Krasnodar, formerly Yekaterinodar (also spelled Ekaterinodar), city in southwestern Russia, a port and railroad hub on the Kuban' River. The city is the administrative center of Krasnodar. Located north of the Caucasus Mountains, Krasnodar is a processing and distributing center for the rich Kuban' agricultural region. In addition to food products, manufactured goods include refined petroleum, textiles, chemicals, and machinery. The city was founded in the late 18th century as a Russian defense outpost during the reign of Empress Catherine II, for whom it was named Yekaterinodar. The city grew after the coming of the railroad in the 1890s and was renamed Krasnodar in 1920. Population (1999 estimate) 642,200.
