Russia is divided into twelve economic regions (Russian: экономи́ческие райо́ны, ekonomicheskiye rayony, sing. ekonomichesky rayon)—groups of federal subjects sharing the following characteristics:
Common economic and social goals and participation in development programs;
Relatively similar economic conditions and potential;
Similar climatic, ecological, and geological conditions;
Similar methods of technical inspection of new construction;
Similar methods of conducting customs oversight;
Overall similar living conditions of the population.
No federal subject can belong to more than one economic region.
Economic regions are also grouped into economic zones (also called "macrozones"). An economic region or its parts can belong to more than one economic zone.
Establishment and abolition of economic regions and economic zones or any changes in their composition are decided upon by the federal government of Russia.
This division into economic regions is different from the division into federal districts—the former is done solely for economic and statistical purposes, while the latter exists solely as a tool to uphold the federal laws on the territory of the country.