Omsk (city)

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Capital city, economic and cultural centre of Omsk oblast (region), Russian Federation; population (2002) 1,156,800. Omsk is located at the junction of the Om and Irtysh rivers and lies on the Trans-Siberian Railway, 900 km/559 mi east of Yekaterinburg. The city is a major industrial and commercial centre of west Siberia. It contains engineering works, oil refineries (linked with Tuimazy in Bashkortostan by a 1,600-km/1,000-mi pipeline), wood-processing plants, and various food and other light industrial factories.

Omsk was founded in 1716 as a Cossack fortress guarding Russia's southern boundary. It became a town in 1782, provincial capital in 1822, and administrative centre of the Steppe territory in 1882. After the Trans-Siberian Railway reached Omsk in the mid-1890s, it grew into the commercial centre of west Siberia and the largest Siberian city at that time. It experienced rapid industrial development following World War II.

The emblem reflects the Vatican's importance as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The colours of the flag are based on the gold and silver of the papal keys. Effective date: 8 June 1929. >>