Balakovo is a city located in the Saratov Oblast of Russia. It is situated on the east bank of the Volga River, approximately 131 kilometers (81 miles) northeast of Saratov, which serves as the administrative center of the oblast.
According to census data, the population of Balakovo was 199,690 in 2010. Previous records indicate a population of 200,470 in 2002 and 197,391 during the 1989 Soviet census.