• St.Petersburg is not only a major Russian financial, commercial and industrial centre, but also a key region with regard to research and educational activity. Almost everything from heavy industry tools and electronics to consumer goods is manufactured here.

   

• Due to its location and availability of three airports, five railway stations, a river and a sea-port, St.Petersburg is the main transport centre connecting Russia with the Scandinavian and other European countries.

   

• The population of St.Petersburg and the Leningrad Region counts around 7 million people, which makes the North-West a significant consumption region for consumer goods and industrial products. The income of population has increased by 29.4% during 2009.

   

• St.Petersburg is one of five Russian regions leading in the volumes of international trade. For the first time in recent years an increase in trade between St.Petersburg and CIS states has been recorded.

   

• The city economy has been showing steady annual gross regional product growth since 1999. Due to increase in investment the growth of gross regional product for St.Petersburg is expected to be higher than Russian average.

   

• Foreign investment in St.Petersburg amounted to 4.7 billion dollars only in January-September 2009, while the expected growth of investment is estimated at not less than 22%.

   

• St.Petersburg is the best region in Russia according to the number of profitable enterprises (83%).

   

• The market for trading space is constantly expanding. The demand for trading space in St.Petersburg by far outreaches the offer, and the market is not going to reach saturation in the nearest future. According to the St.Petersburg Construction Committee, 19 major trade centres have been constructed in the city in 2009, with total area of 320.8 thousand sq. m. It is planned to build another 9 large trade centres with total area of 121.8 thousand sq. m. in 2010. The turnover of St.Petersburg trading chains has grown by 23% during