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{{Short description|Exclave of Russia bounded by Poland, Lithuania, and the Baltic Sea}}{{for|the city and administrative center located in the oblast|Kaliningrad}}{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

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|image_coa=Coat of Arms of Kaliningrad Oblast.svgArmorial of Russia#Republics>Coat of arms|image_flag=Flag of Kaliningrad Oblast.svgFlag of Kaliningrad Oblast>Flag }}|anthem_ref=|political_status=Oblast|political_status_link=Oblasts of RussiaNorthwestern Federal District>NorthwesternKaliningrad economic region>Kaliningrad|adm_ctr_type=Administrative center|adm_ctr_name=KaliningradPUBLISHER=RUSSIA-CHANNEL.COMARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20170706083205/HTTP://WWW.RUSSIA-CHANNEL.COM/KALININGRAD-OBLAST/, 6 July 2017, |pop_2021census=1029966|pop_2010census_rank=56th|urban_pop_2021census=76.8%|rural_pop_2021census=23.2%|pop_2021census_ref=2020 Census data|pop_latest=1012253|pop_latest_date=January 2020ACCESS-DATE=6 NOVEMBER 2020 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20200124195204/HTTPS://WWW.GKS.RU/STORAGE/MEDIABANK/PRPOPUL2020.XLS, |area_km2=15125|area_km2_rank=76th|established_date=7 April 1946|established_date_ref=Charter of Kaliningrad Oblast, Article 3|license_plates=39, 91|ISO=RU-KGD|gov_as_of=October 2016Governor of Kaliningrad Oblast>Governor|leader_title_ref=Charter of Kaliningrad Oblast, Article 28|leader_name=Alexey Besprozvannykh (acting)|leader_name_ref=Legislative Assembly of Kaliningrad Oblast>Legislative Assembly|legislature_ref=Charter of Kaliningrad Oblast, Article 17|website=http://www.gov39.ru|website_ref|date=October 2016}}{{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=y|frame-width=325|frame-height=325|zoom=7|frame-lat=54.7|frame-long=21.2|type=shape-inverse|id=Q1749|title=Kaliningrad Oblast}}Kaliningrad Oblast () is the westernmost federal subject of the Russian Federation, in Central and Eastern Europe.WEB, Å»egota, Krzysztof, 2017, The Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation as a Geopolitical Wedge of Russia in Central and Eastern Europe: Regional, State and International Context,cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.ojs-issn-1898-4509-year-2017-issue-1__25_-article-c5a0a97f-40fb-3352-a6d9-dbe8422c622f/c/28-8214bfb6-0154-47c2-b112-a1eb83b8c0f0.pdf.pdf, University of Warmia and Mazury, It is a semi-exclave situated on the Baltic Sea. The oblast is surrounded by two European Union and NATO members: Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east. The largest city and administrative centre of the province (oblast) is the city of Kaliningrad, formerly known as Königsberg. The port city of Baltiysk is Russia’s only port on the Baltic Sea that remains ice-free in winter. Kaliningrad Oblast had a population of roughly 1 million in the Russian Census of 2021.{{ru-pop-ref|2021Census}}The territory was formerly the northern part of the Prussian province of East Prussia; the remaining southern part of the province is today part of the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship in Poland. With the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the territory was annexed to the Russian SFSR by the Soviet Union. Following the post-war migration and flight and expulsion of Germans, the territory was populated with Soviet citizens, mostly Russians.

History

The territory of what is now the Kaliningrad Oblast used to be inhabited by the Old Prussians and other Western Balts, prior to the Teutonic conquest in the early Late Middle Ages.WEB, Matulevičius, Algirdas, Prūsija, Prussia,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/prusija/, 2022-05-13, Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, The Old Prussians became extinct due to Germanisation in the first half of the 18th century. The Lithuanian-inhabited areas of the Teutonic State were known as Lithuania Minor, which encompassed all of modern Kaliningrad Oblast until the 18th century.

Late Middle Ages

File:Замок Бранденбург; Руины замка 01.jpg|thumb|left|Medieval castle ruins in Ushakovo ]]In the 13th century, the Teutonic Order conquered the region and established a monastic state.WEB, Gudavičius, Edvardas, Vokiečių ordinas, German Order,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/vokieciu-ordinas/, 2022-05-13, VisuotinÄ— lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, In 1255, on the foundations of a destroyed Sambian settlement known as , the Teutonic Order founded the city of Königsberg (modern Kaliningrad), naming it in honour of Ottokar II of Bohemia.WEB, Matulevičius, Algirdas, Purvinas, Martynas, Karaliaučiaus istorija,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/karaliauciaus-istorija/, 2022-05-13, VisuotinÄ— lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, The Northern Crusades, including the Lithuanian Crusade, were partly motivated by colonization.WEB, Jasas, Rimantas, KairiÅ«kÅ¡tytÄ—, Nastazija, Matulevičius, Algirdas, kolonizacija,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/kolonizacija/, 2022-05-13, VisuotinÄ— lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, The German colonist peasants, craftsmen, and merchants were predominantly concentrated in the southern part of the Teutonic State and did not move into Nadruvia and Skalvia due to the Lithuanian military threat.In 1454, following a request by the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation, the territory was incorporated to the Kingdom of Poland by King Casimir IV Jagiellon,BOOK, Górski, Karol, ZwiÄ…zek Pruski i poddanie siÄ™ Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródÅ‚owych, 1949, Instytut Zachodni, PoznaÅ„, pl, 54, an event that sparked the Thirteen Years’ War (1454–1466). After Poland’s victory in the war with the Second Peace of Thorn, the State of the Teutonic Order became a vassal of Poland,WEB, Matulevičius, Algirdas, Kaunas, Domas, Mažoji Lietuva, Lithuania Minor,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/mazoji-lietuva/, 2022-05-13, VisuotinÄ— lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, also considered an integral part of “one and indivisible” Kingdom of Poland.Górski, pp. 96–97, 214–215 During this war, the capital of the Teutonic state was moved from Marienburg (now Malbork) to Königsberg in 1457. When the rulers of the Prussia were vassals of the King of Poland from 1466 to 1660, there were few German colonists.{{History of Brandenburg and Prussia}}

Early modern period

After the Teutonic Order lost the war of 1519–1521 with Poland, the Teutonic Order remained a vassal of the Kingdom of Poland.WEB, Matulevičius, Algirdas, Albrechtas Brandenburgietis,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/albrechtas-brandenburgietis/, 2022-05-13, VisuotinÄ— lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, In 1525, Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg secularized the Teutonic Order’s Prussian branch and established himself as ruler of the Duchy of Prussia, the first Protestant state in Europe. Königsberg was the residence of the Duke of Prussia from 1525 until 1701, and was the Duchy of Prussia’s capital until 1660, when the capital moved to Berlin.Polish and Lithuanian culture blossomed in Königsberg, with the city being the place of publication of the first Polish and Lithuanian-language cathechisms (by Jan Seklucjan and Martynas Mažvydas), the first Polish translation of the New Testament, Grammatica Litvanica, the first Lithuanian grammar book, and the Albertina University being the second oldest univesity of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, after receiving a royal privilege from King Sigismund II Augustus in 1560.MAGAZINE, Podbereski, WacÅ‚aw, 2010, Królewiec – Koenigsberg – Kaliningrad, Znad Wilii, 4, pl, 44, 113–114, 1392-9712, Polish printing continued for centuries with the last Polish publication in 1931.In 1577, the Duke of Prussia forbade serfs—who were mostly Old Prussians, Lithuanians, and Masurians—to leave the land that was the property of the German knights who became proprietary nobles.WEB, Matulevičius, Algirdas, PrÅ«sijos kunigaikÅ¡tystÄ—, Duchy of Prussia,www.vle.lt/straipsnis/prusijos-kunigaikstyste/, 2022-05-13, VisuotinÄ— lietuvių enciklopedija, VLE, lt, In 1618, the Duchy merged with the Margraviate of Brandenburg to form Brandenburg-Prussia, remaining under Polish suzerainy until 1660. There was strong opposition to the separation of the region from Poland, especially in Königsberg.MAGAZINE, MaÅ‚Å‚ek, Janusz, 1992, Polityka miasta Królewca wobec Polski w latach 1525–1701, Komunikaty Mazursko-WarmiÅ„skie, pl, 3–4, 254–255, A confederation was formed in the city to maintain Poland’s sovereignty over the city and region. The Brandenburg Elector and his army, however, entered the city and abducted and imprisoned the leader of the city’s anti-Elector opposition Hieronymus Roth. In 1663, the city burghers, forced by Elector Frederick William, swore an oath of allegiance to him, however, in the same ceremony they still also pledged allegiance to Poland.In 1724, King Frederick William I of Prussia prohibited Poles, Samogitians and Jews from settling in Lithuania Minor, and initiated German colonization to change the region’s ethnic composition.BOOK, KÄ™trzyÅ„ski, Wojciech, Wojciech KÄ™trzyÅ„ski, 1882, O ludnoÅ›ci polskiej w Prusiech niegdyÅ› krzyżackich, pl, Lwów, Ossolineum, ZakÅ‚ad Narodowy im. OssoliÅ„skich, 615–616, The territory was briefly occupied and annexed by Russia in 1758 during the Seven Years’ War before being returned to Prussia in 1762 when Russia switched sides in the war.Roqueplo O: La Russie et son Miroir...2018 It was then reorganized into the Province of East Prussia within the Kingdom of Prussia in 1773.The current oblast also contains the now abandoned village of Narmeln (), which was not part of Ducal Prussia, but of the Pomeranian Voivodeship of the Kingdom of Poland until its annexation by the Kingdom of Prussia the Second Partition of Poland in 1793,BOOK, Biskup, Marian, Tomczak, Andrzej, 1955, Mapy województwa pomorskiego w drugiej poÅ‚owie XVI w., pl, ToruÅ„, 129, and is thus part of the historic region of Pomerania.

19th century

Napoleonic occupation

After the defeats of Jena–Auerstedt, the Kingdom of Prussia was invaded and Berlin was occupied by the French. The Court of Prussia fled to Königsberg, asking for Russian help. Russia intervened, leading to the bloody Battle of Eylau and Battle of Friedland in 1807. Following a French victory in the latter, both sides signed the Treaties of Tilsit.

Historical ethnic and religious structure

In 1817, East Prussia had 796,204 Protestants, 120,123 Catholics, 2,389 Jews, and 864 Mennonites.BOOK,www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10001094?page=57, Übersicht der Bodenfläche und Bevölkerung des Preußischen Staates: aus den für das Jahr 1817 mtlich eingezogenen Nachrichten, Hoffmann, Johann Gottfried, Decker, 1818, Berlin, 51, File:Пос. Чистые пруды, музей К.Донелайтиса.JPG|thumb|Memorial Museum of Kristijonas Donelaitis in Chistye Prudy ]]In 1824, shortly before its merger with West Prussia, the population of East Prussia was 1,080,000 people.BOOK,obc.opole.pl/dlibra/doccontent?id=8541, Jeografia wschodniéy części Europy czyli Opis krajów przez wielorakie narody słowiańskie zamieszkanych: obejmujący Prussy, Xsięztwo Poznańskie, Szląsk Pruski, Gallicyą, Rzeczpospolitę Krakowską, Krolestwo Polskie i Litwę, Plater, Stanisław, u Wilhelma Bogumiła Korna, 1825, Wrocław, 17, pl, According to Karl Andree, Germans were slightly more than half of the people, while 280,000 (~26%) were ethnically Polish and 200,000 (~19%) were ethnically Lithuanian.BOOK,archive.org/details/bub_gb_xgUEAAAAYAAJ, Polen: in geographischer, geschichtlicher und culturhistorischer Hinsicht, Andree, Karl, Verlag von Ludwig Schumann, 1831, 218, de, As of 1819, there were also 20,000-strong{{Clarify|reason=Did both these two minorities have 20,000 people, or is that the combined population?|date=January 2023}} ethnic Curonian and Latvian minorities as well as 2,400 Jews, according to Georg Hassel.BOOK, Statistischer Umriß der sämmtlichen europäischen und der vornehmsten außereuropäischen Staaten, in Hinsicht ihrer Entwickelung, Größe, Volksmenge, Finanz- und Militärverfassung, tabellarisch dargestellt; Erster Heft: Welcher die beiden großen Mächte Österreich und Preußen und den Deutschen Staatenbund darstellt, Hassel, Georg, Verlag des Geographischen Instituts Weimar, 1823, 41, de, Similar numbers are given by August von Haxthausen in his 1839 book, with a breakdown by county.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=Gsj1FBg0gvUC&pg=PA75, Die Ländliche Verfassung in den Einzelnen Provinzen der Preussischen Monarchie, Haxthausen, August, 1839, 75–91, de, However, the majority of East Prussian Polish and Lithuanian inhabitants were Lutherans, not Catholics like their ethnic kinsmen across the border in the Russian Empire. Only in southern Warmia, Catholic Poles—so called Warmians (not to be confused with predominantly Protestant Masurians)—comprised the majority of population, numbering 26,067 people (~81%) in county Allenstein (Polish: Olsztyn) in 1837.

German culture and Germanization

In the 19th century, East Prussia was commonly viewed by German commentators as culturally backwards and a part of the “German mission in the East” rather than a core German territory. Pan-Germanist politician (:de:Ernst Hasse (Politiker)|Ernst Hasse) criticised the lack of folk identity and imagined community: “It is the case that there is almost no common folk identity [Landsmannschaften] among the Poseners and Prussians at all. [...] Who can recognise a Posener or Prussian by dialect and character? Distinct features hardly exist.“BOOK, Mark Jonathan Breedon Tilse, Nations in synthesis: the ideology and practices of transnationalism in the Prussian East, 1871-1914, Doctoral thesis, University of London, 2008, PQ ETD 591343, 63, While the north of East Prussia was overwhelmingly German, the south was majority Slavic and mostly composed of Poles and Masurians. There was also a slight Lithuanian majority in the north-eastern area of East Prussia, Lithuania Minor.JOURNAL, Maria Polugodina, Theocharis Grigoriadis, East Prussia 2.0: Persistent Regions, Rising Nations, Discussion Paper, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, 2020, 2020/8, 1, 10.17169/refubium-26889, 8, Regional and local identities were particularly strong in East Prussia - local Polish population often identified with Masuria rather than Poland, and Prussian Lithuanians also did not actively identify themselves with the Lithuanian nation.{{harvnb|Maria Polugodina|Theocharis Grigoriadis|2020|p=9}} Moreover, confessional identity often prevailed over the national one - German authorities were concerned about the “Catholic-Polish axis”; German Catholics were alienated from the German nation because of the Kulturkampf legislation, and tended to support the Polish national movement. An East German newspaper Thorner Zeitung reported in 1871 that “not only Polish Catholics, but also a great number of German Catholics, are willing to vote for a Polish party candidate”.{{harvnb|Mark Jonathan Breedon Tilse|2008|p=177-178}}By the end of the 19th century, East Prussia had a significant Polish minority, and German nationalist circles warned of the prospect of Polonization of East Prussia.BOOK, Srokowski, StanisÅ‚aw, StanisÅ‚aw Srokowski, East Prussia, The Baltic Pocket Library, ToruÅ„, 1934, 22,kpbc.umk.pl/Content/248439/PDF/Gromadzenie_POPC_027_75.pdf, The perceived weakness of Germanness of East Prussia was also reinforced by the Ostflucht, as East Prussia suffered from both under-industrialisation and rural overpopulation. After 1876, farm prices in East Prussia fell by 20 percent, which encouraged local landowners to hire foreign workers from Congress Poland, incidentally strengthening the Polish element in the region. The increased Slavic immigration to the region generated by the requirement of the Junkers for cheap labour and better economic conditions in West Germany caused many German inhabitants to leave the region.{{harvnb|Mark Jonathan Breedon Tilse|2008|p=42}} Most Germans moved to work in the industrial heartland of western Germany, while others migrated abroad. Poles and Lithuanians of East Prussia also had much higher birth-rate and natural increase rates than the Germans, and rarely emigrated.{{harvnb|Srokowski|1934|p=21-22}} Discussing the situation in East Prussia, Polish geographer StanisÅ‚aw Srokowski remarked:{{Blockquote|text=The Poles who live in the southern and western parts of East Prussia and the Lithuanians of the north-west have succeeded better than the Germans in reconciling their mode of life with their earnings. This has, of course, led to a lower standard of life, but it has enabled them to adapt themselves to actual conditions and even to prosper where the Germans fail. Moreover, both these national minorities in East Prussia are bound to the soil by centuries of tradition: they are not comparative new-comers like the majority of the Germans there. For these reasons, the Poles and Lithuanians in that province hardly ever emigrate from the land of their birth, especially as the emigration in question is not so attractive for them as for the Germans: proceeding to central or western Germany, the former would really be going to a foreign country, amongst people not speaking their language and having other customs than theirs.{{harvnb|Srokowski|1934|p=21-22}}}}The Memel Territory (KlaipÄ—da region), formerly part of northeastern East Prussia as well as Prussian Lithuania, was annexed by Lithuania in 1923. In 1938, Nazi Germany radically renamed about a third of the place names of this area, replacing Old Prussian and Lithuanian names with newly invented German names.

Image gallery

File:Etnoregionai.png|Historic Lithuania Minor (red) comprised the eastern part of the Prussian region that is now Kaliningrad Oblast.File:Curonians kursenieki in 1649.png|Curonian spit in 1649, inhabited by the KurseniekiFile:Cranz Damenbad 1900.jpg|East Prussian resort town of Cranz (Zelenogradsk today) as it looked circa 1900. It was a destination for German artists and intelligentsia.

20th century

World War I

File:Stallupönen, Ostpreußen - Goldaperstraße (Zeno Ansichtskarten).jpg|thumb|World War I destruction in Stallupönen, modern NesterovNesterovIn September 1914, after hostilities began between Germany on the one hand and France and Russia on the other, the Reich was about to seize Paris, and the French urged Russia to attack East Prussia. Nicholas II launched a major attack, resulting in a Russian victory in the Battle of Gumbinnen. The Russian army arrived at the outskirts of the city of Königsberg but did not take it and settled at Insterburg. This Russian victory and East Prussia’s occupation by Russia saved Paris by forcing the Germans to send many troops to their East provinces.Roqueplo O: La Russie et son Miroir..., 2018 Later, Hindenburg and Ludendorff pushed Russia back at the battle of Tannenberg, thereby liberating East Prussia from Russian troops. Yet Russian troops remained in the easternmost part of the region until early 1915.Roqueplo O: La Russie et son miroir...2018

World War II

During World War II, the {{ill|Hohenbruch concentration camp|de|KZ Hohenbruch}} was operated in the area mostly for Polish prisoners, as well as several subcamps of the Stutthof concentration camp, the Oflag 52, Oflag 60 and Dulag Luft prisoner-of-war camps,BOOK, Megargee, Geoffrey P., Overmans, Rüdiger, Vogt, Wolfgang, 2022, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV, Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 128, 212, 217, 978-0-253-06089-1, and a camp for Romani people in Königsberg (see Romani Holocaust).WEB,www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2284, Lager für Sinti und Roma Königsberg, Bundesarchiv.de, 21 May 2024, de, On 29 August 1944, Soviet troops reached the border of East Prussia. By January 1945, they had taken all of East Prussia except for the area around Königsberg. Many inhabitants fled west at this time. During the last days of the war, over two million people fled, anticipating imminent Red Army conquest, and were evacuated by sea.

Soviet annexation

Initially, at the end of World War II in 1945, the current southern border strip passed under Polish control with Polish administration organized in the towns of Gierdawy and IÅ‚awka, however, the area was eventually annexed by the Soviet Union and included within the Kaliningrad Oblast.JOURNAL, Eberhardt, Piotr, 2018, Kwestia podziaÅ‚u Prus Wschodnich w okresie II wojny Å›wiatowej, PrzeglÄ…d Geograficzny, pl, 90, 4, 610, 0033-2143, Under the Potsdam Agreement of 1 August 1945, the city became part of the Soviet Union pending the final determination of territorial borders at an anticipated peace settlement. This final determination eventually took place on 12 September 1990 when the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany was signed. The excerpt from the initial agreement pertaining to the partition of East Prussia, including the area surrounding Königsberg, is as follows (note that Königsberg is spelt “Koenigsberg” in the original document):VI. CITY OF KOENIGSBERG AND THE ADJACENT AREAThe Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government that pending the final determination of territorial questions at the peace settlement, the section of the western frontier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics which is adjacent to the Baltic Sea should pass from a point on the eastern shore of the Bay of Danzig to the east, north of Braunsberg â€“ Goldep, to the meeting point of the frontiers of Lithuania, the Polish Republic and East Prussia.The Conference has agreed in principle to the proposal of the Soviet Government concerning the ultimate transfer to the Soviet Union of the city of Koenigsberg and the area adjacent to it as described above, subject to expert examination of the actual frontier.The President of the United States and the British Prime Minister supported the proposal of the Conference at the forthcoming peace settlement.WEB,www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1945/450802a.html, The Potsdam Declaration, April 2, 2009, File:Памятник Калинину.jpg|thumb|upright|The monument to Kalinin on the Kalinin SquareKalinin SquareKönigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946 after the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Mikhail Kalinin, although Kalinin was unrelated to the city, and there were already cities named in honour of Kalinin in the Soviet Union, namely Kalinin (now Tver) and Kaliningrad (now Korolev, Moscow Oblast).Кёнигсберг мог стать Балтийском. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201084522www.klgd.ru/city/history/almanac/a5_4.php |date=1 February 2022 }} klgd.ru[https:www.klgd.ru/city/history/almanac/a8_5.php Кёнигсберг-Калининград. Поиск самоидентификации.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106035920www.klgd.ru/city/history/almanac/a8_5.php |date=6 November 2018 }} // klgd.ruSome historians speculate that it may have originally been offered to the Lithuanian SSR because the resolution from the conference specifies that Kaliningrad’s border would be at the (pre-war) Lithuanian frontier. The remaining German population was forcibly expelled between 1947 and 1948. The annexed territory was populated with Soviet citizens, mostly ethnic Russians but to a lesser extent also Ukrainians and Belarusians.BOOK, Milan Bufon, The New European Frontiers: Social and Spatial (Re)Integration Issues in Multicultural and Border Regions,books.google.com/books?id=GpoxBwAAQBAJ&q=kaliningrad&pg=PA97, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 98, 978-1-4438-5936-3, 11 April 2014, The German language was replaced with the Russian language. In 1950, there were 1,165,000 inhabitants, which was only half the number of the pre-war population.From 1953 to 1962, a monument to Stalin stood on Victory Square. In 1973, the town hall was turned into the House of Soviets. In 1975, the trolleybus was launched again. In 1980, a concert hall was opened in the building of the former Lutheran Church of the Holy Family. In 1986, the Kreuzkirche building was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church.For foreigners, the city was completely closed and, with the exception of rare visits of friendship from neighboring Poland, it was practically not visited by foreigners.Социально-экономическая география Балтийского региона. window.edu.ru[http:www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/politics/k95640.html Калининград: От реликта России до процветающего города Прибалтики («The Independent», Великобритания).] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827151959www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/politics/k95640.html |date=27 August 2016 }} // newkaliningrad.ruFile:Königsberger schloss schlossturm sprengung 1959.tif|thumb|left|Demolition of the Königsberg CastleKönigsberg CastleThe old city was not restored, and the ruins of the Königsberg Castle were demolished in the late 1960s,WEB,www.ng.ru/regions/2008-11-11/100_zamok.html, Калининградские руины еще немного подождут, Alexander, Ryabushev, ng.ru, November 11, 2008, March 19, 2020, ru, on Leonid Brezhnev’s personal orders,NEWS, Artamonova, Alexandra, Raze and rebuild: Kaliningrad’s battle to preserve its complex post-war cityscape,www.calvertjournal.com/features/show/10130/beyond-the-game-kaliningrad-architecture, The Calvert Journal, 5 January 2021, 7 June 2018, despite the protests of architects, historians and residents of the city.WEB,www.archikld.ru/publications_3_56, Калининградская архитектура., {{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} archikld.ru[https:www.klgd.ru/city/history/almanac/a2_1.php О восстановлении послевоенного Калининграда 1946—1953 гг.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925103426www.klgd.ru/city/history/almanac/a2_1.php |date=25 September 2020 }} klgd.ruBOOK, Андрей Павлович Клемешев, Калининградский государственный университет, ru:На перекрёстке культур: русские в Балтийском регионе. Выпуск 7. Часть 2, 2004, КГУ, 206–207, {{clarify|reason=is this really a book?|date=March 2024}}The reconstruction of the oblast, threatened by hunger in the immediate post-war years, was carried out through an ambitious policy of oceanic fishingRoqueplo O: La Russie et son Miroir d’Extrême-Occident, Langues’O, HAL, 2018 with the creation of one of the main fishing harbours of the USSR in Kaliningrad city. Fishing not only fed the regional economy but also was a basis for social and scientific development, in particular oceanography.Roqueplo O: La Russie et son miroir d’Extrême-Occident, 2018In 1957, an agreement was signed and later came into force which delimited the border between the Polish People’s Republic (a Soviet satellite state at the time) and the Soviet Union.WEB,www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/TREATIES/RUS-POL1957SF.PDF, Russia (USSR) / Poland Treaty (with annexed maps) concerning the Demarcation of the Existing Soviet–Polish State Frontier in the Sector Adjoining the Baltic Sea 5 March 1957, 2 April 2009, For other issues of the frontier delimitation see WEB,www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/STATEFILES/POL.htm, Maritime boundary delimitation agreements and other material, 2 April 2009, The region was added as a semi-exclave to the Russian SFSR; since 1946 it has been known as the Kaliningrad Oblast. According to some historians, Joseph Stalin created it as an oblast separate from the Lithuanian SSR because it further separated the Baltic states from the West.BOOK, Weinberg, Gerhard L., Visions of Victory: The hopes of eight World War II leaders,archive.org/details/visionsofvictory00wein, registration, 2005, Cambridge University Press, 978-0-521-85254-8, 114, Others think that the reason was that the region was far too strategic for the USSR to leave it in the hands of another SSR other than the Russian one. In the 1950s, Nikita Khrushchev offered the entire Kaliningrad Oblast to the Lithuanian SSR but Antanas Sniečkus refused to accept the territory because it would add at least a million ethnic Russians to Lithuania proper.BOOK, The Kaliningrad Question, Richard J., Krickus, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers,books.google.com/books?id=sDOUZEEnHFUC, Google Books, 978-0-7425-1705-9, 2002, Lanham, Maryland, United States, 39, 2. Kaliningrad under Soviet and Russian Rule,books.google.com/books?id=sDOUZEEnHFUC&pg=PA39, In 2010, the German magazine Der Spiegel published a report claiming that Kaliningrad had been offered to Germany in 1990 (against payment). The offer was not seriously considered by the West German government which, at the time, saw reunification with East Germany as a higher priority.WEB, Wiegrefe, Klaus, 22 May 2010, Zeitgeschichte: Historischer Ballast, Der Spiegel, 14 October 2017,www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-70569479.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20171014130823www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-70569479.html,">web.archive.org/web/20171014130823www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-70569479.html,www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-70569479.html, German, Contemporary History: Historical Ballast, Hamburg, Germany, 2195-1349, Spiegel-Berlag, Mathias, Müller von Blumencron, Georg, Mascolo, However, this story was later denied by Mikhail Gorbachev.WEB, The Guardian, 6 February 2021, Alan, Rusbridger, Alan Rusbridger,web.archive.org/web/20210206033943/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/31/kalingrad-kant-home-return-german, London, England, United Kingdom,www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/31/kalingrad-kant-home-return-german, 1756-3224, 60623878, Should Kant’s home once again be German?, Stefan, Berger, 31 July 2010,

Recent history

{{More|Kaliningrad question}}{{See also|Restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad Oblast}}File:Kaliningrad 05-2017 img04 Kant Island.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Königsberg CathedralKönigsberg CathedralThe independence of Lithuania in 1990 and full dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 isolated Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia, having previously been joined together by other Soviet republics. This isolation became more severe when both Poland and Lithuania joined NATO and the European Union and imposed strict border controls on Kaliningrad Oblast. All military and civilian land links between the region and the rest of Russia now must pass through members of NATO and the EU. Thus far, the EU has rejected Russian proposals for visa-free travel between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia. Travel arrangements based on the Facilitated Transit Document (FTD) and Facilitated Rail Transit Document (FRTD) have been made.WEB,www.euro.lt/en/lithuanias-membership-in-the-eu/transit-from-to-kaliningrad-region/www.euro.lt/en/lithuanias-membership-in-the-eu/transit-from-to-kaliningrad-region/>title=Transit from/to Kaliningrad Region, www.euro.ltTITLE=EUROPEAN UNION LAWARCHIVE-DATE=22 SEPTEMBER 2009,eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2003:099:0008:0008:EN:PDF," title="web.archive.org/web/20090922150755eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2003:099:0008:0008:EN:PDF,">web.archive.org/web/20090922150755eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2003:099:0008:0008:EN:PDF, Kaliningrad Oblast’s geographic isolation has badly affected its economic situation. Concurrent significant reduction in the size of the Russian military garrison has hurt as well, since previously the military was a major local employer.File:Königsberg-Erlöserkirche03.jpg|thumb|right|The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in KaliningradKaliningradSome of the region’s cultural heritage, most notably the Königsberg Cathedral, was restored in the 1990s, as citizens started to examine previously ignored German past.NEWS, Weir, Fred, Living on Prussia’s ruins, Kaliningraders embrace Germanic past,www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/0726/Living-on-Prussia-s-ruins-Kaliningraders-embrace-Germanic-past, 25 July 2017, Christian Science Monitor, July 26, 2015, On 12 January 1996, Kaliningrad Oblast and Sverdlovsk Oblast became the first oblasts of Russia to sign a power-sharing treaty with the federal government, granting them autonomy. However, this agreement was abolished on 31 May 2002.JOURNAL, Chuman, Mizuki, The Rise and Fall of Power-Sharing Treaties Between Center and Regions in Post-Soviet Russia,demokratizatsiya.pub/archives/19_2_L7H017206G216817.pdf, Demokratizatsiya, 146, 3 May 2019,demokratizatsiya.pub/archives/19_2_L7H017206G216817.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20190308002915demokratizatsiya.pub/archives/19_2_L7H017206G216817.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20190308002915demokratizatsiya.pub/archives/19_2_L7H017206G216817.pdf, 8 March 2019, (File:Germans by federal subject 2010.svg|thumb|right|330px|Distribution of Germans in Russia, 2010, demonstrating the higher German presence in the Kaliningrad Oblast compared to other areas in European Russia)After 1991, some ethnic Germans emigrated to the area, such as Volga Germans from other parts of Russia and Kazakhstan. These Germans are overwhelmingly Russian-speaking and as such were rejected for resettlement within Germany under Germany’s new rules. A similar migration by Poles from the lands of the former Soviet Union to the Kaliningrad Oblast occurred at this time as well. The situation has begun to change, albeit slowly. Germany, Lithuania, and Poland have renewed contact with Kaliningrad Oblast, through town twinning and other projects. This has helped to promote interest in the history and culture of the East Prussian and Lietuvininkai communities.In July 2007, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov declared that if US-controlled missile defense systems were deployed in Poland, then nuclear weapons might be deployed in Kaliningrad. On 5 November 2008, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said that installing missiles in Kaliningrad was almost a certainty.WEB,news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081105/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_medvedev, “Medvedev Says Russia to Deploy Missiles Near Poland” Associated Press via Yahoo News, These plans were suspended in January 2009,NEWS,www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/28/russia-missiles-kaliningrad-obama, Russia scraps plan to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, Luke, Harding, 28 January 2009, www.theguardian.com, The Guardian, but implemented in October 2016.NEWS,www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37597075, Russia moves missiles to Kaliningrad, 9 October 2016, BBC News, In 2011, a long-range Voronezh radar was commissioned to monitor missile launches within about {{cvt|6,000|km}}. The radar is situated in the settlement of Pionersky in Kaliningrad Oblast.WEB,english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/28-11-2011/119757-russia_radar_europe-0/, Russia’s new radar to monitor all Europe including Britain, Dmitry, Sudakov, 28 November 2011, 10 March 2013,english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/28-11-2011/119757-russia_radar_europe-0/," title="web.archive.org/web/20131224113624english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/28-11-2011/119757-russia_radar_europe-0/,">web.archive.org/web/20131224113624english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/28-11-2011/119757-russia_radar_europe-0/, 24 December 2013, A few months after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Lithuania started implementing EU sanctions, which blocked about 50% of the goods being imported into Kaliningrad by rail. Food, medicine, and passenger travel were exempted. Russia protested against the sanctions and announced it would increase shipments by sea.WEB, Russia’s territory in Europe is the latest source of Ukraine war tensions, 2022-06-23, Vox (website), Vox,web.archive.org/web/20230409035144/https://www.vox.com/2022/6/23/23179942/russian-kaliningrad-europe-ukraine-war-tension, 2023-04-09, live,www.vox.com/2022/6/23/23179942/russian-kaliningrad-europe-ukraine-war-tension, Inside Kaliningrad, Russian exclave at the centre of Ukraine war sanctions row In May 2023, Poland officially adopted a new name for the Kaliningrad region, changing it from “Obwód Kaliningradzki” to “Obwód Królewiecki”, Królewiec being the historical Polish name for the city of Kaliningrad. The reason for the change was mainly the fact that Mikhail Kalinin was the Soviet communist responsible for the Katyn massacre, as he co-signed the order for this mass murder.WEB, 125. posiedzenie Komisji Standaryzacji Nazw Geograficznych poza Granicami RP - Komisja Standaryzacji Nazw Geograficznych poza Granicami Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - Portal Gov.pl,www.gov.pl/web/ksng/125-posiedzenie-komisji-standaryzacji-nazw-geograficznych-poza-granicami-rp, 2024-03-04, Komisja Standaryzacji Nazw Geograficznych poza Granicami Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, pl-PL,

Geography

(File:KALININGRAD FINAL.svg|thumb|Map of Kaliningrad Oblast)File:Angrapa.jpg|thumb|Angrapa RiverAngrapa RiverKaliningrad is the only Russian Baltic Sea port that is ice-free all year and hence plays an important role in the maintenance of the country’s Baltic Fleet.The oblast is mainly flat, as the highest point is the {{cvt|230|m|ft}} Gora Dozor hill near the tripoint of the Poland–Russia border/Lithuania–Russia border.WEB, Kaliningrad Mountains,peakvisor.com/adm/kaliningrad.html, PeakVisor, en, As a semi-exclave of Russia, it is surrounded by Poland (Pomeranian and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships), Lithuania (KlaipÄ—da, MarijampolÄ—, and TauragÄ— Counties) and the Baltic Sea. The end of the river Neman forms part of the Lithuania–Russia border.Notable geographical features include the Curonian Lagoon (shared with Lithuania) and the Vistula Lagoon (shared with Poland). The oblast’s largest river is the Pregolya. The river starts as a confluence of the Instruch and the Angrapa and drains into the Baltic Sea through the Vistula Lagoon. Its length, strictly under the name “Pregolya”, is {{Convert|123|km|mi|abbr=on}}; when including the Angrapa, is it {{Convert|292|km|mi|abbr=on}} long.Major cities and towns include:{| class=“wikitable”!! Russian! German †! Lithuanian ! Polish †BaltiyskБалтийскPillauPiliavaPiÅ‚awaChernyakhovskЧерняховскInsterburgÄ®srutisWystrućGusev, Kaliningrad Oblast>|GÄ…binKaliningradКалининградKönigsbergKaraliaučiusKrólewiecSovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast>|TylżaSvetly, Kaliningrad Oblast>Svetly|Све́тлый|Zimmerbude|CimerbÅ«dÄ—|Buda† Pre-1946 (the German-language names were also used in English in this period)

Climate

Kaliningrad Oblast has a climate gradually transitioning from oceanic to humid continental depending on distance from the Baltic Sea moderation. It remains very mild by Russian standards with winters above freezing without the hot summers associated with the Russian interior on similar latitudes. The local climate is slightly wetter than similar latitudes further west, but infrequent ice days lead to low snow accumulation regardless.{{Weather box|location = Kaliningrad (1991–2020, extremes 1848–present)|metric first = yes|single line = yes|Jan record high C = 12.7|Feb record high C = 16.9|Mar record high C = 23.0|Apr record high C = 28.5|May record high C = 30.6|Jun record high C = 34.0|Jul record high C = 36.3|Aug record high C = 36.5|Sep record high C = 33.8|Oct record high C = 26.4|Nov record high C = 19.4|Dec record high C = 13.3|year record high C = 36.5|Jan high C = 1.1|Feb high C = 2.1|Mar high C = 6.1|Apr high C = 13.1|May high C = 18.2|Jun high C = 21.3|Jul high C = 23.5|Aug high C = 23.3|Sep high C = 18.4|Oct high C = 12.2|Nov high C = 6.2|Dec high C = 2.6|year high C = 12.3|Jan mean C = -1.2|Feb mean C = -0.6|Mar mean C = 2.4|Apr mean C = 7.9|May mean C = 12.7|Jun mean C = 16.1|Jul mean C = 18.5|Aug mean C = 18.1|Sep mean C = 13.5|Oct mean C = 8.4|Nov mean C = 3.9|Dec mean C = 0.4|year mean C = 8.3|Jan low C = -3.5|Feb low C = -3.0|Mar low C = -0.8|Apr low C = 3.4|May low C = 7.5|Jun low C = 11.3|Jul low C = 13.9|Aug low C = 13.3|Sep low C = 9.4|Oct low C = 5.2|Nov low C = 1.7|Dec low C = -1.8|year low C = 4.7|Jan record low C = -32.5|Feb record low C = -33.3|Mar record low C = -21.7|Apr record low C = -5.8|May record low C = -3.1|Jun record low C = 0.7|Jul record low C = 4.5|Aug record low C = 1.6|Sep record low C = -2.0|Oct record low C = -11.1|Nov record low C = -18.7|Dec record low C = -25.6|year record low C = -33.3|precipitation colour = green|Jan precipitation mm = 68|Feb precipitation mm = 54|Mar precipitation mm = 49|Apr precipitation mm = 38|May precipitation mm = 52|Jun precipitation mm = 69|Jul precipitation mm = 91|Aug precipitation mm = 91|Sep precipitation mm = 73|Oct precipitation mm = 86|Nov precipitation mm = 76|Dec precipitation mm = 69|year precipitation mm = 816|Jan snow depth cm = 7|Feb snow depth cm = 7|Mar snow depth cm = 3|Apr snow depth cm = 0|May snow depth cm = 0|Jun snow depth cm = 0|Jul snow depth cm = 0|Aug snow depth cm = 0|Sep snow depth cm = 0|Oct snow depth cm = 0|Nov snow depth cm = 2|Dec snow depth cm = 5|year snow depth cm = 7|Jan rain days = 14|Feb rain days = 13|Mar rain days = 14|Apr rain days = 14|May rain days = 14|Jun rain days = 16|Jul rain days = 15|Aug rain days = 16|Sep rain days = 17|Oct rain days = 18|Nov rain days = 18|Dec rain days = 16|year rain days = 185|Jan snow days = 15|Feb snow days = 15|Mar snow days = 10|Apr snow days = 3|May snow days = 0.1|Jun snow days = 0|Jul snow days = 0|Aug snow days = 0|Sep snow days = 0|Oct snow days = 1|Nov snow days = 7|Dec snow days = 13|year snow days = 64|Jan humidity = 85|Feb humidity = 83|Mar humidity = 78|Apr humidity = 72|May humidity = 71|Jun humidity = 74|Jul humidity = 75|Aug humidity = 77|Sep humidity = 81|Oct humidity = 83|Nov humidity = 86|Dec humidity = 87|year humidity = 79|Jan sun = 35|Feb sun = 61|Mar sun = 120|Apr sun = 171|May sun = 253|Jun sun = 264|Jul sun = 257|Aug sun = 228|Sep sun = 158|Oct sun = 96|Nov sun = 38|Dec sun = 26|year sun = 1707ACCESS-DATE=8 NOVEMBER 2021 LANGUAGE=RU, PUBLISHER=NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, 3 November 2021, |date=August 2011}}

Politics

Anton Alikhanov has been governor of Kaliningrad Oblast since 2017. The most recent elections to the region’s legislative body, the 40-seat Kaliningrad Oblast Duma, were held in September 2021.

Administrative divisions

Demographics

{{Historical populations|7=1959|8=610885|9=1970|10=731936|11=1979|12=806864|13=1989|14=871283|15=2002|16=955281|17=2010|18=941873|19=2021|20=1029966|type=|footnote=Source: Census data}}

Population

As of the 2021 census, the population of the oblast was 1,027,678. Earlier censuses recorded a population of 955,281 in 2002{{ru-pop-ref|2002Census}} and 871,283 in 1989.{{ru-pop-ref|1989Census}}

Settlements{| class“wikitable sortable”

! scope=“colgroup” colspan=4 | Largest cities or towns in Kaliningrad Oblast2021 Russian Census! scope=“col” | Name! scope=“col” | Administrative Division! scope=“col” | Pop.! scope=“col” | Image| KaliningradKaliningrad>City of oblast significance of Kaliningrad| 498,260frameless)| Chernyakhovsk| Chernyakhovsky District| 39,126frameless)Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast>SovetskSovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast>Town of oblast significance of Sovetsk| 38,514frameless)| BaltiyskBaltiysky District, Kaliningrad Oblast>Baltiysky District| 33,946frameless)Gusev, Kaliningrad Oblast>Gusev| Gusevsky District| 28,177frameless)Svetly, Kaliningrad Oblast>SvetlySvetly, Kaliningrad Oblast>Town of oblast significance of Svetly| 21,441frameless)Guryevsk, Kaliningrad Oblast>GuryevskGuryevsky District, Kaliningrad Oblast>Guryevsky District| 19,670frameless)| Zelenogradsk| Zelenogradsky District| 17,296frameless)Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad Oblast>Svetlogorsk| Svetlogorsky District| 16,099frameless)| Gvardeysk| Gvardeysky District| 13,353frameless)(File:Life expectancy in Russian subject -Kaliningrad Oblast.png|thumb|300px|Life expectancy at birth in Kaliningrad Oblast)File:Victory Day in Kaliningrad 2017-05-09 51.jpg|thumb|Kaliningrad’s residents taking part in the “Immortal Regiment”, carrying portraits of their ancestors who fought in World War IIWorld War IIFile:Vodokreschi in Kaliningrad 2017-01-19 (03).jpg|thumb|Epiphany bathing in Kaliningrad]]File:Baltiysk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia - panoramio - Anton Yefimov (5).jpg|thumb|People on the beach near BaltiyskBaltiysk

Ethnic groups

According to the 2021 census, the ethnic composition of the oblast was as follows:WEB, Национальный состав населения,rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Tom5_tab1_VPN-2020.xlsx, Federal State Statistics Service (Russia), Federal State Statistics Service, 30 December 2022,

• 809,546 Russians (78.6%)
• 12,515 Ukrainians (1.2%)
• 11,360 Belarusians (1.1%)
• 8,379 Armenians (0.8%)
• 4,279 Lithuanians (0.4%)
• 4,118 Germans (0.4%)
• 3,250 Tatars (0.3%)
• 2,581 Uzbeks (0.3%)
• 2,555 Azeris (0.2%)
• 1,402 Poles (0.1%)
• 1,015 Tajiks (0.1%)
• 25,706 others (2.5%)
• 143,260 people (or 13.9% of the population) did not state their ethnicity

{| class=“wikitable”! CensusWEB,www.demoscope.ru/weekly/pril.php,demoscope.ru/weekly/pril.php," title="web.archive.org/web/20110514001827demoscope.ru/weekly/pril.php,">web.archive.org/web/20110514001827demoscope.ru/weekly/pril.php, Приложение Демоскопа Weekly, 14 May 2011, www.demoscope.ru, !! 1959 !! 1970 !! 1979 !! 1989 !! 2002 !! 2010 !! 2021| 809,546 (78.6%)| 12,515 (1.2%)| 11,360 (1.1%)| 4,279 (0.4%)’’’Total fertility rate WEB,rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/SMD_7.1.xlsx, XLSX, ru:Суммарный коэффициент рождаемости, Total fertility rate, ru, Russian Federal State Statistics Service, 10 August 2023, 10 August 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230810203543/https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/SMD_7.1.xlsx, Vital statistics for 2022:WEB, Information on the number of registered births, deaths, marriages and divorces for January to December 2022,rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Edn_12-2022.htm,web.archive.org/web/20230302093910/https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Edn_12-2022_t1_2.xlsx, 2 March 2023, 21 February 2023, ROSSTAT, WEB, Birth rate, mortality rate, natural increase, marriage rate, divorce rate for January to December 2022,rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Edn_12-2022.htm,web.archive.org/web/20230302093910/https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Edn_12-2022_t1_3.xlsx, 2 March 2023, 21 February 2023, ROSSTAT,

• Births: 8,312 (8.1 per 1,000)
• Deaths: 13,135 (12.8 per 1,000)

Total fertility rate (2022): 1.26 children per womanLife expectancy (2021):WEB,rosstat.gov.ru/folder/210/document/13207, Демографический ежегодник России, Federal State Statistics Service (Russia), Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat), 2022-06-01, ru, The Demographic Yearbook of Russia, Total — 70.99 years (male â€” 66.51, female â€” 75.25)

Religion

{{Bar box|title=Religion in Kaliningrad Oblast as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)“Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia”. Sreda, 2012.2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps. “Ogonek”, â„– 34 (5243), 27 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2017. c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg" title="web.archive.org/web/20170421154615c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg">Archived.|float=right|bars={{Bar percent|Russian Orthodoxy|DarkOrchid|30.9}}{{Bar percent|Other Orthodox|MediumOrchid|0.5}}{{Bar percent|Catholic|RoyalBlue|1}}{{Bar percent|Other Christians|DeepSkyBlue|1.7}}{{Bar percent|Spiritual but not religious|DarkSlateGray|34}}{{Bar percent|Atheism and irreligion|Black|21.6}}{{Bar percent|Other and undeclared|Gray|10.3}}}}According to a 2012 survey, 34% of the population of Kaliningrad Oblast declared themselves to be “spiritual but not religious”, 30.9% adhered to the Russian Orthodox Church, 22% were atheist, and 11.1% followed other religions or did not answer the question, 1% were unaffiliated generic Christians, and 1% were Roman Catholic.Until 1945, the region was overwhelmingly Lutheran, with a small number of Roman Catholics and Jews. The state church of Prussia was dominant in the region. Although it had been both Reformed and Lutheran since 1817, there was an overwhelming Lutheran majority and very few Reformed adherents in East Prussia.{{clear}}

Economy

File:Curonian Spit NP 05-2017 img17 aerial view at Epha Dune.jpg|thumb|Curonian SpitCuronian SpitIn 2021, the gross regional product of Kaliningrad Oblast was ₽675 billion or US$7 billion and US$7,000 per capita.WEB,rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/VRP_s_1998.xlsx, Валовой региональный продукт по субъектам Российской Федерации в 2016-2021гг, The existence of the oblast’s ice-free port and proximity to the European Union are economic advantages. It also has the world’s largest deposits of amber. The region has developed its tourism infrastructure and promotes attractions such as the Curonian Spit.BOOK, Russia: All Regions Trade & Investment Guide, CTEC Publishing LLC, 2008, Kaliningrad Region – Introduction,www.russiasregions.com/north_ossetia_alania.html, To address the oblast’s high rate of unemployment, in 1996 Russian authorities granted the oblast a special economic status that provided tax incentives intended to attract investors. The oblast’s economy benefited substantially and in recent years{{When|date=March 2010}} experienced a boom. A US$45 million airport terminal has opened. The European Commission provides funds for business projects under its special program for the region. Both economic output and trade with the countries of the EU have increased.NEWS,news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/6177003.stm, Regions and territories: Kaliningrad, 15 May 2009, BBC News, 5 June 2009, According to official statistics, the gross regional product (GRP) in 2006 was 115 billion roubles.Regional administration’s website (Russian) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221241www.gov.kaliningrad.ru/zip/itogsocecrazn2006.zip |date=27 September 2007 }} GRP per capita in 2007 was 155,669 roubles.Валовой региональный продукт на душу населения Федеральная служба государственной статистики

Industry

Car and truck assembly (GM, BMW, Kia, Yuejin by Avtotor) and the production of auto parts are major industries in Kaliningrad Oblast. There are shipbuilding facilities in Kaliningrad and Sovetsk. Food processing is a mature industry in the region, with Miratorg operating a sizeable food processing factory. OKB Fakel, a world leader in the field of Hall thruster development, as well as a leading Russian developer and manufacturer of electric propulsion systems, is based in Neman. The company employs 960 people.WEB,users.gazinter.net/fakel/index_eng.html, EDB Fakel, OKB Fakel, 4 June 2009,users.gazinter.net/fakel/index_eng.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20091012095159users.gazinter.net/fakel/index_eng.html,">web.archive.org/web/20091012095159users.gazinter.net/fakel/index_eng.html, 12 October 2009, WEB,www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Space-Systems-and-Industry/OKB-Fakel-Russian-Federation.html, OKB Fakel (Russian Federation), 17 December 2008, Jane’s Space Systems and Industry, 4 June 2009, General Satellite (GS) is the biggest employer in Gusev city, manufacturing products such as satellite receivers, cardboard packaging, and nanomaterials.

Natural resources

More than 90% of the world’s known amber deposits are in Kaliningrad Oblast .How Products Are Made: Amber {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811121944science.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/amber |date=11 August 2007 }} Because of this, many Russians refer to the region as “Amber Land” (). Until recently, raw amber was exported for processing to other countries. In 2013, the Russian government banned the export of raw amber in order to boost the amber processing industry in Russia.“The History of Russian Amber, Part 2: From USSR to Russia” {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070511leta.st/blog/2016/08/history-of-russian-amber-2/ |date=15 March 2018 }}, Leta.stThere are small oil reservoirs beneath the Baltic Sea not far from Kaliningrad’s shore. Small-scale offshore exploration started in 2004. Poland, Lithuania, and some local NGOs voiced concerns about possible environmental effects.

Fishing

Fishing is an important regional industry, with big fishing ports in Kaliningrad and Pionersky. There are smaller fishing ports in Svetly and Rybachy.

Power generation

File:Калининградская ТЭЦ-2.jpg|thumb|right|Combined heat and powerCombined heat and powerAverage yearly power consumption in the Kaliningrad Oblast was 3.5 terawatt-hours in 2004, of which local power generation provided just 0.235 terawatt-hours. The balance was imported from neighbouring countries. A new Kaliningrad power station was built in 2005, providing 50% of the oblast’s energy needs. This station was expanded in 2010, making the oblast independent from electricity imports.In 2008, planning began for the construction of two nuclear power reactors, with costs estimated at €5 billion (US$8 billion).NEWS, 17 April 2008, Kaliningrad plan for Baltic States market, World Nuclear News,www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kaliningrad-plan-for-Baltic-States-market, 31 May 2021, The project was suspended in May 2013. In 2014, the project was abandoned in response to environmental concerns and lack of support.NEWS, Prak, Caroline, 24 April 2014, Victoire ! Le projet de centrale nucléaire à Kaliningrad est enterré, fr, {{ill, Les Amis de la Terre, fr, |url=https://www.amisdelaterre.org/communique-presse/victoire-le-projet-de-centrale-nucleaire-a-kaliningrad-est-enterre/ |access-date=31 May 2021}}LNG from St. Petersburg supplies some of the energy in the Oblast.WEB, Gazprom launches floating LNG terminal in Kaliningrad,www.constructionboxscore.com/project-news/gazprom-launches-floating-lng-terminal-in-kaliningrad.aspx, www.constructionboxscore.com, {{clear}}

Agriculture

The grain blight Fusarium graminearum in the oblast is genetically 3ADON, like the blight’s strain in Finland and Saint Petersburg.

See also

• Cultural heritage of Kaliningrad Oblast
• Kaliningrad question
• Kaliningrad Special Region
• List of rural localities in Kaliningrad Oblast

References

Citations

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General and cited sources

• Roqueplo O: La Russie & son Miroir d’Extrême-Occident, Langues’O, HAL, 2018
• {{RussiaBasicLawRef|kgd}}
• {{RussiaAdmMunRef|kgd|adm|law}}
• Simon Grunau, Preußische Chronik. Hrsg. von M. Perlbach etc., Leipzig, 1875.
• A. Bezzenberger, Geographie von Preußen, Gotha, 1959
• {{RussiaBasicLawRef|kgd}}

External links

{{Commons category|Kaliningrad Oblast}}{{Wikivoyage}}

• gov39.ru/" title="web.archive.org/web/20200301172436gov39.ru/">Official website of Kaliningrad Oblast {{in lang|ru}}
• A. Liucija Arbusauskaité “www.imis.uni-osnabrueck.de/pdffiles/imis12.pdf" title="web.archive.org/web/20080528112127www.imis.uni-osnabrueck.de/pdffiles/imis12.pdf">The Soviet Policy Towards the ‘Kaliningrad Germans’ 1945–1951” chapter in Themenheft: Eingliederung und Ausgrenzung. Beiträge aus der Historischen Migrationsforschung. Hrsg.: Jochen Oltmer Osnabrück: IMIS, 1999. {{ISSN|0949-4723}}
• www.russian-lawyer.co.uk/Kaliningrad_Integration.pdf" title="web.archive.org/web/20070614115941www.russian-lawyer.co.uk/Kaliningrad_Integration.pdf">Master’s thesis by Sergey Naumkin on the possibility of Kaliningrad integrating with the EU as a special economic zone
• orel3.rsl.ru/regions/21.pdf" title="web.archive.org/web/20060625031248orel3.rsl.ru/regions/21.pdf">Life in Kaliningrad Oblast {{in lang|ru}}
• www.milovsky-gallery.albertina.ru/" title="web.archive.org/web/20071027053810www.milovsky-gallery.albertina.ru/">Spuren der Vergangenheit / Следы Пρошлого (Traces of the Past) This site by W. A. Milowskij, a Kaliningrad resident, contains hundreds of interesting photos, often with text explanations, of architectural and infrastructural artifacts of the territory’s long German past. {{in lang|de|ru}}
• City and Reagen News {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921234126rugrad.eu/ |date=21 September 2020 }}

{{Subdivisions of Russia}}{{Kaliningrad Oblast}}{{Authority control}}