Volga region
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TheVolga region(Russian:Поволжье,Povolzhye,literally: "along the Volga" ) is a historical region inRussiathat encompasses thedrainage basinof theVolga River,the longest river in Europe, in central and southernEuropean Russia.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Volga_regions_map2.png/300px-Volga_regions_map2.png)
The Volga region is culturally separated into three sections:
- ■Upper Volga Region - from the Volga River'ssourceinTver Oblastto themouthof theOka RiverinNizhny Novgorod;
- ■Middle Volga Region - from the mouth of the Oka River to the mouth of theKama Riversouth ofKazan;
- ■Lower Volga Region - from the mouth of the Kama River to theVolga Deltain theCaspian Sea,inAstrakhan Oblast.
The geographic boundaries of the region are vague, and the term "Volga region" is used to refer primarily to the Middle and Lower sections, which are included in theVolga Federal DistrictandVolga economic region.
Geography
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Astrachan_Volgadelta.jpg/300px-Astrachan_Volgadelta.jpg)
The Volga Region is almost entirely within theEast European Plain,with a notable distinction contrasting the elevated western side featuring theVolga Upland,and the eastern side known asTransvolga(Russian:Заволжье,Zavolzhye). The latter consists of the elevated High Transvolga and thelowlandLow Transvolga.[citation needed]TheIdel-Uralregion, a collection of sixfederal subjectsbetween the Volga River and theUral Mountains,is generally considered as a part of the Volga Region, although the river does not run through each of them. Idel-Ural is within an extensive north-western protrusion of the Volga River'sdrainage basin,including numeroustributariessuch as theMalaya Kokshaga River.It also includes sub-tributaries, such as theBelaya Riverwhich joins the Kama River, a tributary of the Volga.[citation needed]
History
[edit]According to different sources, the region was mainly inhabited by Slavic, Turkic and Viking people.[1][2]Povolzhye played an important part of the emergence of theRus' Khaganate.The Volga River was used mainly by traders from the Oriental and Viking world.[3]
Population
[edit]The region is home to a large portion of Russia's population, with the major cities ofYaroslavl,Kostroma,Nizhny Novgorod,Cheboksary,Kazan,Ulyanovsk,Tolyatti,Samara,Saratov,VolgogradandAstrakhanall located directly on the Volga River. Other major cities on tributaries of the Volga includeRyazan,Dzerzhinsk,KalugaandOryolon the Oka River,Penzaon theSura River,PermandNaberezhnye Chelnyon the Kama River,Yoshkar-Olaon the Malaya Kokshaga River, andDimitrovgradon theBolshoy Cheremshan River.[citation needed]
Major cities located on tributaries of the Volga's tributaries includeMoscow,the largest city andcapitalof Russia, on theMoskva River,a tributary of the Oka River.Kirovis located on theVyatka River,andUfa,SterlitamakandSalavatare located on the Belaya River, both tributaries of the Kama River.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Collins, Roger (2010),"The Carolingian regime",Early Medieval Europe 300–1000,Macmillan Education UK, pp. 300–317,doi:10.1007/978-1-137-01428-3_17,ISBN978-0-230-00673-7,retrieved2020-05-11
- ^Bukharaev, Ravilʹ. (2006).Tatarstan: a 'can-do' culture: President Mintimer Shaimiev and the power of common sense.Folkestone, UK: Global Oriental. p. 186.ISBN978-90-04-21355-5.OCLC754773689.
- ^Langer, Lawrence N. (2010).Historical dictionary of medieval Russia.Scarecrow Press. p. 185.ISBN978-0-8108-6618-8.OCLC1030397561.