# Skopin

> human settlement in Russia

**Wikidata**: [Q194670](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q194670)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skopin,_Russia)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/skopin

## Summary
Skopin is a city in Ryazan Oblast, Russia, founded in 1597 with a recorded population of 24,055 as of January 1, 2025. Located at coordinates 53.8167°N, 39.55°E at an elevation of 150 meters above sea level, it serves as the administrative center of Skopinsky District. The city covers an area of 30.9 square kilometers and operates in the UTC+03:00 time zone.

## Key Facts
- **Foundation**: 1597 (earliest written record)
- **Area**: 30.9 square kilometres
- **Elevation**: 150 metres above sea level
- **Coordinates**: 53.8167°N, 39.55°E
- **Time Zone**: UTC+03:00
- **Population (2025)**: 24,055 (demographic balance estimate, preferred value)
- **Population (2021 Census)**: 25,238
- **UN/LOCODE**: RUSKO
- **Postal Codes**: 391800–391803
- **Local Dialing Code**: 49156
- **Administrative Role**: Capital of Skopinsky District
- **Official Website**: http://skopin-gorod.ru
- **OKATO ID**: 61415000000
- **OKTMO ID**: 61715000001
- **VIAF ID**: 146756586
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n97103521
- **GeoNames ID**: 492376
- **Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017)**: 3623924
- **State Catalogue of Geographical Names (Russia) ID**: 0000012

## FAQs
**What is the current population of Skopin?**
As of January 1, 2025, Skopin has an estimated population of 24,055 residents according to demographic balance calculations. The most recent census in 2021 recorded 25,238 inhabitants.

**Where is Skopin located administratively?**
Skopin is located in Ryazan Oblast, Russia, and has served as the capital of Skopinsky District since September 26, 1937. Historically, it was also the capital of Skopinsky uezd until October 1, 1929.

**How has Skopin's population changed over time?**
Skopin's population has fluctuated significantly, from 11,284 in 1839 to a peak of 28,912 in the 1989 census. The city experienced steady growth during the Soviet era, reaching 26,608 in 1979, followed by a gradual decline in the post-Soviet period to its current level.

**What countries has Skopin been part of throughout history?**
Skopin has been part of four distinct political entities: the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and currently the Russian Federation.

## Why It Matters
Skopin represents a historically significant urban settlement in central Russia with over four centuries of documented continuous habitation since 1597. As an administrative center, it plays a crucial role in regional governance for Skopinsky District and has maintained this function through multiple political regimes. The city's demographic trajectory—documented extensively from 1839 to 2025—provides valuable data for understanding urban population patterns in provincial Russia, including the effects of industrialization during the Soviet era and subsequent population shifts in the post-Soviet period. Skopin's inclusion in major encyclopedic works such as the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary underscores its historical and cultural significance within the Russian Federation.

## Notable For
- Over 427 years of documented history since its founding in 1597
- Peak population of 28,912 recorded in the 1989 Soviet census
- Administrative center status for both Skopinsky District (1937–present) and historically Skopinsky uezd (until 1929)
- Extensive documentation across 40+ Wikipedia language editions
- Recognition in authoritative Russian reference works including Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Great Russian Encyclopedia Online
- International identification through UN/LOCODE designation RUSKO
- Comprehensive demographic records spanning from 1839 to 2025

## Body

### History and Foundation
Skopin was founded in 1597, with this date also marking the earliest written record of the settlement. The city has existed under four distinct political entities throughout its history: the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the modern Russian Federation. Its administrative role has evolved over centuries, serving as the capital of Skopinsky uezd until October 1, 1929, and subsequently as the capital of Skopinsky District beginning September 26, 1937.

### Geography and Location
Skopin is situated in Ryazan Oblast at coordinates 53.8167 degrees north latitude and 39.55 degrees east longitude. The city occupies an area of 30.9 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 150 metres above sea level. It operates within the UTC+03:00 time zone, aligning with Moscow Standard Time.

### Population and Demographics
Skopin's population history provides a comprehensive view of urban development in provincial Russia:

**19th Century Records:**
- 1839: 11,284 residents
- 1856: 11,200 (estimate)
- 1859: 11,897 (estimate)
- 1869: 9,511 residents
- 1897: 13,247 (census)

**Early 20th Century:**
- 1913: 14,700 (estimate)
- 1926: 10,114 (census)
- 1931: 11,800 (estimate)
- 1939: 13,250 (census)

**Soviet Era Growth:**
- 1959: 17,957 (census)
- 1967: 21,000 (estimate)
- 1970: 24,429 (census)
- 1979: 26,608 (census)
- 1989: 28,912 (census) - historical peak

**Post-Soviet Period:**
- 1992: 28,800 (estimate)
- 2002: 25,092 (census)
- 2010: 30,376 (census)
- 2021: 25,238 (census)
- 2025: 24,055 (demographic balance, preferred value)

The population data shows a significant decline in the late 19th century, recovery and modest growth through the early 20th century, substantial expansion during the Soviet industrial era, and gradual decline following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

### Administrative and Territorial Status
Skopin functions as an administrative territorial entity and holds the classification of a city. It serves as the administrative capital of Skopinsky District, a role it has maintained since September 26, 1937. The city's administrative history includes its former status as the capital of Skopinsky uezd, which concluded on October 1, 1929. Skopin is assigned the OKATO identifier 61415000000 and the OKTMO identifier 61715000001 for administrative and statistical purposes.

### Documentation and Reference Sources
Skopin is documented in several authoritative reference works:
- Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Desktop Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Great Russian Encyclopedia Online (2017 edition, ID: 3623924)

The city is referenced under the name "СКОПИН" in Russian-language sources.

### Symbols and Visual Identity
Skopin maintains official heraldic symbols including a coat of arms and a flag. Both symbols are documented and available through Wikimedia Commons, with the flag image accessible at the standard file path and the coat of arms similarly preserved.

### Digital Presence and Identification
The city maintains an official website at http://skopin-gorod.ru (Russian language). Skopin possesses extensive digital identification across multiple international databases and cataloguing systems:

**Library and Authority Records:**
- VIAF ID: 146756586
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n97103521
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007545149105171

**Geographic Databases:**
- GeoNames ID: 492376
- GNS Unique Feature ID: -3005269
- Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID: 1059466
- Who's On First ID: 102004129
- iNaturalist Place ID: 43052

**Cultural and Academic Databases:**
- Freebase ID: /m/0dmz02
- MusicBrainz Area ID: 13e20d4d-10c2-4dfd-8eb4-fd7e6002f713
- Yale Lux ID: place/b89c62f5-f3dd-4ad2-b77b-a3f1fc6b68b2

### Wikipedia and Multilingual Coverage
Skopin is documented across 42 Wikipedia language editions, including Arabic, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Cebuano, Crimean Tatar, Czech, German, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Persian, Finnish, French, Upper Sorbian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Luxembourgish, Moksha, Erzya, Norwegian Nynorsk, Norwegian, Ossetic, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Silesian, Tagalog, Talysh, Turkish, Tatar, Ukrainian, Veps, Vietnamese, Waray, Kalmyk, Chinese, and Min Nan Chinese. The English Wikipedia title is "Skopin, Russia," and the Wikimedia Commons category is "Skopin."

### Communications and Infrastructure
Skopin utilizes the postal code range 391800–391803 for mail delivery. The local telephone dialing code is 49156, connecting the city to the Russian telecommunications network.

### Images and Media
A representative image of Skopin is available showing the Skopinsky Technical-Economic College, accessible through Wikimedia Commons. This visual documentation provides insight into the city's educational infrastructure and architectural character.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. OKTMO
4. MusicBrainz
5. Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
6. Source
7. Q127651560
8. Inhabitable places of Russian Empire with population 500 and more by 1897 census
9. [Города Рязанской области (число жителей - оценка на 1 января 2005 г., тыс. человек)](http://www.gks.ru/bgd/regl/b05_14t/isswww.exe/stg/z/ryazan-1.htm)
10. Q41348632
11. Q56023898
12. [Постановление министерства территориальной политики Рязанской области от 6 сентября 2023 года № 7 «Об утверждении Реестра административно-территориальных единиц и населенных пунктов Рязанской области»](http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/6201202309120002)
13. Q133797648
14. GeoNames
15. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/ru.htm)
16. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
17. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File