Usman, Russia

Usman (Russian Усмань ) is a city in Lipetsk Oblast (Russia) with 18,685 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located in the Oka -Don plain about 75 km south of the river of the same Oblasthauptstadt Lipetsk Usman in the system of the Don.

Usman is the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons.

History

Usman was founded in 1645 by Voivode Stepan Weljaminow as Ostrog in the course of Belgorod defensive line along the southern boundary of the former Russian Empire and named after the river.

1652 Ostrog was destroyed by the Crimean Tatar troops, but was later rebuilt.

1779 was the place the municipal law as an administrative center of a circle ( Ujesds ).

At the turn of the 20th century the city was an important center of trade in cereals.

In the city the POW camp consisted of 95 German prisoners of war of World War II.

Demographics

Note: Census data (1926-1939 rounded)

Culture and sights

The city has a museum of local history.

Economy and infrastructure

In Usman there is a machine factory ( foundry equipment), a tobacco factory, a furniture factory and enterprises of the food industry based on the surrounding agricultural area with wheat and cattle.

The city lies on the opened on this section 1868 railway Moscow - Voronezh ( 522 route km from Moscow).

Personalities

• Nikolai Basov (1922-2001), physicist and Nobel laureate, born in Usman