The village of Permskoye (Пе́рмское) was established on the later site of Komsomolsk in 1860 by migrant peasants from what was then called the Nizhne-Tambovsky District, Far Eastern Territory (now Khabarovsk Krai).

The city developed into a regional center for industries such as aircraft manufacturing, metallurgy, machinery, oil refining, and shipbuilding.

[6] The city is administratively divided into 2 okrugs (previously raion), coinciding with the historical parts: Leninsky (Dzemgi) and Central.

In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of 19 October 1943 were formed Lenin, Stalin and Central areas.

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR "On the Abolition of the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai" on August 7, 1957 in the district division was abolished, but the decree of March 31, 1972 the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the newly divided the city into two districts - Central and Leninsky.

It is about 3,900 miles (6,300 km) east of Moscow, and lies at the eastern end of the BAM Railway.

Komsomolsk-on-Amur has an extreme humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), featuring warm summers and bitterly cold winters.

Temperatures in the area of the city typically change by over 56 °C (100.8 °F) over the course of the year, with a daily average of −24.7 °C (−12.5 °F) in January, compared to +20.3 °C (68.5 °F) in July.

Komsomolsk-on-Amur consists of two historical parts: the center, or "city", where the main enterprise - Shipyard, and the Dzemgi - an area that has formed during the construction of an aircraft factory (future KnAAPO).

[22] The city's most notable company is Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, Russia's largest aircraft-manufacturing enterprise.