Orenburg Oblast, Federal administrative division in Volga District, Russia
Orenburg Oblast is a federal administrative unit in the Volga District of Russia that stretches across wide areas between Europe and Asia. The Ural River flows through the territory and forms the symbolic border between the two continents.
The oblast was created in the 20th century as part of the Soviet administrative reforms and was named after pilot Valeri Chkalov between 1938 and 1957. After this period it returned to its old name, which recalls the founding of the fortress of Orenburg.
The oblast takes its name from the fortress town of Orenburg, which was founded in the 18th century and is now home to Russian, Tatar and Kazakh communities. This linguistic and cultural mix is visible in villages along the border between Europe and Asia.
The region lies in the transition zone between the Volga area and the Urals and has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Travelers should note that distances are large and most settlements are connected by rural roads.
In April 1967 the flight of Soyuz 1 ended here when cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov lost his life during re-entry into the atmosphere. This event marked a tragic turn in Soviet space history and led to fundamental safety improvements in later missions.
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