Kirov (Finn. Kirovi) is the fourth-largest city in Uralica (after Yekaterinburg, Perm', and Izhevsk), is bigger than the capital Syktyvkar, and was the centre of Uralica's wheat trade when wheat was still exported. It is also a major centre of overall commerce in Uralica, even though the headquarters of the Uralikan Ykköspankki (First Bank of Uralica) is in Ukhta. At one point it was Uralica's financial capital, though this has since shifted to Yekaterinburg.
Its industrial sector has actually shrunk since pre-Robertian times, however the burgeoning retail and finance sectors, combined with a new river port (the old one went bankrupt in the 1990s), an increase in the importance of ferrous metallurgy, and the emergence of a large printing and publishing business, have more than made up for this.
At one time, it had a reputation for having some of the worst-maintained roads in all of Russia, however upon becoming a part of Uralica, the road infrastructure improved dramatically within just two months. It sits on Uralica's first two numbered highways - UH-1 and UH-2, now part of the Intra-Uralican Highway Network - and the unitary authority contains highways 1A and 30, with 30A connecting just south of the UA boundaries in Kstinino.
Culture[]
A stark contrast to the bohemian, multicultural Syktyvkar, the heavily industrial Ukhta, and the traditional Russian-looking Solikamsk, Kirov is said to look like "something out of a futuristic animé movie" with its streamlined, post-modern architecture. The mundanely named Kirovski Bashnya is one of the tallest residential-only buildings on PlanetBob, with its 78 well-engineered stories towering over the east end of the city proper. Adding to the futuristic look is the sleek Kirov International Airport, particularly its main terminal, Bolak Terminal, one of many Uralican buildings renamed after CCC ex-Chancellor Sheldomar Bolak, which according to one tourism magazine, "looks like something out of a sci-fi video game."
This of course does not mean there is no culture in Kirov at all. Uralica's strong musical tradition is found in great quantity and quality in the city, as performances by the Uralican Symphony Orchestra are supplemented by the hometown symphony, the Kirovski Philharmonic Orchestra, and various local bands and music acts. Kirov is home to Uralica's largest dance-music club, TranceAddicts, which is notorious for its teetotaling, music-only approach to clubs. As KingJarkko once said, "the hardest drink you'll find in there is fresh-made lemonade!" Another place to find music of a different sort is at Kirov Square, which was described as "Trafalgar Square Russified" by a Planet Bob Tourism magazine, which also listed it 192nd out of 200 cities on Planet Bob that was worth seeing. (Syktyvkar, for the record, was tenth.)
Interestingly enough, the flag of Kirov's unitary authority is the old city flag (a plain white background with the city shield) superimposed upon the Uralican "Siniristi" (blue cross).
Sport[]
Like Syktyvkar, Kirov hosts a wide variety of sports teams and clubs.
Football (Soccer)[]
Bolakliiga[]
Ykkönen[]
- Spartak Kirov
Kolmonen[]
- Tekstilshchik Kirov
Nelonen[]
These are all reserve teams.
- CSKVC-II Kirov
- Dinamo-II Kirov
- FK Kirov-II
- KJK-Reservit
- Mashinostroitel-II Kirov
- Spartak-II Kirov
Other Pro/Semi-Pro[]
- Kirovin Palloseura
- Mashinist Kirov
- Progress Kirov
- Start Kirov
- Zheleznik Kirov
- FK Subotikha
- FK Novovyatsk
- Spartak Novovyatsk
- Jupiter Ganino
- FK Ganino
- Kirov City
- Kirov Rovers
- Lesnik Kirov
- CSKA Kirov
Ice Hockey[]
- CSKA Kirov
Basketball[]
- BK Kirov
Team Handball[]
- KPK Kirov
Speed Skating/Cycling/Short-Track Speed Skating[]
Neighbourhoods and Suburbs[]
- Subotikha (Finn. "Supotiha")
- Poroshino (Finn. "Porrasiina")
- Shikhovo (Finn. "Siihovo")
- Ganino (Finn. "Uusikaarina")
- Raduzhnyj (Finn. "Loistava")
- Novovjatsk (Finn. "Uusivijatka")
- Ljangasovo (Finn. "Lijangasovo")
- Bakhta (Finn. "Pahta")
Sometimes Kirovo-Chepetsk was also considered part of Kirov, however it is not within the Kirov Unitary Authority.