Yekaterinburg(1), the capital of Sverdlovsk Oblast and of the Ural Federal District of Russia(2), has about 1.3 million metropolitan residents (2006). It is on the Iset River. Founded as a 18th century fortress, it is the administrative and economic center of Sverdlovsk. The extractive industry of the central Urals is celebrated in its Museum of Minerology.
(1) Jekaterinburg or Ekaterinburg in alternate tansliterations from Russian. Formerly Sverdlovsk.
(2) Rossiya or Rossija in strictly transliterated Russian.