About the Region

The Vologda oblast was established on September 23, 1937. It is situated in northwestern Russia 500 Km (311 MI) off Moscow and borders on the Republic of Karelia, on the Arkhangelsk, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Tver, Novgorod, and Leningrad oblasts. The oblast occupies the territory of 145.7 thousand square kilometres, which is equal to the territories of Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland taken together. The Vologda territory is crossed by important ways connecting central Russia with the Urals and Siberia. The rivers flowing through the oblast’s territory carry their waters to the Baltic, White and Caspian seas.

The centre of the oblast is Vologda. The city of Vologda is the largest in the oblast and one of the most important junctions of railways, automobile roads and airways in the North of Russia. It is a river port that stands on the river under the same name.

The city of Cherepovets is the first city in the oblast by its population and industrial value. It is one of the largest centres of steel and chemical production in the country.

The executive power of the Voloda Oblast is presented by the Government of the Vologda Oblast, headed by the Governor. The local law-making body is the Legislative Assembly, headed by the Chairman.

Nowadays the Vologda Oblast as an economic region is remarkable for such branches of industry as metallurgy, chemical, wood, textile, pulp and paper industries (see the section "Economy").

The leading agricultural branch is stock-breeding, which takes 70% of the Oblast’s agriculture and provides the population of the Vologda Oblast with milk, meet and eggs. Butter making is popular in the region. Vologda butter, as well as Vologda lace, is nowadays known world-wide.

Today 1,324 thousand inhabitants of the oblast are being proudly named “Vologodians” (0.9% of Russia’s population). From ancient times the Vologodians have been and still are famous for the love to their Motherland and their families and for their quite, imperturbable, and hardworking nature.

Seasons change each other and the Vologodians experience the so-called moderate-continental climate: a cold snowy winter followed by a short summer. During a year precipitation quantity makes 650-800 mm. In summer it makes 3/5s of this amount. The winter days are short, lasting only six hours or so. The coldest month in Vologda is January, with an average temperature ranging between -15 and -17C. The summer, although short, is one of Vologda’s most prized assets. It lasts about three months. People take an advantage of this special time by going to the country, festivals, side-walk cafes. The average temperature in July is between +23 and +25C.

The modest colours of the Vologda landscape, its epic spaciousness and almost primordial stillness have the charm of its own.

The Vologda oblast is famous for the number and significance of its historical and cultural monuments: the Vologda Kremlin, Spaso-Prilutsky, Kirillo-Belozersky, St. Ferapont, St. Michael and Archangel monasteries. Ancient towns of Vologda, Veliky Ustyug, Tot’ma, Ustyuzhna, Belozersk and Kirillov are well known all over the country.

Dionisy’s frescoes in the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral of St. Ferapont monastery are real treasure among the monumental fine art works.

The largest oblast’s museums are Vologda and Veliky Ustyug state museum-preserves, the Oblast Picture Gallery, Cherepovets museum association, Kirillo-Belozersky museum, Totma, Vytegra and Ustyuzhna museums of local lore.

The poet K. Batyushkov, artist A. Vereshchagin, “King of reporters” V. Gilyarovski, modern writers and poets: A.Yashin, V.Tendryakov, S. Orlov, V. Shalamov, V. Astafiev, V. Belov, N. Rubtsov, and O. Fokina have brought the fame to the Vologda land.

Vast territory, tremendous nature resources, skilled and cheap labour, big scientific and technical potential and advantageous geographical location are indisputable favourable conditions for profitable investments in the Vologda Oblast.