The aim was to investigate the prevalence of COPD in adults of urban and rural regions. This was a cross sectional epidemiological survey involved 1 280 persons living at the Kachugski rural region and 1 820 ones living at an urban (Bratsk) region; all of them were older than 18 yrs. We used a standardized questionnaire of respiratory symptoms (ECSC). Lung function tests were performed in all the participants; functional criteria of COPD were based on post bronchodilating FEV1 < 80 % pred. and / or FEV1 / FVC < 70 %. Prevalence of COPD in the population over 18 years of age was 6.6 % in the rural region (14.6 % for males and 1.8 % for females) and 3.1 % in the urban region (4.7 and 1.6 % correspondingly). The prevalence of COPD increased with aging: 10.1 % in the town and 22.6 % in the rural region for the males of 50 to 69 yrs old. Conclusion: the high prevalence of COPD in general population and low diagnosis of this disease were found particularly among males over 50 yrs of age.