Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia, which lies on the Volga River, close to where it empties into the Caspian Sea. While Astrakhan's Kremlin dates back to the 1580s, the city was likely settled under the Tatar dynasties of the 13th century. Ivan IV conquered the city in 1556, thus opening the entire Volga River to Russian traffic, and it became an important trade center.

Situated 1534 kilometers south-east of Moscow, the city spreads over eleven islands, occupying 500 square kilometers. The country's main waterway, the Volga River, flows through Astrakhan and connects it with the Black Sea. The region borders on Kalmykia to the west, Volgograd Region to the north and Kazakhstan to the east.

As a frontier city at Russia's southern gates, Astrakhan is situated on the crossroads between Europe and Asia, making it a commercial and transport center. Both a large river and seaport, it was an essential stop on the Great Silk Way and played a key role connecting West and East.

[more]