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There is no place like home

• Astrakhan is my native town.

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Address by the Governor of the Astrakhan Region
Alexander Zhilkin
Dear Sirs! I would like to invite your attention
to the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation
the territory, possessing great scientific,
economic, investment, cultural and human
potential. Unique combination of favorable
geopolitical location, developed economics,
wellformed transport infrastructure, as well as
availability of rich oil and gas fields makes our
region one of the most interesting and promising
subjects of the Russian Federation. Astrakhan has
been traditionally taking high places in ratings
of investment attractive Russian regions.
Governor of the Astrakhan
region Alexander Zhilkin
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Edict of Pete I.
Edict of Pete I.
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GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND CLIMATE

• Astrakhan is located in the south-east of
  European Russia, in the Caspian Lowland, in the
  lower reaches of the Volga river. The region is
  part of the Southern Federal District and is a
  border region the region borders on the Republic
  of Kazakhstan by land, on Azerbaijan Republic,
  Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan
  and Turkmenistan by sea. The Volgograd region and
  the Republic of Kalmykia are the Astrakhan
  regions neighbours within the Russian
  Federation.
• Total area of the region is 49,0 thousand square
  meters. The region consists of 11 rural areas,
  442 villages and settlements. Besides the
  regional center there are 5 towns in the region
  Akhtubinsk, Kamyzyak, Znamensk, Kharabali, and
  Narimanov.
• About 1 million people live in the Astrakhan
  region. Half of them live in the regional center
  Astrakhan.
• Astrakhan is famous for its cultural traditions,
  dating back to the remote past. Representatives
  of over 140 nations and nationalities live here.
  All world religions have found here their
  adherents. Our townsman, poet Velimir Khlebnikov
  called Astrakhan the triangle of Christ, Mohammed
  and Buddha.
• In spite of its multinational structure,
  Astrakhan has always been and still remains one
  of the most politically stable regions of Russia.
  The Astrakhan region climate is moderate and
  sharp continental with hot summers and cold
  winters, high annual and summer daily air
  temperature amplitudes, scarce fall-outs and
  considerable evaporation.

•  

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NATURAL RESOURCES POTENTIAL

• The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world
  and is often referred to as a sea owing to its
  size. Its area (isles excluded) amounts to 368
  thousand square meters.
• A variety of fish species in the Volga and the
  Caspian Sea determines to a large extent the
  regions area of expertise. Out of 60 fish
  species almost 30 are of economic importance.
  Here is a unique Caspian sturgeon stock
  (sturgeon, beluga and starlet). Since times
  immemorial Red fish and black caviar have been
  a visiting card of the Astrakhan region. The
  regional biological resources, such as carp,
  zander, cat-fish, bream, roach, Astrakhan herring
  and others are supplied to the domestic and
  foreign markets.

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INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
There are 1150 industrial enterprises of
different forms of ownership operating in
Astrakhan. Leading positions are occupied by fuel
and energy enterprises and by machine-building
complex, food industry, and industry of building
materials. Chemical and petro-chemical industry,
glass production, printing and medicine also play
an important role. Oil and gas industry occupies
the leading position in Astrakhan economics and
determines to a large extent industrial potential
and rate of social and economic growth of the
region. Astrakhan is the main gas producing
region of the Volga economic district and is one
of the leading regions of Russia for natural gas,
sulfur and oil products production. The largest
in Europe sulfur and gas-condensate field with
producing and processing complex of
Astrakhangasprom Ltd., which is part of
Gasprom, is located in the region.
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Shipbuilding and ship repairing is one of the
most dynamically developing branches of the
region. 15 major enterprises of the branch,
located in the region, are capable of building
and repairing vessels of any class and function.
Some shipyards have been certified to work under
supervision of the leading world qualifying
societies Astrakhan shipyards have rich
experience of cooperation with foreign partners.
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Machine-building industry of the region is
represented by some large and medium enterprises,
producing press-forging equipment, metal-working
and wood-working machines, painting equipment,
water and gas heating devices, agricultural
equipment, boilers. They are also engaged I
locomotive repairing and producing spare parts
for railway transport.
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Salt industry occupies about one fourth of food
industry of the region. Main enterprise of this
branch in the region, JSC Bassol, which
develops salt deposits of the Baskunchak lake,
occupies about 60 of Russian salt
extraction. At present the enterprise produces
different types of salt table salt, sodium
chloride, lump salt for cattle breeding, balneal
salt with essential oils and herbal extracts,
highly mineralized bath salt. Potential of this
industry is connected with possible
implementation of the project to build salt plant
Extra based on Baskunchak deposit of rock salt
Kupol, located near the operating enterprise.
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Fishing and fish processing have been
traditionally developed in the Astrakhan
region. About 30 fish species, dwelling in rivers
of the region and in the Caspian sea, are of
commercial importance. Stock of Caspian sturgeons
(sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon, sterlet) is
unique. At the same time this branch has suffered
serious problems lately due to the deterioration
of raw material base.
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CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Construction complex of the Astrakhan region
embraces 847 organizations with the total number
of 35 thousand people employed (8.7 of
able-bodied citizens of the region). Citizens of
the region at their own expense and with the help
of loans build more than 450 thousand square
meters of total living space. Several other
enterprises of the construction industry,
producing different materials, function in the
region at present they produce bricks, precast
constructions, heat-insulating materials,
construction hardware, etc
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AGRICULTURE
The regional agricultural complex is being
developed in the following spheres cattle
breeding, plant breeding and seedage. Processing
and food industry provides the basis for food
safety of the region.
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TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
Favorable geographic location of the Astrakhan
region determined its special status. Thanks to
its access to the Caspian Sea, Astrakhan plays an
important role in the system of international
Euro-Asian transport routs. Continuing traditions
of the Great Silk Way, international transport
corridor North-South passes through the region,
connecting by shortest possible way countries of
south and south-east Asia through Iran, Caspian
Sea and Astrakhan with Central Russia and
countries of Northern, Central and Eastern
Europe. Astrakhan transport hub is the key link
of the Russian part of this route.
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TOURISM AND RECREATION POTENTIAL
For a long time, until 1990, Astrakhan was the
region, closed for foreign tourists. Today not
only people from Russia, but also foreigners come
to rest in Astrakhan. These are mostly Germans,
French, Italians, and others. As one cannot
imagine Russia without the Volga river, the Volga
cannot be imagined without Astrakhan with its
remarkably rich history and unique nature and
climate. Astrakhan nature is unique. Its symbol
is lotus flower, famous not only for its beauty,
but also for the fact that it grows only in
ecologically safe environment. Established almost
one hundred years ago, the Russian First State
Biosphere Reserve in the Volga delta has unique
flora and fauna. It is kind of Mecca for those
adoring ecological tourism. There are over 280
species of birds, over 70 species of fish, most
rare animals, many of which are in the
International Red Book. Here one can find
flamingoes, swans, pelicans, pheasants, herons,
seals. Every year ornithologists and
ichthyologists from different countries visit the
sanctuary.
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CULTURE
The Astrakhan region is distinguished by its
rather high culture level and ancient cultural
traditions. The Astrakhan Musical Theatre was
founded in 1995. The Astrakhan Puppet Theatre
was set to work in 1987. Currently the troupe
performs actively in different cities of Russia,
Ukraine, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslavia
States. One of the oldest theatres not only of
Astrakhan but also of Russia is the Astrakhan
Drama Theatre founded in 1810 ????. The
Astrakhan State Picture Gallery named after
Kustodiev is one of the most goluptious galleries
of the Volga region. It can boast unique
collections of art and has two affiliates the
House-museum of Velimir Khlebnikov (the only one
worldwide in terms of significance and the number
of presented exhibits) and the House-museum of
the notorious artist Boris Kustodiev.
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Famous people of Astrakhan
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