Buryatia

Geography and borders

Buryatia, officially called the Republic of Buryatia, is a special area within Russia called a republic. It is found in a place known as the Russian Far East. Since 2018, it has been part of the Far Eastern Federal District.

To the north of Buryatia are places called Irkutsk Oblast and Lake Baikal, which is the deepest lake in the world. To the east is Zabaykalsky Krai, to the west is Tuva, and to the south is the country of Mongolia. The main city and capital of Buryatia is Ulan-Ude.

Size and population

Buryatia covers a large area of 351,300 square kilometers and in 2021, it was home to about 978,588 people. This land is special because it is where the indigenous Buryats live.

Geography

Buryatia is a region in the south-central region of Siberia. It is along the eastern shore of Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake.

It covers an area of 351,300 square kilometers. It shares borders with Irkutsk Oblast to the north, Zabaykalsky Krai to the east, Tuva to the west, and the country of Mongolia to the south. Major rivers flow through the area, and the highest point is Mount Munku-Sardyk.

<figure class="inline-figure"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/View_of_the_valley_of_the_Uda_near_the_village_of_Khorinsk.jpg/250px-View_of_the_valley_of_the_Uda_near_the_village_of_Khorinsk.jpg" data-caption="View of the valley of the Uda near the village of Khorinsk"><figcaption>View of the valley of the Uda near the village of Khorinsk</figcaption></figure>

The land is mostly mountainous. It has rich resources like gold, tungsten, zinc, and uranium. Temperatures change a lot, from about −17 °C in winter to +25 °C in summer. The area gets around 244 millimeters of rain each year.

History

Mongolian people have lived around Lake Baikal since the fifth century. Over time, they became groups, including the Buryats. Some Buryats lived on the western shore of Lake Baikal, where there was better land for farming. Others lived on the eastern shore and moved with their animals.

Buryatia has been ruled by many empires and groups over the years, including the Xiongnu, Rouran Khaganate, and Mongol Empire. In the 1600s, Cossacks and Russian officials came into Buryat lands. The Buryats resisted at first but were later included in the Russian Empire. In 1666, a fort was built that later became Ulan-Ude, the current capital of Buryatia.

During the Soviet time, Buryatia became the Buryat Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1923. Leaders wanted more self-government, but this changed after World War II. New factories and railroads were built, bringing many new people to the area. After the Soviet Union ended, Buryatia became the Republic of Buryatia but stayed part of Russia.

Politics

The leader of Buryatia is called the Head, and people vote to choose them every four years. Before 2012, the president of Russia chose the leader.

From 1991 to 2007, the leader was Leonid Potapov. He was first elected in 1994 and was re-elected in 1998 and 2002.

The current Head is Alexey Tsydenov, who was elected in 2017. Before that, he was appointed by Russian president Vladimir Putin in February 2017.

Buryatia's parliament is called the People's Khural. It has 66 members who are elected every five years. The main political party in the region is United Russia.

The Republic's Constitution was adopted on 22 February 1994.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Buryatia

Buryatia is divided into areas for local government. It has 21 districts, 6 cities or towns, 16 urban-type settlements, and 238 rural groups called selsoviets and somons.

Demographics

The Republic of Buryatia has about 972,000 people. Many are ethnic Russians, who make up about 64% of the population. The ethnic Buryats make up about 32.5%.

Traditionally, many Buryats believed in nature spirits and were led by shamans. Later, Tibetan Buddhism became the main religion for most Buryats. Today, the most common religions are Orthodox Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. There are also smaller groups with other beliefs or no specific religion.

Buryatia has several universities, like Buryat State University and Buryat State Academy of Agriculture.

Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service

Demographics for 2007

Source:

Ethnic groups

From the 2021 Census, Russians make up 64% of the people. The Buryats are 32.5%. Other groups include Soyots (0.5%) and smaller groups.

Religion

Tibetan Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity are the most common religions. Many Russians are Orthodox. Since 1991, a few people have joined Protestant groups or Rodnovery, the Slavic native faith. There are also some Catholics.

Most urban Buryats are Buddhist or Orthodox. Rural Buryats often follow Yellow shamanism or Black shamanism. There are also Tengrist groups. Siberian Tatars make up about 0.7% of the population. Some Siberian Tatars are now Orthodox or have no religion. Islam is followed by groups like Azeris and Uzbeks, who are about 0.7% of the population.

Education

Buryatia has universities such as Buryat State University, Buryat State Academy of Agriculture, East Siberian State Academy of Arts and Culture, and East Siberia State University of Technology and Management.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Buryatia

Buryatia's economy includes growing wheat, vegetables, and potatoes. It also makes timber, leather, graphite, and textiles. Other important work includes fishing, hunting, fur farming, raising sheep and cattle, mining, engineering, and food processing.

In 2020, some people in Buryatia did not have jobs. In 2018, the value of goods and services made by each person was about 3,650 US dollars. In 2009, it was about 11,148 US dollars when considering the cost of living.

Tourism

Lake Baikal is a popular place for visitors, especially in the summer. Many people like to explore this beautiful area and learn about its history and nature.