Moscow is one of the largest Russian cities. People from all over the country and neighboring countries come to the capital to earn money. That is why the population of Moscow is constantly growing. According to the latest official data, it is approaching 12 million people, but in fact this figure is much larger.
The fact is that most of the visitors working in Moscow are not officially registered anywhere, they work illegally. Therefore, the real population of Moscow is very difficult to assess.
Its increase is also due to the accession of new territories. So, over the past two years, 21 municipalities and 19 rural and urban settlements have become
part of Moscow . This increased the population by 250 thousand people, and the area of Moscow increased by 148 thousand hectares.
Due to the expansion of the territory, the population density of Moscow decreased significantly, since the annexed territories were sparsely populated. But still, Moscow remains the most populated city in Russia with a population density of 4.68 thousand per square kilometer.
The indigenous population of Moscow is declining every year. It is replaced by labor migrants from regions and neighboring countries. Relations between the
indigenous inhabitants and guests of the capital are developing very negatively. This is due to differences in the upbringing and culture of different nationalities.
As the population of Moscow is constantly growing, the level of pollution in the city is also increasing. The noise of cars on Moscow streets does not cease even at night, and because of the exhaust gases and harmful substances contained in the air, it is impossible to ventilate the premises.
The number of urban landfills is growing, which are no longer able to take all the Moscow garbage. And if the city authorities in the near future do not find a way to solve this problem, then the epidemiological situation in Moscow promises to become quite dangerous.
Also, the high population of Moscow has an impact on infrastructure. At peak times, public transport is crowded. There are constant traffic jams due to the increasing number of cars; some transport facilities are simply not able to handle such a large flow.
But, in general, the high population density is due to the high level of wages in comparison with the regions, a large number of educational institutions and the presence of a huge number of jobs. These are the main reasons migrants seek to enter the capital.
The Moscow government is working to reduce population density and is taking real steps in this direction. In recent years, the area of Moscow has almost doubled, the rules of residence of foreign labor migrants have become more stringent, and the situation in the regions is constantly improving.
Thanks to these measures, as well as the gradual stabilization of the country's economy as a whole, the population of Moscow in the coming years may drop significantly, according to official figures, up to 8 million people. But in any case, Moscow will remain the most popular city among Russians.