Welcome everyone! Travel throughout beautiful Russia at our site
where you will find general facts about Russia, Russian cities and regions guides.
Federal Districts: North West | Central | Volga | South | North Caucasus | Ural | Siberia | Far East
The capital city of Astrakhan oblast: Astrakhan.
Astrakhan oblast (also spelled Astrahan, Astrakhanskaya) is a federal subject of Russian Federation, part of Southern Federal District. The administrative center and capital is Astrakhan city. The region is situated in Caspian lowland where Volga River flows into Caspian Sea. The largest part of Astrakhan oblast is occupied by semideserts.
Astrakhan oblast population - 1,007,000 (2010); land area - 44,100 sq. km.
Astrakhan oblast is located in south-east of East-European plain within Prikaspian lowland in the districts of deserts and half-deserts which are used mainly as pastures. The region stretches over 400 km in the form of a narrow stripe on both sides of Volga-Akhtubinsk flood-lands. Flooded for a long time lands of the delta serve as spawning-ground for important marketable fishes - sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, white sturgeon and others.
Natural resources of the region are natural gas, salt, gyps. Astrakhan oblast deposits of oil can be estimated approximately 300 billion tons.
Russian Tsar Peter the Great founded Astrakhan guberniya in 1717. Astrakhan guberniya was southwestern border of Russian state and was also called Astrakhan krai. That time is included Kalmyk and Kyrgyz steppes. Astrakhan oblast geography has been changed several times since 1919. The current borders of the region were assumed in 1957.
Astrakhan oblast dominating nationalities are Russians (70%), Kazakh (14%) and Tatar (7%). The major religion is Orthodox Christianity. Also the Muslim minority constitutes about 20% of Astrakhan oblast population. Astrakhan oblast is historically a place where Kazakh and Tatar people resided. This is the largest Kazakh community in Russia.
Main cities of the region are Astrakhan, Akhtubinsk, Znamensk, Harabali.
Fuel industry is the main industry in Astrakhan oblast, as there is Astrakhan gas condensational deposit, the largest in Russia. Astrakhan gas plant uses this deposit as its base. It produces gas for cars, diesel and boiler fuel. Machine-building is developed (shipbuilding, forge and press equipment, compressors etc.).
Astrakhan city is the largest center of shipbuilding and ship repairing.
Agriculture of the region includes crops, vegetables growing (tomatoes), water-melon plantation. Sheep-breeding is also well developed.
Astrakhan oblast view
Astrakhan Russia oblast view
Astrakhan Russia oblast road
Astrakhan region scenery
Astrakhan region steppe
Astrakhan Russia region camels
Astrakhan oblast Volga-Don canal
Astrahan oblast Lenin monument
Astrahan region bridge
Astrakhan oblast church
ask a question about Astrakhan oblast to our Expert
contact us by email, if you have any proposals
Rate this page:
