The two main rivers in European Russia, the Don and the Volga, run through the oblast and are connected by the Volga–Don Canal.

Volgograd Oblast's strategic waterways have made it a popular route for shipping and for the generation of hydroelectricity.

The major rivers are: Since the Middle Ages, the territory was ruled by Khazars, Cumania, the Golden Horde and Russia.

[11] During the Soviet period, three people exercised oblast-level authority: In 1991 the CPSU lost de facto power, and the head of the Oblast administration, and eventually the governor was appointed/elected alongside elected regional parliament.

[18] Vital statistics for 2022:[19][20] Total fertility rate (2022):[21] 1.14 children per woman Life expectancy (2021):[22] Total — 69.96 years (male — 65.70, female — 74.14) (shown are the ethnic groups with a population of more than 7,000 people) According to a 2012 survey,[24] 54.5% of the population of Volgograd Oblast adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 4% are unaffiliated generic Christians, 2% are Eastern Orthodox Christian believers who don't belong to any church or are members of non-Russian Eastern Orthodox churches, and 3% are Muslims.

Primary branches of economics are agriculture, food production, heavy industry, gas and petroleum refining.