Yaroslavl Oblast

Yaroslavl Oblast (Яросла́вская о́бласть, Yaroslavskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), which is located in the Central Federal District, surrounded by Tver, Moscow, Ivanovo, Vladimir, Kostroma, and Vologda Oblasts. This geographic location affords the oblast the advantages of proximity to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Additionally, the administrative center of the oblast—the city of Yaroslavl—is an intersection of major highways, railroads, and waterways.

History
Yaroslavl Oblast was established on March 11, 1936.

Nature
The climate is moderate continental, with snowy winters and a short but rather hot summer. Formerly almost all territory was covered with thick conifer forest (fir, pine), but now a large portion of it has been replaced with birch-and-aspen secondary forests and crop fields. Swamps also take considerable areas.

Large animals have been much reduced in numbers, but there are still some bears, wolves, foxes, elk and wild boar.

A great number of wild birds live and nest in the Oblast.

In cities, most common birds are pigeons, jackdaws, hooded crows, rooks, house sparrows, and great tits.

The Volga River flows through Yaroslavl Oblast, with two major dams constructed at Uglich and Rybinsk. The Rybinsk Reservoir, filled between 1941 and 1947, is one of the largest in Europe; its filling flooded the town of Mologa and several hundreds of villages, necessitating the relocation of some 150,000 in Yaroslavl, Vologda, and Kalinin (now Tver) Oblasts.

Mineral resources are limited to construction materials (such as sand, gravel, clay) and peat. There are also mineral water springs and wells.

Demographics


These are population figures according to the Census of 2002:
 * Total population: 1,367,398
 * Males: 617,889
 * Females: 749,509
 * Urban population: 1,106,805
 * Rural population: 260,593

Life expectancy:
 * Average: 63 years
 * Males: 57 years
 * Females: 71 years

98% of residents are citizens of Russia.

Economy

 * Total volume of output for 12 months of the year 1997: 15,933.1 billion rubles1)
 * Total balance profit of enterprises for 12 months of the year 1997: 1,227.4 billion roubles2)
 * Total tax collection for 12 month of the year 1997: 4,781.8 billion rubles (including Federal budget accruals in the amount of 1,999.3 billion roubles)
 * Unemployment level: 2.4% of total workforce

1) large and medium-sized enterprises. 2) including industry, agriculture, construction, transport.

Administrative divisions
The oldest town is Rostov.

The town of Mologa (known since the 13th century) has been engulfed by the Rybinsk artificial lake in 1940s.