Geography. The region is located in the southeast of European Russia, in the northern part of the Lower Volga region. The territory stretches for 575 km from west to east and for 330 km from north to south. The area is 101,240 km². The region borders the Volgograd, Voronezh, Tambov, Penza, Samara, and Ulyanovsk Regions. There is a state border between Russia and Kazakhstan in the east of the region. The relief is diverse: it consists of mountains, hills, plains, river valleys, and gulleys.
Climate. Moderately continental.
Average temperature
- -9.8°C in January
- +22.8°C in July
Population
Economy. The main industries are the fuel and energy sector, mechanical engineering, chemical and petrochemical industries, and food industry.
Logistics. There are all kinds of transport in the region.
- The length of public highways is 10,962 km. The federal highways are: Р138, Р228, Р298, М4, М6.
- Railway station
- Gagarin International Airport
Tourist attractions
- Balakovsky Waterfall is situated on the Bolshoy Irgiz River on the border of the district of the same name. The bank around the dam is strengthened by concrete. The dam is around 90 meters wide. The waterfall is low, but it has some rapids. There are concrete limiters installed around it. The Dolgiy Gay district is located nearby.
- Kudeyarova Cave is located in the Novoburassky District. The natural site also includes a mountain and a river. The better part of the cave is under rubble now. The legend says that the brigands’ treasures are hidden here and stored under lock and key. The key is hidden in the spring, and you should drain it completely to get the valuables. Archeological excavations were carried out, but nothing valuable was found.
- Stepan Razin Cliff is located near the village of Belogorskoe. It is a cliff on the bank which is around 40 meters high. The famous brigand chief’s camp was located there. Archeological excavations were carried out, and the objects discovered confirmed that the remaining traces of the ancient settlement date back to the times of Stepan Razin. There are many legends about the cliff, and of them can be explained scientifically: bewitchedness of the mountain turned out to be the result of the influence of electromagnetic radiation.
- Garden of Temples in Khvalynsk. The city used to have around 20 church buildings. Most of them were destroyed during revolutions and wars. Under the guidance of Father Superior of one of the temples and a local historian, several miniatures were created: Temple of St. Nicholas, Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, Resurrection Church of Common Faith, the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Church of the Three Saints. They are installed in the garden in the open air.
The capital is the city of Saratov, founded in 1590.
Population
Saratov is a major industrial, cultural, and scientific center in the Middle Volga region. The city has a lot of sports facilities, a circus, and a philharmonic. Since 2011, Saratov has been hosting the Oleg Yankovsky All-Russian Theater Festival.
