Elista is situated in southern Russia. Elista means «sandy» and this is quite reasonable. Elista appeared on sand y areas of Ergeninskaya Upland in the very center of Kalmyk steppe. The location of Kalmyk capital is very successful - driving 300 kilometers in any direction you'll definitely get to one of big Russian cities, such as Volgograd, Astrakhan or Stavropol. However, Moscow is quite far - 1200 km away, which is a 2-hour flight. Elista was founded in 1865. The presenter Irina Pudova tells about the changes of the town. In a hundred and forty years Elista turned from little village into a big city with various facilities - museums, theaters, shops and a stadium.