BLAGOVESHCHENSK

also spelled Blagovecensk, city and administrative centre, Amur oblast (province), far eastern Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Amur and Zeya rivers. Founded in 1856 as a fort, Blagoveshchensk has become a major centre of the Russian Far East, with good communications by the navigable Amur River, a connection to the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and several motor roads. The city's industries include food processing; timber working; the making of gold-mining machinery, electrical apparatus, and woolens; and the building and repair of rivercraft. Pop. (1995 est.) 214,000.