Federation Council representatives: Yuri Shamkov (2008 to 2014), Sergei Belousov (2008 to 2012)
Population: 2,491,627 (2010 census)
Area: 169,100 square km (65,273 sq. miles)
Capital: Barnaul (population 598,000), 3,419 km from Moscow
Other major cities: Biysk (220,500), Rubtsovsk (155,100)
Federal district: Siberian
Economic region: West Siberia
Time zone: Moscow +3, GMT +6, EST +11
Geography: Altai shares a border with Kazakhstan, Kemerovo and Novosibiirsk regions, and the Republic of Altai. The Altai Mountain range is prominent in the territory and more than 17,000 rivers run through it including the Ob, Argut and Shavla.
Urban population: 53%. Rural population: 47%
Ethnic make-up: more than 100 nationalities, including Russians (92%), Germans (3.05%) and Ukrainians (2%)
Economy: The main industrial sectors are the engineering, metalworking, and chemical industries. Companies located in the territory produce one sixth of all tractors in Russia, 90 percent of all tractor plows, about 50 percent of generators, and all railway freight cars. Altai is also one of the country's major agricultural regions. It is the third-largest grain and milk producer and the fifth-largest meat producer. Huge areas are also sown with sunflowers, soybeans and sugar beets.
