Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. In 1914 the name of the city was changed to Petrograd in 1924 to Leningrad and in 1991 back to Saint Petersburg. In Russian literature and informal documents the Saint (Санкт-) is usually omitted leaving Petersburg (Петербург Peterburg). In common parlance Russians may drop -burg (-бург) as well leaving only Peter (Питер pronounced as Piter; IPA).
