Volga Upland
Encyclopedia
The Volga Upland, also known as the Volga Uplands, Volga Plateau, Volga Hills, or Volga Plateau, (Russian: Приволжская возвышенность - Privolzhskaya vozvyshennost) is a vast region of East European Plain
in western Russia
that lies west of the Volga River
and east of the Central Russian Upland. The uplands run for approximately 500 miles (804 km) in a southwest-northeasterly direction from Volgograd
to Kazan
. The Tsimlyansk Reservoir
lies at the southwestern end of the Volga Upland, with the Kuybyshev Reservoir at the northeastern end.
The landscape on the Volga Uplands is hilly, and several rivers has cut into it, such as the Khopyor
, Medveditsa
and the Sura
. The Volga-Don Canal
cuts through the lowlands between the Volga Uplands to the north and the adjacent Yergeni Hills to the south.
The uplands lie in the cool continental climate zone, characterised by large fluctuations in seasonal temperatures and generally little rainfall. Outside of the cities in the region, population density is generally between 28 to 129 inhabitants per square mile.
The Volga Uplands themselves is rather sparsely populated, but along its edges and in particular along the banks of the Volga there are several large cities, such as (from north to south) Kazan
, Ulyanovsk
, Saransk
, Penza
, Syzran
, Saratov
and Volgograd
.
...
East European Plain
The East European Plain is a plain comprising a series of river basins in Eastern Europe. Together with the Northern European Plain it constitutes the European Plain. It is the largest mountain-free part of the European landscape.The plain spans approximately and averages about in elevation...
in western Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
that lies west of the Volga River
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
and east of the Central Russian Upland. The uplands run for approximately 500 miles (804 km) in a southwest-northeasterly direction from Volgograd
Volgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
to Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
. The Tsimlyansk Reservoir
Tsimlyansk Reservoir
Tsimlyansk Reservoir or Tsimlyanskoye Reservoir is an artificial lake on the Don River in the territories of Rostov and Volgograd Oblasts at . Completed in 1952, the reservoir is one of the largest in Russia, providing power and irrigation to the Rostov and Volgograd regions...
lies at the southwestern end of the Volga Upland, with the Kuybyshev Reservoir at the northeastern end.
The landscape on the Volga Uplands is hilly, and several rivers has cut into it, such as the Khopyor
Khopyor River
Khopyor is a river in European Russia, the biggest left tributary of the Don River. Length 979 km, watershed: 61,100 km², mouth width: 300m.Navigable up to 323 km...
, Medveditsa
Medveditsa River (Don basin)
Medveditsa is a river in Volgograd and Saratov Oblasts in Russia, a left tributary of the Don River. The name means she-bear, and according to legend alludes to the large population of bears in the area in earlier times...
and the Sura
Sura River
Sura is a river in Russia, a right tributary of the Volga River. It flows through Penza Oblast, Mordovia, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Chuvashia and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Its length is 841 km, it is navigable for 394 km from the mouth....
. The Volga-Don Canal
Volga-Don Canal
Lenin Volga–Don Shipping Canal is a canal which connects the Volga River and the Don River at their closest points. The length of the waterway is 101 km ....
cuts through the lowlands between the Volga Uplands to the north and the adjacent Yergeni Hills to the south.
The uplands lie in the cool continental climate zone, characterised by large fluctuations in seasonal temperatures and generally little rainfall. Outside of the cities in the region, population density is generally between 28 to 129 inhabitants per square mile.
The Volga Uplands themselves is rather sparsely populated, but along its edges and in particular along the banks of the Volga there are several large cities, such as (from north to south) Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk The city is the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin , for whom it is named.-History:Simbirsk was founded in 1648 by the boyar Bogdan Khitrovo. The fort of "Simbirsk" was strategically placed on a hill on the Western bank of the Volga River...
, Saransk
Saransk
Saransk is a city in central European Russia and the capital of the Republic of Mordovia, as well as its financial and economic center. It is located in the Volga basin at the confluence of the Saranka and Insar Rivers, about east of Moscow...
, Penza
Penza
-Honors:A minor planet, 3189 Penza, discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1978, is named after the city.-Notable residents:...
, Syzran
Syzran
Syzran is the third largest city in Samara Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of Saratov Reservoir of the Volga River. Population: It was founded in 1683 as a fortress, and was granted town status in 1796. One tower from the 17th-century fortress still stands...
, Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
and Volgograd
Volgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
.
"Mountains"
The rocky hills along the Volga banks are traditionally called mountains , despite of low height. From- Uslon Mountains
- Yuryevy Mountains
- Bogorodskye Mountains
- Syukeyevo Mountains
- Tetyushi Mountains
- Undory Mountains
...
- ZhiguliZhiguliZhiguli may refer to:*Zhiguli Mountains, a forested mountain range by river Volga in the Samara oblast.*Zhiguli , the name given to Lada cars, built by AvtoVAZ, in the domestic market....
- Khvalynsk Mountains
See also
- Taw yağıTaw yagiThe Taw yağı or Viryal was a historical region of Tatarstan, Khanate of Kazan, Volga Bulgaria, the name is known since 1550s. This land was situated at the Hill, i.e. right bank of the Volga. Since 1547 this region was disintegrated from the khanate. The Feudal lords of the Hill Bank Land were...