Tambov

Tambov, city and administrative centre of Tambov oblast (region), western Russia. It lies along the upper Tsna River. Founded in 1636 as a fortress on the Belgorod defensive line, in 1779 it became the centre of a province. Growth came slowly, chiefly in the late 19th century after construction of the Moscow–Saratov railway through the city. Tambov’s chief industries are engineering, chemicals, and food processing. The city centre, laid out in a gridiron pattern, contains administrative and cultural institutions, with parks along the high Tsna bank; factories are concentrated to the north. Tambov has a teacher-training institute and a school of music, as well as a 17th-century cathedral. Pop. (2006 est.) 284,502.