Composition: Astrakhan, Volgograd, Penza, Samara, Saratov, Ulyanovsk regions. Republics: Kalmykia and Tatarstan.

Area - 536.4 thousand km 2.

The population is 16 million 787 thousand people.

The area is located in a wide strip along the great Russian Volga River at the junction of the European and Asian parts of Russia.

The benefits of the economic and geographical location of the region are related to the fact that the Volga region borders on the highly developed Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, Ural, North Caucasian economic regions, as well as Kazakhstan. A dense network of rail, road and river routes provides close economic ties of the Volga region with other regions. A significant amount of traffic falls on the Volga-Kama basin, which is the "transport framework" of the region. Favorable for the development of agriculture, natural conditions and rich minerals (oil, gas) create the basis for the development of the economic complex.

Natural conditions and resources

The Volga region has favorable conditions for the life of people, which has long attracted immigrants from other regions of Russia. The area is located within the ancient Russian platform and partially - a young plate submerged to a considerable depth under a sedimentary cover. The relief of the lower eastern part is weakly wavy, the western part occupies a higher hypsometric position, the remnant Volga Upland is located on its territory. The relief of the western part is hilly.

The climate of the region is moderately continental, in the south - arid. A large sum of active temperatures, fertile chernozems of forest-steppes, gray forest soils, chernozems of steppes and chestnut soils of dry steppes create a powerful agricultural potential of the region. Plowed lands make up about 20% of Russian arable land. But the southern parts of the region are deficient in moisture; brown semi-desert soils are widespread here.

The main part of the territory is occupied by steppe and forest-steppe zones. Mixed coniferous-broad-leaved and broad-leaved forests once grew in the north; as a result of centuries-old cutting, they almost did not survive in their natural form; in the south, the steppe is replaced by a semi-desert.

The area has a variety of mineral resources. But the oil reserves that made the Volga one of the first in oil production are greatly depleted; oil production is declining. The main oil resources are concentrated in Tatarstan, the Samara region, gas - in the Saratov, Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. Salt reserves in lakes Baskunchak and Elton and various raw materials for the production of building materials are also significant.

Population

The modern population of the region was formed as a result of the centuries-old complicated history of the colonization of the region. Indigenous people - Chuvashs, Mari, Mordovians. Then Bulgars, Polovtsy, Mongols, Nogais settled here. From the end of the XV- beginning of the XVI centuries, the conquest of the Volga spaces was one of the main goals of the Russian, and then the Russian state. Many of the largest cities of the region (Volgograd, Samara, Saratov) arose as fortresses on the natural border (Volga), which protected Russia from nomadic tribes.

The modern Volga region is one of the most densely populated areas of the Russian Federation. The average population density is 31 people. 1 km 2, the Samara region is especially densely populated. Tatarstan, Saratov region.

In the national structure today, almost everywhere (except Kalmykia and Tataria) Russians prevail. Also a significant proportion of compactly living Tatars (16%), Chuvashs and Mordovians (2 and 3%, respectively).

The Volga urbanization level is about 73%, with the population concentrated mainly in the capitals of the national republics and in large industrial cities. The area has significant labor resources. Its population is growing, and mainly due to a significant influx of migrants.

The industrial base of the region received an impetus for development during the years of World War II, when more than 300 enterprises were relocated here. And today, in many respects, the Volga region is not inferior to such industrially developed areas as Central and Ural, located in the neighborhood.

The main industries of the region: oil, oil refining, gas industry, the chemical industry working on their raw materials, as well as highly skilled engineering, electric power and construction materials.

The leading role belongs to mechanical engineering. In the structure of mechanical engineering, first of all, automobile industry stands out. The district produces 70% of cars (Ulyanovsk, Tolyatti), 10% of trucks (Naberezhnye Chelny) and a significant number of trolleybuses (Engels). In Elabuga, it is planned to build a new automobile plant together with foreign companies. The Volga region also specializes in instrument- and machine-tool construction (Penza, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Volzhsky, Kazan), aircraft manufacturing (Samara, Saratov, Kazan), (tractor engineering (Volgograd). All chemical industries are represented in the region. First of all, mining chemistry (sulfur production - Samara region, salts - Lake Baskunchak), organic synthesis chemistry, polymer production. The chemical industry is developing on the basis of processing local and Epadno-Siberian oil in Nizhnekamsk, Samara and other petrochemical complexes s main venues. Nizhnekamsk, Samara, Kazan, Syzran, Sara- comrade, the Volga, Togliatti..

A large gas-chemical complex is being created on the basis of the Astrakhan gas condensate field.

The fuel and energy complex is highly developed. The region is fully provided with its own fuel, and despite the fact that the Volga share in Russia's oil production is falling, the region takes second place in the Russian Federation after the West Siberian economic region in oil and gas production.

About 10% of the all-Russian electricity production is generated in the Volga region, part of it is transmitted through power lines and to other regions of Russia. A cascade of 11 hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 13.5 million kW was created on the Volga and Kama. But the reservoirs of these lowland hydropower plants are very shallow, although they occupy vast areas, so the cost of electricity is very high. The environmental problems caused by the construction of hydroelectric power stations are enormous. Firstly, the great Russian Volga River no longer exists in its natural form - only a system of reservoirs. Secondly, such regulation of its flow led to a slowdown of the flow and, consequently, to a decrease in the self-cleaning ability of the river. And hundreds of thousands of tons of pollutants (nitrates, oil products, phenols, etc.) fall into the Volga every year. A huge amount (up to 600 thousand tons) of suspended particles under conditions of altered runoff contribute to siltation, shallowing. An increase in the groundwater level in the Volga basin led to a catastrophic situation, the remains of the Volga forests, which are a natural defense of the Volga. Dam hydroelectric station - an almost insurmountable obstacle for fish, including for valuable sturgeon, whose unique, largest in the world, the herd is in danger of extinction. Thirdly, the flooding of fertile, once densely populated territories led to the loss of a significant land fund, the flooding of about 100 cities and urban-type settlements, 2.5 thousand villages, villages, thousands of historical and cultural monuments. Now the situation is only getting worse, because the old sewage treatment plants (filtering only about 40% of wastewater) are deteriorating, there are not enough funds for their repair and construction. In addition, the unified system of regulation (control) of water management that existed within the USSR was practically destroyed, and the Volga crosses the territories of many administrative-territorial units. Therefore, the very existence of the Volga river system is under threat, and this can only be solved by the combined efforts of all the constituent entities of the Russian Federation located in the Volga basin.

Thermal power plants, giving 3/5 of electricity, operate on local raw materials - fuel oil and gas. They are mainly located in cities where oil refining and petrochemicals are developed.

The Balakhovskaya (Saratov) NPP also operates in the area.

Afopromyshlenny complex. By the area of \u200b\u200bagricultural land (more than 40 million hectares), the Volga region is the leader among all economic regions of the country. Plowed up to 50% of the area. Here, 1/2 of the gross harvest of valuable durum wheat varieties of Russia is grown, a significant part of mustard, cereals (millet, buckwheat), technical (sugar beets, sunflowers). Beef and dairy farming is developed. Large sheep farms are located south of the latitude of Volgograd. In the interfluve of the Volga and Akhtuba, vegetable and melon crops and rice are grown.

Many areas of the Volga region are covered by soil erosion processes, which were the result of centuries of agricultural load. This, as well as unstable weather conditions and droughts, require constant reclamation.

The developed transport network of the district largely determined its modern appearance. The Volga served as the district-forming artery of the region. Of great importance are the roads and railways crossing it, a dense network of power lines and pipelines. The Druzhba oil pipeline system is of international importance.

The Volga region is one of the largest geographical objects of the Russian Federation. It is located along the banks of the Volga River. The economy is well developed here. A navigable river, railway lines crossing the Volga River up and down, provide local residents with everything necessary for a full-fledged existence. There is access to the seas along the Volga, which also favorably affects the economic and geographical position of the region.

The Volga region is famous for its mineral reserves. Among them are especially appreciated:

• oil;
• sulfur;
• salt.

In addition, there is enough raw material for the manufacture of high-quality building materials.

Volga population

The Volga region is a multinational region. The history of the formation of the modern population began many centuries ago. The original inhabitants were Mari, Chuvash and Mordovians. Over time, other nations migrated here.

Today, the Volga region is the most populated and developed. The annual population growth is due to the active migration of people from other areas. Due to its rich resources, the issue of employment is not so acute here. The main part of the population is occupied by the capitals of national republics and large industrial cities, where unemployment is practically excluded.

Now the population structure of the Volga region is mainly Russians and Tatars. One of the most populated cities is Volgograd, Saratov, Samara and Kazan.

The standard of living of the Volga population is low. Now the main priority and goal for the Volga region is to improve the living conditions of local citizens.

Volga industry

The Volga region is known to many as the center of the engineering industry. Mechanical engineering of the Volga region includes the production of a wide range of equipment and machines, for example, cars, machine tools, computing devices and devices, bearings, electrical products, motors for special equipment, etc.

An important place in this industry is given to the production of aircraft, trucks and cars, buses and trolleybuses, ships, as well as bicycles and other small vehicles.

Samara and Saratov specialize mainly in the aviation industry, which originates from the time of the war. Now factories of these cities produce turbojet aircraft.

The oil industry is developing in response to the needs of the local population. Mechanical engineering and the production of equipment and parts are in great demand among residents of nearby regions.

Due to the rich reserves of minerals, such as oil and gas, there are several gas and oil refineries in the Volga region. The leading oil producing regions are the Republic of Tatarstan and Samara.

Volga, Nizhnekamsk, Volgograd and Saratov regions are distinguished among others by the productive functioning of the largest hydroelectric power stations.

Volga agriculture

The agro-industrial complex of the Volga region is effectively developing to this day. Favorable climatic conditions and soft fertile soil make the Volga region the main supplier of grain crops practically throughout Russia. Wheat, rice, millet, corn and buckwheat are grown here. In addition, vegetables and melons such as tomatoes and watermelons grow well on the soils of the Volga region.

Warm humid climate contributes to the good growth of rice, barley, sunflower and other moisture- and photophilous crops.

Numerous winter pastures contribute to the active development of animal husbandry. Thanks to this, the Volga region supplies the Russian regions not only with grain and vegetables, but also with wool, meat and milk. The most common animals on local farms are pigs and sheep. Birds are raised here mainly because of fluff. For the further expansion of livestock farms, the residents of the rural Volga region face important tasks:

• improvement and expansion of fields for the cultivation of fodder crops necessary for livestock;
• increase and improvement of farms and corrals;
• gardening and moistening of the natural areas on which animals graze.

Residents of the coastal Volga region are effectively engaged in fishing. This type of activity is especially relevant in the Astrakhan region. Here, special attention is paid to the cleanliness of water bodies. To this end, all industrial enterprises, factories and factories are carefully monitored. Rapidly build new and improve existing treatment facilities. Plants and factories for processing, breeding and keeping fish, especially the sturgeon family, are currently under construction.

Due to the variety of crops and sunflowers in the Volga region there are many oil mills. The largest of them are in the Saratov and Volgograd regions.

Most of the contents of the granaries are sent to the grinding of flour. Some of the largest and most developed flour and cereal enterprises are located on the territory of Samara, Saratov and Volgograd.

This activity brings significant profit to the entire Volga region, which allows increasing the living standards of the population from year to year.

The Volga economic region is one of 12 similar regions of Russia. It is one of the largest regions of the country, which is part of the Center-Ural-Volga axis.

District Composition

The Volga includes 8 subjects of the Central part of the state:

• 2 republics   - Tatarstan and Kalmykia;
• 6 areas   - Penza, Saratov, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Volgograd and Astrakhan.

Fig. 1 Volga region. Map

Location

If you follow the map, the location of the Volga economic region is as follows:

• Middle Volga ;
• Lower Volga ;
• Sura River Basin   (Penza region);
• Prikamye   (most of Tatarstan).

Its area is about 537.4 thousand km². the central geographical axis (and economic) is the Volga River.

Fig. 2 Volga

The area is bordered by:

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• Volga-Vyatka region (north);
• Ural region (east);
• Kazakhstan (east);
• Central Black Earth region (west);
• North Caucasus (west).

The area has access to the inland Caspian Sea, which allows it to conduct successful trade and carry out maritime transport links with countries such as Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan. Through a system of canals, the region has access to the Black, Azov, Baltic and White Seas. Through these seas, the region establishes ties with the states of Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

The region includes 94 large cities, three of which are millionaires: Kazan, Samara, Volgograd. Also major cities are Penza, Tolyatti, Astrakhan, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Engels.

From a geographical point of view, the area occupies vast areas

• forests (north);
• semi-desert (southeast);
• steppes (east).

The population of the Volga economic region

The population of the district is 17 million people, that is, almost 12% of the total population of the Russian Federation (with a population density of 1 person per 25 square meters). 74% of the population lives in cities, so the proportion of urbanization is significant. Ethnic composition of the population:

• russians ;
• tatars ;
• kalmyks ;
• small ethnic groups: Chuvashs, Mordovians, Mari and Kazakhs (the latter most in the Astrakhan region).

Specialization of the Volga region

The Volga region is characterized by a developed industrial and agricultural sphere. Industrial specialization:

• oil production and refining   (Samara region and Tatarstan, Caspian shelves);
• gas production   (shelves of the Caspian Sea and Astrakhan region; according to world statistics, the Astrakhan region contains 6% of the total world gas supply);
• chemical industry   (mining and processing of oil shale, bromine, iodine, manganese salt, native sulfur, glass sand, gypsum, chalk);
• salt production and salt processing   (in lakes; the Caspian lowland contains more than 2 million tons of natural salt, which makes up 80% of all Russia's reserves);
• engineering   (in particular, automotive industry: VAZ in Tolyatti, KAMAZ in Naberezhnye Chelny, UAZ in Ulyanovsk, trolleybus plant in the city of Engels; shipbuilding: in Volgograd and Astrakhan; aircraft construction: Kazan, Penza, Samara).

Fig 3. VAZ in Tolyatti

In the industrial plan, the Volga region is divided into two large areas (industrial zones):

• Volga-Kama   (Tatarstan, Samara and Ulyanovsk region) - the center in Kazan;
• Lower Volga   (Kalmykia, Astrakhan, Penza, Saratov and Volgograd regions) is a center in Volgograd.

According to statistics, the Volga region ranks fourth in Russia in industrial production, second in oil production and refining, and second in mechanical engineering. As for oil refining, it was precisely in the Volga region that such world giants as LUKoil, YUKOS and Gazprom, developing the northern Caspian Sea shelf, concentrated their main capacities.

Fig. 4 Oil production in the Caspian Sea

Agricultural specialization:

• growing Pancake week crops;
• growing crops;
• growing melons and gourds;
• animal husbandry (dairy cattle breeding, sheep breeding, pig breeding);
• fishing industry (Volgograd and Astrakhan).

A special role in the agricultural life of the region is played by the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain with powerful river "pumps" that create favorable conditions for the development of all types of agriculture.

The main economic center of the region is the city of Samara.

What did we learn?

The characteristic of the Volga economic region is rather complicated. This is due to the fact that it is the connecting link between the center of Russia and its Asian part. The region includes such large and rapidly developing entities as the Republic of Tatarstan (the titular nation in which the Tatars are). The area is developed both industrially and agriculturally. The main transport, economic and geographical axis is the Volga River.

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Area - 536 thousand km2.
  Composition: 6 regions - Astrakhan, Volgograd, Penza, Samara, Saratov, Ulyanovsk and 2 republics - Tatarstan and Kalmykia.

Natural conditions are favorable: (right bank, more elevated), soft, large massif. But uneven moisture supply is characteristic - there are droughts and dry winds along the lower Volga.

The Volga region takes 2nd place after oil and gas production; large oil refineries and a large one are concentrated in the region. Powerful petrochemical units in Samara, Kazan, Saratov, Syzran produce a variety of chemical products (plastics, polyethylene, fibers, rubber, tires, etc.). It specializes in the Volga region and in diversified, primarily transport. The region is called the automobile "workshop" of the country: Togliatti - produces Zhiguli cars, Ulyanovsk - all-terrain vehicles UAZ, Naberezhnye Chelny - heavy trucks KAMAZ. The Volga region produces ships, planes, tractors, trolleybuses, machine tool and instrument engineering are also developed. Large centers are Samara, Saratov, Volgograd. Of great importance is the energy complex, which includes cascades of hydroelectric power plants on the Volga and Kama; TPPs using their own and imported fuel and nuclear power plants (Balakovskaya and Dmitrovradskaya).

The Volga region is the most important of Russia. The northern part of the district is a supplier of durum wheat, sunflower, corn, beets, and meat. In the south, rice, vegetables, and gourds are grown. Volga and are the most important fishing areas.

Excessive concentration of petrochemical industries and other industrial enterprises, the Volga overregulation created an extremely difficult environmental situation in the Volga region.

The Volga economic region occupies the territory, which is located along the Volga coast. The advantage of its location is associated with access to the Caspian Sea. Thanks to the Volga and the Volga-Baltic route, a water route arises here, allowing you to get to the Baltic Sea. The presence of the Volga-Don Canal creates an opportunity for access to the Azov and Black Seas. The district passes through latitudinal railway lines, which allow delivering people and goods to the areas of the Center, Ukraine, as well as to the Urals and Siberia.

Given that the Volga region occupies an advantageous geographical position, this has a positive effect on the development of its economic complex. The key role here is given to such market specialization sectors as oil and coal, as well as gas and chemical industries. The Volga region is of great importance in providing the country with products such as synthetic rubber, synthetic resins, plastics and fibers.

  The composition of the Volga economic region

The Volga economic region in its structure is represented by such entities as the Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Samara, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Penza regions. It also includes two republics - Tatarstan and Kalmykia - Halmg Tangch.

Volga economic region: characteristic

A feature of this region is a rather diverse natural resource potential. In the north, the Volga region is represented by forests, but if you move in a southeast direction, you can find yourself in the semi-desert subzone. The main area of \u200b\u200bthe district is steppes. Most of its territory falls on the Volga valley, which in the southern part is replaced by the Caspian lowland. An important role is given to the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, which was formed from river sediments and has good conditions for agriculture.

The territorial structure of the region’s economy, as well as the features of resettlement, are largely associated with the presence of the Volga, which acts as a key transport artery and the settlement axis. The vast majority of large cities located in the district are river ports.

The population of the Volga economic region

Having an average population density of 31.5 people. per 1 km 2, the Volga region has a number of districts characterized by the highest level of population. We are talking about the regions located in the Volga Valley - Samara, Ulyanovsk regions and Tatarstan. The reverse situation is observed in the Republic of Kalmykia, where the population density does not exceed 4 people. on 1 km 2.

The peculiarity of the population of this region should be called a rather diverse national composition. Within it, the largest share falls on the Russians, in addition to which there are a lot of representatives of the Tatars and Kalmyks. Along with them, among the inhabitants there are Bashkirs, Chuvashs and Kazakhs. Of particular relevance recently is the problem of the revival of the autonomy of the Volga Germans, who, against their will, had to leave the Volga region and go to the eastern regions.

Territorial organization of the economy

If we consider the territorial structure of the Volga region, then it includes three subareas, which are distinguished by the special development of the economy and specialization:

1. Middle Volga
2. Volga Subarea,
3. Lower Volga.

In the Middle Volga region there are Tatarstan and the Samara region. This region is a leader in the Volga region in terms of the development of such areas as the oil, oil refining industries and mechanical engineering. Within this territory there are many major cities, among which are millionaire cities - Samara and Kazan.

The composition of the Volga subarea is represented by such regions as the Penza and Ulyanovsk regions. The highest level of development here has reached such areas as engineering, light industry, food industry and agriculture. Among the cities it is especially worth highlighting Ulyanovsk and Penza.

Among the most developed areas of the Lower Volga region, it is particularly worth highlighting engineering, chemical and food industries. At the same time, the region is also distinguished by a high level of agricultural development. First of all, this concerns grain farming, beef cattle breeding and sheep breeding. Good results are also obtained by the production of rice, vegetable and melon crops, as well as fishing. Most of the enterprises are concentrated in Volgograd, which had to be restored after the end of World War II.

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