Nizhny Novgorod region overview
Nizhegorodskaya oblast (other spellings are Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhniy Novgorod, Nizhni Novgorod, Nijni Novgorod) is a federal subject of Russia located in the central part of European Russia (Volga Federal District). Administrative center of the region is Nizhny Novgorod city.
Nizhny Novgorod region population is about 3,290,000 (2012); land area - 76,624 sq. km.
Nizhny Novgorod region facts
Nizhny Novgorod region was formed for the first time on January 14, 1929, on June, 15, it was reformed into Nizhny Novgorod krai, in 1932, it was renamed into Gorkovsky krai. In 1936, the krai was renamed into Gorkovskaya oblast (Mariyskaya and Chuvaskaya ASSRs were the parts of it). In 1990, the oblast was named Nizhegorodskaya oblast.
The climate of the region is of continental type. The average temperature in January is 12 degrees Celsius below zero, in July - 19 degrees C above zero. The net of rivers is very dense and includes over 9,000 rivers and streams. The largest rivers in the European part of Russia flow across the province - the Volga and its right tributary the Oka.
There are deposits of peat, phosphorites, iron ores. In the river Pyana basin there is a large deposit of titan-zirconium ores. It is among the five largest deposits of titan and zirconium in Russia.
Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia is crossed by Volga River. The largest cities after Nizhny Novgorod are Dzerzhinsk and Arzamas. Sarov town is famous for its largest and holiest convent in Russia.
Makariev Monastery situated opposite the Lyskovo town is one of the largest fair in Eastern Europe. There are also such historic towns as Balakhna and Gorodets on the Volga river in the northern part of the region.
Nizhny Novgorod region nature
Nizhegorodskaya oblast nature
Author: Eugene Ivanov
Nizhny Novgorod region river
Author: Aliamkin Dmitry
Nizhny Novgorod province view
Author: Evgeny Katyshev
Nizhny Novgorod region economics
The province is in the top ten Russian regions by industrial output. Main industries are engineering, metalworking, chemical and petrochemical industries, forestry, woodworking and paper industries.
Machine-building and metal working industries of the region produce trucks and cars, buses, automobile parts, river and sea ships, automobile and ship motors, planes, tools, gadgets, instruments, equipment for chemical, light, food industries, TV-sets etc. Art handicrafts are developed (Khokhloma and Gorodets painting).
In agriculture crops are grown: rye, oats, barley, wheat, buckwheat, sugar beets. Potatoes and onions are grown too. Meat and milk cattle-, pig- and poultry-breeding are developed. Gorky railway crosses the territory of the region. The rivers Volga, Oka, Vetluga, Sura are navigable.
Nizhny Novgorod region attractions
Unique natural reserves are located in this province of Russia: Kerzhensky, Ichalovsky, lakes Vadskoye and Svetloyar, into the latter the ancient city Kytezh according to legend sunk in the first half of the 14th century.
Boldino - the Pushkins’ estate is located on the territory of Nizhny Novgorod region, famous Russian poet A.S.Pushkin lived and worked there.
In the river Kerzhenets mouth Zheltovodsky Makary monastery is located, it was founded in the first half of the 15th century by Saint Makary. Diveyevsky convent is the pilgrimage object as the place favored by saint Seraphim Sarovsky and whose relic is kept in Trinity church of the convent.
On the left bank of the river Oka, near the town of Dzerdzhinsk, a unique architectural site is located: 128 meters high hyperbolic open-worked tower made of steel, it was built by the engineer V.G.Shukhov in 1929.
This is one of the two remained high hyperbolic constructions in Russia - the second one is Shukhovskay tower in Shabolovka Street in Moscow. The tower on the Oka served as a support of the unique electricity transmission line of Nizhny Novgorod power station across the river Oka. The tower is located near Dzerzhinsk city on the left bank of the Oka River.
It is the last tower of a whole number of tangent towers built on both banks of the Oka. Unfortunately other towers were demolished in 1970th as obsolete. There were only two towers in 1990th. In 2004, some local people took to pieces one tower for scrap metal. Today, the last tower has the status of Russian architectural heritage.
In the town of Vyksa, on the territory of Vyksa metallurgic plant, unique monuments of industrial architecture and technical art are located. They are also constructed by V.G.Shukhov at the end of the 19th century. “The Museum of Russian steel” might be founded in this workshop.
A lot of architectural monuments are located in the administrative center of the province - Nizhny Novgorod - the Kremlin, Stroganovsky church, Staroyarmarochny church and others.
On the territory of Nizhny Novgorod region there is a 80 km Puchezh-Katunsky meteorite crater which appeared about 167 million years ago.