Novosibirsk (, also UK: ; Russian: Новосиби́рск, IPA: [nəvəsʲɪˈbʲirsk] (listen)) is the largest city and administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast in Russia. Located in the southwestern part of Siberia on the banks of the Ob River, it is the third-most populous city in Russia (after Moscow and St. Petersburg) as well as the most populous city in Siberia and Asian Russia, with a population of 1,612,833 as of the 2018 census.Novosibirsk was founded in 1893 on the Ob River crossing point of the future Trans-Siberian Railway, where the Novosibirsk Rail Bridge was constructed. Originally named Novonikolayevsk, the city grew rapidly into a major transport, commercial, and industrial hub. The city was ravaged by the Russian Civil War but recovered during the early Soviet period, and gained its present name in 1926. Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, Novosibirsk became one of the largest industrial centers of Siberia. Following the outbreak of World War II, the city hosted many factories relocated from European Russia.
Novosibirsk is home to the headquarters of numerous Russian corporations, the neo-Byzantine Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, as well as the world-renowned Novosibirsk Zoo. It is served by Tolmachevo Airport, the busiest airport in Siberia.