Mordovia

Mordovia is a republic in the European part of Russia between the Volga upland in the east and the Oka-Don lowland in the west, crossed by rivers and lakes. The capital Saransk sits in the center of the territory, while forests and farmland spread over gentle hills and flat plains.

The territory fell under Russian rule in 1552 after the fall of the Kazan Khanate. During the Soviet era this area became an autonomous republic in 1934.

Traditional folk art appears in textiles with geometric patterns still woven by women in rural villages. In Saransk and smaller towns you hear multiple languages side by side, while Orthodox festivals shape community life and local markets offer regional products.

Saransk offers lodging, restaurants and local transport connections, while rural areas are reachable by intercity buses and roads. The continental climate requires warm clothing in winter and light gear in summer, with spring and autumn bringing changeable weather.

Over five hundred lakes lie within the borders of this region, many of them in remote forest areas. The temperature swings widely between cold winters around minus 11 degrees Celsius (12 degrees Fahrenheit) and mild summers near 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit).

Location: Russia

Inception: December 25, 1993

Capital city: Saransk

Part of: European Russia, Volga Federal District

Shares border with: Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Chuvashia, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Penza Oblast, Ryazan Oblast

Website: https://e-mordovia.ru

GPS coordinates: 54.43333,44.45000

Latest update: December 3, 2025 08:31