About the region
General information
Geographical position
The Nizhny Novgorod Region is one of the largest regions of Russia, located in the central part of the East European Plain. It is part of the Volga Federal District, whose administrative center is Nizhny Novgorod.
Distance from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow:
climate
All seasons are prominent in the region.
- Winter is long (lasts 6 months)
- Summer is relatively short and moderately warm
The average temperature in the region: -12 °C in January, +19 °C in July.
The average annual precipitation in the region – 500 mm.
POPULATION
the 4th place in the Volga Federal District
the 7th place by population in Russia
- men – 66.6 year
- women – 78.6 year
ADMINISTRATIVE AND TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE
Nizhny Novgorod Region includes 51 municipal districts, among them are 15 urban and 36 municipal districts.
The administrative center of the region is Nizhny Novgorod.
The largest cities in the region:
ETHNIC STRUCTURE
The Nizhny Novgorod Region is a multi-ethnic region, where representatives of more than 120 people and ethnic groups live (according to the 2020 census).
- Russians – 96.5%
- Tatars – 1.1%
- Mordovians – 0.3%
- Chuvash – 0.2%
- Mari – 0.1%
- Other – 1.9%
The Nizhny Novgorod region is characterized by a multiconfessional population. 853 religious organizations are registered in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.
- Orthodoxy – 681 units
- Islam – 56 units
- Old belief – 12 units
- Judaism – 2 units
- Catholicism – 1 units
- Other – 101 units
Natural resources
The total forest area in the Nizhny Novgorod Region is 4 million ha (52% of the region’s total area).
Coniferous and broad-leaved, as well as mixed forests grow in the region. The Kerzhensky State Natural Biosphere Reserve is located in the region, as well as more than 400 specially protected natural territories with a total area of 549.2 thousand hectares.
The Nizhny Novgorod Region is rich in minerals. On its territory there are deposits of such resources as:
- Iron ores
- Titanium and zirconium ores (“black sands”)
- Peat and sapropel
- Loams
- Other
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS
GRP GROWTH RATES (BILLION RUBLES)
In 2023, the gross regional product amounted to
RUB 2,672.2 billion
The Nizhny Novgorod Region is one of the 15th largest economies in Russia
INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT
INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
- Manufacturing enterprises – 91.1%
- Provision of electric energy, gas and steam; air conditioning – 6.1%
- Water supply; water disposal, organization of waste collection and disposal, pollution elimination – 2.6%
- Mining of natural resources – 0.2%
MANUFACTURING OUTPUT
– the 2nd in the Volga Federal District
– the 8th among all Russian regions.
KEY BUSINESSES
The industrial potential of the Nizhny Novgorod Region is made up of the largest enterprises in the automotive, engineering, metallurgy, chemistry and petrochemistry, defense and nuclear industries.
- Nizhny Novgorod Automobile Plant
- Pavlovo Bus Factory
- Branch of United Aircraft Corporation – Sokol Aircraft Plant
- Krasnoye Sormovo Shipbuilding Plant
- Vyksa Metallurgical Plant
- Arzamas Instrument-Making Plant
- Hydromash
- Ya.M. Sverdlov Plant
- SIBUR-Neftekhim
- Lukoil-Nefteorgsintez
THE NIZHNY NOVGOROD REGION’S INDUSTRY IN THE TOTAL RUSSIAN PRODUCTION
than 5 tons
INVESTMENT
The index of the physical volume of investments in fixed assets amounted to 101.8% compared to the level of 2023
ACCESS TO HUMAN RESOURCES
20,000 university graduates annually
73 professional and 90 research organizations
16,000 ready qualified professionals for enterprises annually
QUALITY OF LIFE
Nizhny Novgorod takes 1st place in Russia in terms of quality of life – 2025 (according to the Numbeo international research portal)
The average monthly wage in 2024 – RUB 69,546 per month (4th place in the Volga Federal District)
In 2024, the level of officially registered unemployment in the Nizhny Novgorod Region is 0.03%
The minimum wage in 2025 is RUB 16,669
Building
In 2024, the volume of construction work was RUB 270.5 billion (5th place in the Volga Federal District)
9,569 buildings with 22,404 comfortable apartments constructed with a total area of nearly 2.01 million sq. m (the 4th place by the commissioned housing in the Volga Federal District)
The volume of housing construction in 2024 vs. the previous year is 108,1%
TRADE AND SERVICES
In 2024, retail trade turnover amounted to RUB 1,264 billion (the 3rd place in the Volga Federal District and 9th place in Russia)
The volume of paid services to the people amounted to RUB 304.9 billion (the 3rd place in the Volga Federal District and 10th place in Russia)
RATINGS
AT THE END OF 2024, THE NIZHNY NOVGOROD REGION OCCUPIES THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS
2nd place in the National rating of investment climate in Russia
Investment attractiveness rating – “IC 3” (“high level of investment attractiveness”)
The Nizhny Novgorod Region was awarded the ruA+ rating ("moderately high level of creditworthiness
7th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85)
Nizhny Novgorod region is one of the top 10 regions by the quality of life
Nizhny Novgorod region is one of the top 20 regions in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the quality of life
Nizhny Novgorod was recognized as the most comfortable city for living in Russia (the 146th place in the world rating “Quality of Life Index - 2025”, Moscow takes the 195th position, St. Petersburg – the 212th position)
2nd place in the National rating of investment climate in Russia
Investment attractiveness rating – “IC 3” (“high level of investment attractiveness”)
The Nizhny Novgorod Region was awarded the ruA+ rating ("moderately high level of creditworthiness
6th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85)
Nizhny Novgorod region is one of the top 10 regions by the quality of life
14th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the quality of life
11th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the socio-economic situation
Nizhny Novgorod was recognized as the most comfortable city for living in Russia (the 97th place in the world rating “Quality of Life Index - 2024”, Moscow takes the 143th position, St. Petersburg – the 161th position)
3rd place in the National rating of investment climate in Russia
Investment attractiveness rating – “IC 3” (“high level of investment attractiveness”)
The Nizhny Novgorod Region was awarded the ruA rating ("moderately high level of creditworthiness
12th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the quality of life
13th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the socio-economic situation
Nizhny Novgorod region is one of the top 20 regions by the quality of life
Nizhny Novgorod was recognized as the most comfortable city for living in Russia (the 126th place in the world rating “Quality of Life Index - 2023”, Moscow takes the 195th position, St. Petersburg – the 205th position)
5th place in the National rating of investment climate in Russia
Investment attractiveness rating – “IC 3” (“high level of investment attractiveness”)
The Nizhny Novgorod Region was awarded the ruA rating ("moderately high level of creditworthiness
10th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the quality of life
15th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the quality of life
13th place in the rating of Russian regions by the quality of life
Nizhny Novgorod was recognized as the most comfortable city for living in Russia (the 151st place in the world rating “Quality of Life Index - 2021”, Moscow takes the 211th position, St. Petersburg – the 215th position)
6th place in the National rating of investment climate in Russia
Top 10 regions of Russia for quality of life
Top 10 regions with the maximum investment potential
Rating of the region’s investment climate – 2A (“medium potential” and “minimal risk”)
Investment attractiveness rating – “IC 3” (“high level of investment attractiveness”)
Fitch Ratings
Long-term rating in national and foreign currencies – “BB” with a stable outlook
Long-term international rating in national currency – “Ba2” with a stable outlook
13th place in the rating of Russian regions (out of 85) by the quality of life
Nizhny Novgorod was recognized as the most comfortable city for living in Russia (the 136rd place in the world rating “Quality of Life Index - 2020”, St. Petersburg takes the 187th position, Moscow – the 194th position)
