Smolensk Oblast

Smolensk Oblast (, "Smolenskaya oblast"; informal name — "Smolenschina" ()) is a federal subject of Russia. Specifically, it is an oblast. Its administrative centre is the city of Smolensk. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 985,537.
Geography.
The oblast was founded on 27 September 1937. It borders Pskov Oblast in the north, Tver Oblast in the northeast, Moscow Oblast in the east, Kaluga Oblast in south, Bryansk Oblast in the southwest, and Mogilev and Vitebsk Oblasts of Belarus, in the west and northwest, as part of the Belarus–Russia border.
The main river of the region is the Dnieper River and its tributaries, Desna, Vop, Vyazma. By the rivers of the Volga basin and its tributary Vazuza Gzhat and tributary of the Oka river, Ugra.
Administrative divisions.
Smolensk Oblast is divided into 25 districts ("raions") and two cities of oblast significance.
Demographics.
Population: 
Ethnic groups: According to the 2010 Census, the ethnic groups of the oblast were: