Geographical location
The Region is located in the middle of Volga - the largest river in Ciscaucasian Russia. Continental climate of midlatitudes is represented by hot summer and hard snowy winter. Despite its heavy industrialized, a unique network of natural areas of protection has been established in the Region. Its basis are the Zhiguli (Zhugulyevsky) State Nature Reserve, Samarskaya Luka Nature Reserve and the Buzuluksky Bor Nature Reserve. Many natural monuments are under protection of UNESCO. In 2006 the Samarskaya Luka Nature Reserve and a number of adjacent territories were declared by UNESCO "The Middle-Volga Integrated Biospheric Reservation".
Samara Region geologic map is astounding as well. The mineral and raw materials basis is formed by hydrocarbons, construction minerals and chemicals.
The main commercial material is oil. There are over 380 discovered oilfields within the Region’s territory. The reserves and resources of hydrocarbons amount to a billion tones.
The absolute advantage of the region is its traffic system – the largest is Privolzhsky Federal Region (PFR). Samara Region is situated on the crossing of international transport routes “North-South” and “West-East” and provides transportation links of federal and regional significance towards all directions.
The main amount of cargo traffic is represented by railroad transport. One of the largest navigable waterways passes over Samara Region. The Volga river connects the northern and southern territories of Russia via the Samara River Harbour and allows access to outer seas via Volga-Donsky and Baltiysky-Belomorsky systems. The largest international airport in Provolzhsky Federal Region, Kurumoch Airport provides flights to almost all of the large Russian cities, to the capitals of CIS countries, as well as Turkey, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Germany, Austria, Italy and other countries. Two landing strips allow to accept all types of aircraft. In 2007, 1.4 million passengers made use of the airport services. In 2008, Kurumoch airport was determined as one of the 9 hub-airports, that will form the main part of Russian national airport network in future.
Economic potential
Samara Region is on the leading position in the area of innovation and industrial development. The region is on the second place in PFO by industrial production output and on the 6-th place between Russian Federation constituents. The obvious advantages of the Region are the multidisciplinary structure of industrial system and advantageous business climate. The Region provides the necessary environment for innovative development: a considerable scientific and industrial potential, well-developed infrastructure of innovative activities, high level of the personnel’s professional training. The region specializes in manufacturing, with a developed system of fuel minerals.
Samara Region takes the first place in Russia in production of light vehicles, synthetic ammonia, rubber, nitrogen, floor cloth and the in on the second place in oil processing. The main trend of machine manufacturing in Samara Region is the serial production and increase of high-tech, competitive products, ordered by the largest consumers.
One of the main trends of the industry system is the production of vehicles and spare parts. Over 300 companies and organizations supply vehicle spare parts and materials for AVTOVAZ OJSC. Motor industry provides about 200 thousand working places for the region. The metal manufacture faces the future with full confidence. After renovation and construction of new production facilities, the Samara Metallurgic Plant has increased its product output. Large-scale projects are successfully fulfilled on the factories of aerospace complex: Aviakor, Motorstroeetel, TSEESKB Progress.
But the industry is not the only thing the Samara land is rich with. The major part of its territory are farming lands. This is one of the leading Russian farming regions. The basis of its potential are highly productive black soils. Overall area of farming lands is 4 million hectares, which is 75% of the total Region’s area.
The main trends in farming are grain, sunflower, potato, vegetables, meat and milk. Modern farming systems, together with irrigation allow getting high-yielding crops.
A large-scale development in the area of animal husbandry is being implemented in the Region. A favorable environment of some of the farming markets, coupled with state support have made this area investment-attractive.
By main financial indicators, that characterize the region’s growth, Samara Region is steadily one of the top five regions of PFR. Revenue from taxes and dues and income of the consolidated budget per capita exceed the average level for PFR.
Social domain
Stable economic situation in the region works positive on social domain. Samara Region is one of the regions with high life quality and is on the 10-th place among the Russian constituents and the 2-nd place in PFR by index of human potential development. The index weight keeps the up trend and exceeds the average indicator in Russia. According to UN Development Programme experts, Samara Region experience in increasing the level and quality of life has sample patterns of innovations, that may be of interest to many constituents of Russian Federation.
The demographic situation in the Region within the last years can be characterized as one with positive trends. The birth rate and life span show stable growth. At the same time Samara Region has a high level of active working age – 63.5%, which is just over the average in Russia and PFR. The labour potential – is the “gold reserve” of Samara Region and is acknowledged, among others, by independent experts. The national Expert RA national agency estimates show that the region is on the 6-th place in RF by level of labour potential development. The levels of economic activity and employed population exceed similar indicators in Russia and PFR.
Samara Region is marked off by a dynamic developing education system. The Regional Government’s policy is aimed towards increase of the population education level, expand of education forms and programs variety, thus providing excellent results. By level of education, Samara Region exceeds the average indicators in Russia and PFR and takes 7-th and 1-st place, respectively. 62% of the Region’s employed population have tertiary level (including post-graduation education) and secondary level education.
The Region is one of the three RF constituents, where the World Bank Project “The Renovation of Education System” was implemented. It resulted in implementation of a new education financing system, restructuring of the school network, renovation of the primary education.
In Samara Region, emphasized attention is paid to setting up of a favorable investment environment. To that effect, the regional investment laws is being continuously improved, state support is provided for the investors an investment and innovations infrastructure is being created.
The coordination body of the Region’s economic policy is the Ministry of Economic Development, Investment and Trade of Samara Region http://www.economy.samregion.ru/, that can provide you with information regarding all of the investment activities issues. Phones: 846) 332-27-44 , (846) 332-22-33 E-mail: minister@economy.samregion.ru
