The Tyumen Oblast is one of the most dynamic regions in Russia. In recent years, the total output of the Oblast has increased by 7-11%. This growth rate far exceeds the average growth rate of the Russian Federation, which was 6.4% in 2005 and 10% in the Tyumen Oblast.
The economy of the Tyumen Oblast is characterized by a wide range of sectors. There is a huge potential for industrial development, a well-developed transportation system, a livestock industry, and a comprehensive system of differentiated social services. Industry accounts for 14% of the total value added, construction for 7%, transportation for 14%, agriculture for 6%, and real estate for 12%.
The Tyumen Oblast occupies a large share of the national market in the production of storage batteries (28% of all Russian production), liquefied petroleum gas (19%), medical equipment (12%), thermoplastic tubes and their components (11%), and woolen textile fabrics (9%).
The Tyumen Oblast has a favorable geographic location. The Trans-Siberian Railway passes through the Oblast, and the Oblast is connected to other oblast administrations by state highways. In addition, there is the Rossina International Airport, and in 2005 industrial production in the Oblast grew at a rate of 6.9% (the average growth rate in Russia was 4%), while the processing sector grew by 7.8%. Further expansion of production was achieved in the fields of oil extraction, furniture manufacturing, building materials production, automobile manufacturing and chemicals.
In the oil sector, the Oblast has some potential for growth. If 1.5 million tons of oil were extracted in 2005, the figure is likely to reach 8-10 million tons in the future.
Among the surface resources, the economically important ones are the forests in the northern regions, where coniferous forests have a reserve of more than 2 million cubic meters per year.
The Tobrisk Petrochemical Company plays a major role in the economic development of the Tyumen Oblast, and is the country's largest producer of light hydrocarbon feedstocks. Now the company has developed a comprehensive plan for the further processing of liquefied gas. During 2007-2009, the company is going to install a production unit with an annual processing capacity of 500,000 tons of polypropylene.
Machine builders offer a wide range of products for the oil and gas industry, construction and transportation. In 2005 alone, the production of equipment for the oil and gas industry grew by 32% due to the increase in orders from the oil and gas sector.
The rapid development of large-scale construction in the Tyumen Oblast has led to a significant growth in the production of construction materials; in 2005, the production of materials for reinforced concrete construction grew by 33%, and the production of bricks for construction grew by 30%.
The Tyumen Oblast produces a large amount of furniture and ready-made materials. 2005 saw substantial growth in the production of plywood and particleboard (10% growth in the production of plywood and 12% growth in the production of particleboard) as a result of the modernization of technical equipment.
In terms of agricultural development, the Oblast has excellent conditions. The land suitable for cultivation in the southern part of the Tyumen Oblast amounts to 3.4 million hectares. Suitable climatic conditions permit the cultivation there of all major agricultural crops, especially cereals.
The total value of agricultural output in 2005 increased by 9% compared to the previous year. The Tyumen Oblast ranks first in the Urals in terms of gross grain output per capita.
The average yield of cereal crops in the Oblast remains at 2,000 kilograms per hectare, the highest in the Urals and Siberia.
The Tyumen Oblast is one of the best regions in Russia in terms of investment climate. The Oblast has power reserves, and the price of natural gas is lower than in other parts of the country. The policy on the use of water, forestry, and land resources is liberal, and the transportation infrastructure is constantly being developed and upgraded. In addition, an important factor in attracting foreign investment to the Oblast is the increasing level of income, which determines the ability to purchase goods, services, real estate, and vehicles. At the same time, the Tyumen Oblast has developed a range of laws and regulations aimed at promoting investment and providing investors with the necessary protection.
The Tyumen Oblast is one of the most dynamic regions in Russia in terms of residential construction. If, in 2005, 305 square meters of housing were developed per 1,000 people invested in the whole of Russia, the Tyumen Oblast had 397 square meters. This index has allowed the Tyumen Oblast to occupy the top position in the Urals in recent years. In recent years, the Tyumen Oblast has renovated its airport and railway station, built roads and viaducts, constructed a theater and the largest sports center in Tyumen, as well as a large number of schools and hospitals. The Oblast's communications services have been actively developed: telephone connections are smooth, the Internet is fast, and there is limited digital television.
The growth of the economy as a whole is reflected in the growing standard of living of the population; in 2005 the average monthly income per person in the Tyumen Oblast increased by 30%, and the real disposable income of the population (taking inflation into account) grew by 18%. Overall, the level of income of the Oblast's residents is higher than the average for the whole of Russia.
The research system of the Tyumen Oblast is one of the youngest and one of the few in the Russian Federation in terms of its size and speed of development. There are 37 research organizations in the Tyumen Oblast engaged in scientific research. Each year they carry out about 2,000 research projects, the majority of which are aimed at oil and gas development. Every year specialists in this field receive more than 200 patents for their inventions.
The Tyumen Oblast is included in the state program for the establishment of a high-tech development park in the Russian Federation. The establishment of an oil and gas research and development center in Tyumen has made it possible to deepen the advanced technologies in the oil and gas sector and promote their commercialization, providing a wide range of employment opportunities for a large number of researchers and highly qualified technologists. The science and technology parks should become the basis for scientific and innovative activities in the state and an intermediary chain connecting universities and colleges, scientific laboratories and oilfield production.