Pskov area

Geographical location
Contemporary Pskov  region is situated in the north-west of the Russian Federation. Its area is 55.3 thousand sq. km. Length of the region from north to south is 380 km, from west to east - 260 km. Main peculiarity of the regional location - boundaries with Estonia, Latvia and Belarus. Pskov region borders on Leningrad, Novgorod, Tver, Smolens regions. Distance from Pskov to Moscow is 689 km, to St. Petersburg - 280 km.

Natural resources
Square of the regional forests covers 2,450 thousand hectares or approximately 40% of the territory. Overall reserves of forests are 250 million square metres.
In the region there are 21 kinds of wild animals: beaver, marten, otter, mink.
Pskov  region possesses essential supplies of diverse minerals. Reserves of peat make up 300 million tons. There are also supplies of sand, clay, materials for production of mineral dyes.
There are found 8 fields of mineral waters.

Administrative division
The region is divided into 24 districts. There are 14 towns, among which Pskov (206 thousand people) and Velikye Luki (117.2 thousand) are big economic centres. Population of the region is 827.1 thousand people (0.5% of population of Russia). Density of population is 14.8% persons per sq. km. 55.1% of people are capable of working.
The centre of the region is the town of Pskov, situated near Estonia. It was founded in 903.

Culture
Since ancient times Pskov is famous for its beauty. More than 300 monuments of architecture of the 12-20th centuries remain in the region. There are 30 churches, built in the 16-17th centuries. Spaso-Preobrazhensk cathedral of Mirozhsky monastery was built in the 12th century. In 50 km from Pskov there is Pskovo-Pechersky monastery, founded in 1473. Every year 11 thousand foreigners visit the region. Pskov region has a big potential for development of international tourism.