Smolensk Oblast

Smolensk Oblast (Смол́енская о́бласть, Smolenskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its area is 49800 km2. Population:

Geography
The administrative center of Smolensk Oblast is the city of Smolensk. Other ancient towns include Vyazma and Dorogobuzh.

The oblast was founded on September 27, 1937. It borders Pskov Oblast in the north, Tver Oblast in the northeast, Moscow Oblast in the east, Kaluga and Bryansk Oblasts in the south, and Mogilev and Oblasts of Belarus, in the west and northwest.

Administrative divisions


Smolensk Oblast is divided into 25 districts (raions and 2 cities, which are further divided into 15 towns, 12 urban-type settlements, and 302 rural okrugs.

Demographics
According to the (2002 Census), the national composition of the oblast was as follows: and many other groups, none more than 0.2% of the population. (1.1% of the population did not state their nationality in the census.)
 * Russians: 93.4%
 * Ukrainians: 1.7%
 * Belarusians: 1.6%
 * Armenians: 0.4%
 * Roma: 0.3%
 * Tatars: 0.2%
 * Azeris: 0.2%,

Economy
Smolensk Oblast is part of Russia's Central economic district. Industry in this district includes sectors such as engineering and metalworking (production of measuring and hydrometeorological devices, computer equipment, electrical appliances, refrigerators, automobiles, power-generating and store equipment, and aircraft manufacture), the chemical industry (production of ammonia, saltpeter, fertilizers, and plastics), light industry (production of clothing, and cotton and linen fabrics), the food industry, and brown coal and peat production.

Nearly 40% of the industrial production potential is concentrated in the city of Smolensk. Diamond cutting companies have the largest share of GDP. The largest of these companies is the Kristall State Unitary enterprise (GUP Kristall) in Smolensk. Smolensk is also a major center of the engineering and metalworking industries, with the instrument-making, electronics, electrical, and auto industries having the largest share of GDP among engineering companies.

Notable people

 * Isaac Asimov, born in Petrovichi
 * Yuri Gagarin, born in Klushino
 * Shmuel Schneersohn, born in Lyubavichi