Engels (till 1931 it was called Pokrovsk) since 1914 has been the town of the Russian Federation, Saratov region, port on the Volga river (Volgograd reservoir) is situated opposite Saratov. Engels is connected with Saratov by a road-transport bridge. It has a train station (Pokrovsk - Privolzhsky). There are 189.900 residents (1999). There are the following industries: machine-building, metal-working; chemical, light and food industries, building-materials. There is a theatre, regional museum named after Friedrich Engels. From the period 1924 till 1941 Engels was the capital of the Volga-region Germans.