Pokhvistnevo is situated in northeast part of the Samara region on left bank of Bolshoy Kinel (feeder of Samara), 159 km away from the regional center. It borders on Orenburg region in the east. The city occupies a space of 6449 hectares and has an advantageous transport position. The highway Samara-Buguruslan and railway Samara–Ufa run through Pokhvistnevo.
Pokhvistnevo station appeared on September, 8th, 1888 in connection with construction of railway Samara-Ufa and beginning of railway traffic on Samara-Zlatoust rail line. By the end of the century a private house-building began south of this station. Later all these houses became a settlement for railway employees with a population of nearly 250 people. The station itself and all constructions belonging to it are now the architectural monuments of the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1939 an oil and gas field was discovered near Pokhvistnevo and oil and gas production began intensively.
In 1947 Pokhvistnevo was transformed to a town of district submission, and in 1963 Pokhvistnevo was concerned to towns of regional submission.
Pokhvistnevo is known as a town of oil industry workers, railway men and agrarians with a multinational cultural heritage of the people living in the Volga region. Thanks to such advantageous geographical location Pokhvistnevo has very favourable conditions for people’s living and development of economy and culture.
The industry of the city is presented by 12 large and middle-sized enterprises concerned with such branches of industrial production as mining operations; electricity generation; food production; production of machinery and equipment; production of electrical, electronic and optical equipment and wood processing industry.
Cultural life of Pokhvistnevo is presented by City history museum; Garden, creative union; Pirouette, Center of children's creativity; children’s art center; School of Creativity; Children's school of arts, which is the feather in city’s cap, and the Cultural Center on the basis of which the puppet theatre functions. This theatre is the prize-winner of the First Russian youth Delphic games.
Sport takes also not the last place in life of Pokhvistnevo. The city has really good conditions for townspeople to be keen on sport and physical training. The sports complex, stadium, boxing club, 14 gyms and 3 shooting ranges are at people’s disposal.
The municipal arms of Pokhvistnevo are developed by M. Medvedev, heraldist from St.-Petersburg, in best traditions of Russian heraldry. This municipal arms show an azure and green field with silver and black spike symbolizing the oil and the railway industry thanks to which the city has appeared. There is a gold circle with five flamy beams behind this spike, which is the symbol of wealth of this place.
The twin-city of Pokhvistnevo is Prenzlau (the State of Brandenburg, Germany).
The City Day is celebrated in Pokhvistnevo in the first Sunday of September.