Ulan-Ude, city and capital ofBuryatia, east-centralRussia. It lies at theconfluence of theSelenga andUda rivers and in a deep valley between the Khamar-Daban and Tsagan-Daban mountain ranges. The wintering camp of Udinskoye, established there in 1666, became the town of Verkhne-Udinsk in 1783; it was renamed Ulan-Ude in 1934.

The city’s development was greatly stimulated when theTrans-Siberian Railroad reached it in 1900 and later by the construction of a branch line toUlaanbaatar inMongolia in 1949—a branch extended toBeijing in 1956. Ulan-Ude’s role as a major rail junction led to the establishment of large locomotive and carriage repair works. Other industries include glassmaking,food processing, and other light industries. Ulan-Ude has agricultural, teacher-training, technological, and cultural institutes, several theatres, and a philharmonic hall. Pop. (2006 est.) 347,819.