area of water by the Saratov’s embankment is an ideal place for regatta. Lake Sazanka in Engels is a perfect area for canoe races. Here the training sports centre «Olympia» is situated. In the Saratov green belt on the flank of Lysaya Hill the modern complex «Crystall-Avangard» was built, it is one of the best tennis centres in Russia. There are 7 outdoor and 3 indoor courts with artificial surfaces, 4 practice halls. Annually the complex hosts international tournaments «Satellite -Masters» and all-Russian competitions «Big Hat». A water-ski centre of international level, golf club built by English specialists, modern ski run are open in Balakovo. The nature itself destined hills in Khvalynsk and Volsk for Alpine skiing.

In 2004 140 all-Russian sport events and competitions with 305 thousand people involved were held in the region. 196 medals, including 69 gold ones, were won at international and Russian competitions by Saratov sportsmen in 2004. 9 Saratov sportsmen took part in the XXVIII Olympic Games as part of the national Russian Olympic team. They won 4 medals. 4 Saratov sportsmen were chosen members of the national Russian team for participation in the XII Paralympic Games in 2004. They won 1 gold and 1 bronze medals. The athletics champion (sprint, 200 m) was Honored Master of Sports of Russia Evgenia Trushnikova.

Reading	2004
Number of involved in physical training and sports, thousand persons	451
People going in for sports, % of the total population of region	13,8
Number of children and teenagers regularly training at sports schools of region, thousand persons	58,2
Children and teenagers regularly training at sports schools, % of total number of children and teenagers	17,3
Athletic facilities:     Stadiums	34
Flat sports facilities	2082
Sports complexes	81
Gymnasiums	1116
Swimming pools	17
Ski depots and stadiums	33
Water stadiums	1

 

TOURISM AND RECREATION

Nature of the Saratov Region boasts great potentialities for tourism and recreation. It is the only region in Russia that is spread through three natural zones: forest-steppe, steppe, semi desert. Mixed forests, oak woods, steppe, copses and desert extend over 200 km from the north to the south. The close contact of flora and fauna of Europe and Asia makes the region unique and gives it a peculiar colour. On the territory of the region there are more than 1 700 plant species, 400 of them are registered in the Red Book, 70 mammal species, 250 bird species.

On the territory of the Saratov Region there are 124 unique objects of nature, among which we can mention State National Nature Park «Khvalynskiy», zoological game reserves for acclimatization of beavers, musk-rats, red dear; around 300 objects of cultural heritage; over 3 thousand architectural places of interest.

The region is rich in hunting grounds which cover the area of 3 899,9 hectares and are situated in all districts of the region. They are homes for over 14 thousand grey hares, around 5,5 thousand foxes. Hunter’s houses are built for hunters and fishermen where they can spend a night and cook meals (cook shot game, if any).

The Saratov krai, as well as the entire Low Volga region, is a unique territory – «crossroads» of civilizations, nationalities and peoples with unique cultural and historic heritage. One can get acquainted with culture, national trades and history of the Saratov krai in fine arts museums and museums of local lore, merchandise marts, theatres of the Saratov Region.

Pilgrims can be attracted by Holy Trinity Cathedral, Spirit’s Dejection Cathedral, temple «Appease My Sorrows» built ad honorem the Blessed Mother icon, church built ad honorem the Reverend Serafim Sorovskiy, Old Belief Church ad honorem Kosma and Damian, church-chapel of the Blessed Virgin of Fatim (catholic), mosque, synagogue. At present the Saint Nickolay Monastery and the Saint Alexey Nunnery are open in Saratov.

The Saratov Region has a high recreation potential. There are 23 health and recreation centres (sanatoria, sanatoria-preventoria) situated on the territory of the region. Cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases, respiratory diseases, metabolic disease, nervous diseases, locomotor diseases and chronic female disorders are successfully treated here. The main objects of medical and sanitary tourism are cardiological sanatorium «Oktyabrskoye Ushelye» (Saratov District), sanatorium «Pady» (Balashov District), sanatorium «Cheremshany – 1» (Khvalynsk District), sanatorium «Svetlana» (Volsk District), «Resort Named after Chapaev» (Ershov District).

On the territory of the region there are around 100 travel agencies offering numerous routes in Saratov and the region for people of different age and interests. 64 hotels of different service levels are ready to host guests of the city. The most comfortable ones are «Slovakia», «Volga», «Saratov», «Olympia», «Europe».