The region covers about 124 thousand square kilometers and gives shelter for over 2 million people. Its territories include south-east of East European plane, south of the Urals and Trans-Urals. The region borders with Samara Region, Tatarstan, Bashkiria, Chelyabinsk Region and Kazakhstan.

The climate is continental, because seas and oceans are located too far from the region, that is why hot dry summers and severe winters with permafrost are common for these territories. The Orenburg region has many rivers, the largest from which is the 2428-kilometre-long Ural River. Beautiful lake Shalkar-Ega-Kara is the largest lake of the region.

The territories, now belonging to Orenburg region, welcomed migrants from Central Russia since 18^th century, when Kazakh tribes voluntarily joined the Russian Empire. Orenburg fortress was founded in 1743. In 1934 Soviet government adopted a resolution on founding of the Orenburg Region.

Population mainly consists of Russians, but large communities of Tatars, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Ukrainians and Mordovians. The region is a very well developed industrial centre – fuel industry, ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, chemical, petrochemical and food industries give jobs to population. The largest Russian gas condensate field is also located in the Orenburg region. The region has a well-known balneological and mud resort Gai. Most famous local souvenirs are down shawls.