Kazan - in situated at the North-West of Tatarstan. The city has stretched along two banks of the Kazanka river – at its influx to the Volga.

Population of Kazan is 1.116 mln.

The main legislative power is represented by the City Council. The executive power belongs to the City Administration. Ilsur Metshin is the head of the Administration.

The capital of Republic Tatarstan is a large railway, highway and airway knot, the largest river port on the Volga river.

Main branches of municipal industry are as follows: industrial engineering and metalwork, aircraft and instrumentation, chemical and petrochemical, light and food industry.

Kazan is a large scientific centre of Russia and Tatarstan. Kazan State University was founded the third in Russia. There are 30 higher educational institutions in the city altogether, RT Academy of Sciences and Kazan Scientific centre of RF Academy of Sciences, a network of research institutions.

Capital of Tatarstan refers to class "A" by its historical-cultural value and heritage preservation. Kazan Kremlin is on the list of "World Heritage" monuments of the UNESCO.

Kazan is the city where L.N. Tolstoy, N.I. Lobachevsky, A.M. Butlerov, N.N. Zinin, S.T. Aksakov, G.R. Derzhavin, M.A. Balakirev, M.S. Shepkin, V.V. Khlebnikov, F.I. Shalyapin, V.I. Kachalov, P.Lesgaft, A. Melnikov-Pechersky were born, learned and worked.

Kazan is a cradle of Tatar culture. Lives of such outstanding persons as Kayum Nasyri and Shigabutdin Mardjany, Gayaz Iskhaki and Sadri Maq-Sudy, Gabdulla Tukai and Khady Taktash, Salih Saidash are connected to this city.

Kazan is a multi-religious city. Over 42 Muslim mosques, Orthodox churches, a Lutheran hall-church, a Catholic chapel, a Jewish synagogue and other cult institutions function here. Orthodox religious seminary and Russian Islamic University operate in Kazan.

The second large Grand Concert Hall in Russia, an opera, drama and a puppet theatres, a philharmonic hall, 4 state orchestras, song and dance ensemble of Republic Tatarstan represent high cultural traditions. There are 7 higher and secondary music and cultural institutions; over 50 music and art schools.

Great attention is given to sports development: existing stadiums and swimming pools are being restored and new ones are built.

An impressive work had been carried out on reconstruction of old buildings and construction of new, dedicated to city Jubilee, during last years.

In the course of festive celebrations five stations of Kazan underground were opened, Kul Sharif mosque was reconstructed and Annunciation cathedral opened after restorations, business terminal of international airport “Kazan”, new building of Tatar State Humanitarian-Pedagogical University, Hermitage centre in Kazan Kremlin and other important objects had flung opened their doors this year. Reconstruction of M.Dzhalil Opera theatre, the City Hall were accomplished. Two sides of the Kazanka river are bridged now by new Millennium bridge.

In 2013, the World Summer Universiade will take place in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Second after the Olympic Games, the sport forum will bring together some ten thousand people from 110 countries.