The Ural economic region occupies the territory of seven constituent entities of the Russian Federation: Udmurtia and Bashkortostan, Perm, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Sverdlovsk and Orenburg regions. The boundaries of the district covered an area of 824 thousand square kilometers. The center of this district, one of the 11 economic regions of Russia, is located in Yekaterinburg.
Geographically, it is located in the Middle and Southern Urals, partially capturing the North, as well as part of the plains adjacent to the Urals: from the west - East European, from the east - West Siberian. The potential energy resources of the rivers are 3.3 million kW. The Kama and Votkinsk reservoirs are located on the Kama River. About half of the district’s territory is covered by taiga forest with wood reserves of more than 3.5 billion cubic meters. The southern part is occupied by steppes, plowed over significant spaces. The climate is from temperate continental to continental. The population is about 20 million people (at a density of 23 people / sq. Km.). The urban population prevails over the rural, it is 2/3.
Branch areas of the economy
The Ural economic region is rich in minerals, this led to the diversity and complexity of the structure of a highly developed complex of heavy industry with national significance. The main sectors of heavy industry are the following: metallurgy (ferrous and non-ferrous), mechanical engineering (transport, energy, agricultural), forestry, mining, chemical and petrochemical, chemical. Minerals, oil (Prikamye) and gas (Orenburg) are being successfully extracted. Oil refineries are located in Ufa, Perm, Orsk, Krasnokamsk, gas processing - in Orenburg. Coal is also mined, but the main need for it is covered by imported coal (from Kuzbass, Karaganda).
The Ural Economic Region is supplied with its own electricity generated at powerful power plants: one nuclear power plant (Beloyarskaya), two hydroelectric power stations (Kamskaya and Votkinskaya) and nine thermal power plants and state district power plants.
The leading role in heavy industry is given to metallurgy formed and developing on the local raw material base. The main enterprises are the plants of Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, Nizhny Tagil. At these and other metallurgical enterprises, metal rolling, which is in demand in engineering and construction, has been established. Non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises operate in the Urals.
The Ural Economic Region is the leading Russian region of heavy engineering (Uralmash, Yuzhuralmash), and chemical engineering (Glazovsky Plant, Uralhimmash). The Uralelectrotyazhmash enterprise produces equipment for the electrical industry and power equipment. Transport engineering is engaged in the production of railway freight cars, cars and motorcycles, tractors and trailers for them, and various agricultural machines. Machine tool industry is developed, electrical appliances, radios, refrigerators are produced.
The chemical industry of the Urals is represented by the production of potash, phosphorus, nitrogen mineral fertilizers, soda, sulfur, hydrochloric acid, various salts, and chlorine. The production of plastics, resins and alcohols, varnishes and paints, artificial fibers. Recycled asbestos, magnesite.
In the Urals, production of building materials has been established (cement, reinforced concrete products, prefabricated structures). Woodworking is represented by the production of paper, lumber and plywood. Light industry produces linen and synthetic fabrics, leather and shoe products, and garments. The food industry is engaged in the processing of milk and meat, flour mills operate.
Ural agriculture is developing in the direction of grain growing (wheat, rye, oats, barley) and animal husbandry (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs) to provide food for the population of industrial cities. In suburban state farms, potatoes and vegetables are also grown. Flax and sunflower are grown from industrial crops. There are poultry farms that supply chicken and egg meat.
The Ural economic region is cut up and down by the transport network. These are highways (mostly electrified), pipelines for oil and gas, water transport and roads.
