The Republic of Mordovia

Geographical location
The Republic of Mordovia is situated in the centre of the European part of Russia, in the basin of the Volga, in the junction of the most important roads from Centre to Ural, Siberia, Kazakhstan and Middle Asia. It borders on Nizhegorodsk region in the north, on Ulyanovsk in the east, on Penza in the south, Ryazan in the west and Chuvashiya in the north-east.
Area of the Republic - 26.2 thousand sq. km. Length from west to east is 280 km, from north to south is 55 - 140 km.
In the Republic there are 114 big and small rivers, about 500 lakes.

Natural resources
There are not big supplies of minerals, except for building materials. There were found more than 10 types of minerals: phosphorus, mineral dyes and others. Reserves of building materials are of great importance. Choice of clay is very diverse. Supplies of peat have economic meaning. Reserves of mineral water have been opened.

Administrative division
Mordovia is divided into 22 administrative districts. There are 7 towns on its territory. The capital of the republic is Saransk (317 thousand people), located in 600 km from Moscow.
Population of the Republic is 937.1 thousand people: in towns - 555.3 thousand, in villages - 381.3 thousand.
State languages - Mordovinian and Russian.