Kaliningrad Region

Geographical location. Kaliningrad Region is the westernmost region of Russia, lying in Central Europe. The region is a semi-exclave with no common land frontiers with Russia. Area: 15,100 sq km.

Federal district: Northwestern

Administrative center: Kaliningrad, distance to Moscow – 1,289 km

Major cities: Sovetsk, Chernyakhovsk, Baltijsk, Gusev

Population: 937,906 people

Density of population: 62.1 people per sq km

Gross regional product (2008 estimate): EUR 5.1 bln

Per capita gross regional product: EUR 5,438

Primary economic activities: Almost 80% of commodities produced by Kaliningrad businessmen are exported to Russia.

The following industrial sectors are highly developed:

• Transport machine-building
• Hoisting machine building
• Ship building and ship repairing
• Motor vehicles assembly production
• Manufacture and assembly of equipment
• Construction materials industry
• Food industry
• Woodworking and furniture manufacturing

Mining operations include development of amber and petroleum fields. Several hundred tons of amber are mined every year and exported abroad. Petroleum extraction is performed at the sea ice-proof stationary platform at Kravtsovsky field.

Fisheries sector of the region provides 10-11% of all fish caught in Russia. Fish enterprises produce over 340,000 tons of fish food products every year, 90% of them go to domestic market.

Natural resources. The mineral raw materials base of Kaliningrad Region includes fields of petroleum, amber, peat, sand-and-gravel material, sand, clay, fresh and mineral water, therapeutic muds, potassium salt (16 bln tons), brown coal. 18% of the territory is occupied with forests. There are over 150 lakes and 148 rivers flowing across the region. The largest rivers are Neman and Pregolya with their tributaries.

Fuel and energy complex. Kaliningrad Region is energy-dependent from Baltic countries and Belorussia, which are involved in transit of up to 30% electric energy, 100 % natural gas, oil products and coal supplied from the main territory of Russian Federation. Five Heat-and-Power stations provide primary power. Construction of Kaliningrad Atomic Power Station has been planned. The largest Russian Kulikovskaya wind-power station has been functioning in the region since 2002.

Foreign trade turnover made USD 8.6 bln in 2010, including export - USD 0.63 mln, import – USD 7.97 mln. In 2010, the region entered into trade relations with 145 countries. In 2010, Germany, Slovakia and China retained the leading positions, their total share reached 38% of foreign trade turnover of the Kaliningrad Region. The main positions in commodity turnover are taken by articles of machine building, food stuff, timber, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, petrochemistry.

Transport system of Kaliningrad Region includes motor transport, railroads, sea and river transport, air transport. The only Russian ice-free port complex lying on the Baltic Sea is located here. The international airport lies 24 km away from Kaliningrad. Transport communications stretching across the region constitutes the shortest route from Russia to the countries of Western Europe.

Tourism. The region provides excellent opportunities for cultural, ecological and health-improving tourism. The main resorts of the region – Svetlogorsk and Zelenogradsk – enjoy wide popularity among Russian and European tourists for more than 200 years. Mild climate, seacoast with large sandy beaches and unique natural parks, like Kurshskaya and Vislinskaya bay-bars, make Kaliningrad Region one of the most attractive destinations. The special appeal of Kaliningrad resorts is medicinal spas and amber therapy.