Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg (from 1924 to 1991 - Sverdlovsk) - the administrative center of Sverdlovsk region and the Urals Federal District.

It is situated in Asia, on the east mountainside of the Central Ural Mountains, on the banks of the river Iset (the confluent of the Tobol). The lake Shartash is in the city boundaries in the northeast.

Yekaterinburg, as well as the whole of Sverdlovsk region, is in the time zone designated by the international standard as Yekaterinburg Time Zone(YEKT/YEKTST). Displacement concerning UTC makes +5:00 (YEKT, winter time) and +6:00 summertime) as in this time zone transfer to summertime is in force. Concerning Moscow time the time zone has constant displacement +2 hours and is designated in Russia correspondingly as MSK+2.

Yekaterinburg is one of the largest transport junctions of the country with branchy system of railroad lines and two airports, two bus terminals and the underground..

Novosibirsk. The presidium and considerable number of institutes of the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of sciences is located in Yekaterinburg.

Yekaterinburg is the city of the high-precision instrument-making industry based on application of unique science intensive technologies. The newest examples of machinery, often having no analogues in the world, are created here. Production of the Yekaterinburg plants is sold in 97 countries of the world. Annually more than 170 exhibitions with international participation take place in Yekaterinburg.

Opening here consular establishments of ten foreign states, the first among which became the USA and the Great Britain, emphasizes increasing international authority of the capital of Ural. About 200 representations and branches of the foreign companies work in the city. Annually several thousands of foreigners visit Yekaterinburg.

Source: http://ru.wikipedia.org/