<P> West Siberian economic region (Russian: За́падно - Сиби́рский экономи́ческий райо́н; tr.: Zapadno - Sibirsky ekonomichesky rayon) is one of twelve economic regions of Russia . </P> <P> This vast plain--marshy and thinly populated in the north, hilly in the south--is of growing economic importance, mostly due to the abundance of natural resources: oil, coal, wood, water . There are vast oilfields in the West Siberian petroleum basin, and Russia's largest oil refinery is in Omsk . The Kuznetsk Basin around Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk is a center of coal mining, and the production of iron, steel, machinery, and chemicals . Logging is a significant industry throughout the region . Hydroelectric stations dam the Ob near Novosibirsk and Kamen - na - Obi . The navigable Ob - Irtysh watershed covers most of this area, and the southern part is also criss - crossed by the Trans - Siberian, South Siberian and Turkestan - Siberian rail lines . Agricultural products include wheat, rice, oats, and sugar beets, and livestock is raised . </P> <Ul> <Li> Altai Krai (part of Siberian Federal District) </Li> <Li> Altai Republic (part of Siberian Federal District) </Li> <Li> Kemerovo Oblast (part of Siberian Federal District) </Li> <Li> Novosibirsk Oblast (part of Siberian Federal District) </Li> <Li> Omsk Oblast (part of Siberian Federal District) </Li> <Li> Tomsk Oblast (part of Siberian Federal District) </Li> <Li> Khanty--Mansi Autonomous Okrug (part of Ural Federal District) </Li> <Li> Tyumen Oblast (part of Ural Federal District) </Li> <Li> Yamalo - Nenets Autonomous Okrug (part of Ural Federal District) </Li> </Ul>

Siberia's economic significance is primarily due to its