Tomsk Region

The HED magazine goes on familiarizing its readers with diverse Russia. We tell you about the regions, cities, cultural differences, sights, and peoples. Today, the “hero” of our column is the Tomsk Region, a picturesque Siberian region with a rich history and a world-famous scientific and educational and cultural and historical center.

The Tomsk Region is a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, a part of the Siberian Federal District. The administrative center is the city of Tomsk.

This picturesque vast region is located in the southeast of the West Siberian Plain. The major part of the region’s territory is covered by taiga and swamps and therefore is hard-to-reach. Around 1,000 higher plant species and around 2,000 animal species, most of which are insects, constitute the rich flora and fauna of the Tomsk Region. The region is exceptionally rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, brown coal, peat, and underground waters.

Economy

The Tomsk Region ranks among the leading constituent entities of the Russian Federation by the level of economic development.

Well-developed industries include:

• mining industry
• manufacturing activities
• civil engineering
• agriculture
• transport industry

The capital of the region

Tomsk is a small beautiful city with old architectural monuments. One hundred years ago, it was the capital of Siberia. Civilization and wildlife are found side by side here: Siberian taiga starts outside the city.

After Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Tomsk takes the lead among other Russian cities by the percentage of universities ranked among the best universities. The classical university, the polytechnic university, the medical university, the radio engineering university, and the pedagogical university enroll students from all over the world. Moreover, tuition fees in Tomsk are two or three times lower than in Moscow.

Tomsk is a densely populated and safe city with a population of 400,000 people. The historic center is replete with architectural monuments. Modern infrastructure and well-developed transport system make the city livable.

Tomsk is a student city, the center of attraction for talented young people from all over the world. Tomsk is one of the country’s leaders by the number of students per head of population. Here you can hear people speaking foreign languages in the streets, cafés, theaters, and museums. Cultural life is in full swing. Creative parties, quizzes, clubs, thematic meetings of like-minded people, and art workshops are attributes of student life.

Time zone MSK+4