The Stavropol Region is one of Russia's best agricultural regions. It is located north of the Caucasus mountains and stretchs from the Krasnodar region on the west almost to the Caspian Sea. Stavropol is the home region of former President Mikhail Gorbachev. Stavropol region has a long standing sister state relationship with Iowa and many Iowa cities have sister city relationships with Stavropol region cities.