Russia

Kaliningrad Oblast

Russia

Kaliningrad

The County
Economy
Population and History
Environment

Basic facts
Map

Karelia
Northwestern Russia

The Largest Cities

The County

The Kaliningrad Oblast (district)  is a Russian enclave by the Baltic Sea limited by borders to Lithuania and Poland. It is a flat area covered by arable fields (about 40%) and to approximately 50% by forest.

The Baltic Sea coast is characterized by two oblong narrow spits made up by sand dunes partly covered by forests. The northern spit continues into Lithuania and the southern into Poland. Large lagoons are formed between the spits and the land. Kurshky Gulf is receiving its water from the river Pregolja.

Economy

The Kaliningrad district harbors several major military bases, and the Russian army, navy and air force are major employers. Major industrial activities are construction and machine building. Agriculture consists both of diary farms and crop cultivation.

In the area is found oil, brown coal and peat. The largest amber mine in the world is also found here.

Population and History

The Kaliningrad district was the German enclave East Preussia up to 1945 when it was incorporated into Soviet Union as a result of the WWII. The city of Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1948. The German speaking population was virtually extinct, as refugees or by deportation. Nowadays immigrated Russians, Belorusians and Ukraines make up 94% of the population. 

The district was, due to its concentrations of military bases, closed up to 1992.

Environment

Several industries discharges waste water into the river Pregolja, making this and the Kurshky Gulf rather polluted. Army bases are also a source of serious pollution, in particular due to oil spill.

On the spit areas on the Baltic Sea coast are some important bird sanctuaries situated. The spit area is also the site for the first wind turbine in Russia.

Read more:
Wikipedia: Kaliningrad