Altai Republic ' onMouseout='HidePop("10345")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Altay_language">Altay
Altay is a language of the Turkic group of languages. It is an official language of Altai Republic, Russia. The language was called Oyrot prior to 1948. There were ca...
: Алтай Республика) is a
federal subjectRussia is a federation that consists of 83 subjects. These subjects are of equal federal rights in the sense that they have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation Council . However, they do differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy...
of
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(a
republicA republic is a form of government in which the head of state is not a monarch and the people have an impact on its government. The word 'republic' is derived from the Latin phrase res publica which can be translated as "a public affair".Both modern and ancient republics vary widely in their...
). The direct
romanizationRomanization of the Russian alphabet is the process of transliterating the Russian language from the Cyrillic alphabet into the Latin alphabet...
of the republic's Russian name is
Respublika Altay, and the romanization of the Altay name is
Altay Respublika. Altai Republic should not be confused with the neighboring
Altai KraiAltai Krai is a federal subject of Russia in the Siberian Federal District. It borders with, clockwise from the south, Kazakhstan, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Oblasts, and the Altai Republic...
.
Geography
The republic is situated in the very center of
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
at the junction of
SiberiaSiberia , is the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving as the massive central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, having served in the same capacity previously for the USSR from its beginning, and the Russian Empire beginning in the...
n
taigaTaiga is a biome characterized by coniferous forests. Covering most of inland Alaska, Canada, Sweden, Finland, inland Norway, Highland Scotland and Russia , as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States , northern...
,
steppeIn physical geography, a steppe is a biome region characterised by grassland plain without trees . The prairie can be considered a steppe. It may be semi-desert, or covered with grass or shrubs or both, depending on the season and latitude...
s of
KazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe...
and semi-
desertA desert is a landscape or region that receives almost no precipitation. Deserts are defined as areas with an average annual precipitation of less than per year, or as areas where more water is lost by evapotranspiration than falls as precipitation. In the Köppen climate classification system,...
s of
MongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and the People's Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 24 miles from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator,...
. Forests cover about 25% of the republic's territory.
- Area: 92,600 km²
- Borders:
- internal: Kemerovo Oblast
Kemerovo Oblast , often called Kuzbass after the Kuznetsk Basin, is a federal subject of Russia , is located in southwestern Siberia, where the West-Siberian Plain meets the South Siberian mountains...
(N), Republic of KhakassiaRepublic of Khakassia or Khakasiya is a federal subject of Russia located in south central Siberia....
(NE), Tuva RepublicTyva Republic , or Tuva , is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:...
(E), and Altai KraiAltai Krai is a federal subject of Russia in the Siberian Federal District. It borders with, clockwise from the south, Kazakhstan, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Oblasts, and the Altai Republic...
(W/NW).
- international: Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and the People's Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 24 miles from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator,...
(SE), ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
(S), and KazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe...
(S/SW)
- Highest point: Mount Belukha (4,506 m)
- Maximum N->S distance: 360 km
- Maximum E->W distance: 380 km
Rivers and lakes
More than 20,000 tributaries sprawl throughout the mountainous Republic, making up for a total of more than 60,000 km worth of waterways. The Republic's largest rivers are the Katun and the
BiyaThe Biya River is a river in the Altai Republic and Altai Krai in Russia. It forms the Ob River as it joins the Katun River. The Biya River is 301 km long; the area of its drainage basin is 37,000 km². It flows out of the Teletskoye Lake. The river freezes up in the mid-November to early December...
, both of which originate in the mountains and flow northwards. The junction of the two rivers eventually forms the
Ob RiverThe Ob River , also Obi, is a major river in western Siberia, Russia. It is the country's fourth longest. The Ob River also has the longest estuary in the world.-Names:...
, one of the longest rivers in
SiberiaSiberia , is the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving as the massive central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, having served in the same capacity previously for the USSR from its beginning, and the Russian Empire beginning in the...
, which flows northward to the Arctic Ocean.
The source of the black Biya River is
Lake TeletskoyeLake Teletskoye is the largest lake in the Altay Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia. It is one of 25 deepest lakes in the world, having a depth of up to 325 meters....
, the region's largest lake located in an isolated area far south in the mountains. The emerald-colored Katun River has its source at the Gebler glacier, which is situated on the Republic's highest point, Mount Belukha. The Katun River in particular holds a religious significance for native Altaians, as well as for many Russians who live in the area, as Mount Belukha is known in Altai folklore to be the gateway to mystical
ShambhalaIn Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala is a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Inner Asia. It is mentioned in various ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient texts of the Zhang Zhung culture which predated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet...
.
http://www.altaiassistanceproject.org/travelenmek.html
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 TeletskoyeLake Teletskoye is the largest lake in the Altay Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia. It is one of 25 deepest lakes in the world, having a depth of up to 325 meters....
, which is 80 km long and 5 km wide, has an area of 230.8 km², and has a maximum depth of 325 m. The mountain lakes of Altai contain enormous freshwater reserves of a very pure quality as a result of their distance from most human activity.
http://www.engg.ksu.edu/CHSR/international/altai/ Lake Teletskoye alone contains more than 40 km³ 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.
Mountains
The most striking geographical aspect of the Republic of Altai is its mountainous terrain. The Republic is situated within the
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n part of the
Altay MountainsThe Altai Mountains are a mountain range in central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their sources. The Altai Mountains are known as the Turkic peoples' birthplace...
system, which covers a large part of the Republic and continues into neighboring
KazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe...
,
MongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and the People's Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 24 miles from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator,...
and
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. The region continues to experience periodic notable seismic activity, which is visually made apparent through the mountains' characteristically high and rugged mountain ridges, separated by narrow and deep river valleys. The Republic's highest peak, Mount Belukha (4,506 m), is the highest point in
SiberiaSiberia , is the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving as the massive central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, having served in the same capacity previously for the USSR from its beginning, and the Russian Empire beginning in the...
.
Natural resources
Water resources 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. Additionally, Altai glaciers contain a great amount of fresh water. The general volume of ice for registered Altai glaciers comes to a total of 57 km³, 52 km³ of which is water. The total water stock of the glaciers exceeds the average annual effluence of all Altai rivers, which are 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 in the region primarily include
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
,
silverSilver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
,
iron oreIron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, deep purple, to rusty red. The iron itself is usually found in the form of magnetite , hematite , goethite, limonite or...
s, and
lithiumLithium is a soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is represented by the symbol Li, and it has the atomic number three. Under standard conditions it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly...
, in addition to other smaller amounts of minerals. The large city of
BarnaulBarnaul is a city and the administrative center of Altai Krai, Russia. Barnaul is situated in the southwest of the Siberian Federal District on the Ob River. Population: 649,600 ; 600,749 .-Geography:...
in neighboring
Altai KraiAltai Krai is a federal subject of Russia in the Siberian Federal District. It borders with, clockwise from the south, Kazakhstan, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Oblasts, and the Altai Republic...
was originally founded as a processing center for minerals from the Altai region, although the mineral extraction industry today is much smaller than in the past.
Climate
The republic has a temperate continental climate with relatively short and hot summers (June-August); and long, cold, and often quite frosty winters (November-March).
In general, the climate of the southeastern areas of the republic, such as the (Ulagansky and Kosh-Agachsky Districts), is harsher than the climate of the less elevated northern 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
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is deposited on the Earth's surface. The main forms of precipitation include rain, snow, ice pellets, and graupel...
: 100-1000 mm.
Demographics
- 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 1,000 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)
As per the
2002 CensusRussian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
, ethnic
RussiansThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
make up 57.4% of the republic's population, with the ethnic
Altay peopleThe Altay or Altai are an ethnic group of Turkic people living in the Siberian Altai Republic and Altai Krai and surrounding areas of Tuva and Mongolia. For alternative ethnonyms see also Teleut, Tele, Telengit, Mountain Kalmuck, White Kalmuck, Black Tatar, Oirat/Oirot.The Uriankhai people were...
numbering only 30.6%. Other groups include
KazakhsThe Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
(6.0%), Telengits (2,368, or 1.2%),
TubalarsThe Tubalar are an ethnic group native to the Altai Republic in Russia. According to the 2002 census, there were 1565 Tubalars in Russia.The most dense population of Tubalars are in the villages of Artybash, Iogach, Novotroitsk, Tuloi, Tondoshka, Kebezen, Ust-Pyzha, Biyka, Yailu, Chuyka, Torochak,...
(1,533, or 0.8%),
UkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
(1,437 or 0.7%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
|
1926 census |
1939 census |
1959 census |
1970 census |
1979 census |
1989 census |
2002 census |
AltayThe Altay or Altai are an ethnic group of Turkic people living in the Siberian Altai Republic and Altai Krai and surrounding areas of Tuva and Mongolia. For alternative ethnonyms see also Teleut, Tele, Telengit, Mountain Kalmuck, White Kalmuck, Black Tatar, Oirat/Oirot.The Uriankhai people were...
|
42,2131 (42.4%) |
39,285 (24.2%) |
38,019 (24.2%) |
46,750 (27.8%) |
50,203 (29.2%) |
59,130 (31.0%) |
67,7452 (33.5%) |
RussiansThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
|
51,813 (52.0%) |
114,209 (70.4%) |
109,661 (69.8%) |
110,442 (65.6%) |
108,795 (63.2%) |
115,188 (60.4%) |
116,510 (57.4%) |
KazakhsThe Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
|
2,326 (2.3%) |
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 |
3,309 (3.3%) |
4,405 (2.7%) |
4,736 (3.0%) |
3,899 (2.3%) |
4,365 (2.5%) |
5,821 (3.1%) |
6,443 (3.2%) |
- including 3414 Telengits, 1384 Kumandins
The Kumandins are an autonomous people of southern Siberia. They reside mainly in the Altai Republic. Their language is related to the Uighur language, and is Turkic in nature....
and 344 TeleutsTeleuts are a Turkic people people living in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia. According to the 2002 census, there were 2650 Teleuts in Russia. Their language is classified as a southern dialect within the group of dialects which is called Altay language....
- including 2368 Telengits, 1533 Tubalars
The Tubalar are an ethnic group native to the Altai Republic in Russia. According to the 2002 census, there were 1565 Tubalars in Russia.The most dense population of Tubalars are in the villages of Artybash, Iogach, Novotroitsk, Tuloi, Tondoshka, Kebezen, Ust-Pyzha, Biyka, Yailu, Chuyka, Torochak,...
, 931 KumandinsThe Kumandins are an autonomous people of southern Siberia. They reside mainly in the Altai Republic. Their language is related to the Uighur language, and is Turkic in nature....
, 830 ChelkansThe Chelkans are a small Turkic people living in southern Siberia. Those residing in Altai Republic are sometimes grouped together with the Altay ethnic group and those in Kemerovo Oblast are grouped with the Shors; however, they are recognized as a separate ethnic group by ethnographers...
and 32 TeleutsTeleuts are a Turkic people people living in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia. According to the 2002 census, there were 2650 Teleuts in Russia. Their language is classified as a southern dialect within the group of dialects which is called Altay language....
Vital Statistics for 2007: Source
Birth Rate: 19.54 per 1000
Death Rate: 12.64 per 1000
Net Immigration: +1.4 per 1000
NGR: +0.69% per Year
PGR: +0.83% per Year
History
The national autonomy for the Altai people was created on June 1, 1922 as Oyrot Autonomous Oblast (Ойро́тская автоно́мная о́бласть), part of
Altai KraiAltai Krai is a federal subject of Russia in the Siberian Federal District. It borders with, clockwise from the south, Kazakhstan, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Oblasts, and the Altai Republic...
. The original name for this region was Bazla. On January 7, 1948 it was renamed
Gorno-Altai Autonomous OblastThe Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast The Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast The Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast ( was formed as the Oyrot Autonomous Oblast in 1922 and renamed in 1948.It was upgraded into an ASSR in 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It corresponds to the current...
(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.
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 BerdnikovAlexander Vasiliyevich Berdnikov is a Russian politician and the current chairman of the government of the Altai Republic. He took office on January 20, 2006. He was a candidate in the December 2001 election for that position, receiving 9.6% of the vote and coming in sixth place...
, who succeeded
Mikhail LapshinMikhail Ivanovich Lapshin was the President of the Altai Republic in Russia from 2002 to 2006. He was born in Setovka, Altai Krai. He became President of the Altai Republic in January 2002. He defeated incumbent Semyon Zubakin in the December 2001 elections with 68% of the vote...
in this post. The supreme legislative body of the republic is the
State Assembly—El KurultaiThe State Assembly of the Altai Republic is the unicameral legislature of that republic. It comprises 41 deputies popularly elected every four years. It succeeded the Supreme Council in 1994....
, with 41 deputies popularly elected every four years. Igor Yaimov is the current Chairman of the State Assembly-El Kurultai from January 2002.
The Republic's Constitution was adopted on June 7, 1997.
Economy
The Altai Republic is a highly agricultural region. However, it does have some industry which includes foodstuffs, non-ferrous metallurgy, chemicals,
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
mining, footwear, dairying and timber. Tourism has also begun to make its mark on the economy, and a large number of new hotels and resorts catering towards "New Russians" have begun to appear.
Transportation
Due to geographical peculiarities of the Republic, two means of transport—motor transport (over 90% of all kinds of traffic) and air transport (passenger traffic and transport of mail)—were developed. Motor transport is by far the prevailing one, and the vast majority of the Republic's inhabitants live along the main Chuiskiy highway. The extent of automobile roads is more than 3,500 km, 572 km of which is the Chuiskiy, the route of Federal importance
NovosibirskNovosibirsk is Russia's third-largest city, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia. It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
-
BiyskBiysk is a city in Altai Krai, Russia. It is the second largest city of the krai . Population: 229,412 ; 218,562 ; 233,238 .-Geography:...
-Tashanta.
Tourism
With the Soviet Union's collapse, the Altai Republic's tourism industry has greatly expanded. Although wealthy Russians from neighboring Russian republics are the most common sort of tourist in Altai, foreign interest has also grown in the area, especially due to the area's spiritual significance to New Age believers and others.
Popular tourist destinations tend to be concentrated in the north, where the roads are more accessible. They are also almost entirely located along the Chuiskiy highway, which is the main road from the north into the mountains (although it is currently only two lanes wide). The north is also significantly warmer than the elevated southern areas, which tend to be chilly even in the summer.
Some of the more well-known tourist spots in the Altai region include Lake Aiya (a popular bathing spot),
BelokurikhaBelokurikha is a town and a balneological resort in Altai Krai, Russia, located on the Bolshaya Belokurikha River some 250 km south of Barnaul. Population: 14,700 ; 14,533 ; 5,700 ....
(known for its mineral water springs), and the picturesque Chemal region. More adventurous travelers may wish to visit the more remote
Lake TeletskoyeLake Teletskoye is the largest lake in the Altay Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia. It is one of 25 deepest lakes in the world, having a depth of up to 325 meters....
or Mount Belukha in the south.
Education
There is one university (
Gorno-Altaisk State University- History :Gorno-Altaisk State University was founded in 1949 as the Pedagogical Institute. It is located in Gorno-Altaisk, Russia. In 1993 it was given the status of a classical University...
), twelve colleges, and 205 secondary schools in the republic.
Religion
The traditional religion of the native Altaians is
shamanismShamanism comprises a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world. It is a prominent term in anthropological research. A practitioner of shamanism is known as a shaman, , noun...
. Ethnic Russians primarily practice
Orthodox ChristianityThe Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to in English speaking countries as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the world's second largest Christian communion, estimated to number 225 million members...
.
Tibetan BuddhismTibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India...
has also recently begun making some inroads by way of neighboring
MongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and the People's Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 24 miles from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator,...
and
TuvaTyva Republic , or Tuva , is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:...
.
From 1904 until the 1930s, a new religious movement called
BurkhanismBurkhanism or Ak Jang is a new religious movement that flourished among the indigenous people of Russia's Gorno Altai region between 1904 and the 1930s. Czarist Russia was suspicious of the movement's potential to stir up native unrest and perhaps involve outside powers...
(or
Ak Jang, the "white faith") was popularized among native Altaians. The religion originated in Altai, and emphasized the "white" aspect of shamanistic practice. Burkhanism remains an important component of Altaian national consciousness, and is currently being revived in several forms along with indigenous Altai culture in general.
Russian
New AgeThe New Age is a decentralized Western social and spiritual movement that seeks "Universal Truth" and the attainment of the highest individual human potential. It includes aspects of cosmology, astrology, esotericism, alternative medicine, music, collectivism, sustainability, and nature...
followers often go on pilgrimages to Mount Belukha, which is considered to be the location of
ShambhalaIn Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala is a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Inner Asia. It is mentioned in various ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient texts of the Zhang Zhung culture which predated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet...
both by some New Agers and locals of Altai. One can often find manifestations of shamanistic spirituality in the region; for example, at points along the Katun River, local believers in shamanism are known to tie white ribbons to nearby trees and leave offerings of coins or food to the spirits.
http://enspire.syr.edu/AltaiWeb/AltaiCulture.html Although shamanism is much less widely practiced today, it is regaining popularity as a result of new religious freedom following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
External links
Official website of the Altai Republic Official website of the Altai Republic