- total - % water
- 25,700 km² -
- Total - Density
- est. 1,675,758 (2002) - est. 65/km²
Tula Oblast (Russian: Ту́льская о́бласть, Tulskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) with its present borders formed on September 26, 1937. Its administrative center is the city of Tula. It has an area of 25,700 km² and a population of 1,675,758 (2002 Census). The oblast's current governor is Vyacheslav Dudka.
For a sketch on its early history, see Upper Oka Principalities.

Geography
Tula Oblast is located in the Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD). UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).

Time zone
Tula Oblast contains more than 1,600 rivers and streams. Major rivers include:

Don River
Oka River
Upa River Rivers
The oblast is rich in iron ore, clay, limestone, and deposits of lignite (coal). The lignite deposit is part of the Moscow coal basin.

Natural resources
Tula Oblast has a moderate continental climate.

Average temperature in January: −5.7°С
Average temperature in June: +19.1°С
Average Annual Precipitation: 470-575 mm Administrative divisions
According to the 2002 census, ethnic Russians at 1,595,564 make up 95% of the population. Other prominent ethnicities in the region include Ukrainians at 22,260 (1.3%), and Tatars at 8,968 (.5%). The rest of the residents identified themselves with 120 different ethnic groups, each group accounting for less than .5% of the population.
Birth Rate: 7.88 (2004), being the lowest in Russia. Decreased to 7.6 in mid-2006. Birth rate was 7.9 in the first half of 2007. [1]

Population: 1,675,758(2002)

• Urban: 1,366,818 (81.6%)
  Rural: 308,940 (18.4%)
  Males: 755,057 (45.1%)
  Females: 920,701 (54.9%)
  Females per 1000 Males: 1219
  Average age : 41.7 years
  
  
  
  • Urban : 41.5 years
    Rural : 42.8 years
    Male : 37.8 years
    Female : 44.9 years Economy
    Tula's dominant religions are Orthodox Christianity and atheism.
    Tula Oblast has as many as 32 museums. Several are located in the administrative center of the oblast, the city of Tula, notably the Tula State Arms Museum, the Tula Kremlin, and the Tula Samovar Museum . Another important cultural tourist attractions is the home and country estate of Leo Tolstoy, Yasnaya Polyana, located 12 km outside of the city of Tula.
    The region also has four professional theaters, a philharmonic orchestra, and a circus.