BURYATIA

'Buryat Republic' (; Buryat: Буряад Республика) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct romanization of the republic's name is ''Respublika Buryatiya'' in Russian and ''Buryaad Respublika'' in Buryat.

Contents

Geography

Time zone

Rivers

Lakes

Mountains

Natural resources

Climate

Administrative divisions

Demographics

History

Politics

Economy

Education

Religion

Tourism

See also

External links

Geography

Buryatia is located in the South-Central region of Siberia along the eastern shore of Lake Baikal.

★ ''Area'': 351,300 km².

★ ''Borders'':

★
★ ''internal'': Irkutsk Oblast (W/NW/N), Chita Oblast (NE/E/SE/S), Tuva (W).

★
★ ''international'': Mongolia (S/SE).

★
★ ''water'': Lake Baikal (N).

★ ''Highest point'': Mount Munku-Sardyk (3,491 m).

Time zone

Buryatia is located in the Irkutsk Time Zone (IRKT/IRKST). UTC offset is +0800 (IRKT)/+0900 (IRKST).

Rivers

Major rivers include:

★ Barguzin River

★ Irkut River

★ Kitoy River

★ Oka River

★ Selenga River

★ Uda River

★ Upper Angara River

★ Vitim River

Lakes

★ Lake Baikal - Buryatia is sixty percent of the lake's shore line.

★ Lake Gusinoye

Mountains

Over 80% of republic's territory is located in the mountainous region, including the Baikal Mountains on the northern shoes of Lake Baikal.

Natural resources

Buryatia's natural resources include gold, tungsten, zinc, uranium and more.

Climate

★ ''Average annual temperature'': -1.6°C

★ ''Average January temperature'': -22°C

★ ''Average July temperature'': +18°C

★ ''Average annual precipitation'': 244 mm

Administrative divisions

Demographics

★ 'Population': 981,238 (2002)

★
★ ''Urban'': 584,970 (59.6%)

★
★ ''Rural'': 396,268 (40.4%)

★
★ ''Male'': 467,984 (47.7%)

★
★ ''Female'': 513,254 (52.3%)

★ 'Females per 1000 males': 1,097

★ 'Average age': 31.6 years

★
★ ''Urban'': 31.2 years

★
★ ''Rural'': 32.2 years

★
★ ''Male'': 29.4 years

★
★ ''Female'': 33.9 years

★ 'Number of households': 322,289 (with 958,402 people)

★
★ ''Urban'': 197,651 (with 566,755 people)

★
★ ''Rural'': 124,638 (with 391,647 people)

★ 'Vital statistics' (2005)

★
★ ''Births'': 13,551 (birth rate 14.0)

★
★ ''Deaths'': 15,144 (death rate 15.7)

★ 'Ethnic groups'
According to the 2002 Census, ethnic Russians make up two thirds of the republic's population, while the ethnic Buryats are only 27.8%. Other groups include Ukrainians (1.0%), Tatars (0.8%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.

	census 1926 1	census 1939	census 1959	census 1970	census 1979	census 1989	census 2002
Buryats	214,957 (43.8%)	116,382 (21.3%)	135,798 (20.2%)	178,660 (22.0%)	206,860 (23.0%)	249,525 (24.0%)	272,910 (27.8%)
Soyots	161 (0.0%)						2,739 (0.3%)
Russians	258,796 (52.7%)	393,057 (72.0%)	502,568 (74.6%)	596,960 (73.5%)	647,785 (72.0%)	726,165 (69.9%)	665,512 (67.8%)
Ukrainians	1,982 (0.4%)	13,392 (2.5%)	10,183 (1.5%)	10,769 (1.3%)	15,290 (1.7%)	22,868 (2.2%)	9,585 (1.0%)
Tatars	3,092 (0.6%)	3,840 (0.7%)	8,058 (1.2%)	9,991 (1.2%)	10,290 (1.1%)	10,496 (1.0%)	8,189 (0.8%)
Evenks	2,808 (0.6%)	1,818 (0.3%)	1,335 (0.2%)	1,685 (0.2%)	1,543 (0.2%)	1,679 (0.2%)	2,334 (0.2%)
Others	9,440 (1.9%)	17,277 (3.2%)	15,384 (2.3%)	14,186 (1.7%)	17,630 (2.0%)	27,519 (2.7%)	19,969 (2.0%)

# In 1926, the Buryat-Mongolian ASSR included Aga Buryatia, Ust-Orda Buryatia and the Olkhon district. These territories were transferred to the Chita and Irkutsk Oblasts in 1937. Consequently, the results of the 1926 census cannot be compared to the results of the censuses of 1939 and later.

History

The area of the modern day Buryatia was first colonized in the 1600s by Russians in search of wealth, furs and gold. In 1923, the 'Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic' was created through the union of the Buryat-Mongol and Mongol-Buryat Oblasts. In 1937, Aga Buryatia and Ust-Orda Buryatia were detached from the Buryat-Mongolian ASSR and merged with the Chita and Irkutsk oblasts, respectively. Besides, the Olkhon district was transferred from the Buryat-Mongolina ASSR to the Irkutsk oblast.

Politics

The head of government in Buryatia is the President, who is elected for a four-year term. As of 2006, the President is Leonid Vasilyevich Potapov, who was elected on July 1, 1994, re-elected in 1998 (with 63.25% of votes), and then re-elected again on June 23, 2002 (with over 67% of votes). Prior to the elections, Potapov was the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic—the highest post at that time.
The Republic's parliament is the People's Khural, popularly elected every four years. The People's Khural has 65 deputies.
The Republic's Constitution was adopted on February 22, 1994.

Economy

The republic's economy is composed of important 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, and food processing are also important economic generators.

Education

The higher education institutions of the republic include Buryatia State University, Buryat State Academy of Agriculture, East Siberian State Academy of Arts and Culture, and East Siberian State Technological Institute.

Religion

Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism, and Orthodox Christianity are the most widespread religions in Buryatia.

Tourism

Lake Baikal is a popular tourist destination.

See also

★ Buryats

★ Music of Buryatia

★ Buryat Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

External links

★ Official website of the Buryat Republic.

★ Official website of the Buryat Republic.

★ Official website of the Buryat Republic (in Buryat).

★ Official website of Buryat State Academy of Agriculture.

★ Official website of East Siberian State Academy of Arts and Culture.

★ A free and independent travel guide for Lake Baikal and the Republic of Buryatia Made from travellers for travellers!.

★ The Republic of Buryatia