Abakan

Abakan (English)
Абакан (Russian)
Ағбан (Khakas)
-  City  -

Abakan Cathedral of the Transfiguration

Location of the Republic of Khakassia in Russia
Abakan
Coordinates:
Coat of arms
Administrative status
Country Russia
Federal subject Republic of Khakassia
Capital of Republic of Khakassia
Municipal status
Urban okrug Abakan Urban Okrug
Head Nikolay Bulakin
Representative body Council of Deputies
Statistics
Area 259 km2 (100 sq mi)
Population (2010 Census,
preliminary)		 165,183 inhabitants[1]
- Rank in 2010 109th
Population (2002 Census) 163,189 inhabitants[2]
- Rank in 2002 104th
Density 638 /km2 (1,650 /sq mi)[3]
Time zone KRAST (UTC+08:00)[4]
Founded 1675[5]
Postal code(s) 655000
Dialing code(s) +7 3902
Official website

Abakan (Russian: Абака́н; Khakas: Ағбан) is the capital city of the Republic of Khakassia, Russia, located in the central part of Minusinsk Depression, at the confluence of the Yenisei and Abakan Rivers. Population: 165,183 (2010 Census preliminary results);[1] 165,197 (2002 Census);[6] 154,092 (1989 Census).[7]

Contents

History

Abakan stockaded town (Абаканский острог) was built at this location in 1675, also known as Abakansk. In the Russian Empire, it was a part of Yeniseysk Governorate. During 1823–1931 the grown settlement was known as Ust-Abakanskoye, 1914–1925: Abakan, 1925–1931: Khakassk. It was granted town status and given its current name in 1931.

Chinese exiles

In 1940, Russian construction workers found ancient ruins during the construction of a highway between Abakan and the nearby district center village of Askyz (Аскыз). When the site was excavated by Soviet archaeologists during 1941-45, they realized that they had discovered a building absolutely unique for the area: a large (1500 square meters) Chinese-style, likely Han Dynasty era (206 BCE–220 CE) palace. The identity of the high-ranking personage who lived luxuriously in Chinese style, far outside of the borders of the Han Empire, has remained a matter for discussion ever since. Russian archaeologist L.A. Evtyukhova surmised, based on circumstancial evidence, that the palace may have been the residence of Li Ling, a Chinese general who had been defeated by the Xiongnu in 99 BC, and defected to them as a result.[8] While this opinion has remained popular, other views have been expressed as well. More recently, for example, it was claimed by A.A. Kovalyov as the residence of Lu Fang (盧芳), a Han throne pretender from the Guangwu era.[9]

Lithuanian exiles

In the late eighteenth and during the nineteenth century, Lithuanian participants in the 1794, 1830–1831, and 1863 rebellions against the Russian czarist rule were exiled to Abakan. A group of camps was established, and prisoners were forced to work in the coal mines. After Stalin's death, Lithuanian exiles from the nearby settlements moved in[10]

Climate

Climate data for Abakan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) −14
(7)		 −9
(15)		 1
(34)		 9
(49)		 19
(66)		 23
(74)		 26
(79)		 24
(75)		 17
(62)		 7
(44)		 −6
(22)		 −14
(7)		 6.9
(44.5)
Average low °C (°F) −23
(−9)		 −21
(−6)		 −10
(14)		 −3
(26)		 5
(41)		 11
(52)		 14
(57)		 11
(52)		 4
(40)		 −3
(27)		 −13
(9)		 −21
(−5)		 −4.0
(24.8)
Precipitation mm (inches) 8
(0.3)		 8
(0.3)		 8
(0.3)		 10
(0.4)		 36
(1.4)		 69
(2.7)		 74
(2.9)		 38
(1.5)		 30
(1.2)		 23
(0.9)		 10
(0.4)		 15
(0.6)		 328
(12.9)
Source: Weatherbase [11]

Economy

Abakan (together with Tayshet) was a terminal of the major Abakan-Taishet Railway. Now it is an important railway junction.

The city is served by the Abakan International Airport.

The city has a river port, industry enterprises, Katanov State University of Khakasia, and three theatres. Furthermore, it has a commercial center that produces footwear, foodstuffs, and metal products.

The 100th Air Assault Brigade of the Russian Airborne Troops was based in the city until c.1996. (Schofield, The Russian Elite)

Sites

Abakan's sites of interest include Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, "Good Angel of Peace" sculpture, park of topiary art, and many others.

Sports

Bandy is the biggest sport in the city. Sayany-Khakasiya[12] have played in the highest division of Russian Bandy League for a long time. Now they play in the 2nd highest division.

References

  1. ^ a b Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
  2. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
  3. ^ The value of density was calculated automatically by dividing the 2010 Census population by the area specified in the infobox. Please note that this value may not be accurate as the area specified in the infobox does not necessarily correspond to the area of the entity proper or is reported for the same year as the population.
  4. ^ Правительство Российской Федерации. Постановление №725 от 31 августа 2011 г. «О составе территорий, образующих каждую часовую зону, и порядке исчисления времени в часовых зонах, а также о признании утратившими силу отдельных Постановлений Правительства Российской Федерации». Вступил в силу по истечении 7 дней после дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Российская Газета", №197, 6 сентября 2011 г. (Government of the Russian Federation. Resolution #725 of August 31, 2011 On the Composition of the Territories Included into Each Time Zone and on the Procedures of Timekeeping in the Time Zones, as Well as on Abrogation of Several Resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation. Effective as of after 7 days following the day of the official publication).
  5. ^ Энциклопедия Города России. Moscow: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. 2003. p. 13. ISBN 5-7107-7399-9. 
  6. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
  7. ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
  8. ^ L.A. Evtyukhova (Л.А. Евтюхова), Southern Siberia in Ancient Times Южная Сибирь в древности). In: "Tracing Ancient Cultures between the Volga and the Pacific" (По следам древних культур: от Волги до Тихого Океана). Moscow, 1954, pp. 195-224.
  9. ^ A.A. Kovalyov (А.А. Ковалёв), Chinese Emperor on the Yenisy? Once more about the owner of the Tashebik "Palace" (Китайский император на Енисее? Ещё раз о хозяине ташебинского «дворца»), in "Ethnohistory and archaeoilogy of Northern Eurasia: theory, methodology, and the recearch practice" ("Этноистория и археология Северной Евразии: теория, методология и практика исследования"). Irkutsk, 2007, pp. 145-148.
  10. ^ Abakanas. Aldona Juodvalkytė. Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija, I t. Vilnius: Science and encyclopedias publishing institute, 2001. T.1: A-Ar.
  11. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Abakan, Russia". Weatherbase. 2011. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=56892&refer=wikipedia.  Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
  12. ^ Official home page

External links
Capital: Abakan
Cities and towns
Districts