The whole area of the district belongs to the drainage basin of the Volga River. The volga itself crosses the district from north to south. The main tributaries of the Volga within the district are the Itomlya River (left), the Tudovka River (right), and the Sishka River (right). The southeastern part of the district belongs to the basin of the Osuga River, a right tributary of the Vazuza, also in the basin of the Volga. The Osuga itself crosses the southern part of the district. Most of the area of the district is forested.
On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Rzhevsky District with the administrative center in the town of Rzhev was established. It belonged to Rzhev Okrug of Western Oblast.[14][15] On August 1, 1930 the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. On 29 January 1935 Kalinin Oblast was established, and Rzhevsky District was transferred to Kalinin Oblast.[13][14] During World War II, in 1941—1943, the district was occupied by German troops. In 1990, Kalinin Oblast was renamed Tver Oblast.[15]
On 12 July 1929 Molodotudsky District, with the center in the selo of Molodoy Tud was created as well. It was a part of Rzhev Okrug of Western Oblast. On 1 February 1932 it was abolished. On March 5, 1935 Chertolinsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Chertolino was established. It was a part of Kalinin Oblast. On 20 March 1936 Chertolino was transferred to Rzhevsky District, and Chertolinsky District was renamed Molodotudsky. The administrative center was moved to Molodoy Tud. On 22 August 1958 Molodotudsky District was abolished and split between Kirovsky, Oleninsky, and Rzhevsky Districts.[13]
Another district created on 12 July 1929 was Lukovnikovsky District, with the center in the selo of Lukovnikovo. It was a part of Rzhev Okrug of Western Oblast. On January 29, 1935 Lukovnikovsky District was transferred to Kalinin Oblast. On 14 November 1960 Lukovnikovsky District was abolished and split between Kirovsky, Novotorzhsky, Staritsky, and Rzhevsky Districts.[13]
As a municipal division, the district is incorporated as Rzhevsky Municipal District.[7] Rzhev Okrug is incorporated separately from the district as Rzhev Urban Okrug.[6]
Economy
Industry
There are enterprises in the district producing brick, crushed stone, and prefabricated wooden houses.[16]
Agriculture
The main agricultural specializations of the district are cattle breeding with meat and milk production, as well as crops and flax growing.[17]
Transportation
The railway which connects Moscow and Riga via Rzhev, crosses the district from east to west. Another railway connecting Torzhok with Vyazma via Rzhev, crosses it from north to south. There is passenger railway traffic.
The M9 highway connecting Moscow with Riga also crosses the district. Two other roads connect Rzhev with Tver via Staritsa and with Ostashkov via Selizharovo; both of them cross the district. There are also local roads with bus traffic originating from Rzhev.
The Volga is navigable, however, there is no passenger navigation.
Culture and recreation
The district contains 13 cultural heritage monuments of federal significance and additionally 108 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance. The federal monuments include the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the selo of Ratkovo, the complex of the Orekhovo Estate in the selo of Orekhovo, as well as a number of archeological sites.[18]
^Law #34-ZO stipulates that the borders of the administrative divisions of the district match those of the municipal formations the corresponding municipal district is subdivided into. Law #43-ZO contains the list of the municipal formations of Rzhevsky Municipal District. The counts of inhabited localities are per OKATO.
^ abВоробьёв, М. В. (1993). Г. В. Туфанова (ed.). Административно-территориальное деление Смоленской области (in Russian). Государственный архив Смоленской области. pp. 118–133.
Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №34-ЗО от 17 апреля 2006 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Тверской области», в ред. Закона №66-ЗО от 1 октября 2014 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 18 Закона Тверской области "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Тверской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №17 (специальный выпуск), 19 апреля 2006 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #34-ZO of April 17, 2006 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Tver Oblast, as amended by the Law #66-ZO of October 1, 2014 On Amending Article 18 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Tver Oblast". Effective as of the official publication date.).
Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №4-ЗО от 18 января 2005 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Тверской области и наделении их статусом городских округов, муниципальных районов», в ред. Закона №65-ЗО от 24 июля 2012 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 2 Закона Тверской области "Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Тверской области и наделении их статусом городских округов, муниципальных районов"». Вступил в силу через десять дней после официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №3, 21–27 января 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #4-ZO of January 18, 2005 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Tver Oblast and on Granting Them the Status of Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts, as amended by the Law #65-ZO of July 24, 2012 On Amending Article 2 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Tver Oblast and on Granting Them the Status of Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts". Effective as of the day which is ten days after the official publication.).
Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №43-ЗО от 28 февраля 2005 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований, входящих в состав территории муниципального образования Тверской области "Ржевский район", и наделении их статусом сельского поселения», в ред. Закона №22-ЗО от 28 марта 2013 г. «О преобразовании муниципальных образований сельское поселение "Шолохово" Ржевского района Тверской области и сельское поселение "Итомля" Ржевского района Тверской области и внесении изменений в Закон Тверской области "Об установлении границ муниципальных образований, входящих в состав территории муниципального образования Тверской области "Ржевский район", и наделении их статусом сельского поселения"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №10, 11–17 марта 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #43-ZO of February 28, 2005 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Which the Territory of the Municipal Formation of "Rzhevsky District" Comprises and on Granting Them the Status of Rural Settlements, as amended by the Law #22-ZO of March 28, 2013 On the Transformation of the Municipal Formations of Sholokhovo Rural Settlement of Rzhevsky District of Tver Oblast and Itomlya Rural Settlement of Rzhevsky District of Tver Oblast and on Amending the Law of Tver Oblast "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Which the Territory of the Municipal Formation of "Rzhevsky District" Comprises and on Granting Them the Status of Rural Settlements". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).