Altai Republic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Altai Republic (Russian: Респу́блика Алта́й; Altay: Алтай Республика) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct transliteration of the republic's Russian name is Respublika Altay, and the transliteration of the Altay name is Altay Respublika. It is a different administrative entity from the neighboring Altai Krai.
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| Capital | Gorno-Altaysk | ||||
| Area - total |
Ranked 38th - 92,600 km² |
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| Population - Total |
Ranked 79th - est. 202,947 (2002) |
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| Political status | Republic | ||||
| Federal district | Siberian | ||||
| Economic Region | West Siberia | ||||
| Cadaster # | 04 | ||||
| Official languages | Russian, Altay | ||||
| Head of the Republic | Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov | ||||
| Chairman of the Government | Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov | ||||
| Legislature | State Assembly—El Kurultai | ||||
| Anthem | National Anthem of the Altai Republic | ||||
Contents |
[edit] Geography
The republic is situated in the very center of Asia at the junction of Siberian taiga, steppes of Kazakhstan and semi-deserts of Mongolia. Forests cover about 25% of the republic's territory.
- Area: 92,600 km².
- Borders:
- internal: Kemerovo Oblast (N), Khakassia (NE), Tuva (E), and Altai Krai (W/NW).
- international: Mongolia (SE), China (S), and Kazakhstan (S/SW).
- Highest point: Mount Belukha (4,506 m).
- Maximum N->S distance: 360 km.
- Maximum E->W distance: 380 km.
[edit] Time zone
The Altai Republic is located in the Novosibirsk Time Zone (NOVT/NOVST). UTC offset is +0600 (NOVT)/+0700 (NOVST).
[edit] Rivers
Hydrographic network of the Republic counts more than 20,000 water courses stretching for more than 60,000 km. The largest rivers are the Katun and the Biya, which junction forms one of the largest Siberian rivers — the Ob River.
[edit] Lakes
Hydrographic network of the Republic counts about 7,000 lakes with the total area of more than 700 km². The largest lake is Lake Teletskoye, 80 km long and 5 km wide with the area of 230.8 km² and maximum depth 325 m. Mountain lakes of Altai contain enormous freshwater reserves of the highest quality. The Lake Teletskoye alone contains more than 40 km³ of the purest water. Potential use of underground water storage is evaluated at 22 million m³ per day, while the present use constitutes only about 44,000 m³ per day.
[edit] Mountains
Mountainous relief of landscape is the prevalent one. The Republic is situated within the Russian part of the mountain system of Altay Mountains, which means the relief of the Republic is characterized by high mountain ridges separated by narrow and deep river valleys. The highest peak — Mount Belukha (4,506 m) — is the highest point in Siberia.
[edit] Natural resources
Water resources are among the most important natural resources of the republic. There are mineral springs in Altay Mountains that are considered healthy. Altai glaciers contain great amount of fresh water. The general volume of ice of the registered Altai glaciers comes up to 57 km³, which constitutes 52 km³ of water. The whole water stock of glaciers exceeds an average annual effluent of Altai rivers for many years being equal to 43 km³ per year. The largest glaciers are: Bolshoy Taldurinsky (35 km²), Mensu (21 km²), Sofiysky (17 km²), and Bolshoy Maashey (16 km²).
Mineral resources include gold, silver, iron ores, lithium, and more.
[edit] Climate
The republic has temperate continental climate with relatively short and hot summers (June-August) and long, cold and at some places very frosty winters (November-March).
In general, the climate of the southeastern areas of the republic (Ulagansky and Kosh-Agachsky Districts) is harsher that the climate of the northern and northeastern areas.
- Average annual temperature: +1°C to -6.7°C.
- January temperature range: -9.2°C to -31°C.
- July temperature range: +11°C to +19°C.
- Average annual precipitation: 100-1000 mm.
[edit] Administrative divisions
[edit] Demographics
As per the 2002 Census, ethnic Russians make up 57.4% of the republic's population, while the ethnic Altay people at 62,192 is only 30.6%. Other groups include Kazakhs (6.0%), Telengits (2,368, or 1.2%), Tubalars (1,533, or 0.8%), Ukrainians (1,437 or 0.7%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
| census 1939 | census 1959 | census 1970 | census 1979 | census 1989 | census 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altay | 39,285 (24.2%) | 38,019 (24.2%) | 46,750 (27.8%) | 50,203 (29.2%) | 59,130 (31.0%) | 67,9951 (33.5%) |
| Russians | 114,209 (70.4%) | 109,661 (69.8%) | 110,442 (65.6%) | 108,795 (63.2%) | 115,188 (60.4%) | 116,510 (57.4%) |
| Kazakhs | 4,280 (2.6%) | 4,745 (3.0%) | 7,170 (4.3%) | 8,677 (5.0%) | 10,692 (5.6%) | 12,108 (6.0%) |
| Others | 4,405 (2.7%) | 4,736 (3.0%) | 3,899 (2.3%) | 4,365 (2.5%) | 5,821 (3.1%) | 6,334 (3.1%) |
- including 2368 Telengits, 1533 Tubalars, 931 Kumandins and 830 Chelkans, which were not recognized as separate nationalities in the censuses prior to 2002
- Population: 202,947 (2002)
- Urban: 53,538 (26.4%)
- Rural: 149,409 (73.6%)
- Male: 96,572 (47.6%)
- Female: 106,375 (52.4%)
- Females per 1000 males: 1,102
- Average age: 30.5 years
- Urban: 29.4 years
- Rural: 30.9 years
- Male: 29.0 years
- Female: 32.0 years
- Number of households: 69,004 (with 200,100 people)
- Urban: 19,864 (with 55,578 people)
- Rural: 49,140 (with 147,522 people)
- Vital statistics (2005)
- Births: 3,502 (birth rate 17.2)
- Deaths: 3,170 (death rate 15.5)
[edit] History
The national autonomy for the Altai people was created on June 1, 1922 as Oyrot Autonomous Oblast (Ойро́тская автоно́мная о́бласть), part of Altai Krai. On January 7, 1948 it was renamed Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast (Го́рно-Алта́йская автоно́мная о́бласть). In 1991 it was reorganized into the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR). In 1992 it was renamed as the Altai Republic.
[edit] Politics
The head of government in Altai Republic is the Head of the Republic, popularly elected for a four-year term. As of 2006, the Head of the Republic is Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov, who succeeded Mikhail Lapshin in this post. The supreme legislative body of the republic is the State Assembly—El Kurultai, with 41 deputies popularly elected every four years.
The Republic's Constitution was adopted on June 7, 1997.
[edit] Economy
Altai Republic is more agricultural than industrial, with the most developed industries being foodstuffs, non-ferrous metallurgy, chemicals, gold mining, footwear, dairying and timber.
[edit] Transportation
Due to geographical peculiarities of the Republic, two means of transport — motor transport (over 90% of all kinds of traffics) and air transport (passenger traffic and transport of mail) — were developed. Motor transport is the prevailing one. The extent of automobile roads is more than 3,500 km, 572 km of which is the main motor highway, the route of Federal importance Novosibirsk-Biysk-Tashanta (Chuysky Highway).
[edit] Education
There is one university (Gorno-Altaysk State University), 12 colleges, and 205 secondary schools in the republic.
[edit] Religion
The traditional religion of the native Altaians is shamanism; of the Russians, Orthodox Christianity. Tibetan Buddhism has recently begun making some inroads by way of neighboring Mongolia and Tuva.
From 1904 until the 1930's, most Altaians had converted away from shamanism, to a new religious movement called Burkhanism (or Ak Jang, the "white faith"). Burkhanism remains an important component of Altaian national consciousness, and is now being revived in several forms.
Russian New Age followers of Agni Yoga often go on pilgrimage to Mount Belukha.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- (English) Official website of the Altai Republic.
- (Russian) Official website of the Altai Republic.
- (Russian) (English) Gorno-Altaysk State University.
- (German) Altai-Portal
- (English) Tourism in Altai.
- (English)(German)(Russian) Altai branch book & economic support
Western Turkic
Azerbaijan1 • 
Bashkortostan2 • 
Chuvashia2 • 
Cyprus - 
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus3 • 
Gagauzia4 • 
Kabardino-Balkaria2 •
Karachay-Cherkessia2 • 
Karakalpakstan5 • 
Kazakhstan • 
Tatarstan2 • 
Turkmenistan • 
Turkey • 
Uzbekistan • 
Xinjiang6
Eastern Turkic
Altai Republic2 • 
Khakassia2 • 
Kyrgyzstan • 
Sakha2 • 
Tuva2
Notes: (1) Includes the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic; (2) A federal subject of the Russian Federation; (3) See Cyprus dispute;
(4) Gagauzia is a territorial autonomous unit of Moldova; (5) Karakalpakstan is an autonomous republic of Uzbekistan; (6) Xinjiang Uyghur is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China
