city and administrative centre, Amur oblast (province), far eastern Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Amur (Amur River) and Zeya rivers. Founded in 1856 as a fort, Blagoveshchensk has become a major centre of the Russian Far East. Although remotely located, the city has 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. Blagoveshchensk is home to a number of ornate 19th-century buildings, many of which were restored in the late 1990s. Pop. (2006 est.) 212,183.