The Volga Federal District, lying predominantly in the center of the eastern extreme of European Russia(1), comprises over one million square kilometers.The northern part of tis eastern boundary more or less follows the crests of the Ural Mountains(2). The northern section of these extends beyond the federal district. The highest heights in the district, over 1,500 meters, are in the southern section. The southeast corner extends beyond the Urals into the western part of the Turgay Plateau, part of the Turanian Lowlands(3).
West of this is the East European Platform(4), a mix of monotonous plains--for example in part of the southwest--and low plateaus and ridges. The land rises enough in the north to delimit the Arctic's drainage from that of the Caspian Sea. The most important features are the Ufa Plateau, which projects westward from the central section of the Urals, and the Pre-Volga Heights(5), which rise just west of the Volga River's course south of its confluence with the Kama.
Besides the Volga, the other Caspian-bound river partly in the area is the Ural(6). Its very source is within this area, in the Urals, but then it flows just outside the area, heading south until it re-enters the area, turns west and then departs into Kazakhstan.
The Volga(7) enters from the west and continues east until near its confluence with the Kama, when it turns south. Its width is lake-sized for much of its south-southwest heading course, maximally in Kujbysevskoje (or Kuybyshevskoye) Reservoir(8), one of Europe's ten largest lakes. This part of its course includes a great horseshoe bend before it departs southward.
This river's great tributary, the Kama(9), is entirely in the federal district. Arising in the Ufa Plateau and heading north, it makes a 'C' shape as it goes south. Later it heads west-southwest to join the Volga. Its most important tributary is the Belaja (or Belaya), which starts in in the Southern(10) Urals and twists around before heading northwest to the Kama.
The area's southwest, beyond the Pre-Volga Heights is part of the Don system, although the river itself is not within the federal district.
The Volga Federal District has 33 million residents in 1998. The northern part is mostly Russian speaking, with a Chuvash minority; almost everyone is a Russian Orthodox Christian, at least in background.
Bashkortostan, in contrast, has no majority. Russian speakers lead, followed by Tatars and Bashkirs. The majority are Moslems; the Russian-speakers are Russian Orthodox Christian, to the extent of observance.
The southern Volga Federal District, has a Russian-speaking majority and a substantial Tatar minority. The religious majority is Russian Orthodox Christian (including non-observers); Sunni Moslems are the minority.
There are five cities with a million or more residents: the district's capital, Nizhniy-Novgorod; Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan; Samara, the capital of its own oblast; Kazan', the capital of Tatarstan; and Saratov, the capital of its oblast.
Perm, Kirov and Nizhniy Novgorod oblasts; Udmurtia; the Mariy El Republic; Chuvashia and Mordovia
Bashkortostan
Orenburg, Penza, Samara and Ulyanovsk oblasts; and Tatarstan
Saratov Oblast
(1) Rossiya or Rossija in strictly transliterated Russian.
(2) Ural'skiy or Uralskij Khrebet in transliterated Russian.
(3) Turanskaya Nizmennost' in one version of Russian transliteration.
(4) Vostochno-Evropeyskaya Platforma in transliterated Russian.
(5) Privolzhskaya Vozhvyshennost' or, with two diacriticals, Privolzskaja Vozvysennost' in transliterated Russian.
(6) Europe's third longest river.
(7) Europe's longest river.
(8) Reservoir is vodokranilshche or, with two diacriticals, vodochranilsce in transliterated Russian.
(9) Europe's fifth longest river.
(10) Southern is Yuzhnyy or Juznyj in transliterated Russian.