Alexandrovo-Zavodsky District

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Alexandrovo-Zavodsky District (Russian: Алекса́ндрово-Заво́дский райо́н) is a district (raion) of Zabaykalsky Krai. The district's administrative center is the village (selo) of Alexandrovsky Zavod. District's population: 10,844 (2002 Census). Area: 7,100 km².

The district was founded on January 4, 1926. It is located some 500 km south-east of Chita.

The highest point of the district is Mount Uchashchina (1,412 m). The Gazimur and the Borzya Rivers flow through the district.

[edit] History

Russians explored the region in the 17th century. In 1778, silver deposits were discovered here, and the first silver mine, which was included into the network of Nerchinsk silver refineries, was built in the village of Bazanovo. Catherine II ordered to give additional dotations to the network in 1790. As a result, on the spot of modern Alexandrovsky Zavod appeared a silver works in 1792, which later was named after Alexander I and founded settlement around it. All the workers of the works were political and penal criminals. The most famous of them was an ideologue of Russian Socialism, Nikolai Chernyshevsky.

After the silver resources depletion in the late 1880s, population comprised Cossacks and peasants who took active part in Russian revolutions. In the 1930s, there were Cossack and peasant unrests caused by collectivization. There were massive deportations and repressions. World War II caused an enormous decrease in manpower and the district's industry.

The population of the District suffers from different oncological diseases.

Local industries are in deep stagnation. As a result, there is a constant flee of district residents.