Founded: 1936

Acting Governor: Vladimir Artyakov, (CEO AvtoVaz) (nominated by President Putin as Governor), replacing Konstantin Alexeyevich Titov (first appointed by President Boris Yeltsin in 1991, subsequently re-eleteduntil 2005 - resignation accepted by President Putin 26/08/07). 

Federation Council Members: Andrey Georgivich Ishchuk (executive, term expires April 2010); Leon Iosifovich Kovalsky (legislative, term expires December 2006)

Duma deputies: Alexander Nikolayevich Belyosov (Samarsky district) (United Russia); Anatoly Semyonovich Ivanov (Tolyatti district)(United Russia); Viktor Alekseevich Kazakov (Novokuybishevsky district)(United Russia); Albert Mikhailovich Makashov (Promishlenny district) (KPRF); Vladimir Semenovich Mokry (Sisransky district)(United Russia)

Population: 3,239,800 (2002 census)

Capital: Samara (population 1,158,100), 1,098 km from Moscow

Other major cities: Togliatti (701,900), Syzran (187,800), Novokuibyshevsk (population 113,000)

Federal district: Volga

Economic region: Volga

Time:  Moscow, GMT +3, EST +8

Geography: The Samara region borders Saratov, Ulyanovsk and Orenburg regions and the republic of Tatarstan. Most of the region is steppe and two major rivers, the Volga and the Samara flow through the territory.

Urban population: 81%,   Rural population: 19%

Ethnic make-up:The oblast is quite diverse in terms of its ethnic identity, though Russians make up the majority 83,4% of the population. Other nationalities are represented as follows : Tatars – 3,6%, Mordvinians – 3,6%, Chuvashes – 3,6%, Ukranians – 2,5%, Belorussians – 0,6%, Kazakhs – 0,4%, Germans – 0,3%, Bashkirs – 0,2, Mari – 0,1 %. The Cossak movement, the first outlaws, is presently undergoing a revival in Samara Oblast.

Economy: The economy is mostly based on shipping on the Volga, but engineering and manufacturing sectors are growing.  Agriculture in the region is oriented towards grain growing, livestock farming and beekeeping. Other important crops include sunflowers, and hemp.

As part of a large-scale campaign to develop its regional retail network, Alfa Bank opened the first new-type retail office Zhiguli in Togliatti in 2006.

Official website: http://www.adm.samara.ru

Contact Information
Governor
Konstantin Alexeyevich Titov
210 Ulitsa Malogvardeyskaya
Samara 443008
Tel.: +7 (8462) 32 22 68
Fax: +7 (8462) 32 13 40
Email: governor@samara.ru; titov@samara.ru
Personal site: http://www.titov.samara.ru

Press service contact
Ludmila Mikhailovna Takoeva
Tel.: +7 (8462) 32 33 30
Email: pressa@vis.infotel.ru

Chairman of the Duma
Viktor Fyodorovich Sazanov
Tel.: +7 (8462) 32 75 06
Fax: +7 (8462) 42 38 08
Email: samgd@duma.sam-reg.ru

Representative to the Government of the Russian Federation
Viktor Borisovich Leontiev
2 Veskovsky pereulok
Moscow 103030
Tel.: +7 (095) 973 19 95; 973 36 20
Fax: +7 (095) 973 05 54

last updated August 24, 2005