VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
The Belgorod Region was established on January 6, 1954.
Area: 27,100 square kilometers
Population: Over 1.5 million
The region accounts for about 1% of the Russian population and 1% of the country's GDP.
The region has over 500 small rivers and creeks and over a thousand lakes or ponds and water reservoirs. Famous nature preserves, including the Belogorye (Forest on the Vorskla) state reserve, and sections of the Alyokhin Yamskaya Steppe Central Black Soil and Stenki Izgorya - Lysye Gory conservation areas are located here.
The region is best known for the Prokhorovka Field military-history museum at the site of one of the largest tank battles in history that raged between Soviet and German forces on July 12, 1943 during the Battle of the Kursk Bulge.
Belgorod, the region's capital, was liberated on August 5, 1943 together with the city of Oryol and is often called "The City of the First Salute" because the first salute of the war was fired in Moscow that same evening to commemorate the victory. It highlighted the fact that the German Army had lost strategic initiative and had started retreating along the entire Eastern Front.
On April 27, 2007, President Vladimir Putin issued a decree designating Belgorod a City of Military Glory. In February 2009, the city won the Best Municipal Area nationwide competition in the category Municipal Area Economy and Finance.
The industrial-agrarian region relies heavily on mineral deposits and unique black-soil lands, accounting for over 80% of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly's iron ore and over 40% of national iron-ore deposits. The region has large bauxite and apatite deposits, also containing titanium and zirconium. Moreover, it abounds in chalk, clay, sand, and marl.
Since 1954, the region has developed a strong economic and science-and-technical potential, also creating a well-developed social-cultural sector. The region's convenient border location facilitates the development of foreign economic ties.
In 2008, fixed-capital investment totaled 103.3 billion roubles, a 5.1% increase on 2007. Industry, agriculture and housing construction account for most fixed-capital investment.
In 2008, the gross regional product (GRP) and industrial output grew by 6.5% and 10.5%, respectively.
Agriculture is an important component of the region's economy. The region has virtually achieved food self-sufficiency.
The region's farms produce 3% of the Russian Federation's grain and 11.5% of its beets, and 3.7% of sunflower production. The breakdown for meat, milk and eggs is 7.8%, 1.8% and 3%, respectively.
Per capita regional grain, potato, vegetable, milk, egg and meat production exceeds the national average by 270%, 20%, 10%, 70%, 250% and 1,100%, respectively. The region leads the rest of Russia in per capita meat consumption.
Agriculture employs 21% of the region's economically active population. The rural population is 512,400, accounting for 33.6% of the region's population. The region's agrarian sector accounts for 2.8% of nationwide output and for 12.4% of the Central Federal District's output.
The region leads in terms of the pig and poultry population increment, and meat, poultry and pork production. It also ranks first in meat-processing volumes, selling two-thirds of its meat elsewhere.
The Belogorye Family Farms programme which helps private farmers to process, store and sell their produce holds promise for small agribusinesses. The Fermer store chain, now being established in the region, will sell small-business products.
