Tula Oblast (hereinafter - region) was established on September 26, 1937.
It is located in the center of the European part of Russia, on the Central Russian Upland, within the steppe and forest-steppe zones. The region borders with the following entities of the RF: in the south and south-east - with Lipetsk Oblast, in the south-west - with Orel Oblast, in the west and northwest - with Kaluga Oblast, in the north and northeast - with Moscow Oblast, in the east - with Ryazan Oblast.
The region has the area f 25.7 thousand sq. km (0.1% of the territory of Russia). The greatest extent of the region's territory from north to south amounts to 200 kilometers, from west to east - 190 kilometers.
Administrative center of the region is the city of Tula founded in 1146. As of January 1, 2018, the population makes 1491.9 thousand people, including urban population - 74.8%, which indicates a high level of the region's urbanization. The Russians prevail in the ethnic structure of the population.
The region includes 7 city districts and 19 municipal districts.
Tula Oblast is one of the most highly industrialized regions of the Central Federal District with a high share of processing industry in the economy. One of specific features of the region is high concentration of defense sector enterprises.
The main kinds of economic activity in Tula Oblast include: production of machinery and equipment (including defense industry sector), chemical production; metallurgical production; production of non-metallic mineral products; food production.
Tula Oblast has a well-developed transport network, through which cargo and passenger carriages are performed. The region's territory is crossed by important strategic highways of the federal level: М−2 "Krim", М−4 "Don", М−6 "Kaspiy", Р−132 "Kaluga — Tula — Mikhailov — Ryazan", Р−92 "Kaluga — Peremyshl — Belev — Orel". Large railway lines connect Tula with the other regions of Russia and countries of near and far abroad.
Favorable geographical location, availability of natural resources, fuel & power and mineral resources, fertile soils, powerful industrial sector, high scientific and technical and significant tourist potential allow to consider the region as one of the most promising areas of economic growth in the Central Federal District of Russia.
