Proper pronunciation: vlah-dee-vah-STOHK (English-speakers often say vlah-duh-VAH-stock).

Vladivostok’s population is approximately 605,000.

Vladivostok is located in Russia’s Far East, in the region of Primorsky Krai. It is 80 miles (128 km) from Russia’s border with North Korea and 34 miles (55 km) from the border with China

The city is the administrative capital of Russia’s Far Eastern Federal District. The district accounts for over 40% of Russia’s vast territory but is home to only 5.5% of the country’s population.

One of the city’s most well-known historical figures is an American! Eleanor Pray wrote a series of letters from her home in Vladivostok in the early 1900s which are now used as an important historical record. Today, a statue in her likeness can be found right next to the post office in the city center.

Every winter, large areas of the bays around the city freeze over. Vladivostok’s citizens enjoy cold pastimes such as ice fishing, automotive ice-drifting, and ice marathons on the frozen sea.

Vladivostok is the home port for Russia’s Pacific Naval Fleet and holds an annual naval parade showcasing the various vessels and demonstrating military drills.

Siberian tigers and Amur leopards both have their habitats in the countryside surrounding Vladivostok. They are also both on the endangered species list.

The people of Vladivostok love their tigers! Each year in September, the city celebrates Tiger Day, highlighted by a parade with everyone decked out in their best orange or tiger-themed apparel.

Vladivostok hosts several major international events each year including the Eastern Economic Forum, the Pacific Meridian Film Festival, and an International Jazz Festival.

The Eastern Economic Forum, annually held in Vladivostok, brings together heads of state, politicians, business investors, and academics from Northeast Asia and across the Asia-Pacific.

For sports fans, the city is home to both a soccer team and ice hockey team, which play competitively in Russia’s respective national leagues.

The Russky Island Bridge is the longest cable-stayed suspension bridge in the world. It is one of the city’s two suspension bridges which have become city landmarks since their construction in 2012.

A small park near the city’s center is dedicated to Vladivostok’s sister cities across the world. White, stone archways are engraved with the names of each city, including Tacoma!