The Kirov oblast is one of the largest in theb Nechernozyomnaya zone of Russia, the oblast is situated in the north-east of the European part of Russia.

The oblast is a part of the Privolzhky federal okrug, neighbors woth 9 regions of Russia.

The oblast's area is 120.8 thousand km².

The Kirov oblast is in the East of the East-European Height. In the oblast center there are the Vyatskie Uvaly (the Vyatka ridges), in the north-east there is the Verkhnekamskaya height, in the oblast's North there are the Severnye Uvaly (the Northern ridges). Along the Vyatka river there are the Verkhnevyatskaya and Chepetskaya lowlands. There are some manifestations of the karst topography - caves, sluggies, lakes. There are deposits of iron ores, slate coal, phosphorites, etc.

The climate is moderately continental, the winter is long and cold, the summer is short but rather warm. The mean temperature of January is from minus 14°С to minus 16°C, of July – plus 17°С - plus 19°С. Annual precipitations are around 500 mm.

The oblast's rivers belong to the basins of the Volga and the Severnaya Dvina rivers. The oblast's principle river is the river of Vyatka. The length of the navigable waterways along the river of Vyatka and its tributaries exceeds 2000 kilometers.

The Kirov oblast is situated in the taiga zone. 53 % of the taiga area are covered with woods rich in flora and fauna. The woods are mostly of coniferous species, as well as mixed woods (spruce, birch, pine). Total timber resources are estimated at 1.2 bln. cubic meters. The estimated wood-cut volume is 15.7 mln. cubic meters a year. Annual wood growth is 18 mln. cubic meters.