The Nizhniy Novgorod region

Nizhny Novgorod region is administrative-territorial formation included into Russian Federation according to the rights of an equal subject.

The region was formed on the 14th January 1929 (from 15th July 1929 was included into Nizhny Novgorod region, from 7th October 1932 - into Gorkovsky region). From the 5th December 1936 up to 1991 it was called Gorkovsky region, it exists in modern borders since February 1994. It is included in Privolzhsky federal region, Volgo-Vyatsky economical district being the centre of it. Territory of the region is situated in the centre of the European part of Russia, in the east of the Russian plain in the middle flow of the Volga River. In the north it is bordered with Vladimirsakya and Ivanovskaya regions, in the north-west - with Kostroma region, in the north-east-with Kirov region, in the east - with the republics of Mariy-Al and Chuvashia, in the south-east and the south - with the republic of Mordovia and in the south-west - with Ryazan region. The region extending almost for 430km from the north to the south is characterized by wide specter of natural zones: from southern taiga to meadow fields.

The whole area is 76.6 thousand m2. (Somewhat 0, 45% of the Russian territory).

It has Moscow time zone.

Administration centre - city of Nizhny Novgorod (430km from Moscow).

Administrative - territorial division

The region comprises 48 districts; 28 cities, 12 of them are under regional subordination: Nizhny Novgorod (1395 thousand people); Dzerzhinsk (289,7 thousand), Arzamas (11,3 thousand), Sarov (83,5 thousand), Pavlovo (70,7 thousand), Kstovo (69,6 thousand), Bor (63,8 thousand), Balakhna (63,2 thousand), Viksa (63,2 thousand), Kulebaki (44,9 thousand), Bogorodtsk (37,0 thousand), Gorodets (33,8 thousand); 69 settlements of urban type and nearly 4,5 thousands of rural population points.

Russian is an official language.

In Krasnooktyabrsky district with the abundance of Tatar population Tatar language is widely spoken. Also the Tatar language is spoken in some other settlements across the south-eastern districts of the region. Among Mari living in the north-east of the region north-western and mountain dialect of the Mari language is widely used.

The main legislative organ of power is Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod region consisting of 50 deputies elected every 5 years.

Executive power is performed by the Government of Nizhny Novgorod region led by the Governor of the region.

Governor of Nizhny Novgorod region is Valery Pavlinovich Shantsev. He was confirmed for this position on the 8th August 2005.

Population

Number of people - 3479,3 thousands (2,5% of all citizens of the Russian Federation according to the data of the start of 2004). Urban population - 2725,9 thousands of people (78,2%). Rural population - 753,4 thousands people (21,8%). Average density of population is 45,4 persons per km2

Ethnic groups: Russian - 94,6%; Tatar - 1,7%; Mordva - 1%, Ukrainian - 0,9%, Chuvash and Mari - 0,3%.