HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Altai Republic (; russian: Респу́блика Алта́й, Respublika Altay, ;
Altai Altai or Altay may refer to: Places *Altai Mountains, in Central and East Asia, a region shared by China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia In China * Altay Prefecture (阿勒泰地区), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China * Altay City (阿 ...
: , ''Altay Respublika''), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbouring Altai Krai as the Gornyi Altai (russian: Горный Алтай, lit=the mountainous Altai), is a republic of Russia located in southern
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part o ...
. It is a part of the Siberian Federal District, and covers an area of ; with a population of 210,924 residents. It is the least-populous republic of Russia and least-populous federal subject in the Siberian Federal District. Gorno-Altaysk is the capital and the largest town of the republic. The Altai Republic is one of Russia's ethnic republics, primarily representing the indigenous
Altai people The Altai people ( alt, Алтай-кижи, Altai-kizhi), also the Altaians ( alt, Алтайлар, Altailar), are a Turkic ethnic group of indigenous peoples of Siberia mainly living in the Altai Republic, Russia. Several thousand of the Alta ...
, a
Turkic Turkic may refer to: * anything related to the country of Turkey * Turkic languages, a language family of at least thirty-five documented languages ** Turkic alphabets (disambiguation) ** Turkish language, the most widely spoken Turkic language * ...
ethnic group that form 35% of the Republic's population, while ethnic
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
form a majority at 57%, and with minority populations of
Kazakhs The Kazakhs (also spelled Qazaqs; Kazakh: , , , , , ; the English name is transliterated from Russian; russian: казахи) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to northern parts of Central Asia, chiefly Kazakhstan, but also part ...
, other
Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes the former ...
n ethnicities, and
Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...
. The official languages of the Altai Republic are Russian and
Altai Altai or Altay may refer to: Places *Altai Mountains, in Central and East Asia, a region shared by China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia In China * Altay Prefecture (阿勒泰地区), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China * Altay City (阿 ...
.
Kazakh Kazakh, Qazaq or Kazakhstani may refer to: * Someone or something related to Kazakhstan *Kazakhs, an ethnic group *Kazakh language *The Kazakh Khanate * Kazakh cuisine * Qazakh Rayon, Azerbaijan *Qazax, Azerbaijan *Kazakh Uyezd, administrative dis ...
is official in areas of compact settlement of its speakers.


History

The Xiongnu Empire (209 BC – AD 93) governed the territory of the modern Altai Republic. The area was part of the First Turkic Khaganate, the Uyghur Empire, and the Yeniseian Kyrgyzs. It was during this time that the local population became fully Turkicized culturally and linguistically. The southern part of the Altai Republic came under the Naiman Khanate. The territory of the modern Altai Republic has been ruled by the Mongolic Xianbei state (93–234), Rouran Khaganate (330–555), Mongol Empire (1206–1368),
Golden Horde The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fragment ...
(1240–1502), Zunghar Khanate (1634–1758) and Qing Empire (1757–1864). The Qing period is a semi-autonomous period with the supervision of two
Altan Nuur Uriankhai Altan may refer to: * Altan (name) * Altan (band), a folk music group from Donegal * ''Altan'' (album), a 1987 album by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy * Altan Jalab, a village in Afghanistan * Altan (river), stretch of the lower cours ...
Governor Banners and part of the seven Altai Uriankhai banners. During the Qing administration, the General of Siberia
Fedor Ivanovich Soimonov Fedor Ivanovich Soimonov (russian: Фёдор Иванович Соймо́нов; 1692 – 22 July 1780), Knight of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, was a nautical surveyor of the Imperial Russian Navy, hydrographer and pioneering explorer ...
launched a non-military expedition into the Altan Nuur region in 1760 and began fort building, which was subsequently removed by Heseri Jalafungga of Qing. Since the 1820s, the routine border check was less frequent and the Chuy drainage basin has been occupied by Russians. The entire Altan Nuur Uriankhai region was annexed into the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...
in 1864–1867 by the Treaty of Tarbagatai. During the
Russian Civil War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Russian Civil War , partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I , image = , caption = Clockwise from top left: {{flatlist, *Soldiers ...
, the Confederated Republic of Altai (Karakorum-Altai Region) was established in 1918, and declared as the first step to rebuilding
Genghis Khan ''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr /> Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan'' , birth_name = Temüjin , successor = Tolui (as regent) Ögedei Khan , spouse = , issue = , house = Borjigin ...
's Mongol Empire. But it never became a competing force in the Russian Civil War, and stayed neutral from 1918 until January 1920, when it was annexed back into Russia. A second Altai Republic was formed in 1921 and lasted until 1922 when they were annexed by the
Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
. On June 1, 1922, the Altaians regained autonomy with the creation of the Oyrot Autonomous Oblast (), part of Altai Krai. The original name for this region was Bazla. On January 7, 1948, it was renamed Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast (). In 1991 it was reorganized into the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR). In 1992 it was renamed as the Altai Republic.


Geography

The Altai Republic is situated in the Altai Mountains in the very center of Asia at the junction of the
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part o ...
n
taiga Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces ...
, the
steppe In physical geography, a steppe () is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes. Steppe biomes may include: * the montane grasslands and shrublands biome * the temperate grasslan ...
s of
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental coun ...
and the semi- deserts of
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 millio ...
. Forests cover about 25% of the republic's territory. *''Area'': *''Borders'': **''internal'': Kemerovo Oblast (N), Republic of Khakassia (NE), Tuva Republic (E), and Altai Krai (W/NW). **''international'':
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 millio ...
( Bayan-Ölgii Province) (SE), China ( Altay Prefecture,
Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
) (S), and
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental coun ...
( East Kazakhstan Province) (S/SW) *''Highest point'':
Mount Belukha Belukha Mountain (russian: Белуха, lit=whitey; Altai: Ӱч-Сӱмер, lit. 'three peaks'; kk, Мұзтау Шыңы, lit=icemount peak), located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altai Mountains in Russia and the high ...
(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 for a total of more than worth of waterways. The republic's largest rivers are the Katun and the Biya, both of which originate in the mountains and flow northwards. The junction of the two rivers eventually forms the Ob River, one of the longest rivers in
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part o ...
, which flows northward to the Arctic Ocean. The source of the black Biya River is Lake Teletskoye, 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 Gebler is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Friedrich August von Gebler or Fedor Vasilievich Gebler (1781–1850), Prussian-born Russian naturalist * Gerry J.E. Gebler (1943–2005), Canadian politician See also * Geller Gell ...
, 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 the mystical kingdom of Shambhala. The hydrographic network of the Republic also includes approximately 7,000 lakes, adding up to a total area of more than . The largest lake is Lake Teletskoye, which is long and wide, has an area of , and has a maximum depth of . The mountain lakes of Altai contain enormous freshwater reserves of a very pure quality as a result of their distance from civilization. Lake Teletskoye alone contains more than of very clear water. Potential groundwater storage is evaluated at per day, while the present use constitutes about per day.


Mountains

The most striking geographical aspect of the Republic of Altai is its mountainous terrain. The Republic is situated within the Russian part of the Altai Mountains system, which covers a large part of the Republic and continues into neighboring
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental coun ...
,
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 millio ...
and China. 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 Belukha Mountain (russian: Белуха, lit=whitey; Altai: Ӱч-Сӱмер, lit. 'three peaks'; kk, Мұзтау Шыңы, lit=icemount peak), located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altai Mountains in Russia and the high ...
(4,506 m), is the highest point in
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part o ...
.


Natural resources

Various bodies of water 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
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...
s 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
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
,
silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...
, iron ores, and lithium, in addition to other smaller amounts of minerals. The large city of
Barnaul Barnaul ( rus, Барнау́л, p=bərnɐˈul) is the largest city and administrative centre of Altai Krai, Russia, located at the confluence of the Barnaulka and Ob Rivers in the West Siberian Plain. As of the 2021 Census, its population wa ...
in neighboring Altai Krai was 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 mild summers (June–August); and long, cold, and often quite frosty winters (November–March). In general, the republic's climate of the southeastern areas, 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 falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hai ...
'': 100–1000 mm.


Administrative divisions

The Altai Republic is administratively divided into ten districts and Gorno-Altaysk Urban Okrug. The districts are further subdivided into ninety-two rural settlements.


Demographics

Population:


Vital statistics

:Source
Russian Federal State Statistics Service


Ethnic groups

As per the 2010 Census, ethnic
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
make up 56.6% of the republic's population, with the indigenous
Altai people The Altai people ( alt, Алтай-кижи, Altai-kizhi), also the Altaians ( alt, Алтайлар, Altailar), are a Turkic ethnic group of indigenous peoples of Siberia mainly living in the Altai Republic, Russia. Several thousand of the Alta ...
making up 34.5%. Other groups include people of
Kazakh Kazakh, Qazaq or Kazakhstani may refer to: * Someone or something related to Kazakhstan *Kazakhs, an ethnic group *Kazakh language *The Kazakh Khanate * Kazakh cuisine * Qazakh Rayon, Azerbaijan *Qazax, Azerbaijan *Kazakh Uyezd, administrative dis ...
(6.2%), and German (700 or 0.3%) ethnicity, together with smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population. # including 3,414 Telengits, 1,384 Kumandins and 344 Teleuts # including 2,368 Telengits, 1,533
Tubalars The Tubalars are an ethnic subgroup of the Altaians native to the Altai Republic in Russia. According to the 2010 census, there were 1,965 Tubalars in Russia. In 2002 they were listed by the authorities within the indigenous small-numbered people ...
, 931 Kumandins, 830
Chelkans The Chelkans (native name—''Chalkandu, Shalkandu'') are a small group of Turkic indigenous people of Siberia. They speak the Northern Altai Chelkan language. Those residing in Altai Republic are sometimes grouped together with the Altai ethni ...
, 141 Shors and 32 Teleuts # including 3,648 Telengits, 1,891
Tubalars The Tubalars are an ethnic subgroup of the Altaians native to the Altai Republic in Russia. According to the 2010 census, there were 1,965 Tubalars in Russia. In 2002 they were listed by the authorities within the indigenous small-numbered people ...
, 1,062 Kumandins, 1,113
Chelkans The Chelkans (native name—''Chalkandu, Shalkandu'') are a small group of Turkic indigenous people of Siberia. They speak the Northern Altai Chelkan language. Those residing in Altai Republic are sometimes grouped together with the Altai ethni ...
and 87 Shors #3,432 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group.


Politics

The head of government in the Altai Republic is the Head of the Republic, popularly elected for a four-year term. , the Head of the Republic is
Oleg Khorokhordin Oleg Leonidovich Khorokhordin (russian: Олег Леонидович Хорохордин; born on 3 April 1972), is a Russian politician currently serving as Head of the Altai Republic since 20 March 2019. Biography Oleg Khrokhordin was born ...
, who succeeded
Alexander Berdnikov Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov (russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Бе́рдников; born April 8, 1953) is a Russian politician, and was Head of the Altai Republic from 2006 to 2019. He took office on January 20 ...
in this post. The supreme legislative body of the republic is the State Assembly—El Kurultai, with 41 deputies popularly elected every four years.
Igor Yaimov Igor may refer to: People * Igor (given name), an East Slavic given name and a list of people with the name * Mighty Igor (1931–2002), former American professional wrestler * Igor Volkoff, a professional wrestler from NWA All-Star Wrestling ...
is the current Chairman of the State Assembly-El Kurultai from January 2002. The Republic's
Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these princip ...
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 Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sci ...
, chemicals,
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
mining, footwear, dairying, and timber. Tourism has also begun to be a large part of the economy, and a significant number of new hotels and resorts have appeared.


Transportation

The Altai Republic is one of the few Russian political divisions without rail access. The main paved road is the Chuysky Tract, which spans the republic from the capital Gorno-Altaisk in the north to the Mongolian
border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political bo ...
in the south. The republic's main paved road threads its way through the rugged Altai Mountains. A system of taxis and buses transports people between settlements. Within the settlements, people generally walk or ride horses. Helicopters are used for emergency transportation, to supply remote government outposts, and by wealthy tourists. In 2012, runway capacity at the Gorno-Altaysk Airport near the republic's capital, was doubled. In June that same year, S7 Airlines started direct flights from Moscow. Prior to this, passengers used to fly through
Barnaul Barnaul ( rus, Барнау́л, p=bərnɐˈul) is the largest city and administrative centre of Altai Krai, Russia, located at the confluence of the Barnaulka and Ob Rivers in the West Siberian Plain. As of the 2021 Census, its population wa ...
in Altai Krai or Novosibirsk.


Tourism

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Altai Republic's tourism industry has greatly expanded. Although wealthy Russians from neighboring Russian regions 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. 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 Republic include Lake Aiya (a popular bathing spot), and the picturesque Chemal region. More adventurous travelers sometimes visit the more remote Lake Teletskoye or
Mount Belukha Belukha Mountain (russian: Белуха, lit=whitey; Altai: Ӱч-Сӱмер, lit. 'three peaks'; kk, Мұзтау Шыңы, lit=icemount peak), located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altai Mountains in Russia and the high ...
in the south.


Education

There is one
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...
( Gorno-Altaisk State University), twelve colleges, and 205  secondary schools in the republic.


Religion

Different religions are present in Altai. According to a 2012 survey, 27.6% of the population adheres to the
Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...
. The second most popular religions are ethnic and nature religions, namely Rodnovery (Slavic native faith), Tengrism (Central Asians' native faith) and Burkhanism, constituting altogether 13% of the population. 6% of the population follows Islam, 2%
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global po ...
(including Slavic-Vedic, Krishnaite, and Tantric movements), 1% are
Old Believers Old Believers or Old Ritualists, ''starovery'' or ''staroobryadtsy'' are Eastern Orthodox Christians who maintain the liturgical and ritual practices of the Russian Orthodox Church as they were before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon of Moscow ...
and 1% Protestants. 25% of the population is "spiritual but not religious", 14% is
atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
and 7.4% follows other religions or did not answer the question. The traditional religion of the native Altaians is Tengrist shamanism, revived by modern Tengrist movements and Burkhanism. Ethnic Russians primarily practice
Russian Orthodox Christianity Russian Orthodoxy (russian: Русское православие) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Church Slavonic language. Most ...
and Rodnovery (Slavic native faith), while Kazakhs are traditionally
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abra ...
.
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in maj ...
has also recently begun making some inroads by way of neighboring
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 millio ...
and Tuva. It is unknown when Buddhism came into Altai but however, in various periods of history, the territory of the Altai and its population found themselves in full or partial subjection to neighboring states, where Buddhism was the official or one of the official religions: the state of the Khitans (tenth-twelfth centuries), the Mongol Empire (thirteenth-fourteenth centuries), and the Dzhungar Khanate (seventeenth-eighteenth centuries). From 1904 until the 1930s, a new religious movement called Burkhanism (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 Altai national consciousness and is currently being revived in several forms along with indigenous Altai culture in general. Russian Pagan followers often go on pilgrimages to
Mount Belukha Belukha Mountain (russian: Белуха, lit=whitey; Altai: Ӱч-Сӱмер, lit. 'three peaks'; kk, Мұзтау Шыңы, lit=icemount peak), located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altai Mountains in Russia and the high ...
, which is considered to be the location of Shambhala both by some Pagans 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 shamanic religions are known to tie white ribbons to nearby trees and leave offerings of coins or food to the spirits. 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.


Culture

The indigenous Altai culture holds the lands of Altai to be sacred. The indigenous (Turkic) languages are focused on the stewardship of the lands. The Altai oral history is transmitted by throat-singers. The Altai culture was repressed during Soviet times and has been rebounding since then. The clans of all ten regions gather in the village of Yelo for a biennial cultural celebration. There is also a large contingent of "
Old Believers Old Believers or Old Ritualists, ''starovery'' or ''staroobryadtsy'' are Eastern Orthodox Christians who maintain the liturgical and ritual practices of the Russian Orthodox Church as they were before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon of Moscow ...
" who fled to Altai when they split from the
Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...
over 300 years ago. The UNESCO World Heritage Site "Golden Mountains" protects the Ukok Plateau, on which there are many standing stones and kurgans. Although archaeologists consider kurgans to be burial sites, the indigenous people believe that they are highly refined magnetic instruments for directing the flow of cosmic energy into the Earth. Thus, there is great local indignation about the excavation and removal of the Siberian Ice Maiden, an extraordinary 2,500-year-old mummy that had been preserved in permafrost. Gorno-Altaisk is the location of the National Museum of the Altai Republic, which houses the mummy "Altai Princess", the National Library of the Republic of Altai, the National Theatre of the Republic of Altai and the Municipal House of Culture. Regularly held national holiday Maslenitsa, Nowruz, Chaga – Bayram, received in February 2013 with the official status of the Republican celebration. In 2013, the Altai Republic participated in the
Turkvision Song Contest The Turkvision Song Contest (TSC, tr, Türkvizyon Şarkı Yarışması), also known as the Türkvizyon Song Contest, is a recurring song contest created by Turkish music channel TMB TV, inspired by the format of the Eurovision Song Contest. T ...
. The Altai Republic's entry was the song "Altayym Menin" performed by Artur Marlujokov. The Altai Republic placed fifth in the contest.


Sport

Bandy Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two teams wearing ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The international governing body for bandy is ...
is played in the Altai Republic.


Notable people

*
Alexander Berdnikov Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov (russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Бе́рдников; born April 8, 1953) is a Russian politician, and was Head of the Altai Republic from 2006 to 2019. He took office on January 20 ...
(born April 8, 1953), Chairman of the Government of the Altai Republic, and the head of the republic from January 20, 2006. * Grigory Gurkin (January 24, 1870 – October 11, 1937), landscape painter. *
Mikhail Lapshin Mikhail Ivanovich Lapshin () (1 September 1934 – 17 June 2006) was the President of the Altai Republic in Russia from 2002 to 2006. Career Lapshin was born in Setovka, Altai Krai. He became President of the Altai Republic in January 2002. ...
(September 1, 1934 – June 17, 2006), President of the Altai Republic from January 19, 2002, to January 19, 2006. *
Sergey Mikayelyan Sergey Mikayelyan ( hy, Սերգեյ Միքայելյան; born April 27, 1992) is an Armenian cross-country skier who has competed since 2008. He finished 70th in the 15 km event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. At the FIS Nor ...
(born April 27, 1992), cross-country skier. *
Viktor Shvaiko Viktor Shvaiko (or Victor Shvaiko; born 1965) is a Russian artist whose work has been shown in various galleries across the world. He was born in Altai, Russia. He exhibited around Russia up until 1991 where he fled to Italy, through Yugoslavia ...
(b. 1965), painter. *
Semyon Zubakin Semyon Ivanovich Zubakin (russian: Семён Иванович Зубакин) (born 4 May 1952) was the Head of the Altai Republic in Russia from January 1998 to January 2002 serving one four-year term. In his unsuccessful reelection attempt in ...
(born May 4, 1952), Head of the Altai Republic in Russia from January 13, 1998, to January 19, 2002. *
Amadu Mamadakov Amadu is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name: * John Amadu Bangura (1920–1970), the acting Governor-General of Sierra Leone from 18 April to 22 April 1968 *Alfred Amadu Conteh, African American sculptor, pai ...
(born October 26, 1976), actor.


See also

*
Music of Altai The Altai Republic is a region in Russia, composed primarily of ethnic Russians and Altaians. Prominent modern performers include Alexei G. Kalkin, who performs epics like ''Maadai Kara''. The Ministry of Culture of the Altai Republic operates ...
* Altai-Sayan region


References


Citations


Sources

*


External links


Official website of the Altai Republic

United Nations University digital video (2009) "Rediscovering Altai's human-nature relationships – Russia": a Telengit community leader and shaman from the Russian Altai's high altitude Kosh Agach Raion traversing Altai's sacred lands
Accessed 1 December 2009 {{Authority control Central Asia Russian-speaking countries and territories States and territories established in 1922 Turkic peoples of Asia Articles containing video clips 1922 establishments in Russia Republics Observer members of the International Organization of Turkic Culture Turkic states