Ekaterinburg is the third largest Russian city, the capital of the Ural and the center of the Ural Federal District. Ekaterinburg is situated on the East side of the Ural Mountains on the Iset River.

Ural Region

The Ural Federal District is consisted of 6 units: Kurgansk region Sverdlovsk region, Tyumen region, Chelyabinsk region, Khanty-Mansiysky autonomous national area, Yamalo-Nenetsky autonomous national area.

Square of the Sverdlovsk region is 194 800 square km. Population — 4702 thousands people (3.2% of total Russia population).

The region's industry is diverse. At least 12% of Russia's iron and steel industry is concentrated in the Sverdlovsk region. Iron and copper are mined and processed here and the logging industry and wood-processing are important, too.

Ekaterinburg. The Iset River. Photo by g_power @ E1.RU

Common Information About Ekaterinburg

• Total area: 491 square km.
• Situated in 1,667 km east of Moscow.
• Population: according to national census (2002) — 1 300 000 citizens.
• Status: administrative center of the Ural Federal District, Volga-Ural military district and Sverdlovsk Region (Oblast).
• Administrative division: 7 districts (Verkh-Isetsky, Zheleznodorozhny, Leninsky, Oktyabarsky, Ordzhonokidzevsky and Chkalovsky).
• Time difference: +2 (Moscow).
• International phone code: 343.
• Postal code: 620000.
• Train from Moscow: 29 hours.
• Plane from Moscow: 2,5 hours.
  
  
   

Modern Emblem Of Ekaterinburg

The upper part of the shield is in the shape of a fortress that symbolized to role of Ekaterinburg during first years of its existence. The wavy azure line at the bottom symbolized the Iset River, connection of the past and the present, Europe and Asia. The bear is a European symbol and a sable is an Asian one. Animals symbolize also the guards of the city. The golden ribbon at the very bottom of the emblem is considered to characterize Ekaterinburg as a modern city. Later, the crown in the form of a tower with five battlements was added.

The flag of Ekaterinburg is tricolor with yellow, green and blue colors. Images of mine in the form of wooden well and smelting furnace with fire are placed in the middle of the flag.

Local self-government:

• Municipal status: urban district
• Head: mayor
• Legislative body: City Duma
  
   

Economy

There are 200 large enterprises and 25 300 small enterprises at the city. The main branches of the regional industry are: machinery, metal processing, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy.

• Retail turnover – 10,7 billion euros
• Investments – 1,4 billion euros
• Industry production index – 110, 3% (to 2006 year)
• House building – 0,7 thousand square meters per person
• Dynamics of construction — residential construction: 1300 thousand square meters (by 2015); non-residential construction: 720 thousand square meters (by 2015)
• Accommodation level — by 2015 it is planned to increase the level up to 11380 units
• Volume of foreign investments in 2007 amounted to 1230,4 million US dollars
• Investments in the physical assets made by large and medium enterprises — 51,4 billion rubles
• Investments in house building — 10,5 billion rubles
• Investments in non-residential real estate construction — 20,5 billion rubles

The banking sector of Ekaterinburg is represented by over 80 financial establishments and includes 19 banks and financial organizations registered in Ekaterinburg, 46 banks and financial organizations registered in other regions of the Russian Federation and 262 representative office of Russian and foreign banks.

The main city projects — the investment project “Ekaterinburg-City” and the “Akademichesky District”. The “Ekaterinburg-City” project includes construction of business centers, offices, entertainment areas and underground parking (5500 parking lots) with the total square of 400 000 square meters. Time period – 2008-2015. The “Akademichesky District” realizes the city administration’s strategy for house building. Residential area is 9 million square meters; total square of building up is 1300 hectare. Assumed population of the area is 325 thousand inhabitants. Total cost – 30 billion US dollars. Time period – by 2025.
 

International Relations

• Foreign partners in the field of economy — 121 countries
• The number of consular offices — 20
• Trade commissions and delegates —100 per year
• Trade partners: the Netherlands, the USA, Kazakhstan, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, China, India.
• The number of representative offices of foreign companies – 300 (every year increases by 20 companies).
  
   

Transport

Ekaterinburg is a prominent road, rail and air hub in the Ural region. Geographical location is on the board between Europe and Asia on the international transport route “London-Tokio”.

• Cargo turnover – 309 thousands tons per year.
• Warehouse area – 726 thousands square meters.

By the year 2015 to be built 1250 thousands square meters of warehouse spaces “A” and “B” classes.

Ekaterinburg is served by the Ekaterinburg International Airport “Koltsovo”. Direct flights from Ekaterinburg are implemented to 104 cities of 40 countries.
 

Science

Ekaterinburg is the city of science and knowledge. There are 94 research institutes, 43 state-owned and private universities and educational academies, the Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (UB RAS). Number of students is approximate 200 000.
 

Culture

Ekaterinburg has the best mineral collection in the world and the unique collection of cast-iron mouldings. There is also large collection of Russian icons and paintings. There are 50 museums, 12 world-famous theatres, 35 exhibition halls, 40 concert halls, a circus and a zoo.
 

Holidays

The City Day. Photo by leonty @ E1.RU

Among traditional holidays, Ekaterinburg is celebrating also:

• The City Day.
  3rd Saturday of August. Usually hold in the Historic Public Garden, the Square of 1905, the Literary Quarter and the City Pond embankment. Many famous rock- and folk-bands are performing there. At the end of the celebration fireworks are let off.
• The Ice Town.
  The “Ice town” is an attraction with many ice statues and ice-runs that usually appears during the New Year’s Holiday on the central square of the city (December 29th — January 11th). It is a favorite place among children and their parents where they come for fun, frolic and snowball fights. Usually the festival of ice sculptures is held.
• “UPI Spring”.
  On the 8th and 9th of May on the square near the Ural State Technical University (UPI) the festival “Vesna UPI” (UPI Spring) is traditionally held. Usually rock-band, comedians and youth theatres companies are performing there. The festival is held only once per 2-3 years.
  
   

Tourist’s Attractions

At least 70 000 tourist from abroad are visiting Ekaterinburg every year. Ekaterinburg has many historic monuments, places of interest and monuments of architecture.

Ekaterinburg museums have many unique archeological and historic displays, geological rarities and examples of local hand-made goods such as casting, stamping copper, metal trays decorated with domestic designs, Ural stones and jewelry.

Ekaterinburg is famous for great examples of classicism and constructivism architecture styles.

Outside Ekaterinburg. A typical landscape. Photo by Hrab @ E1.RU

Sights Outside Ekaterinburg

• Nature. Ekaterinburg and its surroundings are rich with archeological, geological monuments and places. Shartash stone tents are situated in city boundaries. It is one of the most remarkable archeological monuments.
• Resorts. Ural is famous for its resorts: Nizhny Sergi, Samotzvet, Glyadeni, Kuryi, pensions, rest homes and tourist centers.
• Ski resorts. Skiing and snowboarding are popular sports during the winter. Main skiing lodges are situated not far from Ekaterinburg. These are “Motaiha Mountain” near Sredneuralk, “Volchiha” near Revda, “Teplaya Mountain” and “Pilnaya” near Pervouralk, “Stozhok Mountain” near the Tavatuy Lake and “Ezhovaya Mountain” in the Kirovograd suburbs. Popular Uktus Mountain ski resort is situated in Ekaterinburg boundaries.
• Speleotourism. If you like mountains, you are sure to enjoy many mountain and speleological tours. There are a couple of karts caves with different levels of complexity in city boundaries.
• Rock-climbing. Ural has many places where trained mountain-climbers and rock-climbers. These are Azov Mountain, Seven Brothers Mountains and Volchiha Mountain.
• Boating. Boating on canoe and catamaran is one of the main tourist attractions at the Ural. The region is rich with picturesque rivers with rapids and rifts such as Chusovaya River or Iset River (near Kamensk-Uralky).
• Hunting and fishing. Fishing during the winter and summer time is available in any pond or river of the Ural. You may also catch a crawfish on night fishing. For hunting you need to buy a license. Hunting on a black grouse or wood grouse in spring and on migrant birds in fall is most interesting activity.
  
   

Talkov Kamen Lake. Photo by Alexander Kireev

Additional Information

Ekaterinburg is a sister city of Pilsen, Czech Republic; San Jose, the USA; Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Genoa and Ferentino in Italy.

Official web-page of Ekaterinburg city: www.ekburg.ru