Yuzhnouralsk is a Russian town (since 1963) in the Chelyabinsk Region. The town stands on the Uvelka River, 88 km away from Chelyabinsk and 7 km away from the Nizhneuvelsky railway station, located on the railway line Chelyabinsk — Troitsk, from which a branch line with terminal station Yuzhnouralsk stretches towards the town.

Nizhneuvelsky Village

The Nizhneuvelsky stockaded town was founded in the lower reach of Uvelka River by Cossacks of Isetsky army in 1745 by order of the first governor of the Orenburg province Ivan Neplyuev. Despite its remoteness from external border, Nizhneuvelsky fortress was of great importance as an intermediate point on the path between the Chelyabinsk and Troitsk fortresses. It was on this way, where food, metal, fire supplies and many other things were transported. For support of Yemelyan Pugachev's revolt in 1773 — 1775, the Nizhneuvelsky garrison was disbanded, it lost the status of a fortress and began to be officially called a settlement.

In 1776 management of the same-name rural district was transferred to the Nizhneuvelsky Settlement. Under the royal Decree of Emperor Nikolay I of May 4, 1843 about reckoning of peasants to the Cossack estate due to need of the state for military formations, the Nizhneuvelsky Settlement got the status of a village of the 3rd Troitsk department of the Orenburg army. In May, 1924 the village was transformed into the Uvelsky Village, and the Uvelsky District was founded as a part of the Troitsk Region. In 1939 the administrative center of the district was transferred to the station settlement Nizhneuvelsky, located at the distance of 7 km from the village.

Yuzhnouralsk Settlement (1948 — 1961)

The Nizhneuvelsky Village got its rebirth in the late 1940s, when the South Ural state district power plant (YuGRES) started to be constructed near it. In 1948 an industrial community appeared on the place of the village and came to be called Yuzhnouralsky (South Ural). From August 28, 1950 it became an urban settlement.

The Town of Yuzhnouralsk (since 1963)

In February 1, 1963 Yuzhnouralsk received the status of a town. Since 2005 it has been an urban district.