 Ryazanskaya oblast is situated in central part of East-European plain. It borders upon Tambovskaya, Lipizskaya oblasts in the south, upon Tulskaya oblast in the west, upon Moscowskaya oblast in the north-west, upon Vladimirskaya oblast in the north, upon Nizhegorodskaya oblast in the north-east, upon Mordovia republic in the east and Penzenskaya oblast in the south-west. There are Mecherskaya lowland in the north of region and Srednerussky Hills in the west (with height being more than 219 meters).
The main rivers are: Oka with confluents. Climate is moderate continental; average temperature in January is -11C, average temperature in July - +19C; amount of precipitations - about 550 mm per year. On territory of region podzol, gray forest and degraded chernozems spread. Vegetation is coniferous (in north) and deciduous (in south) forests.
Date of region formation is 26.09.1937. Area is 39.6 thousands of sq. km (0.23% of Russian Federation). Number of administrative-territorial units: 25 regions, 4 towns of oblast subordination, 8 towns of district subordination, 4 ok rugs in town, 28 villages of town type, 505 agricultural complexes. Center is Ryazan town, grounded in 1095. The distance between Moscow and Ryazan is 196 km.
Population of oblast (in 1998) is 1308.4 thousands of people. Density of population ? 33 persons per 1 sq. km. The largest towns (in thousands) are: Ryazan (530.6), Kasimov (38.1), Sasovo (33.1), Skopin (28.0), Ryazhsk (25.4).
There are 6 civic and 4 military highest educational institutions, 31 specialized education institutions.
Oblast is rich in non-metallic mineral resources ? clays, sands, limestones, and malms. The main natural wealth of oblast is high-quality peat, used as fuel and valuable fertilizer.
There are many theatres in Ryazanskaya oblast. Ryazanski oblast dramatic theatre is one of the oldest theatres in Russia and was founded in 1787. Youth of such greatest Russian actors as Prov Sadovsky, Mikhail Tarkhanov, one of leading state producer Anatoly Efos, composer Anatoly Novikov is connected with this theatre.
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