Tomsk Region (Passport of the region)

Tomsk Region

(Passport of the region)

Geography. Tomsk Region is located in the center of Siberia, 3.500 km from Moscow and shares the borders in the south with the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass and Novosibirsk Region, in the west with the Omsk and Tyumen Regions, in the north and west with the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area - Yugra, in the east with the Krasnoyarsk Region.

Area of Tomsk Region is 314.4 thousand sq. km (16th place in Russia). The length from the north to the south is about 600 km, from the west to the east 780 km.

The climate is moderately continental, characterized by significant daily and annual amplitudes and a longer winter period. The average temperature in July is +17°C, the average temperature in January is -20°C. The frost-free period lasts from 100 to 105 days. Mean annual precipitation in the region is 435 mm.

Population. The population of the region amounted to 1 052.1 million people at the beginning of 2023. Urban population is 750 thousand people, rural population is 302.1 thousand people. The density of population is 3.4 people. per 1 sq. km, average age is 38 years. According to the 2020 National Population Census, the ethnic composition of the Tomsk Region are: Russians - 93.4%. Tatars – 1.2%, Germans – 0.5%, Ukrainians – 0.5%, Azerbaijanis – 0.3%, Uzbeks – 0.3%, Armenians – 0.2%. The region is also home to Belarusians, Tajiks, Bashkirs, Buryats, Poles, Chukchis, Eskimos, Talyshs, and representatives of other nationalities.

Administrative and territorial division. The subject of the Federation is divided into 4 urban districts, 16 municipal districts, 3 urban and 112 village settlements, and 570 rural settlements. Tomsk Region has 6 cities which are Tomsk (administrative center, 571.9 thousand people), Seversk (111.9 thousand people), Strezhevoy (38 thousand people), Asino (24.6 thousand people), Kolpashevo (20.3 thousand people), Kedrovy (1,8 thousand people).

Heads of executive and legislative authorities, major political parties in accordance with election results. The Administration of Tomsk Region is the supreme and permanent body of executive authority headed by the Governor Vladimir Mazur (since September 22, 2022). The legislative branch is the Tomsk Region Duma, Chairman is Oksana Kozlovskaya. Five political parties are represented in the Tomsk Region Duma: United Russia (27 deputies), Communist Party of the Russian Federation (7 deputies), LDPR (3 deputies), A Just Russia For Truth (3 deputies) and “New People” (2 deputies).

Regional flags and emblems. The large coat of arms of Tomsk Region is a French shield with an aspect ratio of 9:8, with a green field, and a silver horse galloping to the right in the shield with scarlet (dark-red) eyes and tongue. Shield is surmounted with a large imperial crown and surrounded by golden oak branches intertwined with a ribbon bearing the colors of the region's flag. 

The small coat of arms of the subject of the Federation is a French shield with a green field, in the shield there is a silver horse galloping to the right with scarlet (dark-red) eyes and a tongue. The shield is topped with a large imperial crown. An image of a small coat of arms without a large imperial crown is allowed.

The flag of Tomsk Region, approved by the decision of the State Duma of the region in May 1997, is a white rectangular panel with a ratio of the flag’s width to its length of 2:3. In the center of the panel is an image of the coat of arms of Tomsk Region measuring 1/3 of its area. The reverse side of the flag mirrors its front side.

Brief historical background. Tomsk was founded as a military fortress in 1604 by decree of Boris Godunov. In 1804 on the initiative of Emperor Alexander I, it became the administrative center of the Tomsk province, which included the current territories of the Altay Territory, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, East Kasakhstan, Tomsk regions and part of the Krasnoyarsk Region. The rapid economic development of the Tomsk province began in the 19th century. The growth of gold mining, metal smelting, and fur trade concentrated large capital in Tomsk, which revived the activities of Siberian merchants. The Moscow and Irkutsk highway passed through the city.

Since the end of the 19th century, Tomsk has become the intellectual capital of Siberia. In 1888 the first university beyond the Urals was opened, in 1900 the technological institute, in 1901 the first commercial school in Siberia, in 1902 the Tomsk Teachers' Institute, in 1910 the Siberian higher courses for women. During the Great Patriotic War the evacuation of enterprises to Tomsk gave impetus to the development of local industry.

Tomsk Region was formed in August, 1944. In the 50s, a plant for handling nuclear materials, the Siberian Chemical Combine, was established in the region. In the 60-70s started an oil production in the region, an Academic Center was created, Tomskneftekhim, poultry farms and greenhouse complexes were built. In 1991, the city was awarded the status of historical and in 2020, the honorary title “City of Labour Valour”. For today, Tomsk is one of the largest scientific, educational and innovation centers in the country.

Natural resources. Tomsk Region is one of the richest regions of Russia in natural raw materials. Oil reserves in the ground are estimated at 2.45 billion tons, gas reserves at 1.3 trillion cubic meters. In terms of peat reserves the subject of the Federation ranks second in Russia.

The region has significant predicted iron ore resources in the Bakchar iron ore basin, which are estimated at 393 billion tons. The Tuganskoye deposit (40 km from Tomsk) contains 30% of all dioxide reserves in Russia and a significant part of zirconium.

The subject of the Federation contains rich reserves of renewable biological resources. This is one of the most abundant regions of Western Siberia with fish, the commercial reserves of which, according to preliminary estimates, are at least 12 thousand tons. The annual natural resource potential of Tomsk wild crops includes mushrooms (86 thousand tons), lingonberries, blueberries, cranberries, blueberries (25 thousand tons), and pine nuts (58 thousand tons).

Most of the territory of the Tomsk Region is occupied by forest area, which is one of the most significant assets of the region. About 20% (28.8 million hectares) of the forest resources of Western Siberia are located in the subject of the Federation. The area of coniferous trees is more than 10 million hectares. The total timber reserves of the main forest-forming species are 2.85 billion cubic meters. Forests occupy more than 61% of the region's territory. Most of the forest fund is commercial forests. Half of the exploitable wood reserves are coniferous species, of which the most valuable are cedar, spruce, fir, pine, and larch.

Socio-economic characteristic. According to the Tomsk Regional office of the Federal State Statistics Service, the industrial production index (IPI) in 2023 amounted to 102.0% compared to the 2022. Growth was observed in the manufacturing sector (+6.7%) – food industry (+5.8%), electronics (+5.2%), petrochemicals (petroleum products – +9.9%, chemicals – +5.2%), machine building (including electrical equipment – +8.5%) and beverage production (+2.9%), decline in water supply (-12.8%), mining (-2.4%), electricity supply (-0.4%). Positive dynamics of the volume of paid services to the population was recorded in hotel services (+60.0%), public utilities (+31.8%), telecommunications (+15.1%), medical services (+9.8%).

The industrial potential of the subject of the Federation is represented by more than 2,500 enterprises. The main industry sectors are oil and gas extraction, petroleum chemistry, nuclear, food industry, forestry, IT, pharmaceutical industry, instrument and mechanical engineering, construction.

One of the leading enterprises of the Rosatom State Corporation, JSC Siberian Chemical Combine, operates in the region. A number of large projects are being implemented: Monolit-Stroy LLC construction of a plant for the production of OSB boards with a capacity of 250 thousand cubic meters in Tomsk of slabs per year: LLC "Siberian Titan" creation of production of pigment titanium dioxide; LLC "Gazprom Methanol" increased production capacity: LLC "Sibirskaya Oliva" processing of oilseeds and grain crops; JSC Tugansky Mining and Processing Plant Ilmenit – industrial development of the Tugansky ilmenite-zirconium placer deposit. 

The average monthly nominal wage paid in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 increased by 14.2% and amounted to 64.8 thousand rubles. Real wages of working people increased by 7.9%.

Special economic zone of technical innovation type "Tomsk"

The special economic zone of technical innovation type "Tomsk" (SEZ TVT "Tomsk") was created on December 21, 2005 with the aim of creating a unique environment for the active development of innovative business, research and development products, technological solutions and their introduction to domestic and foreign markets. Residents of the Tomsk SEZ are 38 companies, more than 2,000 jobs have been created. The zone's facilities are located on two sites (North and South) with a total area of 270 hectares. The main production areas are information technology, electronics, medicine, biotechnology, nanotechnology and new materials, resource-saving technologies.

Tomsk Industrial park

The Industrial Park of Tomsk provides its residents with land plots for the construction of industrial buildings, provides technological connection to utility networks, and also provides assistance in designing and issuing building permits. The main advantages of this park are 3-6 months for locating production facilities, free connection to engineering and transport infrastructure, low rent, comprehensive maintenance and engineering services.

Seversk Territory of advanced development (STAD)

STAD was formed on the basis of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated February 12, 2019 in order to ensure sustainable socio-economic development of closed administrative-territorial unit Seversk, reduce the risks of social instability, as well as to create export-oriented and import-substituting products, including based on innovative developments nuclear industry enterprises. 13 sites with a total area of 686 hectares have been identified for the location of new production facilities. The legislation of the Russian Federation provides for a special legal regime for carrying out business and other activities in the territory of advanced development, which provides benefits and preferences to residents.

Investment attractiveness and infrastructure. The investment attractiveness of Tomsk Region is determined by its natural resource potential, human capital, competitive research and development complex, as well as a favorable investment climate.

Regional authorities have identified the following priority areas for investment up to 2030:

- fuel and energy complex with oil and gas services and engineering, new and alternative energy, new technologies in mining industry;
- clusters of deep processing of resources: petrochemistry, low-tonnage chemistry, fluoride technologies, forestry industry, organic and functional foods;
- branches of the new economy and new industrial markets - high-tech engineering, micro- and nanoelectronics, precision engineering and advanced equipment, agriculture development using digital technologies, pharmacy, nuclear, medical and information technologies;
- tourism and urban services;
- building complex, housing and industrial construction projects, development of the production and technological potential of domestic construction organizations, production of building materials.

Regional authorities are systematically working to improve the investment climate and reduce administrative barriers. A set of measures has been implemented, including ensuring the implementation of the action plan (road map) “Implementation of targeted models in Tomsk region to simplify business procedures and increase the investment attractiveness of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.” The Export Support Centre operates in the region.

The subject of the Federation provides a wide range of financial and non-financial measures of state support for investment activities: subsidies, tax remissions, organizational support for investors, provision of land plots for lease without tenders, information and consulting support.

Tourism potential. The region is developing domestic and inbound tourism in accordance with the Strategy for the socio-economic development of Tomsk Region up to 2030, approved by the resolution of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Region dated March 26, 2015 No. 2580. About 200 tourist organizations and individual entrepreneurs, as well as about 165 hotels and similar accommodation facilities, operate on the territory of the subject of the Federation. Reception of tourists and excursion services are provided by 11 tour operators included in the Unified Federal Register of Tour Operators, of which 7 operate in international inbound and domestic tourism.

There are 839 cultural heritage sites in the region listed in the unified state register of Russian cultural heritage sites, including 45 archaeological sites of federal significance, 294 architectural sites of federal significance and 500 historical, cultural and architectural monuments of regional significance. Two locations (Tomsk and the village of Narym) have the status of historical settlements. The most valuable heritages for tourism are the monuments of wooden architecture of Tomsk.

A number of significant events are held in the subject of the Federation, such as the international festival of folk crafts “Axe Festival”, the international ice sculpture festival “Crystal Tomsk”, the hunter’s festival “Big Amikan”, the interregional festival-competition of arts and crafts “Golden Birch Bark”, the interregional holiday of Cossack culture “Bratina”, interregional festival of indigenous peoples of Siberia “Sketches of the North”.

The Department for Economy of the regional Administration together with travel companies, develops and implements branded tourist routes throughout the region – „Tomsk  the Heart of Siberia!”, “Tomsk under the scepter of the Romanovs”, “Window to Siberia. Tour along the Golden Ring of Tomsk Region."

There are about 160 different museums in the subject of the Federation. The most popular among tourists are the Regional local history Museum named after Shatilov, First Museum of Slavic Mythology, Forest Museum in the village Timiryazevsky, Museum and excursion complex of Tomsk universities, Open-air museum of Cossack culture “Bratina” in the village Krivosheino, Ethnocultural complex “Yanov Khutor”, Open-air Museum of Selkup traditional culture and life “Chumel Chvech”. For fans of eco-tourism, there is an opportunity to get acquainted with the untouched Siberian flora and fauna.

Transport infrastructure. Cargo transportation of goods in the region is carried out by air, rail, and water transport.

There are two airports in Tomsk (Nikolai Kamov International Airport) and Strezhevoy.  The length of public roads is 11,007 km, of which 4,136 km are regional (3,390 km are paved) and 6,836 km are municipal (4,068 km are paved). Road density is 20 kilometers per 1,000 square kilometers. The number of bridges in the public road system of Tomsk Region is 197. Highways providing interregional connections were built in the directions Tomsk-Yurga, Tomsk-Kozhevnikovo-Novosibirsk, Tomsk-Mariinsk. The length of waterways is 5,195 km. The Vasyugan, Ket, Ob, Parabel, Tom, Chaya and Chulym rivers are navigable. The operational length of railroads is 346 km, the main line is Bely Yar-Tomsk-Taiga. Railroad service is provided by 6 routes. Non-transfer cars can be used to reach five terminal stations from Adler to Vladivostok.

International cooperation, agreements with foreign partners. Tomsk Region is an active participant of international activities, developing relations with the neighboring and far-abroad countries.

According to the information of the Siberian Customs Department of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, the foreign trade turnover of the subject of the Federation in 2023 compared to 2022 increased by 24.4%. At the same time, decline in exports is about 23.9%, but import doubled. The key features include a high share of non-resource exports, as well as a large number of small and medium-sized companies supplying their goods abroad compared to the national average.

Goods were exported to 46 countries, with the CIS accounting for 63.0% and non-CIS countries by 37.0%. More than 75% of the value volume was provided by supplies of goods to Uzbekistan (27.2%), China (27.0%) and Kazakhstan (22.6%).

The decline in exports was due to the introduction of temporary restrictions related to the inability to deliver timber products to the markets of neighboring countries by rail and road transport. This caused an expansive growth of logistics costs, which reduced the volume of deliveries. In imports, growth was mainly due to increased purchases of chemical products, food products and agricultural raw materials. In imports, the growth was mainly caused by increased purchases of chemical products, food commodities and agricultural raw materials.

In accordance with the Federal Law of 04.01.1999 No. 4-FZ "On coordination of international and foreign economic relations of the subjects of the Russian Federation" and the law of Tomsk Region dated 05.09.2017. No. 98-OZ "On agreements of Tomsk Region on the implementation of international and foreign economic relations" the region implements the following international agreements:

1. Agreement between the Administration of Tomsk Region and the People's Government of Liaoning Province of the People's Republic of China on mutual cooperation from 24.05.2006;
2. Agreement between the Administration of Tomsk Region and the People's Government of Liaoning Province of the People's Republic of China on establishing twin-city relations from 13.07.2007;
3. Agreement between the Administration of Tomsk Region (Russian Federation) and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation dated 08.06.2016;
4. Agreement between the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee (Republic of Belarus) and the Administration of Tomsk Region (Russian Federation) on trade and economic, scientific and technical, and socio-cultural cooperation from 01.07.2021.

International cooperation of the region is also carried out within the framework of signed memorandums with Astana city, Pavlodar, Karaganda and East Kazakhstan regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, People's Governments of Jiangsu and Shandong provinces of the People's Republic of China, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Japan) and Shandong provinces of the People's Republic of China, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Japan).

Science and Education. There are 6 universities in Tomsk city - National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, National Research Tomsk State University, Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Tomsk State Pedagogical University, Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, 3 branches of nonresident universities, 1 non-state institution of higher education. In addition, the Tomsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences is located in the region.

The region's system of higher education traditionally has leading positions in Russia. The key areas of bachelor-level programs are economics, management, sociology, law; specialists - medicine, pediatrics, economic security; masters - construction, oil and gas, electrical engineering and power engineering. A number of programs are included in the top 100 according to various international rating agencies.

Tomsk Region ranks first in Russia in terms of the number of personnel per capita engaged in research and development. Innovative projects are put into practice in student business incubators, small innovative enterprises at universities and research institutes, as well as by companies of the special economic zone.

In the subject of the Federation since 2019 implemented the project of a unified scientific and educational space called "Big University of Tomsk".

Culture and local traditions. Tomsk Region organically combines traces of ancient archaeological cultures (Samus, Molchanov, Kulai, Relkinsk), traditions and customs of indigenous and small-numbered peoples of Siberia (Siberian Tatars, Selkups, Khanty, Evenks, Chulymtsy), Russian settlers and representatives of national diasporas (Poles, Germans, Estonians). Many famous Russian writers, poets, dramatists, directors and artists have lived and worked in the region.

There are 275 clubs, 321 libraries, 160 museums, 30 children's art, art and music schools, 5 theaters, a philharmonic hall with one of the best organ halls in Russia, art galleries, art workshops, Seversky Nature Park (zoo) in the subject of the Federation.

Main non-governmental organizations. There are about 1,500 non-commercial organizations working in Tomsk Region. Some of them implement projects that are important for the region, aimed at solving social problems, helping people in difficult life situations, promoting healthy lifestyles, developing creative and social activity of the region's residents.

Media. The media sphere of the subject of the Federation is one of the most developed in Siberia. In 1955, the first television center beyond the Urals was established in the region. More than 150 printed and electronic media are operating and about 10 news agencies broadcast in the region. In January 2015, the regional Gubernsky TV channel started broadcasting within 24 hours. Internet journalism is actively developing.