Samara, oblast (region), western Russia. It is located in the middle Volga River area where the river makes a great loop around the Zhiguli Hills. The hills, heavily forested and deeply dissected by ravines, rise to 1,214 feet (370 metres). The Volga left (east) bank, constituting most of the region, is largely level plain. The natural oak woodlands and grass steppe of the left bank have been almost entirely ploughed up since Russians began intensive colonization of the area in the 18th century. But the region’s agriculture, which is dominated by spring wheat, corn (maize), millet, and sunflowers, suffers severely from recurrent droughts and insufficient irrigation. Market gardening is important near Samara, the regional headquarters, and fruit growing is important on the Volga right bank. World War II and the presence of abundant petroleum and natural-gas deposits in the region led to great industrial development, especially oil refining, petrochemicals, and a broad range of engineering in the towns along the Volga. A large automobile plant began production at Tolyattigrad in 1970. A huge hydroelectric station was built at Zhigulyovsk on the Volga in 1950–57. Pop. (2005) 3,201,272.