Russia's largest federal district spans nearly seven million square kilometres of North Asian territory

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Covering an immense expanse of North Asia, the Far Eastern Federal District is Russia's largest yet least populated administrative region. Established in 2000, this vast territory has undergone significant structural shifts, including the recent integration of new subjects and a strategic relocation of its administrative capital to Vladivostok.

The Far Eastern Federal District, established by President Vladimir Putin on 13 May 2000, encompasses a massive 6,952,555 square kilometres. While it remains the largest federal district in Russia, it is also the least populated, with approximately 7.9 million residents. The district's governance is currently overseen by presidential envoy Yury Trutnev, reflecting the region's unique status as a non-administrative subdivision that groups several distinct federal subjects under a unified strategic umbrella.

The district's geography and administrative structure have evolved significantly in recent years. In November 2018, Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai were integrated into the district, expanding its reach. Shortly thereafter, in December 2018, the administrative seat was moved from Khabarovsk to Vladivostok. Infrastructure development has kept pace with these changes; on 15 July 2022, the region inaugurated its first high-speed highway, a vital artery connecting major hubs like Chita, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, and Nakhodka, while linking to key socio-economic development zones.

Demographically, the region is diverse and urbanized in pockets. Of the 82 cities within the district, 13 hold populations exceeding 75,000. Interestingly, most of these larger cities serve as administrative centres for their respective federal subjects, with exceptions like Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Ussuriysk, Nakhodka, and Artyom. The district's cultural and religious landscape is equally varied, with a 2012 survey revealing a mix of Russian Orthodox, Buddhist, and native faith adherents, alongside a significant portion of the population identifying as atheist or spiritual but not religious.

The region's administrative centres vary drastically in scale. Anadyr, the capital of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, stands out as one of the smallest administrative centres in the country, housing only 13,045 inhabitants—a figure surpassed in smallness only by Magas in Ingushetia. This contrast between the district's immense physical footprint and its sparse, concentrated population centers defines the unique challenge of governing the Russian Far East.

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