Topic # 4 

Explain Why Kemerovo is the Heart of Kuzbass 

     I'd like to speak about Kemerovo, which is the capital of Kuzbass that is the administrative centre of Kemerovo Oblast. I've been living in this city all my life since I was born and I am proud of living here as Kemerovo is not only a large industrial city but also a cultural centre with a number of theatres, cinemas, museums and even the Philarmonic Society. Besides, there are a few sports centers and numerous sports and fitness clubs in Kemerovo. 

Kemerovo is located on the Tom River, east-northeast of Novosibirsk, in the major coal mining region of the Kuznetsk Basin. The population of Kemerovo is over 500 thousand people. It is located 3,482 kilometers east of Moscow. Kemerovo's position gives it a continental climate with average temperatures between -18 degrees in January to +20 degrees in July. 

The original name of the city was Shcheglovsk. In 1932, Shcheglovsk was renamed Kemerovo and became the administrative centre of Kemerovo Oblast in 1943. 

The city is linked to western Russia by a branch of Trans-Siberian Railway. The city is served by  Kemerovo International airport. 

There are a number of higher education institutions  in Kemerovo. Among them are:  Kemerovo State University, Kuzbass State Technical University, Kemerovo State Medical Academy, Kemerovo State University of Culture and Arts, Kemerovo Agricultural Institute and Kuzbass Economy and Justice Institute. 

Besides, there are a number of stadiums in Kemerovo where different sports competitions are held. The public interest for bandy is widespread in Russia. The 2007 Bandy World Championship was held in the city.

There are a few notable people of Kemerovo. They are Yury Arbachakov, a boxer, Marina Domashenko, an opera singer, Andrey Panin, an actor and art director. 

The honorable citizen  is Alexey Leonov, a cosmonaut.  The International Airport has been named after Leonov this year. 

I'd like to say that  Kemerovo is really a city where one can find everything to their tastes and interests. There are some places here which are worth visiting. One of them is Vesenyaya Street. It is especially beautiful in spring and summer. It is our citizens' favourite walking area. 

For those, who are fond of theatrical performances,  I would recommend to see a performance at one of our theatres. One can't get bored as there are a number of cinemas, clubs and different fitness centres here. 

To get higher education one can enter one of Kemerovo higher education institutions, for example, Kemerovo State University. 

I think I will continue living in Kemerovo as it is a well-developed city.