Ufa city, Russia

The capital city of Bashkortostan republic.

Ufa overview

Ufa is the capital and administrative center of Bashkortostan Republic, Russia. Ufa is in the list of Russian twelve largest cities with population over one million people.

Ufa city is an important transport, logistic and scientific center of Russia. Ufa city is situated about 1360 km to the southeast of Moscow.

Ufa population is about 1,038,000 (2010); land area - 708 sq. km.

Ufa city phone code - +7-347; postal codes - 450000-450999.

Ufa city flag

Ufa city flag

Ufa city coat of arms

Ufa city coat of arms

Ufa city map, Russia

Ufa city map of Russia

Ufa history

The city of Ufa was founded in 1574. It originally was a fortress constructed by the order of the Russian Tsar Ivan IV. Later, in 1586, the settlement received the status for being a town. The original name of the settlement was Tura-Tau after the name of the hill it was standing on. The present name “Ufa” means “small” in the Turkic language; and this name was used by the local people. Later this became the official name of the city.

Ufa grew into large trading and cultural center of Russia in the 18th century. Ufa became the capital city of the Bashkiria region of Russia in 1802. Ufa received the status of Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic capital in 1922. After the discovery of oil in Bashkiria area, Ufa became a large oil extracting and refining center of USSR.

Ufa sceneries

Ufa city street

Ufa city street

Author: Denis Shokhov

Ufa city scenery

Ufa city scenery

Author: Gennady Ionov

Ufa city view

Ufa city view

Author: Egor Mihtanuk


Economics of Ufa

Ufa city, located at the Ufa and Belaya rivers confluence, is one of the largest industrial centers in the western part of Ural mountains region. The main industries of Ufa are oil refining, synthetic rubber, engineering, petrochemicals, various equipment (electrical, mining), metal machining, and processed foods. There is an international airport in Ufa.

Ufa is a large inter-regional transportation juncture of Russia (railways, pipelines, automobile ways, air- and river-ways). The navigable river Belaya with its tributary Ufa cross the Trans-Siberian railway there. Automobile highways connect the city with Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Samara, Ulyanovsk and Orenburg.

Ufa is also the only city linked with Moscow by 2 federal highways. The southern outskirts of the city is crossed by highway M5 “Ural”; and the federal highway M7 “Volga” terminates there.

From the international airport “Ufa” there are regular flights to 27 cities of Russia as well as flights to the cities Hurghada (Egypt), Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt), Antalya (Turkey), Istanbul (Turkey), Barcelona (Spain), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), and Frankfurt (Germany).

Ufa was the center of celebrations dedicated to the Bashkortostan Republic joining Russia’s 450th anniversary in 2007.

Ufa places

Ufa city architecture

Ufa city architecture

Author: Korotnev A.V.

Ufa city winter park

Ufa city winter park

Author: Korotnev A.V.

Ufa Russia city TV tower

Ufa Russia city TV tower

Author: Vladimir Konstantinov


Attractions and features of Ufa

The main museums of Ufa are:

  • Bashkirsky State art museum, named after M.V.Nesterov;
  • V.I.Lenin house-museum;
  • Archeology and Ethnography museum of Ufa scientific center of the Russian Academy of Science;
  • Museum of geology and natural deposits of Bashkortostan Republic;
  • The museum of forests;
  • Museum of modern art of Bashkortostan Republic, named after N.Lutfullin;
  • National Museum of Bashkortostan Republic;
  • Republican museum of military glory.

Ufa is the home town for the ice hockey club “Salavat Yulayev” - a participant of the Continental hockey league, they were the champion of Russia in 2007/08, and the winner of the regular KHL Cup in 2008/09.

Ufa is the only city-millionaire in the Russian Federation where there is a natural increase in the population since 2008. Also, Ufa is the most green city among cities-millionaires of Russia. The main religions of the population of the city are Islam (Sunnite) and Orthodox Christianity.

The oldest remaining building of Ufa city is a one-storey house at the corner of October Revolution street, 57/1, which belonged to a famous owner of mines and metallurgical works, Demidov. The building was constructed in the mid-18th century. It is famous because a great Russian commander Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov stayed in it.

The first large mosque of Ufa city was constructed in 1830 on Tukai street.

In the outskirts of the city there is a system of 20 natural caves and galleries for gypsum working out.

Ufa city of Russia photos

Ufa views

Ufa city museum

Ufa city museum

Author: Egor Mihtanuk

Ufa city Lenin monument

Ufa city Lenin monument

Author: Melenkin

Ufa Russia city monument

Ufa Russia city monument

Author: Cherepanov Timofey


Ufa church

Ufa Russia city church

Ufa Russia city church

Author: Cherepanov Timofey


The questions of our visitors

Gurmeet asks: Which languages are used/spoken in Ufa?
Expert's answer:
About 50% of Ufa population are Russians, 26% Bashkirs, 20% Tatars so the main language is Russian but Bashkir and Tatar languages are also spoken. There are newspapers and periodicals on all these languages available.
Kale Shantanu asks: How much time does it take to reach St. Petersburg from Ufa? Please suggest me a shortest safest and cheapest way!
Expert's answer:
There is direct flight from Ufa to Saint-Petersburg available. The price for one way flight is about 7,000 Rubles or 230 USD (October 2010) and time in flight is about 3 hours. Also there is a regular train running between the cities, departure from Ufa at 11:25 local time, arriving to Saint-Petersburg at 12:40 with time in travel 2 days and 3 hours (long journey) and the ticket price starting at 2,500 Rubles or about 80 USD. So in general I think the best way is to have a flight in spite of the higher price.

The comments of our visitors

TD
Ufa City
What a lovely city Ufa is, and colorful too. I really never heard of Ufa until this evening when I got on the Internet to look at some webcams. I like this city!

Luca
My last trip to Ufa

Well... Ufa is very nice town. Soviet style, but fine. There are very kind and friendly people live in Ufa. But there is a problem - nobody speak English (and Italian too %).

I had lived and worked there 3 weeks, and I met some very nice guys, who helped me to feel myself there like at home. First of all, it was my 3rd trip to Ufa, so I knew some things about the city.

2 times I stayed at Ufa hotels, but last time I decided to find an Ufa apartment. I found out one company on Internet (lime-ufa.ru) - Lime-Tour (what interesting this company is the only company who works with foreigners in Ufa, it has English-speaking manager Regina. She was really kind to me and tried to help me in all my problems while I was in Ufa).

I understood one important thing - if you want your trip to Ufa goes smoothly find very nice guide who could help you. As for that company I rented one very nice Ufa apartment (western style) in the center of the city, it was fully equipped by all stuff. It was not expansive, and of course better then a hotel room. Regina helped me to know the city better.

We had 3 excursions around Ufa - Ufa walking excursion, Ufa tour by car and one "Nightlife in Ufa" excursion (I liked it more then others), because we went out ... to a restaurant, then to several nightclubs. It was really fine idea this Ufa nightlife excursion. She introduced me to her friends and it was like I were at home with my own friends. All of them were really hospitable and friendly. I hope that Regina's business will be fine cuz it's really useful for foreigners in Ufa.


latipow
ufa
Amazing transformation! Beautiful unexpectedly modern city, which still retain its original character. Thank you for the opportunity.