Tatarstan is one of the most industrialized republics in terms of population and economic potential. As the Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic it was established in May, 1920 on the territory of the former Kazan Province Seventy years later, on August 30, 1990 it bå came the sovereign Republic of Tatarstan.
Tatarstan has an overall area of 67, 8 sq.km; the total population of the Republic is more than 3.5 million. It is situated in the Middle Volga region between Central Russia and the Urals. Its size is about equal to Switzerland and Belgium combined. There are 19 cities and towns and more than 3000 settlements in the Republic. Its territory is divided into several economic regions.
Old industrial Northwest region with the Kazan - Zelenodolsk agglomeration as its centre. Major industries of the region are machine-building, instrument-making, chemical and light industries.
New industrial Northeast region with the Naberezhniye Chelny - Nizhnekamsk agglomeration as its centre. Major industries of the region are automobile and chemical industries and power engineering. Famous heavy-duty trucks (large capacity lorries) are manufactured here.
The construction of Kama Automobile Works that started in 1971 gave birth to motor car construction as one of the main industries in Tatarstan. The city of Naberezniye Chelny where KamAZ is located is the Republic's second biggest city with population of over 500.000 people.
Nizhnekamsk is the main chemical centre of Tatarstan. Situated on the Kama, this city did not exist at all some 50 years ago. The local petrochemical plant, which developed into a production association, is among the largest of such enterprises both in our Republic and abroad.
The Southeast oil-extracting region. Our Republic is very rich in oil, which made it well-known in the world as a major oil-producing republic. It is oil that made Tatarstan an important centre of chemical and petrochemical industries. The main oil-producing towns are Leninogorsk, Almetyevsk and Bugulma.
The North, Central, South and Southwest parts of the Republic are rural agricultural regions. More than 15% of economically active population are engaged in the agricultural sector. Main grain crops are wheat, rye, barley, and oat. The Republic is also well-known for its cattle-breeding.
The main part of the foreign trade turnover of Tatarstan belongs to European and Asian countries Tatarstan exports oil and some 30 types of petrochemical products, compressors, optical devices, KamAZ trucks.