Date of formation	October 20, 1932.
Capital	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (founded in 1740, distance from Moscow - 11876 km)
Area	170,800 km2

1. Population
2. Geography and ecosystem
3. Climate
   
4. Natural resources
5. Economy and industries
6. Main companies
7. Infrastructure
8. Short history
9. Flight schedules
10. Symbolic
    
11. Photos
    
12. Sources

on 01.01.1999	447 800 residents
on 01.01.2000	358 300 residents
on 01.01.2001	353 300 residents
on 01.01.2002	355 200 residents
on 01.01.2003	358 800 residents

Kamchatskaya oblast is located on the Kamchatka peninsula and washed by the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It includes the Kamchatka peninsula, a part of adjoining continent, the Komandorsky islands and Karaginsky island. The territory of Kamchatka includes Koryaksky Autonomous okrug. The landscape is mostly mountainous. The Koryakskoye Plateau is situated in the north, almost parallel to two mountain ranges (The Middle and Eastern) which extend along the entire peninsula. Twenty eight out of the twenty nine active volcanoes are located in the eastern part of the peninsula. The Western coast has a straight sea boarder line, flat landscape, the eastern of which is cut with peninsulas and bays, among which is one of the most beautiful inlets- The Avachinskaya Inlet.

Amidst this pristine nature, natural wonders abound. Kamchatka has earned the title "The Land of Fire and Ice" due to its gaseous geysers, volcanic calderas, crater lakes, stone sculpture "parks" (the natural by-product of ancient eruptions), geothermal hot springs, and mountain glaciers.

The Kamchatka climate is as diverse as its wildlife. You will find a moderate maritime zone on either coast, a continental zone in the central valley with four distinct seasons, and an arctic zone in the northern reaches of the peninsula. Depending on when and where you choose to travel on the peninsula, you will find a tremendous variance in temperature.

In Kamchatka there are 2 national parks, 17 state animal preserves, and 169 unique natural features, including nature sanctuaries and 5 natural parks. Twenty seven percent of the territory of Kamchatskaya oblastare registered as protected areas. Five natural areas on the Kamchatka are included by UNESCO in the List of the World cultural and natural heritage sites, incorporated under the general name "Volcanoes of Kamchatka ".

The fauna of the peninsula is relatively low in diversity, the Kamchatka Peninsula exhibiting some of the biogeographic qualities of an island. Exceptionally pure rivers and beautiful birch and Siberian pine forests are perfect for fishing, hiking and white-water rafting tours. Enormous reserves of fresh water, including numerous rivers and lakes provide perfect spawning grounds for 5 species of Pacific salmon, several species of trout, as well as East Siberian char, grayling and others. Waterfowl flourish in the wetlands.

Brown bear, fox, lynx, sable, and moose inhabit the forests, and reindeer roam the tundra. Due to its geographic isolation, Kamchatka is home to species of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Therefore, the peninsula will be of particular interest for anyone who follows botany, ornithology, or biology.

The territory of the Kamchatskaya oblast and indeed, the entire Kamchatka comprises one of the richest regions in the world as to natural and recreational resources. Forest lands occupy about one third of the area of the Peninsula.

These are mainly birch trees of the Erman's birch species. The smallest species of tree in the world, a tertiary flora, ( fir-tree the gracious) is protected here. In the valley there is a famous "Coniferous Island" - supplier of high quality timber.

There are reserves of mineral coal, peat, natural gas, gold, platinum, silver, copper, and nickel ores with cobalt, mercury, tin, sulfur, intaglio, and semi-precious stones, and various construction materials.

The analysis and estimation of the inner reserves indicate that Kamchatskaya oblast should be regarded as a top nickel-bearing province, occupying the third or fourth place in the world in the sulfide deposits of this type.

The reserves contain 1, 295 thousand million tons of nickel, 31.6 thousand million tons of cobalt, 3 053 thousand million tons of copper, 20 million tons of platinum. Key minerals are gold and silver.

The territory is unique in the volume and quality of deposits of volcanic slag and pumicite, which should allow production start-up with an annual output of up to five million m³ in minimal time. Slag and pumicite as natural fillers can be competitive with expanded clay. They can be exported at a profit to both the Russian Far East regions and to the Asia Pacific countries.

Kamchatskaya oblast is a large fishing region in Russia. The basic food fishes are: salmon, herring, flounder, crash, sea perch, halibut, pollack. On the western coast is crab breeding. There are wood and woodworking industries (saw-timbers, furniture etc.), ship-building and ship-repair, light industries (sewing, shoe manufacture, manufacture of fishing networks) , manufacture of building materials and coal mining. There is also the Paugetsky geothermal power station.

The main industries of the Kamchatka economy are fishery and fish-processing industry, power-production industry, ship repairing, wood-processing industry, producing of building materials, agriculture, food-processing industry, sea and airline transportation.

The most important component of Kamchatskaya oblast economy is the fishing industry, which forms up to 60 percent of industrial production. The export of sea - food products makes about 80 percent of total volume of export of Kamchatskaya oblast.

The second important industry of Kamchatka economy is the development of the electric-power complex of the peninsula. Mineral deposits and natural power resources allow the conversion of power and heating plants to non-conventional renewable energy resources of local origin to be developed.

Practical implementation of the project has already been started. Small hydroelectric power stations, geothermal power stations and thermal power stations are under construction now. The conversion of power plants to natural gas is underway. The first wind power stations have already been built and they are working now. Usage of local resources makes the foundation for the further development of the regional economy.

The wood-processing industry is one of the significant industries of the Kamchatka economy.

Nowadays there are some projects of great importance for the regional economy:
- The construction of a main gas pipe-line from gas-condensed fields on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk to Petropavlovsk - Kamchatsky,
- The construction of Mutnovskaya geothermal power plant and a number of small hydro power plants on the Tolmachova River are now underway.
From 1992 to 2000 the trade turnover more than doubled, from 93.3 million USD to 441.3 million USD. In total, over 98% of exports and imports result from trade with the Asia Pacific countries, Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Siangan (Hong Kong)and the USA. The volume of exports of goods and services for 2000 reached 317 million USD and that of imports reached 124 million USD.

On volume of investments in fixed capital, the Kamchatka region has made 105.3 million US dollars (3.0% from Far East federal district) for the period January - September 2002. The level of foreign investments for 2002 has made 42 657 thousand US dollars.

Kamchatka is located at the crossroads of the tradeways. Thus it needs expansion of transport services. The main type of passenger carrier on the domestic and international routes is aviation. Marine vessels deliver all types of food, fuel, material and industrial supplies.

Communication with settlements on the seashore takes place via the two ports, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Ust-Kamchatsk. Since 1992 regular passenger services to Vladivostok as well as to the settlements of the western and eastern Kamchatka coasts have existed.

That is why aviation remains the only means of passenger transportation within the oblast and to the other regions. The international airport Elizovo, 30 km out of the oblast center, is the air traffic center.

The length of motor roads in the oblast is 2 214 km, 1 538 km of which are hard-surfaced. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is connected by asphalt road with the towns of Elizovo and Vilyuchinsk. Earth roads lead to Ust-Bolsheretsk, Milkovo and Esso.

Some anthropologists believe that people migrated from Asia to North America as long as 40 000 years ago. Others argue it was as recent as 15 000 years ago.

In any case, the consensus is that they came from Asia by way of a northern land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska.

That land bridge, now referred to as Beringia, was the first gateway to Kamchatka. But these first visitors were hardly tourists intending to explore new worlds. They were rather looking for means of subsistence in that they followed great herds of grazing mammals across the grassy tundra and gentle steppes of Beringia.

Some groups settled in the Arctic. Others traversed the mountain passes to Alaska. Still others migrated through Kamchatka, continuing on to distant lands (this is one of the versions of human migration in the Asia region).

Those who settled in Kamchatka now constitute the state's major anthropological groups: Itelmen, Koryak, Chukchi, Eveni and Aleuts.

The indigenous peoples of Kamchatka live generally in the northern part of the peninsula, which is a true "Lost world". Koryak, Itelmen, Chukchi and Evenki - still keep their culture and traditional lifestyles, which is another reason why one of the most remote regions is visited by so many people every year.

The Kamchatka Peninsula officially became part of Russia in 1699. The first full description of Kamchatka was given by the explorer S.P. Krashenninnikov in 1742. Until the beginning of the 18th century, the Itelmeni people settled in the central and southern parts of Kamchatka Peninsula; their most important occupation was fishing. The Evenki people settled the western part of Kamchatka and the Bystrinsky region. The culture of these people fascinates tourists interested in ethno-culture. A great number of people visit this region every year regardless of the fact that this is one of the most remote regions.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the main settlement on the peninsula and the capital of Kamchatskaya oblast. It was founded by the famous marine explorer Vitus Bering in 1740. He chose the Avachinskaya Bay as a base for sailing across the Pacific Ocean to the shores of Alaska. The city is located on the southeastern shore of the Kamchatka Peninsula, against a background of volcanic peaks. With a population of over 215 000 people, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is an important port as well as a center of industry, science and adventure tourism.

Symbol of Kamchatskaya oblast	Flag of Kamchatskaya oblast

Avachinskaya bay (by V. Gorobets)	Veiw to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky port (by V. Gorobets)
Quay of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (by V. Gorobets)	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (by V. Gorobets)
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (by V. Gorobets)	Viljuchinsky volcano (by V. Gorobets)
Road to geothermal springs (by V. Gorobets)	Volcano foot (by V. Gorobets)
Landscape and nature (by V. Gorobets)	Landscape and nature (by V. Gorobets)
Fish producing plant (by V. Gorobets)	Landscape and nature (by V. Gorobets)

1. http://www.kamchatkatravel.net
2. http://kamchatka.org.ru
3. http://www.intera.ru
4. http://www.putniktravel.ru
5. http://near.khb.ru
6. http://www.risk.ru
7. http://www.wildrussia.spb.ru
8. http://www.geocities.com