From the geographical point of view the area north represents flat plain with separate dome raisings.

The highest point - mountain Big Bogdo in height of 150 metres. Sharply continental droughty climate, dusty storms, destructive heat and burning frosts are frequent in the summer in the winter. It would Seem that interesting can represent so uncomfortable edge, but the first impression, as a rule, is deceptive. The edge has the rich history which roots leave in the remote past, at the time of Golden Horde.

After clearing of the Bottom Volga region of the Tatar yoke in 1656, escaping from an arbitrariness of landowners and noblemen serfs here have directed. The city of Astrakhan, already then large shopping centre, was populous, and the left coast of Volga was occupied slowly and against the will for the earths did not differ fertility. But here there was something another. Bowels concealed fantastic riches – salt.

In the end of XVI century the scientist – Venetian Kontarin, having visited in these parts, wrote: «… in steppe there is a hydrochloric lake, so extensive that salt extracted from it would be for the foodstuffs большей Universe parts» enough.

Catherine II, aspiring to wider working out of hydrochloric riches of edge, takes measures to settling заволжских steppes on the left coast of Volga and the river of Akhtuba. In 1763 it publishes the Decree on which for возки and ломки salts are given to all immigrants of a privilege and grounds for agriculture are taken away. So near to hydrochloric lakes and paths there are the large villages one of which, Vladimirovka based in 1768, and has given rise to present Ahtubinsku.

The modern name of a city has appeared in 1959, and the status of a city of regional submission of Ahtubinsk has received in February, 1975 then the Vladimirovsky area has been renamed in Ahtubinsky.

Having united in city boundaries a former large village of Vladimirovku, settlement речников Petropavlovku and railway station Akhtuba, modern Ahtubinsk has in many respects kept former specificity. It is a large railway junction, river port. Long time city leading enterprises were ship-building – the ship-repair factory formed in 1910 on the basis of joint-stock company "Ocean", and, of course, pride of edge – industrial complex "Бассоль". In Ahtubinsky area the agriculture, knowingly our corner of the world long time is traditionally developed carried the name not only «the All-Union saltcellar», but also «the All-Union kitchen garden».

Ахтубинск - a city young. Now it has possibility to give the higher and средне - the vocational education to the young inhabitants without a separation from a native home. The branch of the Moscow aviation institute, art school, professionally - technical two colleges, a boarding school with initial flight preparation Here operate. Ахтубинск today it is known as the main Russian centre of tests of military aircraft.

The name of our Volga region small town speaks about much to those who is familiar with aircraft. Any, even the beginning pilot, dreams of service in the state letno-test centre of a name of V.P.Tchkalov - school of aerobatics and fighting skill; masters of the higher class here fly.

Ахтубинцы чтут memory of heroes - of subjugators of the fifth ocean. A favourite and memorable place of townspeople - a memorial «the Wing of Ikara» and square near to it - one of green oases of a city.

Ахтубинск, despite solid as a whole the historical age, is young, full of energy, is directed in the future