1.
Russia
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Russia, also officially the Russian Federation, is a country in Eurasia. The European western part of the country is more populated and urbanised than the eastern. Russias capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world, other urban centers include Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod. Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe, Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a range of environments. It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, the East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants, in 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of states, most of the Rus lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion. The Soviet Union played a role in the Allied victory in World War II. The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century, including the worlds first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space. By the end of 1990, the Soviet Union had the second largest economy, largest standing military in the world. It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic, the Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015. Russias extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world, making it one of the producers of oil. The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction, Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower. The name Russia is derived from Rus, a state populated mostly by the East Slavs. However, this name became more prominent in the later history, and the country typically was called by its inhabitants Русская Земля. In order to distinguish this state from other states derived from it, it is denoted as Kievan Rus by modern historiography, an old Latin version of the name Rus was Ruthenia, mostly applied to the western and southern regions of Rus that were adjacent to Catholic Europe. The current name of the country, Россия, comes from the Byzantine Greek designation of the Kievan Rus, the standard way to refer to citizens of Russia is Russians in English and rossiyane in Russian. There are two Russian words which are translated into English as Russians
2.
Telephone numbers in Europe
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Telephone numbers in Europe are managed by the national telecommunications authorities of each country. The country calling codes start primarily with 3 and 4, however, some countries that by the Copenhagen criteria are considered part of Europe have country codes from the Asia range, the international access code has been standardized as 00. † = Disputed state, may not be recognized as an independent state by some or all European Union members, *A variable dialing plan has different dialing procedures for local and long distance telephone calls. A call within the city or within an area is dialed only by the subscriber number, while for calls outside the area. For fixed dialing plan it is required to dial all digits of the complete telephone number, including any area codes. Calls between member states would no longer require the use of the access code 00. Instead the digit 1 was proposed for these calls, replaced by +3 for call from outside the EU, each country would have a two-digit country code after the 1 or the +3. Calls inside each country would not be affected, option 3, Creation, in addition to providing numbers for special services, of a clear European numbering identity by using the number 3 to proceed current national country codes. This would liberate up to 50 new country codes within Europe and this would create four different ways of calling someone. For example, to call a number in Berlin, in Germany, a disadvantage would have been that every local number beginning with 1 would have had to be changed. wtng. info/wtng-reg. html#Europewide
3.
Kazakhstan
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Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in northern Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Kazakhstan is the worlds largest landlocked country, and the ninth largest in the world, Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically, generating 60% of the regions GDP, primarily through its oil/gas industry. It also has vast mineral resources, Kazakhstan is officially a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage. Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, the terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands, steppe, taiga, rock canyons, hills, deltas, snow-capped mountains, and deserts. Kazakhstan has an estimated 18 million people as of 2014, Given its large area, its population density is among the lowest. The capital is Astana, where it was moved in 1997 from Almaty, the territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic tribes. This changed in the 13th century, when Genghis Khan occupied the country as part of the Mongolian Empire, following internal struggles among the conquerors, power eventually reverted to the nomads. By the 16th century, the Kazakh emerged as a distinct group, the Russians began advancing into the Kazakh steppe in the 18th century, and by the mid-19th century, they nominally ruled all of Kazakhstan as part of the Russian Empire. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, and subsequent civil war, the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganised several times, in 1936, it was made the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, part of the Soviet Union. Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan has worked to develop its economy, especially its dominant hydrocarbon industry. Kazakhstans 131 ethnicities include Kazakhs, Russians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Germans, Tatars, the Kazakh language is the state language, and Russian has equal official status for all levels of administrative and institutional purposes. The name Kazakh comes from the ancient Turkic word qaz, to wander, the name Cossack is of the same origin. The Persian suffix -stan means land or place of, so Kazakhstan can be translated as land of the wanderers. Kazakhstan has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age, the regions climate, archaeologists believe that humans first domesticated the horse in the regions vast steppes. Central Asia was originally inhabited by the Scythians, the Cuman entered the steppes of modern-day Kazakhstan around the early 11th century, where they later joined with the Kipchak and established the vast Cuman-Kipchak confederation. Under the Mongol Empire, the largest in history, administrative districts were established. These eventually came under the rule of the emergent Kazakh Khanate, throughout this period, traditional nomadic life and a livestock-based economy continued to dominate the steppe. Nevertheless, the region was the focus of ever-increasing disputes between the native Kazakh emirs and the neighbouring Persian-speaking peoples to the south, at its height the Khanate would rule parts of Central Asia and control Cumania
4.
Country calling code
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Country calling codes or country dial in codes are telephone dialing prefixes for the member countries of the International Telecommunication Union. They are defined by the ITU-T in standards E.123, the prefixes enable international direct dialing, and are also referred to as international subscriber dialing codes. Country codes are a component of the telephone numbering plan. Country codes are dialed before the telephone number. For example, the call prefix in all countries belonging to the North American Numbering Plan is 011. On GSM networks, the prefix may automatically be inserted when the user prefixes a dialed number with the plus sign, Country calling codes are prefix codes, hence, they can be organized as a tree. In each row of the table below, the country codes given in the left-most column share the same first digit, while there is a general geographic grouping to the zones, some exceptions exist for political and historical reasons. Thus, the geographical indicators below are approximations only, countries within NANP administered areas are assigned area codes as if they were all within one country. The codes below in format +1 XXX represent area code XXX within the +1 NANP zone – not a country code. Small countries, such as Iceland, were assigned three-digit codes, since the 1980s, all new assignments have been three-digit regardless of countries’ populations.164 assigned country codes as of 15 November 2016. List of ITU-T Recommendation E.164 Dialling Procedures as of 15 December 2011, complement to Recommendation ITU-T E.164 - List of Recommendation ITU-T E.164 Assigned Country Codes. Telephone and Internet Country Codes in 10 Languages
5.
Telephone numbers in the Soviet Union
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The telephone numbering plan of the USSR was a set of telephone area codes, numbers and dialing rules, which operated in the Soviet Union until the 1990s. After the collapse of the USSR, many newly independent republics implemented their own numbering plans, however, many of the principles of the Soviet numbering plan still remain. The former Soviet international code +7 is still retained by Russia, the Soviet Union used a four-level open numbering plan. The long distance prefix was 8, one could call a local number without the code. Local numbers usually consisted of 5-7 digits, with numbers only occurring in Moscow, Leningrad. Within the same numbering area the pattern was,8 2X YYYYYY, for example,809624 XXXXX for a call to the city of Klin, Klinsky District, Moscow Oblast. For international calls, one should dial 810 <country code> <code> <phone number>, for example,8101212 XXXXXXX for a call to New York City. Emergency numbers in the USSR began with 0 and had two digits, when one called the emergency numbers, no tariff was charged. 01 - Fire brigade 02 - Police 03 - Ambulance 04 - Gas leaks 07 was used to order long-distance calls through the operator, area codes with 0 denotes the republics and Oblasts of the European part of the USSR. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, these codes in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine were preserved, area codes in the Ukraine and Belarus later dropped initial 0. In Russia, in December 2005 the leading zero in the Oblastal area codes was replaced by a 4. agava. ru/sngsity/sng01. htm http, //phonecodes. by. ru/01. html http, //www. scross. ru/guide/phone-local/
6.
Abkhazia
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Abkhazia is a partially recognised state on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus Mountains, south of Russia and northwest of Georgia proper. It covers 8,660 square kilometres and has a population of around 240,000, the separatist Abkhazian polity, formally the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny, is recognised only by Russia and a small number of other countries. The status of Abkhazia is an issue of the Georgian–Abkhazian conflict. The region enjoyed autonomy within Soviet Georgia at the time when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in the late 1980s, despite the 1994 ceasefire agreement and years of negotiations, the dispute remained unresolved. The long-term presence of a United Nations Observer Mission and a Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping force failed to prevent the flare-up of violence on several occasions. On 28 August 2008, the Parliament of Georgia declared Abkhazia a Russian-occupied territory, the Abkhazians call their homeland Аҧсны, popularly etymologised as a land/country of the soul, yet literally meaning a country of mortals. It possibly first appeared in the century in an Armenian text as Psin. The state is designated as the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny. The Russian Абхазия is adapted from the Georgian აფხაზეთი, in Mingrelian, Abkhazia is known as აბჟუა or სააფხაზო. Between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, the territory of modern Abkhazia was part of the ancient Georgian kingdom of Colchis and this kingdom was subsequently absorbed in 63 BC into the Kingdom of Egrisi, known to Byzantine Roman sources as Lazica. Classical authors described various peoples living in the region and the multitude of languages they spoke. Arrian, Pliny and Strabo have given accounts of the Abasgoi and Moschoi peoples somewhere in modern Abkhazia on the shore of the Black Sea. Around the mid 6th century AD, the Byzantines and the neighbouring Sassanid Persia fought for supremacy over Abkhazia for 20 years, Abkhazia, or Abasgia in classic sources, formerly part of Colchis and later of Egrisi until the late 690s, was a princedom under Byzantine authority. The country was mostly Christian, with the seat in Pityus. An Arab incursion into Abkhazia led by Marwan II, was repelled by Leon I jointly with his Egrisian and Kartlian allies in 736, after acquiring Egrisi via a dynastic union in the 780s the Kingdom of Abkhazia was established and became a dominant power in western Caucasus. During this period the Georgian language replaced Greek as the language of literacy, the western Georgian kingdom flourished between 850 and 950 when it annexed significant parts of central Georgia. In the 16th century, after the break-up of the Georgian Kingdom into small kingdoms and principalities, since the 1570s, when the Ottoman navy occupied the fort of Tskhumi, Abkhazia came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire and Islam. Under Ottoman rule, the majority of Abkhaz elite converted to Islam, the principality retained a degree of autonomy
7.
Georgia (country)
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Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi, Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres, and its 2016 population is about 3.72 million. Georgia is a unitary, semi-presidential republic, with the government elected through a representative democracy, during the classical era, several independent kingdoms became established in what is now Georgia. The kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia adopted Christianity in the early 4th century, a unified Kingdom of Georgia reached the peak of its political and economic strength during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar in the 12th and early 13th centuries. Thereafter the kingdom declined and eventually disintegrated under hegemony of various powers, including the Mongols, the Ottoman Empire. Russian rule over Georgia was eventually acknowledged in various treaties with Iran. Since the establishment of the modern Georgian republic in April 1991, post-communist Georgia suffered from civil, the countrys Western orientation soon led to the worsening of relations with Russia, culminating in the brief Russo-Georgian War in August 2008. Georgia is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and it contains two de facto independent regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which gained limited international recognition after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Georgia and a part of the international community consider the regions to be part of Georgias sovereign territory under Russian military occupation. Georgia probably stems from the Persian designation of the Georgians – gurğān, in the 11th and 12th centuries adapted via Syriac gurz-ān/gurz-iyān, starting with the Persian word gurğ/gurğān, the word was later adopted in numerous other languages, including Slavic and West European languages. This term itself might have established through the ancient Iranian appellation of the near-Caspian region. The self-designation used by ethnic Georgians is Kartvelebi, the medieval Georgian Chronicles present an eponymous ancestor of the Kartvelians, Kartlos, a great-grandson of Japheth. However, scholars agree that the word is derived from the Karts, the name Sakartvelo consists of two parts. Its root, kartvel-i, specifies an inhabitant of the core central-eastern Georgian region of Kartli, ancient Greeks and Romans referred to early western Georgians as Colchians and eastern Georgians as Iberians. Today the full, official name of the country is Georgia, before the 1995 constitution came into force the countrys name was the Republic of Georgia. The territory of modern-day Georgia was inhabited by Homo erectus since the Paleolithic Era, the proto-Georgian tribes first appear in written history in the 12th century BC. The earliest evidence of wine to date has found in Georgia. In fact, early metallurgy started in Georgia during the 6th millennium BC, the classical period saw the rise of a number of early Georgian states, the principal of which was Colchis in the west and Iberia in the east
8.
Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
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The Ukrainian territory of Crimea was annexed by the Russian Federation on 18 March 2014. On 23 February 2014, pro-Russian demonstrations were held in the Crimean city of Sevastopol and it led to the other members of the then G8 suspending Russia from the group, then introducing the first round of sanctions against the country. The resolution calls upon all States and international organizations not to recognize or to imply the recognition of Russias annexation, the Russian Federation opposes the annexation label, with Putin defending the referendum as complying with the principle of self-determination of peoples. In July 2015, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Crimea had been integrated into Russia. Crimea became part of the Russian Empire in 1783, when the Crimean Khanate was annexed, initially it was incorporated into the Empire as Taurida Oblast but in 1795 it was merged into Novorossiysk Governorate and then, in 1802, transferred to the Taurida Governorate. A series of short-lived governments were established during first stages of the Russian Civil War, in October 1921, the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of the Russian SFSR was instituted. In 1954, the Crimean Oblast was transferred from the Russian SFSR to the Ukrainian SSR by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. In 1989, under perestroika, the Supreme Soviet declared that the deportation of the Crimean Tatars under Stalin had been illegal, in 1990, the Soviet of the Crimean Oblast proposed the restoration of the Crimean ASSR. The oblast conducted a referendum in 1991, which asked whether Crimea should be elevated into a signatory of the New Union Treaty, by that time, though, the dissolution of the Soviet Union was well underway. The Crimean ASSR was restored for less than a year as part of Soviet Ukraine before Ukrainian independence, newly independent Ukraine maintained Crimeas autonomous status, while the Supreme Council of Crimea affirmed the peninsulas sovereignty as a part of Ukraine. The autonomous status of Crimea was limited by Ukrainian authorities in 1995, on 24 August 2009, anti-Ukrainian demonstrations were held in Crimea by ethnic Russian residents. Sergei Tsekov said then that he hoped that Russia would treat Crimea the same way as it had treated South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Yanukovych won the 2010 presidential election with strong support from voters in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and southern and eastern Ukraine. The Crimean autonomous government strongly supported Yanukovych and condemned the protests, on 4 February 2014, the Presidium of the Supreme Council considered holding a referendum on the peninsulas status, and asked the Russian government to guarantee the vote. The Security Service of Ukraine responded by opening a case to investigate the possible subversion of Ukraines territorial integrity. The Euromaidan protests came to a head in late February 2014, arseniy Yatsenyuk was appointed by the Rada to serve as the head of a caretaker government until new presidential and parliament elections could be held. This new government was recognised internationally, though the Russian government said that these events had been a coup détat, in January 2014 the Sevastopol city council had already called for formation of peoples militia units to ensure firm defence of the city from extremism. Crimean parliament members called for a meeting on 21 February. Crimean Tatar Mejlis chairman Mustafa Dzhemilev said that he suspected that the meeting was arranged to call for Russian military intervention in Crimea
9.
Crimea
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The peninsula is located south of the Ukrainian region of Kherson and west of the Russian region of Kuban. It is connected to Kherson Oblast by the Isthmus of Perekop and is separated from Kuban by the Strait of Kerch, the Arabat Spit is located to the northeast, a narrow strip of land that separates a system of lagoons named Sivash from the Sea of Azov. Crimea has historically been at the boundary between the world and the Pontic–Caspian steppe. Crimea and adjacent territories were united in the Crimean Khanate during the 15th to 18th century, in 1783, Crimea was annexed by the Russian Empire. It became the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within newly independent Ukraine in 1991, with Sevastopol having its own administration, within Ukraine, the ex-Soviet Black Sea Fleet and its facilities were divided between Russias Black Sea Fleet and the Ukrainian Naval Forces. The two navies shared some of the harbours and piers, while others were demilitarised or used by either country. Sevastopol remained the location of the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters with the Ukrainian Naval Forces Headquarters also based in the city, most of the international community does not recognize the annexation and considers Crimea to be Ukrainian territory. Russia currently administers the peninsula as two federal subjects, the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Ukraine continues to assert its right over the peninsula, the classical name Tauris or Taurica is from the Greek Ταυρική, after the peninsulas Scytho-Cimmerian inhabitants, the Tauri. In English usage since the modern period the Crimean Khanate is referred to as Crim Tartary. The Italian form Crimea also becomes current during the 18th century, the omission of the definite article in English became common during the later 20th century. The name Crimea follows the Italian form from the Crimean Tatar name for the city Qırım which served as a capital of the Crimean province of the Golden Horde, the name of the capital was extended to the entire peninsula at some point during Ottoman suzerainty. The origin of the word Qırım is uncertain, suggestions argued in various sources include, a corruption of Cimmerium. A derivation from the Turkic term qirum, from qori-, other suggestions that have not been supported by sources but are apparently based on similarity in sound include, a derivation from the Greek Cremnoi. However, he identifies the port, not in Crimea, no evidence has been identified that this name was ever in use for the peninsula. The classical name was revived in 1802 in the name of the Russian Taurida Governorate, in the 8th century BCE the Cimmerians migrated to the region and subsequently the Scythians as well it being the site of Greek colonies. The most important city was Chersonesos at the edge of todays Sevastopol, the Persian Achaemenid Empire expanded to Crimea. Later occupiers included the Romans, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, the Byzantine Empire, Khazars, the Kipchaks, the Golden Horde, consideration of the succeeding residents of the peninsula by their linguistic grouping is also of relevance
10.
Republic of Crimea
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The Republic of Crimea is a federal subject of Russia that is located on the Crimean Peninsula. It has a population of 1,891, 465 , Russia then annexed the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol as federal subjects of Russia. Russia disputes this, citing the right of the people of Crimea to self-determination, in 1792, under the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, Crimea was ceded to Russia by the Ottoman Empire under the Treaty of Jassy, which formally ended the Russo-Turkish war of 1787-1792. From 1802, it constituted a part of the Taurida Governorate of the Russian Empire until the collapse thereof in 1917. The Crimean Tatars were allowed to return to Crimea in the mid-1980s under perestroika, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Crimea became part of the newly independent Ukraine, which led to tensions between Russia and Ukraine. With the Black Sea Fleet based on the peninsula, worries of armed skirmishes were occasionally raised, Crimean Tatars began returning from exile and resettling in Crimea. Ukraine restored Crimeas autonomous status in 1991, the document specifically mentioned Kosovo as a precedent in the lead part. The available choices did not include keeping the status quo of Crimea, on 16 March 2014, according to statements of organizers of Crimean status referendum, a large majority voted in favour of independence of Crimea from Ukraine and joining Russia as a federal subject. The referendum was not recognized by most of the international community, the BBC reported that most of the Crimean Tatars that they interviewed were boycotting the vote. Reports from the UN criticised the circumstances surrounding the referendum, especially the presence of paramilitaries, self-defence groups, the European Union, Canada, Japan and the United States condemned the vote as illegal. After the referendum, Crimean lawmakers formally voted both to secede from Ukraine and applied for their admission into Russia, the Sevastopol City Council, however, requested the ports separate admission as a federal city. On 18 March 2014, the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Crimea signed a treaty of accession to the Russian Federation, the accession was only recognised internationally by a few states with most regarding the action as illegal. Though Ukraine refused to accept the annexation, the Ukrainian military began to withdraw from Crimea on 19 March. On 3 April 2014, Moscow sent a note to Ukraine on terminating the actions of agreements concerning the deployment of the Russian Federations Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine. As part of the agreements, Russia paid the Ukrainian government $530 million annually for the base, the Kremlin stated that as the base is no longer located in Ukraine, there were no legal grounds for the discount to be continued. On 3 April 2014, Crimea and the city of Sevastopol became part of Russias Southern Military District, on 11 April 2014, the parliament of Crimea approved a new constitution, with 88 out of 100 lawmakers voting in favor of its adoption. The constitution ensures the Republic of Crimea as a state within the Russian Federation and says that its territory is united. The Crimean parliament will become smaller and have 75 members instead of current 100, on 12 April 2014, the Constitution of the Republic of Crimea, adopted at the session of the State Council on 11 April entered into legal force
11.
Sevastopol
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Sevastopol or traditionally Sebastopol is a city located in the southwestern region of the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea. Sevastopol has a population of 393, 304 , concentrated mostly near the Bay of Sevastopol, the location and navigability of the citys harbours have made Sevastopol a strategically important port and naval base throughout history. The city has been a home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, although relatively small at 864 square kilometres, Sevastopols unique naval and maritime features provide the basis for a robust economy. The city enjoys mild winters and moderate summers, characteristics that help make it a popular seaside resort and tourist destination. The city is also an important centre for marine biology, in particular, the name of Sevastopolis was originally chosen in the same etymological trend as other cities in the Crimean peninsula that was intended to reflect its ancient Greek origins. It is a compound of the Greek adjective, σεβαστός and the noun πόλις, Σεβαστός is the traditional Greek equivalent of the Roman honorific Augustus, originally given to the first emperor of the Roman Empire, Augustus and later awarded as a title to his successors. Despite its Greek origin, the name itself is not from Ancient Greek times, the city was probably named after the Empress Catherine II of Russia who founded Sevastopol in 1783. She visited the city in 1787 accompanied by Joseph II, the Emperor of Austria, in the west of the city, there are well-preserved ruins of the ancient Greek port city of Chersonesos, founded in the 5th century BC by settlers from Heraclea Pontica. This name means peninsula, reflecting its location, and is not related to the ancient Greek name for the Crimean Peninsula as a whole. In English the current spelling has the pronunciation /səˈvæstəˌpoʊl/ or /ˌsɛvəˈstoʊpəl/, whilst the spelling has the pronunciation /sᵻˈbæstəpəl, -pɒl/ or /səˈbæstəˌpoʊl. Ukrainian, Севастополь, Russian, Севастополь, pronounced in Ukrainian, in the 6th century BC a Greek colony was established in the area of the modern-day city. The Greek city of Chersonesus existed for almost two years, first as an independent democracy and later as part of the Bosporan Kingdom. In the 13th and 14th centuries it was sacked by the Golden Horde several times and was totally abandoned. The modern day city of Sevastopol has no connection to the ancient and medieval Greek city, five years earlier, Alexander Suvorov ordered that earthworks be erected along the harbour and Russian troops be placed there. In February 1784, Catherine the Great ordered Grigory Potemkin to build a fortress there, the realisation of the initial building plans fell to Captain Fyodor Ushakov who in 1788 was named commander of the port and of the Black Sea squadron. It became an important naval base and later a commercial seaport, in 1797, under an edict issued by Emperor Paul I, the military stronghold was again renamed to Akhtiar. Finally, on 29 April,1826, the Senate returned the name to Sevastopol. One of the most notable involving the city is the Siege of Sevastopol carried out by the British, French, Sardinian, and Turkish troops during the Crimean War
12.
Rostelecom
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Rostelecom is Russias leading long-distance telephony provider. Domestic long distance service provides about 50% of the companys revenue, in other words, if one makes a long distance call or originates Internet contact to or from Russia, it is likely that Rostelecom is providing part of the service. The companys stock is traded on the MICEX, RTS, OTCBB, London Stock Exchange, prior to 1990, responsibility for the provision of telecommunications services lie at the Ministry of Communications of the USSR. Throughout the 90s, the company which was part of Svyazinvest, was the sole operator in Russia. Alongside it, local companies operated in the different regions of Russia under the umbrella of Svyazinvest while Rostelecom connected between their networks, on 2011, Svyazinvest was liquidated with the regional subsidiaries merged into Rostelecom. Rostelecom has the largest domestic backbone network and last mile connections to approximately 35 million households in Russia, the company offers Karta Svyazi a user-friendly prepaid long-distance telephone card service designed to provide telephony and access to the internet for people on the go. The companys network is based on extant Russian fiber-optic cable lines - FOCL, by cable the network is connected to countries in Europe and East Asia. Fiber-optic cable lines crosses Russian Federation on directions «Moscow — Novorossiysk», «Moscow — Khabarovsk», using the services of the Russian Orbital Group, Rostelecom has built its satellite system for its Eastern region, comprising 11 land stations in Siberia and the Russian Far East. Satellite service for the Western region is being built at this time.5 million subscribers, during the 2010s, Rostelecom and its subsidiaries built mobile networks of the third generation in 27 regions of Russia. Total planned to more than 8 thousand base stations. Suppliers of equipment and solutions for the 3G+ network are Ericsson, on April 2013 the company announced the launch of 3G+ networks in the Sverdlovsk, Kurgan and Chelyabinsk regions, in the south of the Tyumen Oblast and in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area. This launch followed the introduction of 3G+ services in Perm Krai, the 3G+ network is LTE-ready, so that only minor modifications will be required before the Company can roll out its 4G network in the future. On June 2013 Rostelecom launched its first part of its LTE network in Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics, Rostelecom would get a 45% voting stake in the new company, T2 RTK Holding, in exchange for contributing its standalone mobile subsidiaries and assets, including SkyLink. Tele2 Russia, owned by state-controlled bank VTB and Russian businessmen Yuri Kovalchuk and Alexei Mordashov, Rostelecom and Tele2 Russia together have around 38 million mobile subscribers, or a combined market share of 16%. Analysts said the deal makes sense as Rostelecom has been efficient in rolling out mobile networks. By relying on the Tele2 team in mobile expansion Rostelecom removes risks, on February 2014 Rostelecom and Tele2 signed a framework agreement on the integration of mobile assets to the authorized capital of the joint venture T2 Rus Holding. At the first stage of integration, Rostelecom passed seven cellular subsidiaries it owns, Sky Link, Nizhny Novgorod Cellular Communications, Baikalwestcom, Volgograd GSM Yenisei Telecom, Rostelecom - Russian language and English language, corporate website Rostelecom - consumer website
13.
Golden Telecom
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Golden Telecom is a company that provides communication and Internet services in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Founded in 1996 by the global corporation Global Telesystems, nYSE-listed Global TeleSystems was the owner of Ebone one of Europes leading broadband optical and IP network service providers. GTS had its IPO on the NASDAQ in 1998, in 2000, a new management including Robert A. Schriesheim as CFO, was brought in to help restructure and refocus the company. GTS was a pan-European communications services provider, backed by Alan B, slifka and affiliates of George Soros and Soros Private Equity, with revenues of over $1 billion and operations in 20 countries in Europe. In October 1999 GTS did an IPO of on the NASDAQ of, Golden Telecom, in 2001, to facilitate the sale of GTS, Mr. All such proceedings were approved, confirmed and completed by March 31,2002 as part of the sale of the company, david A. Stewart served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at that time and left Golden Telecom in 2004. Golden Telecom is a Russian long-distance operator, which is building its own Federal Transit Network in Russia. At present, the operator has fibre-optical highways Moscow-Saint Petersburg and Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod, on 17 March 2006 the operator declared that it put into operation the fibre-optical highway Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod. The distance of the line is 485 km, the construction of the optical highway Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod was carried out together with Open Society VimpelCom. Both companies have invested nine million dollars in the construction, since March 2006 Golden Telecom has been building a fibre-optical highway Nizhni Novgorod-Kazan-Ufa, with planned operation start in the end of 2006. Company is building the largest European Wi-Fi network in Moscow, over 5.000 WAPs, in 2007 the company plans to begin construction of a fibre-optical highway Kazan-Naberezhnye Chelny-Perm-Yekaterinburg and complete the construction of line Ufa-Samara-Saratov. Golden Telecom LLC is the smallest GSM operator in Ukraine, although it started early by launching its GSM-1800 operation back in 1996 and its wireless network covers just two metropolitan areas, Kiev and Odessa, lacking the national coverage of its competitors. The current number of Golden Telecoms GSM postpaid and prepaid subscribers is just below 50,000, the outlook of its GSM business is quite grim in the wake of huge success and growth of traditional and emerging competitors. Even its earlier competitive advantage, absence of the fee, is not a factor anymore as new competitors do not charge connection fees as well. This is the first national roaming agreement between mobile operators in Ukraine, Golden Telecoms network code in Ukraine is +38039*******. Golden Telecom LLC Ukraine is a division of Golden Telecom Inc. which also operates a business in Russia. Stewart P. Reich Official site Official site
14.
International Telecommunication Union
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ITU, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a member of the United Nations Development Group. ITU has been an intergovernmental public-private partnership organization since its inception, ITU was formed in 1865, in Paris, at the International Telegraph Convention, this makes it one of the oldest intergovernmental organizations in the world. ITU became a United Nations specialized agency in 1947, the ITU comprises three sectors, each managing a different aspect of the matters handled by the Union, as well as ITU Telecom. The sectors were created during the restructuring of ITU at its 1992 Plenipotentiary Conference, radiocommunication Established in 1927 as the International Radio Consultative Committee or CCIR, this sector manages the international radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbit resources. In 1992, the CCIR became the ITU-R, Standardization Standardization was the original purpose of ITU since its inception. Established in 1956 as the International Telephone and Telegraph Consultative Committee or CCITT, in 1993, the CCITT became the ITU-T. Development Established in 1992, this sector helps spread equitable, sustainable and affordable access to information and communication technologies, ITU Telecom ITU Telecom organizes major events for the worlds ICT community. A permanent General Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General, manages the work of the Union. The basic texts of the ITU are adopted by the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, the ITU is headed by a Secretary-General, who is elected to a four-year term by the member states at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference. On 23 October 2014 Houlin Zhao was elected 19th Secretary-General of the ITU at the Plenipotentiary Conference in Busan and his four-year mandate started on 1 January 2015, and he was formally inaugurated on 15 January 2015. There are 193 Member States of the ITU, which are all UN member states, the most recent member state to join the ITU is South Sudan, which became a member on 14 July 2011. The Republic of China was blocked from membership by the Peoples Republic of China, palestine was admitted as an observer in 2010. The Summit was held as two conferences in 2003 and 2005 in Geneva and Tunis, respectively, with the aim of bridging the digital divide, in December 2012, the ITU facilitated The World Conference on International Telecommunications 2012 in Dubai. WCIT-12 was a conference to address International Telecommunications Regulations, the international rules for telecommunications. The previous conference to update the Regulations was held in Melbourne in 1988, in August 2012, ITU called for a public consultation on a draft document ahead of the conference. Telecommunications ministers from 193 countries attended the conference in Dubai, the current regulatory structure was based on voice telecommunications, when the Internet was still in its infancy. In 1988, telecommunications operated under regulated monopolies in most countries, as the Internet has grown, organizations such as ICANN have come into existence to manage key resources such as Internet addresses and Domain Names. Some outside the United States believe that the United States exerts too much influence over the governance of the Internet, current proposals look to take into account the prevalence of data communications
15.
Adygea
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The Republic of Adygea, also known as the Adyghe Republic, is a federal subject of Russia, with its territory enclaved within Krasnodar Krai. Its area is 7,600 square kilometers with a population of 439,996, forests cover almost 40% of its territory. Borders — the Republic of Adygea is entirely surrounded by Krasnodar Krai, highest point — Chugush Mountain 3,238 m. The 870-kilometer long Kuban River is one of the navigable rivers in the Caucasus region. It forms part of the border between the Republic of Adygea and Krasnodar Krai. The republic has no large lakes, other natural resources include gold, silver, tungsten, and iron. Cherkess Autonomous Oblast was established within the Russian SFSR on July 27,1922, on the territories of Kuban-Black Sea Oblast, at that time, Krasnodar was the administrative center. It was renamed Adyghe Autonomous Oblast on August 24,1922 and it was renamed Adyghe Autonomous Oblast in July 1928. On January 10,1934, the autonomous oblast became part of new Azov-Black Sea Krai, Maykop was made the administrative center of the autonomous oblast in 1936. Adyghe AO became part of Krasnodar Krai when it was established on September 13,1937, on July 3,1991, the oblast was elevated to the status of a republic under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. The first President of the republic was Aslan Aliyevich Dzharimov, elected on 5 January 1992, from 2002 to 2007, Hazret Sovmen was President. He, and most of the rest of the elite in Adygea, are Adyghes. As a reaction to that, an organization calling itself the Union of Slavs was established and they advocate the merger of Adygea with Krasnodar Krai, but have so far have had little support for that proposition from the Russian government. Relations between Adygs and ethnic Russians in Adyghe are currently good, Russians make up two-thirds of the population within Adygea and the current Head, Aslan Tkhakushinov is an ethnic Adyghe and was elected largely on the support of Russian votes. The Republic of Adygea is administratively divided into seven districts, two cities/towns, and five urban-type settlements, municipally, the republic is divided into two urban okrugs, five urban settlements, and 46 rural settlements. Note м. р. above is an abbreviation for муниципальный район Population,439, 996 ,447, 109 ,432, 588 . Source, Russian Federal State Statistics Service According to the 2010 Census, ethnic Russians make up 63. 6% of the total population. Other groups include Armenians, Ukrainians, Kurds, Tatars, According to a 2012 official survey 35
16.
Altai Krai
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Altai Krai is a federal subject of Russia. It borders with, clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Oblasts, the krais administrative center is the city of Barnaul. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the krai was 2,419,755, Altai Krai has rolling foothills, grasslands, lakes, rivers, and mountains. The climate is severe with long dry winters and hot. The regions main waterway is the Ob River, the Biya and Katun Rivers are also important. The biggest lakes are Lake Kulundinskoye, Lake Kuchukskoye, and Lake Mikhaylovskoye, Altai Krai has huge reserves of raw materials, especially materials used for building, as well as significant mineral reserves. These include nonferrous metals, lead and iron ores, manganese, tungsten, molybdenum, bauxite, forests cover about 60,000 km² of the krais land. See also Geography of South-Central Siberia, the Altai bees are hardy and healthy they are renowned for producing some of the worlds finest organic honeys. Historically honey was used by the peoples of Altai and Bashkiria as payment or yasak to the Russian Tsars and this area is part of a great crossroads in the ancient world. Nomadic tribes crossed through the territory during periods of migration, the nomadic tribes were composed of different peoples. Archeological sites reveal that ancient humans lived in the area, the Altay people are a Turkic people, some of whom have settled here, who were originally nomadic and date back to the 2nd millennium BCE. The territory of the krai has been controlled by the Xiongnu Empire and Mongolian Xianbei state, Rouran Khaganate, Mongol Empire, Golden Horde, Northern Yuan and Zunghar Khanate. Ref. Lietuvos žydų tremtinių sąrašas Parengė Galina Žirikova pagal, „Genocido aukų vardynas 1939-1941 m. “ Lietuvos gyventojų genocido ir rezistencijos centras, the flag of Altai Krai is red and blue with a yellow stripe on it as a symbol of agriculture. In the center of the flag is the coat of arms of Altai Krai, the coat of arms of Altai Krai was established in 2000. It includes a shield of French heraldry form with a basement of 8/10th of its height, bottom edges of the shield are rounded. The shield is divided with a horizontal stripe into two equal parts, in the upper part has a blue background, which is a symbol of glory, is a steamy oven of the 18th century, which reflects a historical past of the krai. In the bottom part on the red background, which is a symbol of dignity, braveness and courage, is an image of the Koluvan Queen of Vases mainly in green color, which is kept in the Hermitage Museum. The shield is framed with golden wheat ears which represent agriculture as an industry of Altai Krai
17.
Altai Republic
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The Altai Republic is a federal subject of Russia. Its capital is the town of Gorno-Altaysk, the area of the republic is 92,600 square kilometers, and its population is 206,168. The Xiongnu Empire governed the territory of the modern Altai Republic, the ethnicity of this empire is unclear, proposals by scholars include Turkic, Mongolic, Yeniseian, Tocharian, Iranian, and Uralic. The southern part of the Altai Republic came under the Naiman Khanate, territory of the modern Altai Republic has been ruled by the Mongolic Xianbei state, Rouran Khaganate, Mongol Empire, Golden Horde, Zunghar Khanate and Qing Empire. The Qing period is a period with supervisor of two Altan Nuur Uriankhai Governor Banners and part of the seven Altai Uriankhai banners. Since 1820s, the border check was less frequent and Chuy drainage basin has been occupied by Russians. The original name for this region was Bazla, on January 7,1948 it was renamed Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast. In 1991 it was reorganized into the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, in 1992 it was renamed as the Altai Republic. The Altai Republic is situated in the center of Asia at the junction of the Siberian taiga, the steppes of Kazakhstan. Forests cover about 25% of the republics territory, area,92,600 km2 Borders, internal, Kemerovo Oblast, Republic of Khakassia, Tuva Republic, and Altai Krai. The republics largest rivers are the Katun and the Biya, both of which originate in the mountains and flow northwards, the junction of the two rivers eventually forms the Ob River, one of the longest rivers in Siberia, which flows northward to the Arctic Ocean. The source of the black Biya River is Lake Teletskoye, the regions largest lake located in an area far south in the mountains. The emerald-colored Katun River has its source at the Gebler glacier, the hydrographic network of the Republic also includes approximately 7,000 lakes, adding up to a total area of more than 700 km2. The largest lake is Lake Teletskoye, which is 80 km long and 5 kilometers wide, has an area of 230.8 square kilometers, the mountain lakes of Altai contain enormous freshwater reserves of a very pure quality as a result of their distance from most human activity. Lake Teletskoye alone contains more than 40 cubic kilometers of highly pure water, potential ground water storage is evaluated at 22 million m³ per day, while the present use constitutes about 44,000 m³ per day. The most striking aspect of the Republic of Altai is its mountainous terrain. The Republic is situated within the Russian part of the Altai Mountains system, the Republics highest peak, Mount Belukha, is the highest point in Siberia. Various bodies of water are among the most important natural resources of the Republic, mineral and hot springs are popular destinations for tourists and locals, sought for their therapeutic effects
18.
Amur Oblast
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Amur Oblast is a federal subject of Russia, located on the banks of the Amur and Zeya Rivers in the Russian Far East. The administrative center of the oblast, the city of Blagoveshchensk, is one of the oldest settlements in the Russian Far East and it is a traditional center of trade and gold mining. The territory is accessed by two railways, the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal–Amur Mainline, as of the 2010 Census, the oblasts population was 830,103. Amur Krai or Priamurye were unofficial names for the Russian territories by the Amur River used in the late Russian Empire that approximately correspond to modern Amur Oblast, the Stanovoy Range forms the dividing line between the Sakha Republic and Amur Oblast and spreads across the oblasts entire northern border. The Amur–Zeya and Zeya–Bureya Plains cover about 40% of the oblasts territory, several mountain ranges are to the south of Stanovoy Range and parallel to it, and another mountain chain stretches along the oblasts eastern border with Khabarovsk Krai. Many rivers flow through the oblast, especially in the north, most of the oblast is in the Amurs drainage basin, although the rivers in the northwest drain into the Lena and the rivers in the northeast drain into the Uda. The longest rivers include the Amur, Bureya, Gilyuy, Nyukzha, Olyokma, Selemdzha, the Zeya begins in the mountains in the northeast, and its middle reaches are dammed to create the huge Zeya Reservoir, which sprawls over 2,400 square kilometers. Climate is temperate continental, with cold, dry winters and hot, average January temperatures vary from −24 °C in the south to −33 °C in the north. Average July temperatures are +21 °C in the south and +18 °C in the north, annual precipitation is about 850 millimeters. Dwarf Siberian pine and alpine tundra grow at higher elevations and larch forests with small stands of flat-leaved birch and these larch and fir-spruce forests form the watershed of the Selemdzha River. The Bureya and Arkhara Rivers, southeast of the Selemdza, have the richest remaining forests in the oblast with Korean pine, Schisandra chinensis, Mongolian Oak, the Zeya–Bureya Plain, located between the Zeya, Amur, and Bureya Rivers, has the highest biodiversity in Amur Oblast. Much of this plain has been burned for agriculture, but large patches still remain, japanese Daurian and Far Eastern western cranes nest here, as well as a host of other rare birds. Amur Oblast has considerable reserves of many types of mineral resources, among the most important are gold, silver, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, copper, and tin. Black coal and lignite reserves are estimated to be seventy billion tons, probable iron deposits are estimated to be 3.8 billion tons. The Garin deposit is fully explored and known to contain 389 million tons of iron ore, estimated reserves of the deposit are 1,293 million tons. The deposits ore contains a low concentration of impurities, the ore contains 69. 9% iron. Amur Oblast is also a source of titanium, with the Bolshoy Seyim deposit being the most important. According to the Bei Shi and the Sui Shu, both Chinese records, this area belonged originally to the one of the five semi-nomadic Shiwei
19.
Arkhangelsk Oblast
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Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, Arkhangelsk Oblast also has administrative jurisdiction over Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Including Nenetsia, Arkhangelsk Oblast has an area of 587,400 km2 and its population was 1,227,626 as of the 2010 Census. The city of Arkhangelsk, with a population of 348,716 as of the 2010 Census, is the center of the oblast. The second largest city is the nearby Severodvinsk, home to Sevmash, Plesetsk Cosmodrome is one of three spaceports in Russia. Arkhangelsk Oblast, which includes Nenets Autonomous Okrug, borders Kirov Oblast, Vologda Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic, Cape Fligely in Franz Josef Land and Cape Zhelaniya in Novaya Zemlya are both located within Arkhangelsk Oblast. Arkhangelsk Oblast is located on the East European Plain, and most of it represents forested hilly landscape, the north-eastern part belongs to the Timan Ridge, a highland mostly situated east from the oblast. The Nenets Autonomous Okrug is essentially a flat tundra with several hill chains like Pay-Khoy Ridge, the Arctic islands including Novaya Zemlya and Franz Joseph Land are mountainous with glaciers and eternally snow-covered. This region has a distinct population of polar bears associated with the Barents Sea area. Almost all of the area of the Oblast belongs to the basin of the Arctic Ocean, with the rivers being Onega River, Northern Dvina River, Kuloy River, Mezen River. A minor area in the west of the Oblast, most notably the basin of the Ileksa River, drains into the Lake Onega and eventually to the Baltic Sea. A very minor area in Kargopolsky District in the south-west of the Oblast drains into the Kema River which belongs to the basin of the Caspian Sea. The area in the Onega River basin containing the biggest lakes in the oblast, such as Lake Lacha, Lake Kenozero, Lake Undozero, the tundra of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug also contains a number of bigger lakes. The river basin of the Pinega is characteristic of the karst, the White Sea coast within the Oblast is split into the Onega Bay, the Dvina Bay, and the Mezen Bay. Solovetsky Islands, as well as a number of islands, are located in the Onega Bay. The Onega Bay and the Dvina Bay are separated by the Onega Peninsula, the Mezen Bay is separated from the main body of the White Sea by Morzhovets Island. Almost all of the oblast is covered by taiga, the coniferous forest dominated by pine, spruce, large areas in the middle of taiga are devoid of trees and covered by swamps. In the floodplains of the rivers, there are meadows, a number of areas in Arkhangelsk Oblast have been designated as protected natural areas
20.
Nenets Autonomous Okrug
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Nenets Autonomous Okrug is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the town of Naryan-Mar and it has an area of 176,700 square kilometers and a population of 42,090 as of the 2010 Census. The arctic ecology of this area has a number of features derived from the extreme temperatures. Polar bears are found in this locale, in fact, the sub-population found here is a distinct taxon associated with the Barents Sea region. The autonomous okrug has a size of approximately 177,000 km2, the okrug is administratively divided into one district and one town of okrug significance. The district is divided into selsoviets. Municipally, the town of Naryan-Mar is incorporated as Naryan-Mar Urban Okrug, at the time, Kievan Rus was under the influence of Novgorod, as was the whole of the North Eastern territories of Kievan Rus. By the 18th century, the area was part of Mezensky Uyezd, in 1891, Pechorsky Uyezd was established and in 1896, so was Neskaya Volost. Prior to the formation of the okrug, this area belonged in part to Mezensky Uyezd in Arkhangelsk Oblast. At this time, two districts, Canino-Timansky and Bolshezemelsky were founded. In December 1929, further additions were made to the Districts area, namely Pustozyorskaya Volost, Pechora District, in 1934, a number of islands, including Vaygach Island were subsumed into the district. Naryan-Mar was elevated to status in 1935. In July 1940, an administrative district was formed, Amderminsky. Zapolyarny Municipal District, one of the youngest districts in Russia, was formed in 2006, Zapolyarny translates as Polar, and the district was given this name because the vast majority of the districts area lies north of the arctic circle. The economy of Zapolyarny district is dominated by oil and gas and this allows the transportation of oil and gas throughout the region and into the general Russian pipeline network. There are currently more than 80 separate oil and gas sites of exploration, in the first quarter of 2009, industrial production grew by 34. 7% compared with the same period last year However, investments in industrial and housing construction decreased by 60. 6% and 90. Without this investment in infrastructure, the means of transportation is air, with regular flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Arkangelsk. In the summer, the river in the district, the Pechora is used to transport freight
21.
Astrakhan Oblast
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Astrakhan Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Astrakhan, Astrakhan Region has been stretched from northern point lies on the border with Volgograd region at 48 °52 s Latitude. M, south - on the shores of the Caspian Sea -45 °31 s, the westernmost point is located in Chernoyarsky District on the border with the Volgograd region -44 °58. D, east - on one of the islands of the delta of the Volga in Volodarsky District 49 °15 in. The main landscape of the region is represented Mologa-undulating desert plain complicated huge amounts of mounds, sand, dry ravines, lakes, karst landforms, the Caspian Sea is located at 27 m below Sea level. And the absolute level increases to north, and in the part of the region, plus reach 15–20 m The highest point is Mount Bogda large -161.9 m. The Time zoneis UTC +4, like Samara, the time is ahead of Moscow 1 hour. The area belongs to the Volga regions, the, the geographical location of the Astrakhan region peculiar. It is located on the border between Europe and Asia, the Volga gives access to five seas, natural resources in Astrakhan region are, natural gas, salt, gypsum. Oil reserves can be estimated at 300 million tons, the depth of 2 to 5 km, in the 1950s it was discovered Fisheries gas field, which marked the beginning of gasification Astrakhan and several villages. In August 1976 the Astrakhan serogazokondensatnoe field was discovered and it is located 70 km north-east of Astrakhan, with an area of 2,500 km2. Industrial reserves of only in the left-bank part of the deposit amount to 2.588 trillion. with 412 million tons of gas condensate. The current network of protected areas in the region, including reserves, hunting grounds. There is network of protected areas of the Astrakhan region consisting,2 state nature reserves,3 biological reserves and 35 natural monuments, the modern fauna of the Astrakhan region has more than 9000 species. It is home to aquatic and terrestrial animals - the inhabitants of the steppe, Astrakhan region floristically part of the Afro-Asian desert region and in the Caspian Sea area of the Aral-Caspian province of Iran-Turan region of the Holarctic. For the district is characterized by the Caspian littoral-Turan tsirkumkaspiyskie endemic species, the climate of the Astrakhan region is continental, dry. Winter with little snow, with frequent thaws and unstable snow cover, but some days are quite cold during the invasion of cold air masses from Kazakhstan. The climate is characterized by large annual and daily amplitudes of air temperature, low rainfall
22.
Bashkortostan
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The Republic of Bashkortostan, also known as Bashkiria is a federal subject of Russia. It is located between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains and its capital is the city of Ufa. With the population of 4,072,292 as of the 2010 Census, Bashkurdistan, the first ethnic autonomy in Russia, was established on November 281917. On March 20,1919, it was transformed into the Bashkir ASSR, in accordance with the Constitution of Bashkortostan and Russian Federation Constitution, Bashkortostan is a state, but has no sovereignty. On 11 October 1990 Bashkortostan adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty,11 October is Republic Day in Bashkortostan. The name Bashkortostan derives from the name of the Bashkir ethnic group, while the root of the name is Turkic, the suffix -stan is Persian, common to many Eurasian country-names. They speak the Bashkir language, which belongs to the Kypchak branch of the Turkic languages, the first settlements in the territory of modern Bashkortostan date from the early Paleolithic period, but the Bronze Age spurred an upsurge in the population of this territory. When people of the Abashevo culture started settling here they possessed high skills in manufacturing bronze tools, weapons and they were the first to establish permanent settlements in the Southern Urals. Bashkortostan takes its name from its native people — the Bashkirs, the Russian name of the country — Bashkiriya — formed at the end of the 16th century. Originally it appeared in the forms Bashkir land, Bashkir’, Bashkirda, the ethnonym Bashkirs first became known in the 7th century. His contemporary Ibn-Ruste described the Bashkirs as an independent people, occupying territories on both sides of the Ural mountain ridge between Volga, Kama, Tobol and upstream of Yaik river. After the early-feudal Mongolian state had broken down in the 14th century, the tribes that lived there were headed by bi. After Kazan fell to Ivan the Terrible in 1554–1555, representatives of western and northwestern Bashkir tribes approached the Tsar with a request to voluntarily join Muscovy, starting from the second half of the 16th century, Bashkirias territory began taking shape as a part of the Russian state. Ufa Governorate, with a center in Ufa, was formed in 1865— another step towards territorial identification, after the Russian Revolution of 1917 are All-Bashkir Qoroltays on which a decision on the need to create a national federal republic within Russia. The congress was formed the government of Bashkurdistan, the Pre-parliament - Kese-Qoroltay and other bodies of power and administration, in March 1919, based on the agreements of the Russian Government with the Bashkir Government was formed Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. During the Soviet period, Bashkiria was granted broad autonomous rights— the first among other Russian regions, the administrative structure of the Bashkir ASSR was based on principles similar to those of other autonomous republics of Russia. On October 11,1990 the Supreme Soviet of the Republic adopted the Declaration on state sovereignty of the Bashkir ASSR, on February 25,1992, the Bashkir ASSR was renamed the Republic of Bashkortostan. Bashkortostan contains part of the southern Urals and the adjacent plains, many rivers are part of the deepwater transportation system of European Russia, they provide access to ports of the Baltic and Black seas
23.
Belgorod Oblast
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Belgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Belgorod, at the turn of the 17th century, a solid line of military fortifications was built in the area, stretching for almost 800 kilometers. Ukrainian Cossacks, who moved here because of the nobility and the tax burden, were in charge of the line defenses, even more Cossacks moved to the area during the Khmelnytsky Uprising and the internecine wars in the Cossack Hetmanate. Belgorod became the military and administrative center, after originating as an outpost on the borders of Russia. Following the Battle of Poltava, Peter I granted to soldiers of Greater Belgorod the regiment flag, from 1708 to 1727, the territory of the modern Belgorod Oblast was part of Kiev and Azov Governorates. In 1727, Belgorod Governorate was established from parts of Kiev Governorate and this territory was much greater than that of today, and the governorate incorporated territories of modern Kursk, Oryol, and parts of Bryansk and Kharkiv Oblasts. The coat of arms of the then-Governorate is still used by the modern Belgorod Oblast, in 1775–1779, the territory of Belgorod Governorate was abolished and divided between the newly formed governorates and vice-royalties. The city of Belgorod and the area around it became a part of Kursk Vice-Royalty, during the 19th century and up until 1928 the territory of modern Belgorod Oblast remained part of Kursk and Voronezh Governorates. After the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in April 1918, the current administrative-territorial boundaries of Belgorod Oblast were formed by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on January 6,1954. The oblast was formed from several districts of Kursk and Voronezh Oblasts, in 2007, the city of Belgorod received the honorary title of the City of Military Glory. Belgorod Oblast is part of the Central Black Earth economic region and it borders with Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Sumy Oblasts of Ukraine in the south and west, Kursk Oblast in the north and northwest, and Voronezh Oblast in the east. The total length of its borders is about 1,150 kilometers, the area of the oblast is 27,100 square kilometers, the oblast stretches for about 190 kilometers from north to south and for about 270 kilometers from east to west. The highest point is 277 meters above sea level, in Prokhorovsky District, the lowest point is located at the bottom of the Oskol and Seversky Donets River valleys. The climate of Belgorod Oblast is temperate continental with a mild winter with some snowfall. Average annual air temperature varies from +5.4 °C to +6.7 °C, the coldest month is January and the frost-free period is 155–160 days, with an average of 1800 hours of sunshine. Over 40% of known iron ore reserves of Russia are concentrated in the oblast, deposits are confined to the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly area. There are also occurrences of gold, graphite, and other rare metals. Geographical features make the oblast likely to have deposits of platinum, hydrocarbons, rivers, lakes, and marshes occupy about 1% of the oblasts territory
24.
Bryansk Oblast
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Bryansk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Bryansk, as of the 2010 Census, its population was 1,278,217. Bryansk Oblast lies in western European Russia in the central to western parts of the East European Plain, the relief is a typical East European Plain landscape, with alternating rolling hills and shallow lowlands, although lowlands dominate in the western and central parts. A total of 125 rivers flow through Bryansk Oblast, with the longest one, at 1,187 kilometers, other major rivers include the Bolva, Navlya, Nerussa, Sudost, Besed, and Iput. There are forty-nine major lakes, with Lake Kozhany being the largest, the average temperature in January is −7 to −9 °C. The average July temperature is +18 to +19 °C, average annual precipitation varies from 560 to 600 millimeters. Natural resources include deposits of peat, sand, clay, chalk, marl, about a quarter of the total area of the oblast is covered by forests, mainly coniferous, mixed, and deciduous, as well as forest-steppe. Bryansky Les Nature Reserve is a reserve which protects, among other things. As a result of the Chernobyl disaster on April 26,1986, in 1999, some 226,000 people lived in areas with the contamination level above 5 Curie/km2, representing approximately 16% of the oblasts population. The Venus of Eliseevichi is a piece of Paleolithic art dated 14,000 YBP found in the region, the Eliseevichi site is also associated with the earliest recognized dog remains dating to 15,000 YBP. In the 9th to 11th centuries, Slavic tribes lived along the banks of the Desna River, the city of Bryansk was established in 985. Bryansk remained poorly attested until the Mongol invasion of Russia and it was the northernmost of the Severian cities in the possession of the Chernigov Rurikids and the principality of Novgorod-Seversky. After Mikhail of Chernigov was murdered by the Mongols and his capital was destroyed, in 1310, when the Mongols sacked the town again, it belonged to the principality of Smolensk. After the demise of Chernigov by the Mongols, the Principality of Bryansk was formed, in 1356 Bryansk territory was under the authority of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Great Duchy of Moscow conquered Bryansk following the Battle of Vedrosha in 1503, the town was turned into a fortress which played a major role during the Time of Troubles. In 1618 the Deulino Armistice saw the southern and western area of the Bryansk region temporarily ceded to Poland, Peter the Great incorporated Bryansk into Kiev Governorate, but Catherine the Great deemed it wise to transfer the town to the Oryol Governorate in 1779. She also promulgated the towns coat of arms, Bryansk became the duchys south-western outpost in the fight against Lithuania, Poland and Crimean Khanate. One of the largest was Starodubaka, in 1781, these regiments merged into districts and several territories
25.
Buryatia
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The Republic of Buryatia is a federal subject of Russia, located in Asia in Siberia. Its capital is the city of Ulan-Ude and its area is 351,300 square kilometers with a population of 972,021. The republic is located in the region of Siberia along the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. The republics natural resources include gold, tungsten, zinc, uranium, and more. Average annual temperature, −1.6 °C Average January temperature, −22 °C Average July temperature, +18 °C Average annual precipitation,244 millimeters Population,972, 021 ,981, 238 ,1,041, 119 . Source, Russian Federal State Statistics Service Source, According to the 2010 Census, other groups include Ukrainians, Tatars, and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0. 5% of the total population. Mongolic-related Slab Grave cultural monuments are found in Baikal territory, the territory of Buryatia has been governed by the Xiongnu Empire and Mongolian Xianbei state, Rouran Khaganate, Mongol Empire and Northern Yuan. Medieval Mongol tribes like Merkit, Bayads, Barga Mongols and Tümeds inhabited in Buryatia, today Buryat-Mongols populate the territory of Buryatia. The area of the present-day Buryatia was first colonized in the 17th century by Russians in search of wealth, furs, in 1923, the Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as a result of the merger of State of Buryat-Mongolia and Mongol-Buryat Oblasts. In 1937, Aga Buryatia and Ust-Orda Buryatia were detached from the Buryat-Mongolian ASSR and merged with Chita and Irkutsk Oblasts, in 1958, the name Mongol was removed from the name of the republic. The Buryat ASSR declared its sovereignty in 1990 and adopted the name Republic of Buryatia in 1992, however, it remained an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation. The head of the Republic is the Head, who is appointed by the President of Russia for a four-year term. Between 1991-2007, the President was Leonid Vasilyevich Potapov, who was elected on July 1,1994, re-elected in 1998, prior to the elections, Potapov was the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic—the highest post at that time. The current Head of the Republic is Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn, who was appointed by Vladimir Putin in 2007, the Republics parliament is the Peoples Khural, popularly elected every five years. The Peoples Khural has 65 deputies, matvei Gershevich is the current Chairman of the Peoples Khural since 2007. The Republics Constitution was adopted on February 22,1994, the republics economy is composed of agricultural and commercial products including wheat, vegetables, potatoes, timber, leather, graphite, and textiles. Fishing, hunting, fur farming, sheep and cattle farming, mining, stock raising, engineering, traditionally, Buryats adhered to belief systems which were based on the deification of nature, belief in spirits and the possibility of their magic influence on the surroundings. They were led by shamans, who systematised tribal beliefs and cults, from the second half of the 17th century, beliefs and cults in the shamanic form were displaced by Buddhism, which became widespread in ethnic Buryatia
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Vladimir Oblast
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Vladimir Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located 190 kilometers east of Moscow, as of the 2010 Census, the oblasts population was 1,443,693. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes the 12th-century cathedrals of Vladimir, Suzdal, Bogolyubovo, Vladimir Oblast borders Moscow, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Nizhny Novgorod Oblasts. The oblast is situated in the center of the East European Plain, the Klyazma and the Oka are the most important rivers. There are approximately three hundred lakes, the oblast is situated in a zone of mixed forests. The oblasts fauna currently includes more than fifty species of mammals, five species of reptiles, the semiaquatic Russian desman is listed in the Russian Red Book of endangered species. The region is inhabited by 216 species of birds, among which are the capercaillie, black grouse, grouse, partridge, woodcock, goose, duck, the lesser white-fronted goose is listed in the Red Book. Bodies of water in the region are rich in species of fresh-water fish. Additionally, the oblast has several hunting farms, the total expanse of the oblasts surface waters is 32.9 hectares. The region has hundreds of rivers with a length of more than 8.6 million kilometers—there are 560 rivers. The Klyazma River flows into the Oka River on the edge of the oblasts border with the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The Klyazma Rivers major tributaries in the Vladimir Region are the Sherna, the Kirzhach, the Peksha, the Koloksha, the Nerl, the Sudogda, the Uvod, the Lukh, tributaries of the Oka within Vladimir oblast are the Gus, Unzha, and Ushna rivers. The Dubna River, a tributary of the Volga River, originates near the town of Alexandrov, the Oka River is navigable throughout the region. The rivers in the region are characterized by their flat currents, broad valleys, water levels are characterized by their high spring tides, low water periods over summer-autumn with occasional flooding during heavy rains, and stable/low levels throughout the winter. There are about three hundred lakes covering an area of five thousand hectares, most of them are small and undrained and many are overgrown with a peat layer. The origin of the lakes varies, numerous oxbow lakes are scattered along the river valleys. The largest of them are Lake Urvanovskoe and Lake Visha, in the Meshchera Lowlands and in the northwest of the oblast are lakes of ancient alluvial valleys, Isikhry, Svyatoe and others. Lakes of karst origin, located in the reaches of the Klyazma
27.
Volgograd Oblast
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Volgograd Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. The population was 2,610,161 in the 2010 Census, borders length,2,221.9 kilometers Volgograd Oblast borders with Saratov, Rostov, Astrakhan, and Voronezh Oblasts, as well as with the Republic of Kalmykia of Russia and with Kazakhstan. Volgograd has more than 200 rivers and streams, the major ones include, The Volga River The Don River The Medveditsa River The Khopyor River Stalingrad Oblast was established on December 5,1936 on the territory of former Stalingrad Krai. The oblast was given its present name on November 10,1961, the Charter of Volgograd Oblast provides the fundamental law of the region. The Legislative Assembly of Volgograd Oblast is the provinces standing legislative body, the Legislative Assembly exercises its authority by passing laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and by supervising the implementation and observance of the laws and other legal acts passed by it. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group, according to a 2012 official survey 54. In addition, 18% of the population declares to be spiritual but not religious, 12% is atheist, and 6. 5% follows other religions or did not give an answer to the question. Governor of Volgograd Oblast is Anatoliy Brovko Both the flag and the coat of arms of Volgograd Oblast include an image of The Motherland Calls, primary branches of economics are agriculture, food production, heavy industry, gas and petroleum refining. Volga Hydroelectric Station operates on the Volga River, list of Chairmen of the Volgograd Oblast Duma Volgograd floating landing Волгоградская областная Дума. Закона №90-ОД от10 июля2015 г, «О внесении изменений в статью2 Устава Волгоградской области от24 февраля2012 г. Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней после дня официального опубликования, Опубликован, Волгоградская правда, №35,29 февраля2012 г. Исполнительный комитет Волгоградского областного Совета депутатов трудящихся, Административно-территориальное деление на1 июля1968 года. Official website of Volgograd Oblast Central Eurasian Information Resource, Images of Volgograd Oblast - University of Washington Digital Collections
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Vologda Oblast
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Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. The largest city is Cherepovets, the home of the Severstal metallurgical plant, large reserves of wood and fresh water are the main natural resources. The area of Vologda Oblast was settled by Finno-Ugric peoples since prehistory, Vepsians still living in the west of the Oblast are the descendants of that population. Subsequently, the area was colonized by the Russians, Belozersk has been mentioned in chronicles in 862 as one of the oldest towns in Russia. Much of the area was controlled by the Novgorod Republic, in particular, Veliky Ustyug and the west of the current territory of the Oblast, with Belozersk and Ustyuzhna, belonged to the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and were constantly threatened by Novgorod. Not later than in the 13th century the Novgorod merchants already reached the White Sea and they penetrated the area using the waterways. In the 13th century, minor principalities started to proliferate, first, the Principality of Beloozero separated from Rostov. It northern and northeastern parts in the 15th century became quasi-independent, many smaller principalities are only mentioned once in chronicles, and the very existence of these principalities is questionable. Vologda between 1452 and 1481 was the center of the Principality of Vologda, the last independent principality in Vologda lands, by the end of the 15th century, all these lands were a part of the Great Duchy of Moscow. In the 14th and the 15th centuries, the lands around Vologda became attractive for monks looking for desolate areas, the princes, in their turn, viewed the monasteries as means to keep the influence of the Grand Duchy of Moscow in its remote areas. A number of monasteries, including Spaso-Prilutsky, Pavlo-Obnorsky, Kirillo-Belozersky. Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery soon became one of the most prominent Russian monasteries, with a lot of political influence, during the Time of Troubles, the area was ravaged by Polish troops, who at some point besieged Vologda but did not succeed in conquering the city. In the 17th century, Vologda was a city located on the main trading route from Moscow to Western Europe. During the reign of Tsar Peter the Great in the 18th century, Vologda became a shipbuilding center, however, the importance of Vologda as a trade center was diminished after Saint Petersburg was founded in 1703, and the foreign trade was rerouted to the Baltic Sea. Peter even imposed restrictions to the White Sea trade, Vologda was the northernmost territory where serfdom existed in Russia. In the lands west and south of Vologda, estates existed, but to the north and to the east of Vologda serfdom was never implemented, in 1708, Peter the Great issued an edict which established seven governorates. The description of the borders of the governorates was not given, instead, their area was defined as a set of towns, in the present area of Vologda oblast, two of the governorates — Archangelgorod Governorate and Ingermanland Governorate — were located. Vologda was part of Archangelgorod Governorate, subsequently, the western part of the Oblast was transferred to Novgorod Governorate
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Voronezh Oblast
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Voronezh Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Voronezh and its population was 2,335,380 as of the 2010 Census. Voronezh Oblast is the birthplace of Pavel Cherenkov, co-recipient of the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physics, Voronezh Oblast borders internally with Belgorod Oblast, Kursk Oblast, Lipetsk Oblast, Tambov Oblast, Saratov Oblast, Volgograd Oblast and Rostov Oblast and internationally with Ukraine. Voronezh Oblast is located in the belt of the European part of Russia, in a very advantageous strategic location. Within the radius 960 kilometers around Voronezh more than 50% of the population Russia, the area of the region -52.4 thousand km2, which is about one third of the whole area of Central Black Earth Region. The length of the region north to south -277.5 km. Much of the area is steppe, among the predominant soil fertile soil black earth, the oblast has 738 lakes and ponds in 2408, in 1343 the river flows over 10 km long. The main river is the Don,530 of its 1,870 km flows through the area, forming a drainage area of 422,000 square kilometers. Don Voronezh Bityug Khopyor The climate in the region is continental, with an average January temperatures of −4.5 °C. Average annual temperature varies from +5 °C in the north to +6.5 °C in the south, precipitation varies from 600 millimeters in the northwest to 450 millimeters in the southeast. The oblast was established on June 13,1934, the structure of Voronezh Oblast the industrial-agrarian. As part of the industry is dominated by mechanical engineering, power engineering, food industry. They account for 4/5 of the volume of industrial output. Industry specialization of the region is the industry, second place is occupied by engineering and metalworking. For the first time in the history of farming region in 2011 produced record crops, tons and sunflower -1 million. 002 thousand tons 2014 Voronezh Oblast ranked first in Russia in terms of gross harvest of potatoes, in general, the profile of agriculture - with crops of sunflowers and grain crops, dairy and beef cattle, pigs. Beet, sugar industry in Voronezh Oblast in terms of gross production of sugar beets. In 2014, sugar mills were produced 495.1 ths. tons of sugar, milk production in Voronezh Oblast in 2013 increased by 1. 8% - up to 755,700
30.
Dagestan
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The Republic of Dagestan, also spelled Daghestan, is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea. With a population of 2,910,249, Dagestan is very diverse and Russias most heterogeneous republic, with none of its several dozen ethnicities. Largest among these ethnicities are the Avar, Dargin, Kumyk, Lezgian, Laks, Azerbaijani, Tabasaran, ethnic Russians comprise about 3. 6% of Dagestans total population. Russian is the official language and the lingua franca among the ethnicities. Dagestan has been a scene of Islamic insurgency, occasional outbreaks of separatism, according to International Crisis Group, the militant Islamist organization Shariat Jamaat is responsible for much of the violence. The word Dagestan is of Turkish and Persian origin, dağ means mountain in Turkish and -stan is a Persian suffix meaning land. Some areas of Dagestan were known as Albania, Avaria, the name Dagestan referred to Dagestan Oblast during 1860 to 1920, corresponding to the southeastern part of the present-day Republic. It is the southernmost part of Russia, and is bordered on its side by the Caspian Sea. Major rivers include, Sulak River Samur River Terek River Vladas River Ccenter River Dagestan has about 405 kilometers of coast line on the Caspian Sea, most of the Republic is mountainous, with the Greater Caucasus Mountains covering the south. The highest point is the Bazardüzü/Bazardyuzyu peak at 4,470 meters on the border with Azerbaijan, the southernmost point of Russia is located about seven kilometers southwest of the peak. Other important mountains are Diklosmta, Gora Addala Shukgelmezr and Gora Dyultydag, Dagestan is rich in oil, natural gas, coal, and many other minerals. The climate is hot and dry in the summer but the winters are harsh in the mountain areas, Average January temperature, +2 °C Average July temperature, +26 °C Average annual precipitation,250 to 800 mm. Dagestan is administratively divided into forty-one districts and ten cities/towns. The districts are subdivided into nineteen urban-type settlements, and 363 rural okrugs. In the first few centuries AD, Caucasian Albania became a vassal, with the advent of the Sassanian Empire, it became a satrapy within the vast domains of the empire. In later antiquity, it was a few times fought over by the Roman Empire, over the centuries, to a relatively large extent, the peoples within the Dagestan territory converted to Christianity alongside Zoroastrianism. In the 5th century AD, the Samian peregrinations took place from Ukraine to this land, during the Sassanian era, southern Dagestan became a bastion of Iranian culture and civilisation, with its centre at Derbent, and a policy of Persianisation can be traced over many centuries. In 664, the Persians were succeeded in Derbent by the Arabs, by the 15th century, Albanian Christianity had died away, leaving a 10th-century church at Datuna as the sole monument to its existence
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Jewish Autonomous Oblast
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The Jewish Autonomous Oblast is a federal subject of Russia in the Russian Far East, bordering Khabarovsk Krai and Amur Oblast in Russia and Heilongjiang province in China. Russian Jews are sometimes referred to as Yevrey and its administrative center is the town of Birobidzhan. As of the 2010 Census, JAOs population was 176,558 people, Judaism is practiced by only 0. 2% of the population of the JAO. Per Article 65 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the JAO is Russias only autonomous oblast, aside from Israel, it is the worlds only official Jewish territory. In December 1858, the Russian government authorized formation of the Amur Cossacks to protect the southeast boundary of Siberia and communications on the Amur and this military colonization included settlers from Transbaikalia. During 1858–82, many consisting of wooden houses were founded. It is estimated that as much as 40,000 men from the Russian military moved into the region, in 1898, construction began on the Trans-Siberian Railway connecting Chita and Vladivostok. The project produced an influx of new settlers and the foundation of new settlements. Between 1908 and 1912, stations opened at Volochayevka, Obluchye, Bira, Birakan, Londoko, In, the railway construction finished in October 1916 with the opening of the 2, 590-meter Khabarovsk Bridge across the Amur at Khabarovsk. During this time, before the revolution, most local inhabitants were farmers, the only industrial enterprise was the Tungussky timber mill, although gold was mined in the Sutara River, and there were some small railway workshops. In 1922, during the Russian Civil War, the territory of the future Jewish Autonomous Oblast was the scene of Battle of Volochayevka. Although Judaism ran counter to the state policy of atheism, Vladimir Lenin wanted to appease minority groups to gain their support. In such framework, literature and the arts would replace religion as the expression of culture. The Soviets envisaged setting up a new Soviet Zion, where a proletarian Jewish culture could be developed, the Soviets also wanted to offer an alternative to Zionism, the establishment of Palestine as a Jewish homeland. Socialist Zionists such as Ber Borochov were gaining followers at that time, in 1924, the unemployment rate among Jews exceeded 30%, partially as a result of pogroms but also as a result of communism, which prohibited people from being craftspeople and small businessmen. With the goal of getting Jews back to work to be productive members of society, the government established Komzet. Originally the plan was to settle the Jews in Ukraine and Crimea, Two Jewish districts were formed in Crimea and three in south Ukraine. However, local opposition made the governmental committees look elsewhere, Birobidzhan, in what is now the JAO, was chosen by the Soviet elite as the site for the Jewish region
32.
Sverdlovsk Oblast
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Sverdlovsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the Urals Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Yekaterinburg, formerly known as Sverdlovsk, most of the oblast is spread over the eastern slopes of the Middle and North Urals and the Western Siberian Plain. Only in the southwest does the oblast stretch onto the slopes of the Ural Mountains. The highest mountains all rise in the North Urals, Konzhakovsky Kamen at 1,569 metres, the Middle Urals is mostly hilly country with no discernible peaks, the mean elevation is closer to 300 to 500 metres above sea level. Principal rivers include the Tavda, the Tura, the Chusovaya, and the Ufa, the area is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude. Rich in natural resources, the oblast is especially famous for metals, minerals, marble and it is mostly here that the bulk of Russian industry was concentrated in the 18th and 19th centuries. The area has continental climate patterns, with cold winters. Only in the southeast of the oblast do temperatures reach +30 °C in July, before the first Russian colonists arrived to the region, it was populated by various Turkic and Ugric tribes. By the 16th century, when the Middle Urals were under influence of various Tatar khanates, the Russian conquest of the Khanate of Kazan in the 1550s paved the way further east, which was now free from Tatar depredations. The first surviving Russian settlements in the date back to the late 16th – early 17th centuries. At that time, those small trading posts were governed under Siberian administration in Tobolsk, after the 1708 administrative reform, Verkhoturye, Pelym and Turinsk became a part of the new Siberian Governorate, in 1737 their territories were assigned to the Kazan Governorate. During the 18th century, rich resources of iron and coal made Ural an industrial heartland of Russia, after getting control over Ural mines, the Demidov family put the region in the forefront of Russian industrialization. Yekaterinburg, Nevyansk and Tagil ironworks, founded in the 1700s to 1720s, throughout the 18th and 19th century those newly founded factory towns enjoyed a status of special mining-metallurgical districts allowed to have a certain rate of financial and proprietary autonomy. During the 1781 reform middle Ural finally got its own administration in the form of the Perm Governorate. When in 1812 the Russian government legalized gold digging for its citizens, entrepreneurs of the Perm Governorate also started the gold rush in West Siberia, soon Yekaterinburgers began to dominate the Russian market of precious metals and gemstones. After the emancipation reform of 1861, major Middle Uralian industries that were dependent on serf labor entered decline. In 1878, Perm and Yekaterinburg were connected with a railroad, in 1888, railroads reached Tyumen, emergence of railroad transportation helped to revitalize economy of Ural. The Bolsheviks established their power in Yekaterinburg and Perm during the first days of the October Revolution of 1917, in early 1918 dethroned Nicholas II and his family were transferred under custody to Yekaterinburg
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Ivanovo Oblast
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Ivanovo Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. It had a population of 1,061,651 as of the 2010 Russian Census and its three largest cities are Ivanovo, Kineshma, and Shuya. The principal center of tourism is Plyos, the Volga River flows through the northern part of the oblast. Ivanovo Industrial Oblast was established on October 1,1929, on March 11,1936, a part of it became the modern Ivanovo Oblast while the remainder was split off to create Yaroslavl Oblast. Ivanovo Oblast shares borders with Kostroma Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Vladimir Oblast, climate of Ivanovo Oblast is continental, with long, cold winters, and short, warm summers. The coldest month is January with average temperature of −12 °C in the west, warmest month is July with average temperature of about +18 °C. Since 1991, CPSU has lost all the power, since then, the head of the Oblast administration, and eventually the governor, was appointed/elected alongside an elected regional parliament. The Charter of Ivanovo Oblast is the law of the region. The Legislative Assembly of Ivanovo Oblast is the provinces standing legislative body, the Legislative Assembly exercises its authority by passing laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and by supervising the implementation and observance of the laws and other legal acts passed by it. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group, according to a 2012 official survey 46. In addition, 28% of the population declares to be spiritual but not religious, 13% is atheist, list of Chairmen of the Ivanovo Oblast Duma Ивановская областная Дума. Закон №20-ОЗ от18 февраля2009 г, Закона №146-ОЗ от29 декабря2015 г. «О внесении поправок в Устав Ивановской области», Вступил в силу1 марта2009 г. Опубликован, Ивановская газета, №28,19 февраля2009 г, Административно-территориальное деление по состоянию на1 января2001 г
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Ingushetia
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The Republic of Ingushetia, also referred to as simply Ingushetia, is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital is the town of Magas, with its 3,000 square km, in terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russias federal subjects except for the federal cities. It was established on June 4,1992 after the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was split in two, the republic is home to the indigenous Ingush, a people of Vainakh ancestry. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 412,529, Ingushetia is one of Russias poorest and most restive regions. The Ingush, a nationality group indigenous to the Caucasus, mostly inhabit Ingushetia and they refer to themselves as Ghalghai (from Ingush, Ghala and ghai. The Ingush speak the Ingush language, which has a high degree of mutual intelligibility with neighboring Chechen. Ingush were/are traditionally a classless society based on a clan system, every member within a clan and clans themselves are viewed as equal. Unlike the neighboring nations in the Caucasus, Ingush never had social superiors or inferiors, the self namings represent different Vainakh tribes which make up the Ingush population today. The history of the Ingush is closely related to Chechens, roman, Georgian, and later Russian missionaries Christianised the Ingush. The remains of churches, notably the Tkhabya-Yerd and the Albe-Yerd can be found in Ingushetia. Ingush peacefully converted to Islam at the end of the 19th century which is almost three centuries after the beginning of Islamization in Chechnya and Dagestan, According to Leonti Mroveli, the 11th-century Georgian chronicler, the word Caucasian is derived from the Vainakh ancestor Kavkas. According to Professor George Anchabadze of Ilia State University The Vainakhs are the ancient natives of the Caucasus, as appears from the above, the Vainakhs, at least by name, are presented as the most Caucasian people of all the Caucasians in the Georgian historical tradition. The Soviet-Russian anthropologists and scientists N. Ya, melikashvilli wrote, Among Ingush the Caucasian type is preserved better than among any other North Caucasian nation, Professor of anthropology V. V. Bounak Groznenski Rabochi 5, VII,1935. Professor G. F. Debets recognized that Ingush Caucasian anthropologic type is the most Caucasian among Caucasians, in an article in Science Magazine Bernice Wuethrich states that American linguist Dr. The mitochondrial DNA of the Ingush differs from other Caucasian populations, the Caucasus populations exhibit, on average, less variability than other populations for the eight Alu insertion poly-morphisms analysed here. The average heterozygosity is less than that for any region of the world. Within the Caucasus, Ingushians have much lower levels of variability than any of the other populations,10, 000–8000 BC Migration of Nakh people to the slopes of the Caucasus from the Fertile Crescent. Invention of agriculture, irrigation, and the domestication of animals, pottery is known to the region
35.
Irkutsk Oblast
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Irkutsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia, located in southeastern Siberia in the basins of the Angara, Lena, and Nizhnyaya Tunguska Rivers. The administrative center is the city of Irkutsk, the unique and world-famous Lake Baikal is located in the southeast of the region. It is drained by the Angara, which flows north across the province, the two other major dams on the Irkutsk Oblasts section of the Angara are at Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk, both forming large reservoirs. The Lena has its source in Irkutsk Oblast as well, Irkutsk Oblast consists mostly of the hills and broad valleys of the Central Siberian Plateau and of its eastern extension, the Patom Plateau. The climate varies from warm summer continental in the south to continental-subarctic in the northern part, for almost half the year, from mid-October until the beginning of April, the average temperature is below 0 °C. Winters are very cold, with high temperatures in Irkutsk of −14.9 °C. Summers are warm but short, the high in July is +24.5 °C. However, by September, the weather cools down significantly to a daily high of +15.3 °C. More than half of all falls in the summer months, with the wettest month being July. January is the driest month, with only 11 millimeters of precipitation, mongolic-related Slab Grave cultural monuments are found in Baikal territory. The territory of Buryatia has been governed by the Xiongnu Empire and Mongolian Xianbei state, Rouran Khaganate, Mongol Empire, medieval Mongol tribes like Merkit, Bayads, Barga Mongols and Tümeds inhabited in Buryatia. Today Buryat-Mongols remained in the territory of the oblast, Russian presence in the area dates to the 17th century, as the Russian Tsardom expanded eastward following the conquest of the Khanate of Sibir in 1582. By the end of the 17th century, Irkutsk was a town, monasteries were being built. Since the 18th century, trades and crafts began to develop, gradually, Irkutsk gained more importance as the main transportation and trade center of Eastern Siberia, it became a center of trade routes from Kamchatka, Chukotka, Yakutia to Mongolia, and China. The administrative importance of the city increased, and it became a center of a fifth of the provinces of Siberia. For Irkutsk the 18th century was a time of research expeditions, vitus Berings first and second expeditions to the shores of Kamchatka were organized in Irkutsk. A merchant class was formed in the city of Irkutsk. ”Grigorii Ivanovich Shelikhov and he founded the first colonies of Russian America through the Shelikhov-Golikov Company. In 1727, the Irkutsk Eparchy was founded, during the 18th century, schools, professional-technical education colleges, science museums, libraries, theaters, and book-printers were developed in Irkutsk
36.
Kabardino-Balkaria
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The Kabardino-Balkar Republic, or Kabardino-Balkaria, is a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 859,939 on 12,500 square km, the republic is situated in the North Caucasus mountains, with plains in the northern part. Just over half are located between the Baksan and Malka Rivers, the largest each of an area of no more than 0.01 square kilometers. Some of the lakes are, Tserikkel Lake Lower Goluboye Lake Kel-Ketchen Lake Upper Tserikkel Lake Sekretnoye Lake Tambukan Lake, the republic has a continental type climate. Average January temperature, −12 °C to −4 °C Average July temperature, +4 °C to +23 °C Average annual precipitation, 500–2,000 mm. Population,859, 939 ,901, 494 ,759, 586 . Source, Russian Federal State Statistics Service Note, TFR2009,2010,2011,2012 source, Kabardino-Balkaria includes two major ethnic communities, the Kabardins, who speak a North-West Caucasian language, and the Balkars who speak a Turkic language. According to the 2010 Census, Kabardins make up 57. 2% of the population, followed by Russians. Other groups include Ossetians, Turks, Ukrainians, Armenians, Koreans, Chechens, in addition, 12% of the population declares to be spiritual but not religious,5. 4% is atheist or follows other religions. The head of government in Kabardino-Balkaria is the Head, the current Head is Yuri Kokov The legislative body of the Republic is the Parliament comprising 72 deputies elected for a five-year term. Caucasian Avars Bulgars List of the Chairmen of the Parliament of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic Mount Imeon Совет Республики Парламента Кабардино-Балкарской Республики, Закон №13-РЗ от4 августа1994 г. «О государственном гимне Кабардино-Балкарской Республики», в ред, Закона №13-РЗ от13 апреля2015 г «О внесении изменений в статьи2 и4 Закона Кабардино-Балкарской Республики О государственном гимне Кабардино-Балкарской Республики». Вступил в силу18 августа1994 г, Опубликован, Кабардино-Балкарская правда, №148,12 августа1994 г. Закона №40-РЗ от19 октября2015 г, «О поправках к Конституции Кабардино-Балкарской Республики». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования, Опубликован, Кабардино-Балкарская правда, №177,9 сентября1997 г. Official website of the Head of the Republic Pictures of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic BBC News
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Kaliningrad Oblast
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Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of the Russian Federation that is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. As an oblast, its status is equal to each of the other 84 federal subjects. Its administrative center is the city of Kaliningrad, formerly known as Königsberg and it is the only Baltic port in the Russian Federation that remains ice-free in winter. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 941,873, the oblast is an exclave so visa-free travel to the main part of Russia is only possible by sea or air. The territory was part of East Prussia. With the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, the territory was annexed by the Soviet Union, following the post-war migration and expulsion of the German-speaking population, the territory was populated with citizens from the Soviet Union. Today, only a few thousand ethnic Germans remain, most of recent immigrants from other parts of the former Soviet Union. Early in the 21st century, the hitherto flagging economy of Kaliningrad Oblast became one of the best performing economies in Russia and this was helped by a low manufacturing tax rate related to its Special Economic Zone status. As of 2006, one in three televisions manufactured in Russia came from Kaliningrad, the territorys population was one of the few in Russia that was expected to show strong growth after the collapse of the USSR. Germany currently places no claims, however it also has not renounced any claims to the possibility of territory reunification. During the Middle Ages, the territory of what is now Kaliningrad Oblast was inhabited by tribes of Old Prussians in the western part, the tribes were divided by the rivers Pregolya and Alna. The Teutonic Knights conquered the region and established a monastic state, on the foundations of a destroyed Prussian settlement known as Tvanksta, the Order founded the city of Königsberg. Germans resettled the territory and assimilated the indigenous Old Prussians, the Lithuanian-inhabited areas became known as Lithuania Minor. Speakers of the old Baltic languages became extinct around the 17th century, in 1525, Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg secularized the Prussian branch of the Teutonic Order and established himself as the sovereign of the Duchy of Prussia. The duchy was nominally a fief of the Polish crown and it later merged with the Margravate of Brandenburg. Königsberg was the capital from 1525 until 1701. As the centre of Prussia moved westward, the position of the capital became too peripheral, during the Seven Years War it was occupied by the Russian Empire. The region was reorganized into the Province of East Prussia within the Kingdom of Prussia in 1773, the territory of the Kaliningrad Oblast lies in the northern part of East Prussia
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Kalmykia
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The Republic of Kalmykia is a province of Russia. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 289,481 and it is the only region in Europe where Buddhism is the most practised religion. It has become known as an international center for chess. Its former President, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, is the head of the International Chess Federation, the 33rd Chess Olympiad was held in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. It is washed by the Caspian Sea in the southeast, a small stretch of the Volga River flows through eastern Kalmykia. Other major rivers include the Yegorlyk, the Kuma, and the Manych, Lake Manych-Gudilo is the largest lake, other lakes of significance include Lakes Sarpa and Tsagan-Khak. In all, however, Kalmykia possesses few lakes, Kalmykias natural resources include coal, oil, and natural gas. The republics wildlife includes the saiga antelope, whose habitat is protected in Chyornye Zemli Nature Reserve, Kalmykia has a cold semi-desert climate, with very hot and dry summers and cold winters with little snow. The average January temperature is −5 °C and the average July temperature is +24 °C, average annual precipitation ranges from 170 millimeters in the east of the republic to 400 millimeters in the west. The small town Utta is the hottest place in whole Russia, on July 12,2010, during a huge heatwave affecting the complete country, an all-time record-warm temperature for Russia was observed with 45.4 °C. On the same day, a remarkebly record-high temperature was observed at Ust-Karsk, Zabaykalsky krai, According to the Kurgan hypothesis the upland regions of Kalmykia formed part of the cradle of Indo-European culture. Hundreds of Kurgans can be seen in areas, known as the Indo-European Urheimat. The territory of Kalmykia is unique in that it has been the home in successive periods to many world religions. Prehistoric paganism and shamanism gave way to Judaism with the Khazars and this was succeeded by Islam with the Alans while the Mongol hordes brought Tengriism, and the later Nogais were Muslim, before their replacement by the present-day Buddhist Oirats/Kalmyks. With the annexation of the territory by the Russian Empire, Christianity arrived with Slavic settlers, while all religions were suppressed after the Russian Revolution, shamanism has in all probability remained a constant, often hidden, substrate of folk-practice, as it is today. The ancestors of the Kalmyks, the Oirats, migrated from the steppes of southern Siberia on the banks of the Irtysh River to the Lower Volga region. Various reasons have been given for the move, but the generally accepted answer is that the Kalmyks sought abundant pastures for their herds, another motivation may have been to escape the growing dominance of the neighboring Dzungar Mongol tribe. They reached the lower Volga region in or about 1630 and that land, however, was not uncontested pastures, but rather the homeland of the Nogai Horde, a confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes
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Kaluga Oblast
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Kaluga Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Kaluga, established in 1944, Kaluga Oblast is located in the heart of the European part of Russia. It has well-developed transportation and utility infrastructure, the oblast has been demonstrating high economic growth rates, has substantial human reserves, and is one of the largest cultural, educational and scientific centers of Russia. Kaluga Oblast lies in the part of the East European Plain. The oblasts territory is located between the Central Russian Upland, the Smolensk–Moscow Upland and the Dnepr-Desna province, most of the oblast is occupied by plains, fields and forests with diverse flora and fauna. The administrative center is located on the Baryatino-Sukhinichy plain, the western part of the oblast - located within the drift plain - is dominated by the Spas-Demensk ridge. To the south of it is a plain that is part of the Bryansk-Zhizdra woodlands. From north to south, Kaluga Oblast extends for more than 220 km, from 53°30 to 55°30 northern altitude, the oblasts territory is crossed by major international motor and railways, linking Kaluga with Moscow, Bryansk, Kiev, Lvov and Warsaw. Some glacial lakes have been preserved, like the oblasts deepest lake – the Bezdon, the oblast is located between the Central Russian upland and the Smolensk-Moscow upland. There are both low plains elevating to 200 m above sea level, and high plains rising above 200 m, the southeastern part of the oblast is occupied by the Central Russian upland, and extreme northwest – by the Spas-Demensk ridge. The uplands are separated by the Yugorsk-Protvino lowland, in the extreme southwest, the oblast is covered by Bryansk-Zhizdra woodlands, and in the central part – by the Baryatino-Sukhinichy plain. The highest point of the oblast is located on the Spas-Demensk ridge at 279 m, thus the amplitude of the terrain is 160 m. Kaluga Oblast is situated in the part of the East European Platform. The depth of the top stage is 400–500 m in the south. Most of the sheath was formed by Devonian deposits. Their share in the south exceeds 80% of the entire aqueous depth, there are four geo-economic districts in Kaluga Oblast, North-East, Central, South and North-West. The specific value of Kaluga Oblasts deposits is over RUR8 million per m2,550 solid mineral deposits with 19 types of mineral resources,131 fresh and 13 mineral subsoil water sources have been discovered in the oblasts territory. There are 24 deposits with industrial reserves of clay exceeding over 220 million m3,14 of which are currently in intensive development, the Ulyanovo deposit of fire and ceramic clays is one of the biggest in Russia, and one that has not yet been developed industrially
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Kamchatka Krai
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Kamchatka Krai is a federal subject of Russia. It was formed on July 1,2007, as a result of the merger of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug, the krais administrative center is the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The okrug retains the status of an administrative division of the krai. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the krai was 322,079, Kamchatka Krai occupies the territory of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the adjacent part of the mainland, the island Karaginsky and Commander Islands. Washed in the east Bering Sea of Pacific Ocean, from the west – the Okhotsk Sea, mountain ranges, Sredinny Range, East, Vetveysky, Penzhinsky, Pahachinsky, Olyutorskij et al. Heights, Khuvkhoitun, the Ice, Acute, Shishel, Tylele volcano, Kamchatka belongs to the zone of volcanic activity, there are about 300 large and medium-sized volcanoes,29 of them are active. The largest volcano in Eurasia – Kluchevskaya, with the volcanic activity associated with the formation of many minerals, as well as a manifestation of hydro geo thermal activity, education fumaroles, geysers, hot springs, etc. The climate is subarctic, more continental in the hinterland and more maritime. Most of the peninsula is covered with forests of birch, in the upper parts of the mountain slopes are common alder. In the central part, especially in the valley of the Kamchatka River, widespread forests of larch, in floodplains, forests grow with fragrant poplar, alder, hairy, Chosenia, willow Sakhalin. Kamchatka, especially coastal areas, characterized by tall – species such as shelamaynik Kamchatka, angelica bearish, more than 14. 5% of the territory of the Kamchatka Territory refers to the specially protected. There are six protected areas of significance, four natural parks of regional significance,22 reserve of regional importance,116 monuments of nature. Kronotsky Nature Reserve is an area reserved for the study of natural sciences in the remote Russian Far East. It was created in 1934 and its current boundary contains an area of 10,990 square kilometers and it also has Russias only geyser basin, plus several mountain ranges with numerous volcanoes, both active and extinct. Due to its harsh climate and its mix of volcanoes and geysers, it is frequently described as the Land of Fire. It is mainly only to scientists, plus approximately 3,000 tourists annually who pay a fee equivalent to US$700 to travel by helicopter for a single days visit. Kronotsky Nature Reserve has been proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the main industries in Kamchatka include fishing and forestry. Coal and other raw materials are extracted, due to its geographical location near major shipping routes, it is a center for shipbuilding, ship repair, and related services
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Karachay-Cherkessia
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The republic has several distinct ethnic groups, and the government recognizes five official languages. The population in 2010 was just under half a million people and it stretches for 140 kilometers from north to south and for 170 kilometers from east to west. Mountains cover 80% of the territory, Mount Elbrus, which at 5,642 meters is the highest peak in Caucasus, is located on the republics border with Kabardino-Balkaria. The republic is rich in water resources, a total of 172 rivers flow through its territory, with the largest one being the Kuban, Bolshoy Zelenchuk, Maly Zelenchuk, Urup, and Laba. There are about 130 mountain lakes of glacial origin and an abundance of mineral springs, climate is moderate, with short winters and long, warm, humid summers. The average January temperature is −3.2 °C, and the average July temperature is +20.6 °C, average annual precipitation varies from 550 millimeters in the plains to 2,500 millimeters in the mountains. Natural resources include gold, coal, clays, and more, the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast was created 12 January 1922, in the early years of the Soviet Union. It was split into Karachay Autonomous Oblast and Cherkess National Okrug on 26 April 1926, the Cherkess National District was elevated to an autonomous oblast status on 30 April 1928. In 1943, Karachay Autonomous Oblast was abolished, the Karachay people were accused of collaboration with the Nazis and subsequently deported to the Kazakh, most of the Karchay territory was split between Stavropol Krai and the Georgian SSR. On July 3,1991, the autonomous oblast was elevated to the status of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, also in December 1991, the words Autonomous Soviet Socialist were dropped from the official name of Karachay-Cherkessia. A commission was established Supreme Education Council three autonomous regions - Karachai, Cherkess and Batalpashinsk, sources,1970 to 2008, 2009-2013 According to the 2010 Census, Karachays make up 41% of the republics population, followed by Russians, and Cherkes and Abazins together make up 20%. According to a 2012 official survey 48% of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia adheres to Islam,13, in addition, 12% of the population declares to be spiritual but not religious, 7% is atheist and 4. 4% follows other religions or did not answer to the question. The head of the government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the Head, until February 2011, the President was Boris Safarovich Ebzeyev, a former judge of the Constitutional Court of Russian Federation. Rashid Temrezov is currently the Head of the republic, ethnic tension is a considerable problem in the republic. In May 1999 Karachay-Cherkessia conducted its first ever free regional presidential election, when Vladimir Semyonov, a Karachay, won the election over Stanislav Derev, a Circassian, there were protests by supporters of Derev, with widespread allegations of fraud. A court ruling upheld the election result, prompting thousands of Derevs supporters to march in protest. Although activity by separatists in the region pales in comparison with Chechnya and Dagestan, a car-bomb that killed two people in March 2001 was blamed on Chechen separatists. Muslim separatist groups have formed and dozens of their members have killed by the Russian authorities
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Republic of Karelia
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The Republic of Karelia is a federal subject of Russia, located in the northwest of Russia. Its capital is the city of Petrozavodsk and its population in 2010 was 643,548. From 1940 to 1956, it was known as the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic, in 1956, it was once again an autonomous republic and remains as part of Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The republic is in the part of Russia, taking intervening position between the White and Baltic Seas. The White Sea has a line of 630 kilometers. It has an area of 172,400 km2 and it shares internal borders with Murmansk Oblast, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Vologda Oblast, and Leningrad Oblast, and it also borders Finland, the borders measure 723 km. The main bodies of water next to Karelia are the White Sea to the north-east and Lake Onega and its highest point is the Nuorunen peak at 576 m. This area is the largest contiguous Archaean outcrop in Europe and one of the largest in the world, There are about 27,000 rivers in Karelia. Major rivers include, Vodla River Kem River Kovda River Shuya River Suna River with Kivach Falls Vyg River There are 60,000 lakes in Karelia, the republics lakes and swamps contain about 2,000 km³ of high-quality fresh water. Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega are the largest lakes in Europe, other lakes include, Nyukozero Pyaozero Segozero Syamozero Topozero Vygozero Lakes Ladoga and Onega are located on the south of the republic. Vodlozero National Park Kalevala National Park Paanajärvi National Park The majority of the territory is composed of state forest stock. The total growing stock of resources in the forests of all categories and ages is 807 million m³. The mature and over mature tree stock amounts to 411.8 million m³, fifty useful minerals are found in Karelia, located in more than 400 deposits and ore bearing layers. Natural resources of the republic include iron ore, diamonds, vanadium, molybdenum, the Republic of Karelia is located in the Atlantic continental climate zone. Average temperature in January is −8.0 °C and +16.4 °C in July, average annual precipitation is 500–700 mm. Historically, Karelia was a region to the northwest of Russia, east of present-day Finland, controlled by the Novgorod Republic. From the 13th century and onwards, various parts were conquered by Sweden, in 1920, the province became the Karelian Labour Сommune. In 1923, the became the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Annexed territories were incorporated into Karelo-Finnish SSR, but after the Continuation War the Karelian Isthmus was incorporated into the Leningrad Oblast and its status was changed back to an ASSR in 1956
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