The Penza region is situated on the East European (Russian) plain and occupies the middle and the western part of the Privolzhsky Elevation. It has its current borders since February 1939. The territory of the region is 330 km from the West to the East, and it makes 204 km from the North to the South.

Neighborhood with economically developing and politically stable regions, as well as sufficient remoteness from frontiers provides the Penza region with a favorable geopolitical position. So, in particular, the region borders on the Saratov region in the South, on the Tambov region in the West, on the Ryazan region and Mordovia in the North, on the Ulyanovsk region in the Northeast and the East.

The Penza region is located in a moderate geographical zone, at the joint of forest, forest-steppe and steppe natural zones. The total area of the region is 43,3 thousand sq. km. The population is about 1,5 million people. The region is multinational. There are Slavic, Finno-Ugric and Turkic and other people who permanent residents in the region.

The Penza region is first of all an agricultural region. There are large cattle-breeding complexes, farms and small holdings here. Agricultural production is delivered to many constituent territories of the federation.

The region has substantial industrial potential. The basic branches are mechanical engineering, light, food, woodworking and the paper industry. The electric power industry, fuel and ferrous metallurgy, the chemical and petrochemical branches are also well developed here.

The administrative center of the Penza region is the city of Penza founded in 1663. The city is located within the Privolzhsky Elevation at confluence of the two rivers – Penza and Sura. Situated in the central part of Russia, Penza connects the european and the east regions of the country.

Now the population of Penza is about 500 thousand people. There are 4 administrative areas in Penza: Zheleznodorozhniy, Leninskiy, Oktyabrskiy and Pervomajskiy districts.

Penza has considerable industrial and technological potential in the mechanical engineering and the instrument making, as well as in the light and pharmaceutical industry and in the building material manufacture.

The transport system is developed in Penza. There are a Railway station and an airport in Penza, which connect the city with others regions of Russia and other countries (such as the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Far East). The federal automobile highways are near the city of Penza: Moscow – Chelyabinsk, Volgograd – Nizhniy Novgorod, Penza – Tambov.

Historically Penza is formed as a cultural center. There are many theaters, museums, cinemas and other cultural institutions placed here.