OMSK OBLAST

An administrative region of the Russian Federation. Bisected by theArctic-bound Irtysh River, thisSiberian oblastis situated at the frontier withKazakhstanand bordersTyumen,Tomsk, andNovosibirskoblasts. The oblast is part of the West SiberianEconomic Regionand the SiberianFederal Districtand covers an area of 139,700 square kilometers. The region has a population of 2 million, more than half of whom live in the administrative capital Omsk (pop. 1.1 million).

As a site for relocation of the defense industry during World War II, much of the region was closed to foreigners; the recent decrease in defense production has negatively impacted the regionaleconomy, though Omsk remains a leading city in terms ofindustrialproduction.Major regional industries include electricity generation, mechanical engineering, glass, and petrochemicals.Oilrefineries built during the 1950s and now owned by Gazprom Neft, the oil arm ofGazpromformerly known as Sibneft, are an important source of employment for the region; a large number of pipelines carry petroleum across the region.

In 2008, Gazprom Neft announced support for a number of social projects including aid to orphanages and local schools. Nearly 20 percent of the population is engaged inagriculture, owing to the richchernozemfound in the region. The region was a dependable supporter of theCommunist Party of the Russian Federation(KPRF) during the 1990s; however, Leonid Polezhayev, aYeltsinappointee, was able to maintain the post of governor despite challenges from the KPRF. Polezhayev won reelection in 1995, 1999, and 2003 before being reappointed byVladimir Putinin 2007. During his tenure, he has developed a robust level offoreign tradewith Slovakia amounting to nearly $100 million per year by 2005. The region’s relationship with Kazakhstan has also greatly expanded through the development of more than 30 new joint enterprises.

See alsoAbramovich, Roman.