The region has traditionally been the scene of confrontation between Russia and China. In the most bloody exchange of the last 50 years over 100 soldiers from both sides were killed in fighting in 1969. The latest border treaty between Russia and China was signed and ratified as recently 2004.

At 4,444 kilometers the Amur river, which marks 1,600 kilometers of the Russia-Chinese border, is the tenth longest river in the world and the third largest in Russia, after the Yenisei and Ob rivers. The Chinese call it Heilong Jiang (Black Dragon) and the Mongols know it as Kharamuren (Black River).

The border between Russia and China, one of the longest continuous land borders in the world, stretches for 4,195 kilometers. The Canada-U.S. border (excluding Alaska) is 6,414 kilometers.

The Far East regions, including Zabaikalsky Region, account for 45.5 percent of Russia's territory and 7.6 percent of its population (10.8 million people)