Editing Amur Oblast (section)

==Geography==
Amur Oblast is located in the southeast of Russia, between [[Stanovoy Range]] in the north and the [[Amur River]] in the south, and borders with the [[Sakha Republic]] in the north, [[Khabarovsk Krai]] and the [[Jewish Autonomous Oblast]] in the east, [[Heilongjiang]] of China in the south, and with [[Zabaykalsky Krai]] in the west. The [[Stanovoy Range]] forms the dividing line between the Sakha Republic and Amur Oblast and spreads across the oblast's entire northern border. The [[Amur–Zeya Plain|Amur–Zeya]] and [[Zeya–Bureya Plain]]s cover about 40% of the oblast's territory, but the rest is hilly. Several mountain ranges rise to the south of Stanovoy Range, including the [[Selemdzha Range]] parallel to it, as well as the [[Ezop Range|Ezop]], [[Yam-Alin]] and the [[Turan Range|Turan]] ranges stretching along the oblast's southeastern border with Khabarovsk Krai.<ref name="GЕ">[[Google Earth]]</ref>

Many rivers flow through the oblast, especially in the north, accounting for 75% of the [[hydropower]] resources in the [[Russian Far East]]. Most of the oblast is in the Amur's [[drainage basin]], although the rivers in the northwest drain into the [[Lena River|Lena]] and the rivers in the northeast drain into the [[Uda River (Khabarovsk Krai)|Uda]]. The longest rivers include the Amur, [[Bureya River|Bureya]], [[Gilyuy River|Gilyuy]], [[Nyukzha River|Nyukzha]], [[Olyokma River|Olyokma]], [[Selemdzha River|Selemdzha]], and [[Zeya River|Zeya]]. The Zeya begins in the mountains in the northeast, and its middle reaches are dammed to create the huge [[Zeya Dam|Zeya Reservoir]], which sprawls over {{convert|2400|km2|sp=us}}.

Climate is temperate continental, with cold, dry winters and hot, rainy summers. Average January temperatures vary from {{convert|-24|C}} in the south to {{convert|-33|C}} in the north. Average July temperatures are {{convert|+21|C}} in the south and {{convert|+18|C}} in the north. Annual [[precipitation]] is about {{convert|850|mm|sp=us}}.

Dwarf Siberian pine and [[alpine tundra]] grow at higher elevations and [[larch]] forests with small stands of flat-leaved [[birch]] and [[pine]] forests grow alongside the river plains. These larch and [[fir]]-[[spruce]] forests form the watershed of the Selemdzha River. The Bureya and Arkhara Rivers, southeast of the Selemdza, have the richest remaining forests in the oblast with [[Pinus koraiensis|Korean pine]], [[Schisandra chinensis]], [[Quercus mongolica|Mongolian Oak]], and other Manchurian flora. The Zeya–Bureya Plain, located between the Zeya, Amur, and Bureya Rivers, has the highest biodiversity in Amur Oblast. Much of this plain has been burned for agriculture, but large patches still remain. Japanese Daurian and Far Eastern western cranes nest here, as well as a host of other rare birds.

===Natural resources===
Amur Oblast has considerable reserves of many types of mineral resources; proven reserves are estimated to be worth US$400&nbsp;billion. Among the most important are gold (the largest reserves in Russia), silver, [[titanium]], [[molybdenum]], [[tungsten]], copper, and [[tin]]. There are also an estimated 70 billion tons of [[bituminous coal]] and [[lignite]] reserves. Probable iron deposits are estimated to be 3.8&nbsp;billion tons. The Garin deposit is fully explored and known to contain 389&nbsp;million tons of iron ore. Estimated reserves of the deposit are 1,293&nbsp;million tons. The deposit's ore contains a low concentration of detrimental impurities; the ore contains 69.9% iron. Amur Oblast is also a promising source of [[titanium]], with the Bolshoy Seyim deposit being the most important.<ref name="AllRegions">{{cite book|title=Russia: All Regions Trade & Investment Guide |publisher=CTEC Publishing LLC |year=2008 |chapter=Amur Region |url=http://www.russiasregions.com/79%20Amur%20Region.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715214750/http://www.russiasregions.com/79%20Amur%20Region.pdf |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref>