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Revision as of 23:34, 10 June 2002 by Jeronimo (talk | contribs) (wikify)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Vladivostok, Russia, founded in 1860, is the home port of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet. The city is in Russia's far east, on the coast of the Sea of Japan and near both the Chinese border and the Japanese island of Honshu.
The city's current population is approximately 700,000. Its main industries are shipping, commercial fishing, and the naval base.
From 1958 to 1991, only Soviet citizens were allowed to live in, or even visit, Vladivostok. Before this closure, the city had large Japanese and Chinese populations.
The Trans-Siberian Railway was built to connect Vladivostok, Russia's first Pacific Ocean port, with European Russia. Finished in 1905, the rail line runs from Vladivostok to Moscow, and has connections to railroads running south to Beijing and, via Moscow, to Western Europe.
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many businesses have opened offices in Vladivostok, taking advantage of its location. Unfortunately, the crime rate and cost of living have also increased, and the city is believed to be a hotbed of organized crime activity.