Voronezh Region
The Voronezh Region is located in the centre of European Russia, within 439 kilometres from Moscow.
The region was constituted on 13 June, 1934, and is now part of the Central Federal District. Its administrative centre is the city of Voronezh.
The Voronezh Region borders Ukraine, as well as the Rostov, Belgorod, Kursk, Lipetsk, Tambov, Volgograd, and Saratov regions, and measures 52,200 square kilometres, or about one-third of the entire Black Earth Area.
The region enjoys a temperate continental climate and boasts 738 lakes, 2,408 ponds, and 1,343 rivers. Its major river is the Don, which runs for 530 kilometers across the region. This is almost half its length of 1,870 kilometres.
Its mineral resources – non-ore raw material deposits, chiefly fit for use in construction, such as sands, clays, chalk, granites, cement base, ochre, limestone, and sandstone – are mostly concentrated in its western and southern areas. There are phosphate rock reserves in the Semiluksky, Khokholsky and Nizhnedevitsky districts. The region also has substantial nickel, copper and platinum resources.
In terms of its economic structure, the Voronezh Region is an industrial and agrarian entity. Its industrial sector is dominated by food processing (27%), engineering and metalworking (23%), and power generation (18%). Chemistry and agricultural stuffs processing are also important.
As a producer of grain (mostly wheat), sugar beets, sunflowers and other industrial crops, potatoes, and vegetables, the Voronezh Region is a major supplier of agricultural produce. Included in this category are also dual-purpose cattle, pig, and sheep breeding products.
The local industry specialises in the production of lathes, iron bridge constructions, press-forging, ore-dressing and electronic equipment (including TVs), passenger planes, synthetic rubber, tires, refractory goods, granulated sugar, butter and meat.
