Amur Oblast

   An administrative region of the Russian Federation. Part of the Far Eastern Federal District and Economic Region, Amur borders Zabaykalsky, Sakha, Khabarovsk, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, and China. It has a population of 887,600 and covers 363,700 square kilometers. The region is heavily forested and is dominated by the Amur and Zeya rivers and the Stanovoy Range. Blagoveshchensk (pop. 219,000) is the regional capital, making the region one of the few oblasts that does not share its name with the administrative center.

   Amur’s historic association with the Qing Empire until the mid19th century and recent increases in illegal Chinese migration have made the region a sensitive issue in Sino-Russian relations; the prosperous Chinese city of Heihe lies just across the border. The region maintains strong trade and transportation links with China; however, cross-border trade has contributed to an increase in the sale and use of psychotropic drugs in the region. Ethnic Russians are the largest ethnic group (92 percent); Ukrainians, Tatars, and other ethnicities are also represented.

   The region depends on agriculture, timber, and mineral extraction. Amur houses a heavy-bomber air force base and a stockpile of nuclear weapons. It is also the site of the Svobodny Cosmodrome. In July 1993, the region declared itself a republic, a move not recognized by Moscow and which resulted in the dismissal of the regional executive. The current governor is Nikolay Kolesov, who was nominated after Vladimir Putin dismissed his predecessor, the Communist-leaning Leonid Korotkov, both for exceeding his powers and for embezzlement related to the regional football club (Aleksandr Nesterenko served as interim governor until Kolesov took office). Kolesov, a native of Kazan, has announced plans to build a new civilian spaceport in the region.