General Information

The Krasnodar Krai is one of the regions of Russia. With the territory of 76,000 km² (Russia’s only 45th largest regions), it is the third most populous area. About the size of Ireland, the region is home to some 5 million people, seven times Russia’s average density at 67 people per square km, half urban and half rural. Krasnodar Krai borders Ukraine - from which it is separated by the Strait of Kerch and the Sea of Azov, Russia’s Rostov Oblast, Stavropol Krai, Karachayevo-Cherkessia, and Republic of Abkhazia. The Krai territory includes the republic of Adygeya. Its administrative center is the city of Krasnodar and other major cities include Sochi (pop. 328,800), Novorossiysk (pop. 231,900) and Armavir (pop. 193,900).

Krasnodar has a population of about 638,000 people and stands on the Kuban River. A river port and railroad junction, it has petroleum refineries and machinery, metalworking, textile, chemical, and food-processing plants.

Distance from Moscow: 1,500 kilometers.

City telephone code: +7 8612

Climate

Geographically, the area of Krasnodar region consists of two parts. The southern third lying within the European-Mediterranean is the mixed forests area with Mediterranean or, in the south-east, subtropical climate. The northern two-thirds are a steppe and fertile Black Earth zone with the continental climate. As the region enjoys a near-Mediterranean climate, it has long summers and short winters. The average temperature in July is +29C. The average temperature in January is -4C. Krasnodar also has several natural mineral springs.

History

Krasnodar was founded in 1794 by Zaporozhye (Black Sea) Cossacks following the order of Catherine II. The settlement was organized as their administrative center and called Yekaterinodar (Catherine’s gift). It served as a military center protecting Russia’s Caucasian frontier. In 1918 it became the capital of the Kuban-Black Sea Soviet Republic and was renamed Krasnodar (Reds’ gift) in 1920.

Now most of the population is concentrated in the Kuban River drainage basin which used to be traditional Cossack land. Kuban Cossacks are generally considered to be ethnic Russians now; notable ethnic groups in the area include Armenians who have been settling here since at least the XVIII century.

Economy

Krasnodar Region holds tenth place in Russia in terms of gross regional product among the 89 regions. More than 93,000 enterprises operate in the Krasnodar Krai, 539 of them employ more than 100 workers. More than 43 percent of the Russian food-processing industry is located in Krasnodar. Oil, gas, manganese ores, zeolite, phosphorus-containing raw materials, rock salt, mercury, underground drinking water, thermal and mineral waters, raw resources for construction materials production are found in the region. Oil extraction/transport, petrochemicals, tourism, woodworking/furniture, construction, and light manufacturing also contribute to regional output.

Tourism makes a major contribution to the local economy. The Krai’s Black Sea coast has often been referred to as the "Russian Riviera." Visitors, including 200,000 foreigners a year, come to Sochi for recreation as well as for medical treatment. The proximity to the Caucasus Mountains provides the opportunity to experience the seashore and downhill skiing within a short distance of each other.

Krasnodar is the centre of a highly fertile agricultural region. Agriculture is the most important sector of the city’seconomy. Krasnodar bestrides Russia’s “Black Earth” soil belt, boasting a favourable climate and over 100 different crops, as well as orchards, vineyards, tea plantations, citrus trees, rice, sunflowers, and a developed network of processing, storage, and trade facilities. It remains part of the “breadbasket” of the nation. The region produces 10 percent of grain, 30 percent of fruit, 60 percent of oilseed, and 90 percent of rice grown in Russia.

Multinational companies in the region include Cargill, Nestle, Chevron, Petrak, ConAgra, Monsanto, Tetra-Pak, Danone, Pepsi-Cola, Philip Morris, Troy, Bouyges, Radisson, and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.

Transportation

Transportation routes crossing the area connect Russia and Central Asia to the Mediterranean Sea, Central and Western Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Approximately 40 percent of all Russian maritime trade passes through Krasnodar ports.

Three international airports are located in the region, at Krasnodar, Sochi, and Anapa, and service more than 600,000 passengers and 3,000 tons of cargo annually. Eleven airlines offer flights to the Krasnodar Krai. Regular flights are available to Italy, Germany, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus etc.

A 10,000-kilometer road network connects Krasnodar to the rest of Russia, as well as to Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

Additionally, the Krasnodar Krai is an important railway junction. Railroads connect the cities of the Krai to all major cities in Russia. International connections to Northern and Western Europe are available via Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Brest in Belorussia. This region has 2,500 kilometers of railways.

Regular ferry service connects the Krasnodar Krai with Istanbul.

Places To See

The collection of churches, classic buildings and monuments is the main attraction of Krasnodar. There are three beautiful main churches in the center of the city. Monuments can be found in every district. For example, there is the Great Patriotic War (WWII) Monument in a park along Krasnaja str. Furthermore this street offers a nice variety in architecture.

Krasnodar has the historical museum that offers interesting collections of art and local history artifacts. The Krasnodar Regional Art Museum houses the paintings of Malevich, Kandinsky, Exter, Popova and others Russian avant-garde painters. This collection is dated 1920th. Krasnodar has one of the largest art collections in Russia.

There are five large libraries in the city. Just one of them, the Krasnodar Regional Library named in honor of A.S.Pushkin has about 1.5 million books in stock.

Three theatres, including Drama, Musical and Puppet theatres, are at the disposal of dwellers and guests of the city as well as the Philharmonic Theatre, Organ Hall and the Circus.

Hotels

Eleven hotels of the city render services to 700.000 guests. About 240 thousand of foreigners visit the city every year. Krasnodar is a sister-city of Italian city Ferrara.

There are 5 four-star and 5 three-star hotels in Krasnodar.

Dinamo Hotel. Address: Krasnaya Str., 190. Phone: +7 8612 559573.
Intourist-Krasnodar Hotel. Address: Russia, Krasnodar, Krasnaya Str., 109. Phone: +7 8612 559040. Fax: +7 8612 558747.
Kavkaz Hotel. Address: Krasnaya Str., 174. Phone/fax: +7 8612 731450, +7 8612 731458, +7 8612 731459. E-mail: kavkaz@kit-com.ru
Krasnodar Hotel. Address: Gogol Str., 66. Phone: +7 8612 592798.
Moskva Hotel. Address: Krasnaya Str., 60. Phone: +7 8612 739301, +7 8612 739304, +7 8612 739305. E-mail: moscow@kit-com.ru
Pilot Hotel. Address: Promyshlennaya Str., 25
Platan Hotel. Address: Postovaya Str., 41. Phone: +7 8612 683007.
Prestizh Hotel. Address: Mira Str., 60. +7 8612 731410.
Tourist Hotel. Address: Kubano-Naberezhnaya Str., 5. Phone: +7 8612 577594.
Troud Hotel. Address: Beregovaya Str., 9. Phone: +7 8612 680113.
Tsentralnaya Hotel. Address: , Krasnaya Str., 25.
Yuzhny Hotel. Address: Moskovskaya Str., 40

Evgeniya Stroganova