Yekaterinburg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yekaterinburg (English) Екатеринбург (Russian)
-  City  -
[[File: View of Yekaterinburg-City and the Iset River from Vysotsky Skyscraper Church of All Saints Sevastyanov's house Main building of Ural Federal University Summit Business Center and Yekaterinburg Circus |250px]]
Coat of arms	Flag
City Day	3rd Saturday of August
Administrative status
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Sverdlovsk Oblast
Administratively subordinated to	City of Yekaterinburg
Municipal status
Urban okrug	Yekaterinburg Urban Okrug
Head	Alexey Orlov
Representative body	City Duma
Statistics
Area	1,111 km2 (429 sq mi)
Population (2010 Census, preliminary)	1,349,772 inhabitants
- Rank in 2010	4th
Population (2024 est.)	1,536,183 inhabitants
Density	1,215/km2 (3,147/sq mi)
Time zone	YEKT (UTC+06:00)
Founded	18 November 1723
City status since	1781
Postal code(s)	620000
Dialing code(s)	+7 343
Official website: https://екатеринбург.рф/

Yekaterinburg is a big city in Russia. It is the main city of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District. The city is located on the Iset River, between the Volga-Ural region and Siberia. About 1.5 million people live here. This makes Yekaterinburg the fourth-largest city in Russia. It is also the biggest city in the Ural Federal District. Yekaterinburg is known as a major cultural and industrial center. Some even call it the "Third capital of Russia." This is because of its strong economy, culture, transport, and tourism.

Yekaterinburg was founded on November 18, 1723. It was named after Catherine I of Russia, the wife of Emperor Peter the Great. The city was important for mining in the Russian Empire. It also connected Europe and Asia. In 1781, Catherine the Great made Yekaterinburg a district town. She also built the historic Siberian Route through it. This made Yekaterinburg a key city for Siberia's rich resources.

In the late 1800s, Yekaterinburg became a center for revolutionary groups. In 1924, after the Soviet Union was formed, the city was renamed Sverdlovsk. This was in honor of the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov. During the Soviet era, Sverdlovsk became a powerful industrial and administrative hub. On September 23, 1991, the city returned to its original name.

Today, Yekaterinburg is one of Russia's most important economic centers. It was also one of the cities that hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The city is growing fast in both economy and population. This has led to some of Russia's tallest skyscrapers being built here. Yekaterinburg is home to the main office of the Central Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. It also hosts the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Yekaterinburg is famous for its constructivist architecture. It is also called the "Russian capital of street art".

History of Yekaterinburg

Early Settlements

People lived in this area a very long time ago. The first settlements were around 8000–7000 BC. This was during the Mesolithic period. An old site called Isetskoe Pravoberezhnoye I has a Neolithic settlement from 6000–5000 BC. Here, people made stone tools. They used many different rocks and minerals. This shows they knew a lot about the area's natural resources.

Other old findings are on the Gamayun peninsula. These are from the Chalcolithic Period. They include tool-making workshops and old homes. There are also signs of the Koptyak culture from 2000 BC. They made pottery with bird pictures. They also worked with metals. The Tent I site has the only Koptyak culture burials found in the Ural Mountains. During the Bronze Age, the Gamayun culture lived here. They left pieces of pottery, weapons, and jewelry.

Archaeologists first found these old items when building a railway in the late 1800s. More digging and research began in the 1900s. These artifacts are now kept in museums. Some are in the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. Others are in the Hermitage and the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography.

Founding and Growth

The first Russian villages in the Yekaterinburg area appeared in the late 1600s. In 1702, the Uktus state ironwork plant was built. This was the first ironworks in the area. Later, in 1704, the Shuvakish ironworks was also built.

In 1720, Peter the Great sent experts to the Urals. They were to manage the mining industry. Vasily Tatishchev and Johann Blüher arrived at the Uktus plant. Tatishchev decided it would be better to build a new, larger plant. He chose a spot on the Iset River. This place had lots of ore and forests.

Construction of the new plant began in 1721. However, Tatishchev was removed from his role. In 1722, Georg Wilhelm de Gennin took over. He supported Tatishchev's plan. On March 12, 1723, construction on the Iset River started again.

Vasily Tatishchev and Georg Wilhelm de Gennin officially founded Yekaterinburg. They built a huge iron-making plant in 1723. The city was named after Emperor Peter the Great's wife, Yekaterina. She later became Empress Catherine I of Russia. The city's official founding date is November 18, 1723. This is when the plant first tested its machines. The plant officially opened on November 24. A fortress was also built in 1723. It protected the first buildings.

Yekaterinburg became an important industrial city. It was part of Peter the Great's plan to develop metalworking. The city was built in a square shape. It had ironworks and homes in the middle. Fortified walls surrounded them. This made Yekaterinburg both a factory town and a fortress. It was a key point between Europe and Asia.

The Siberian Route opened in 1763. This road made Yekaterinburg a major trade route. It connected the east and west. People started calling it the "window to Asia." As trade grew, the ironworks became less important. More fancy stone buildings were built. Small businesses also grew.

In 1781, Empress Catherine the Great made Yekaterinburg a town. She made it the main city for the region. In 1807, it became the only "mountain city" in Russia. This meant it was the capital of the mining and metal industry. From the 1830s, Yekaterinburg became a center for machine building.

Between 1820 and 1845, Yekaterinburg produced 45% of the world's gold. This was like the first "Gold Rush." Until 1876, 80% of Russia's coins were made at the Yekaterinburg mint.

After the October Revolution, the last royal family of Russia, Tsar Nicholas II and his family, were sent to Yekaterinburg. They were held in the Ipatiev House. In July 1918, the Czechoslovak Legions were getting close to the city. Early on July 17, the Tsar, his wife Alexandra, and their five children were killed by the Bolsheviks at the Ipatiev House. Other members of the House of Romanov were killed nearby later that day. The Legions captured the city soon after. The city was then controlled by the White movement. But the Red Army took it back on July 14, 1919.

Soviet Era Changes

After the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War, Yekaterinburg became the main city of the Urals. On October 19, 1920, the first university, the Ural State University, was opened. Other schools for technology, teaching, and medicine also started. Factories damaged by the war were taken over by the government.

In 1924, Yekaterinburg was renamed Sverdlovsk. This was to honor the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov. By 1934, many older villages were made part of the city.

During Joseph Stalin's rule, Sverdlovsk became a major center for heavy industry. Old factories were rebuilt. New, large factories were constructed. These factories made machines and worked with metal. The city's population grew three times larger. It became one of the fastest-growing cities in the Soviet Union. By the late 1930s, Sverdlovsk had 140 factories, 25 research centers, and 12 universities.

During World War II, Sverdlovsk became a military headquarters. Over 500 military groups were formed here. The Uralmash factory became the main place for making armored vehicles. Many factories and technical schools moved to Sverdlovsk from war-affected cities. They stayed after the war ended. Even parts of the Hermitage Museum's art collections were kept safe here.

After the war, more factories and farms were built. Many new apartment buildings were constructed in the 1960s. In 1977, the Ipatiev House was torn down. This was to prevent it from becoming a gathering place for people who supported the old royal family. In 1979, there was an anthrax outbreak. It was believed to be from a military facility.

Modern Yekaterinburg

During the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, Sverdlovsk was chosen as a temporary capital for Russia. This was in case Moscow became too dangerous. Soon after the coup failed, the city got its old name, Yekaterinburg, back on September 23, 1991. However, the region it is in, Sverdlovsk Oblast, kept its name.

In the 2000s, Yekaterinburg saw a lot of growth in trade, business, and tourism. Important meetings were held here. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder met in 2003. In 2009, the SCO and BRIC summits took place. These events helped the city's economy, culture, and tourism. Yekaterinburg also hosted four matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In 2023, it hosted the first University International Sports Festival.

Geography of Yekaterinburg

Location and Landscape

Yekaterinburg is in North Asia. It is close to the Ural Mountains. These mountains divide Europe from Asia. The city is about 1667 kilometers east of Moscow, Russia's capital.

The city covers a total area of 1111 square kilometers.

Yekaterinburg is on the eastern side of the Urals. It is surrounded by wooded hills. Some of these hills are used for farming. The city is on a natural watershed. This means there are many bodies of water nearby and within the city. The Iset River flows through Yekaterinburg. It flows from the Urals into the Tobol River. There are two lakes in the city: Lake Shuvakish and Lake Shartash. The city also borders Verkh-Isetskiy Pond. Lake Isetskoye and Lake Baltym are also close to the city.

Climate and Seasons

Yekaterinburg has a humid continental climate. This means it has distinct seasons. The weather can change quickly. The Ural Mountains block air from the west. But the Central Urals are open to cold arctic air. Warm air from the south can also reach the city. This causes big temperature changes. In winter, it can go from -40°C to above freezing. In summer, it can go from cold to over 35°C.

• 

  Spring in Yekaterinburg

• 

  Summer in Yekaterinburg

• 

  Autumn in Yekaterinburg

• 

  Winter in Yekaterinburg

Most rain and snow come from the west. The city gets about 601 mm of precipitation each year. Most of this falls in the warmer months. In winter, there is usually a snow cover of 40–50 cm.

• The average temperature in January is -12.6°C. The coldest ever was -44.6°C (in 1915).
• The average July temperature is 18.9°C. The hottest ever was 40.0°C (in 2023).
• The average yearly temperature is 2.1°C.
• The average yearly wind speed is 2.9 meters per second.
• The average yearly humidity is 75%.
• The average yearly precipitation is 534 mm.

People and Beliefs

Population Growth

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1897	37,399	—
1926	134,831	+260.5%
1939	425,533	+215.6%
1959	778,602	+83.0%
1970	1,025,045	+31.7%
1979	1,211,172	+18.2%
1989	1,364,621	+12.7%
2002	1,293,537	−5.2%
2010	1,349,772	+4.3%
2021	1,544,376	+14.4%

In 2021, Yekaterinburg had 1,544,376 people. This was more than the 1,349,772 people counted in 2010.

As of 2021, most people in Yekaterinburg are Russians.

Ethnicity	Population	Percentage
Russians	1,172,704	91.0%
Tatars	27,431	2.1%
Tajiks	13,102	1.0%
Kyrgyz	8,769	0.7%
Bashkirs	6,121	0.5%
Ukrainians	4,987	0.4%
Uzbeks	4,755	0.4%
Armenians	4,307	0.3%
Azerbaijanis	4,014	0.3%
Others	42,033	3.3%

Religious Life

Christianity is the main religion in Yekaterinburg. Most Christians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church. The main church for the Yekaterinburg area is the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Other religions practiced here include Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism.

Yekaterinburg has a large Muslim community. There are two small mosques in the city. A larger mosque is being built nearby. It will have four minarets and space for 2,500 people. This mosque is planned to be near a cathedral and a synagogue. This would create an "area of the three religions."

Many religious buildings were destroyed during the Soviet era. This included the synagogue and three large Orthodox churches. Other churches were used as warehouses. The only religious building open during the Soviet era was the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Recently, some churches are being rebuilt. The Great Zlatoust Church was restored in 2012.

City Economy

Economic Overview

Yekaterinburg is one of Russia's biggest economic centers. It is on a list of the 600 largest cities in the world. These cities produce 60% of the world's total economy. In 2010, the city's economy was about $19 billion. Experts think it could grow to $40 billion by 2025.

Yekaterinburg has the third-largest economy in Russia. Only Moscow and St. Petersburg are bigger. In 2015, Yekaterinburg ranked third among large cities for its economic strength.

In the Soviet era, Yekaterinburg was mainly an industrial city. About 90% of its economy came from industry. Most of this was for defense. With Chelyabinsk and Perm, it formed a major industrial area in the Urals.

Now, the city is changing its economy. It is developing new areas like storage, transport, and finance. It also focuses on trade. This means Yekaterinburg is becoming less focused only on industry.

Working and Living

The quality of life in Yekaterinburg is higher than the average for Russia. It is among the top ten cities with the best living standards. In 2015, Yekaterinburg had high average wages and retail sales. It also ranked high in new housing.

The average monthly wage in Yekaterinburg in 2019 was 54,976 rubles. This was the highest among large cities in Russia. About 440,300 people work for big and medium-sized companies. The unemployment rate was very low, at 0.83% in 2015. People in the city say that healthcare, housing, and transport are the main issues.

The city's budget in 2015 was about 32 billion rubles for income and expenses. A large part of the money, 17 billion rubles, was spent on education. Over 1 billion rubles went to culture. About 900 million rubles were spent on health. Most of the city's income came from local taxes.

The main spending areas are developing the economy and social support for citizens. Yekaterinburg spends a higher percentage on these than some other cities. The city also manages its budget carefully.

Business and Finance

Yekaterinburg is a big financial and business center in Russia. Many international companies have offices here. There are also many Russian banks and financial groups. The financial market in Yekaterinburg is stable. It has many large foreign and Russian banks.

More than 100 banks operate in Yekaterinburg. This includes 11 foreign banks. Several large Russian banks are based here. The Ural headquarters of the Central Bank of Russia is also in Yekaterinburg. This office controls banking in a large part of Russia.

The city's good transport and communication services help its business growth. It has many hotels and business services. Yekaterinburg has its own central business district called Yekaterinburg City.

Industry and Production

Yekaterinburg has been a major industrial city since it was founded. In the 1700s, it focused on metal production. In the 1800s, machine building started. Later, light industry and food production also grew. During the industrialization period, new large factories were built. These factories specialized in heavy engineering. During World War II, about sixty factories moved to Yekaterinburg. This greatly increased the city's production.

Today, Yekaterinburg has over 220 large and medium-sized businesses. Most of these are in manufacturing. In 2015, they produced goods worth 323,288 million rubles. The main industries are metal production, food production, and electrical equipment. Other important areas include vehicle production, machinery, and chemicals.

Many large Russian industrial companies have their main offices in Yekaterinburg. These include Uralmash, which makes heavy machinery.

Shopping and Services

Yekaterinburg is a top city in Russia for retail trade per person. It is even ahead of Moscow. The consumer market is a big part of the city's economy. In 2015, retail stores made 725.9 billion rubles. There were 4,290 retailers. The city has 36 shopping centers. This means there is a lot of shopping space for residents.

Yekaterinburg has many chain stores. It also has a large agricultural market.

The food service industry also brings in a lot of money. In 2015, restaurants, cafes, and other food places made 38.6 billion rubles. The city has many types of places to eat, from fancy restaurants to fast-food spots.

The services industry, like hairdressers and fitness centers, is also growing fast. There are over 5,000 service businesses in Yekaterinburg.

Greenwich Shopping Center is one of the largest shopping centers in Europe. Sima-Land is the largest store in the world by area.

Tourism in Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg is a big center for tourism in Russia. In 2015, it was one of the top five most visited Russian cities. The city has worked hard to attract international tourists. It hosted summits and exhibitions. In 2014, Yekaterinburg was the third most popular Russian city for foreign tourists. Only Moscow and St. Petersburg had more.

In 2015, over 2.1 million people visited the city. Many tourists come to see places related to the last royal family. The city is also developing new tourist ideas. These include themes about local folklore, geology, and industrial history.

Getting Around Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg is Russia's third-largest transport hub. Only Moscow and St. Petersburg are bigger. The city has 6 federal highways and 7 main railway lines. It also has an international airport. Yekaterinburg's location makes it easy to reach other large Ural cities in 7 to 10 hours. This is because it is in a low part of the Ural Mountains. This made it easy to build roads connecting European and Eastern Russia.

Roads and Driving

Yekaterinburg is one of Russia's top ten cities for cars. The number of cars has been growing fast. This has caused traffic jams. The city's roads cannot handle all the cars.

To help with traffic, old streets are being rebuilt. New multi-level interchanges are also being built. The city is also building the Yekaterinburg Ring Road (EKAD). This road will go around the city. It will help reduce traffic in the city center. It will also make it easier to travel between other Russian cities. Construction started in 2014.

Since 2014, paid parking has been introduced in the city center. More parking lots are also being built.

The city has 1311.5 kilometers of roads. Many of these are main roads. There are 20 multi-level interchanges. These include 11 on the EKAD. The city also has 74 transport structures. These include bridges and overpasses.

Yekaterinburg is served by several major highways:

• M5
• E22
• R351
• R352
• R354
• R355

Public Transportation

Yekaterinburg uses almost all types of public transport. Buses, trams, and trolleybuses transport millions of people each year. However, the total number of passengers using land transport has been going down.

Since 1991, the city has had a metro system. It is the sixth metro in Russia. It has one line with 9 stations. In 2015, 49.9 million passengers used the metro. It is the fourth busiest metro in Russia.

The tram network started in 1929. It is a very important part of the city's transport. In 2013, 127.8 million passengers used the trams. In 2016, there were 30 tram routes with 459 cars. The total length of the tracks is 185.5 kilometers. A new tram line to Verkhnyaya Pyshma is planned.

Yekaterinburg has 93 bus routes. In 2007, municipal buses carried 114.5 million passengers. The number of passengers has decreased. This is partly because of the growth of smaller, fixed-route taxis. There are 19 trolleybus routes with 250 trolleybuses. The total length of trolleybus lines is 168.4 kilometers.

The city also has an electric train route. It connects the north-western and southern parts of Yekaterinburg.

Rail Travel

Yekaterinburg is a major railway hub. Seven main railway lines meet here. These lines go to cities like Perm, Tyumen, and Chelyabinsk. The Sverdlovsk Railway Administration is located in the city. It manages trains in a large area of Russia. The Perm–Yekaterinburg–Tyumen section is part of the famous Trans-Siberian Railway.

Air Travel

Yekaterinburg has two main airports. The biggest is Koltsovo International Airport (SVX). It is one of the largest airports in Russia. In 2017, it served over 5.4 million passengers. This makes it the sixth busiest airport in Russia.

Koltsovo Airport was rebuilt for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A second runway was added. The airport's capacity increased to two thousand people per hour.

Learning and Culture

Education System

Yekaterinburg has a complete education system. It includes preschools, schools, and colleges. It is one of Russia's largest educational centers. Yekaterinburg is seen as the top educational and scientific center in the Urals.

There are 164 educational institutions in the city. In 2015, 133,800 students were in general education schools. The city also has health camps for children. Several schools in Yekaterinburg are ranked among the best in Russia.

The Ural Mining Institute was the first higher education institution in Yekaterinburg. It was founded in 1914. In 1920, the Ural State University became the first university in the city. It was started by a decree signed by Vladimir Lenin.

Yekaterinburg's universities are known for their high-quality graduates. Many graduates become leaders in the country. The city has 20 state universities. About 140,000 students attend them. There are also 14 private higher education institutions. The famous Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts is also here.

In 2011, the Ural State University and Ural State Technical University joined together. They formed the Boris N. Yeltsin Ural Federal University. This made it the largest university in the Urals and one of the largest in Russia. In 2016, it had 35,300 students and 2,950 teachers. It is ranked among the top universities in the world.

Media and Communication

Many newspapers and magazines are published in Yekaterinburg. Some popular newspapers are Ural Worker and Vecherny Yekaterinburg. Popular magazines include Red Burda.

A television studio was built in Sverdlovsk in 1955. The first TV show aired on November 6, 1955. Color television started in 1976. Now, 19 companies broadcast TV. In 1981, a new television tower was started. It was meant to be the second tallest in Russia. But it was never finished. On March 24, 2018, the tower was torn down. This was to make the city look better for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Shartash radio mast is now the tallest structure in the city. It is 263 meters tall.

Yekaterinburg has 26 internet providers. It also has 6 mobile phone companies. The city works with mobile operators to improve services. For example, one company provides Wi-Fi on 500 trams and trolleybuses.

Operators of mobile communication in Yekaterinburg

Generation	Mobile communication standard	Operators
2G	GSM	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive
2.5G	GPRS	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive
2.75G	EDGE	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive
3G	UMTS, CDMA 1X	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia
3.5G	HSPA	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia
3.75G	HSPA+	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia
4G	LTE	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive, Yota
4G+	LTE Advanced	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Yota

Life and Culture

Cultural Highlights

Yekaterinburg is a big cultural center in the Urals. It has about fifty libraries. The largest are the Sverdlovsk Oblast Universal Scientific Library and the V.G. Belinsky Scientific Library.

The city has about 50 different museums. Yekaterinburg has special collections. These include Russian paintings at the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts. The Nevyansk Icon Museum has over 300 old icons. There is also a unique cast-iron pavilion. It won awards at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. UNESCO has recognized it as the only cast-iron building in a museum. The city's museums also have collections of jewelry and stone art. The United Museum of Writers of the Urals honors famous writers. It also has the Shigirskaya Kladovaya, which holds the Shigir Idol. This is the oldest known wooden sculpture in the world. It is estimated to be 11,500 years old.

Yekaterinburg has the third most theaters in Russia. Famous theaters include the Academic Theater of Musical Comedy and the Drama Theater. The Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theater has won many awards.

The city has a strong film industry. The first cinema opened in 1909. The Sverdlovsk Film Studio opened in 1943. It made many feature films. Yekaterinburg has over 20 cinemas.

Many popular Russian rock bands started in Yekaterinburg. This includes Chaif and Nautilus Pompilius. The Ural Philharmonic Orchestra is also very popular. The Ural Academic Popular Chorus performs folk songs and dances.

The Yekaterinburg Circus is in the city center. In 2012, it was named "Best Circus of the Year."

The Presidential Center named after Boris Yeltsin opened in 2015. It is a public, cultural, and educational center. It has an art gallery, library, and a museum with modern technology. In 2017, the Yeltsin Center was named the best museum in Europe.

The city also has a zoo. It has over 1,000 animals from more than 350 species. The zoo covers 2.7 hectares.

In 2011, Yekaterinburg launched the Red Line. This is a walking tour route. It takes visitors to 34 important places in the city's historic area.

City Architecture

Yekaterinburg has many different architectural styles. The city was planned like Renaissance fortresses. It also used French town planning ideas from the 1600s. In the 1700s, the Baroque style was seen in churches.

In the early 1800s, neoclassicism became popular. Many estates were built in this style. Architect Michael Malakhov greatly influenced this. He designed factories and a monastery.

In the early 1900s, eclecticism was the main style. Buildings like the Opera House and Yekaterinburg railway station were built this way. In the 1920s and 1930s, constructivism took over. It influenced homes, factories, and stadiums. Over 140 buildings in Yekaterinburg are in the constructivist style.

From the 1930s to 1950s, neoclassicism returned. Public buildings and monuments were important. Examples include the Ural Industrial Institute and the City Administrative building. In the 1960s, many similar apartment blocks were built.

In the 1990s, Russia moved to a market economy. Old buildings were restored. New buildings were also constructed. This sometimes meant tearing down historic buildings. The city center became a hub for new construction. Banks, business centers, and hotels were built. High-tech architecture became popular. Examples include the Summit business center. Postmodernism also brought back interest in older styles.

In the 2000s, architects looked back to Soviet avant-garde. This influenced new buildings with a neoconstructivist style. Foreign investors also became involved in projects. In 2007, the Central business district began construction. In 2010, Yekaterinburg became a major center for tall buildings. Over 1,189 high-rise buildings were built. This includes 20 skyscrapers. The tallest is the Iset Tower, which is 209 meters high.

Sports in Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg is a leading sports center in Russia. Many famous athletes are from here. Since 1952, Yekaterinburg athletes have won 137 medals at the Olympic Games. This includes 46 gold medals.

• 

  Yekaterinburg Arena (formerly Central Stadium)

• 

  Uralets Arena (formerly Sports Palace)

• 

  Uralmash Stadium

• 

  Palace of Sporting Games

In 1965, Yekaterinburg hosted the Bandy World Championship. In 2018, it was one of 11 Russian cities to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Matches were played at the upgraded Yekaterinburg Arena.

Yekaterinburg has 1728 sports facilities. These include 16 stadiums, 440 indoor gyms, and 45 swimming pools. There are 38 sports schools for young athletes. Over 30,000 people take part in these schools.

Sports Teams

Yekaterinburg has many professional sports clubs. These include teams for volleyball, basketball, futsal, bandy, and ice hockey. Many of these teams are among the best in Russia and Europe. For example, the women's basketball club UMMC Yekaterinburg is very strong.

Club	Sport	Founded	Current League	League Tier	Stadium
Ural Yekaterinburg	Association football	1930	Russian Premier League	1st	Central Stadium
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	Ice Hockey	2006	Kontinental Hockey League	1st	KRK Uralets
Avto Yekaterinburg	Ice Hockey	2009	Minor Hockey League	Jr. 1st	KRK Uralets
Spartak-Merkury	Ice Hockey	1992	Women's Hockey Championship	1st	Sports Palace Snezhinka
Uralsky Trubnik	Bandy	1937	Russian Bandy Super League	1st	Uralsky Trubnik Stadium
SKA-Sverdlovsk	Bandy	1935	Russian Bandy Supreme League	2nd	Uralsky Trubnik Stadium
Ural Yekaterinburg	Basketball	2006	Russian Basketball Super League	2nd	Palace of Sporting Games
UGMK Yekaterinburg	Basketball	1938	Women's Basketball Premier League	1st	Palace of Sporting Games
Lokomotiv-Izumrud Yekaterinburg	Volleyball	1945	Volleyball Supreme League A	2nd	Palace of Sporting Games
Uralochka Yekaterinburg	Volleyball	1966	Women's Volleyball Superleague	1st	Palace of Sporting Games Metallurg-Forum
Sinara Yekaterinburg	Futsal	1992	Futsal Super League	1st	Palace of Sporting Games

2018 FIFA World Cup

Yekaterinburg hosted four matches for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The games were played at the Yekaterinburg Arena. This stadium was upgraded to meet FIFA's rules. Its design combines old walls with a modern arena. Temporary seats were added to hold 35,000 fans. These seats were removed after the World Cup.

The FIFA Fan Fest in Yekaterinburg was in Mayakovsky Central Park. It could hold 17,000 people.

Koltsovo Airport was also rebuilt for the World Cup. It got a second runway and a new passenger terminal. The airport's capacity increased to two thousand people per hour. The city's roads were also improved.

International Connections

Consulates and Meetings

The United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, and other countries have consulates in Yekaterinburg.

The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) held their first official summit in Yekaterinburg on June 16, 2009. Their foreign ministers had met there earlier in 2008.

World Expo Bids

Yekaterinburg has tried to host the World Expo. In 2013, the city presented its bid for the 2020 World Expo. Their idea was about how globalization affects the world. Russian President Vladimir Putin promised money to build a large exhibition complex.

Yekaterinburg also bid for the Expo 2025. Their idea was about using technology to make people happy. They wanted to show how innovation can improve life. However, Osaka, Japan, was chosen to host the 2025 Expo.

Yekaterinburg hosted the Global Summit on Manufacturing and Industrialization (GMIS) in 2019. This event was supported by the United Nations. The annual INNOPROM exhibition is one of the five largest industrial exhibitions globally.

Sister Cities

Yekaterinburg is connected with these cities around the world:

Famous People from Yekaterinburg

Other Interesting Facts

• A submarine is named Ekaterinburg (K-84/"807") in honor of the city.
• The asteroid 27736 Ekaterinburg was named after the city on June 1, 2007.

See also

In Spanish: Ekaterimburgo para niños