The Altai Republic (; russian: Респу́блика Алта́й, Respublika Altay, ;
Altai: , ''Altay Respublika''), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbouring
Altai Krai
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar ...
as the Gornyi Altai (russian: Горный Алтай, lit=the mountainous Altai), is a
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
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 of ...
. It is a part of the
Siberian Federal District
Siberian Federal District (russian: Сиби́рский федера́льный о́круг, ''Sibirsky federalny okrug'') is one of the eight federal districts of Russia. Its population was 17,178,298 according to the 2010 Census, livi ...
, 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
Gorno-Altaysk (russian: Го́рно-Алта́йск, a=Горно-Алтайск.ogg, r=Gorno-Altaysk, p=ˈgornə ɐlˈtajsk; ; historically, pre-1932: Ulala) is the capital town of the Altai Republic, Russia.
The population stands at around ...
is the capital and the largest town of the republic.
The Altai Republic is one of Russia's
ethnic
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
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 Al ...
, a
Turkic 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 parts o ...
, other
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, 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 t ...
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
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
and
Altai.
Kazakh is official in areas of compact settlement of its speakers.
History
The
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...
Empire (209 BC – AD 93) governed the territory of the modern Altai Republic. The area was part of the
First Turkic Khaganate
The First Turkic Khaganate, also referred to as the First Turkic Empire, the Turkic Khaganate or the Göktürk Khaganate, was a Turkic khaganate established by the Ashina clan of the Göktürks in medieval Inner Asia under the leadership of Bumin ...
, the
Uyghur Empire
The Uyghur Khaganate (also Uyghur Empire or Uighur Khaganate, self defined as Toquz-Oghuz country; otk, 𐱃𐰆𐰴𐰕:𐰆𐰍𐰕:𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣, Toquz Oγuz budun, Tang-era names, with modern Hanyu Pinyin: or ) was a Turkic empire that e ...
, 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
The Xianbei state or Xianbei confederation was a nomadic empire which existed in modern-day Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern Xinjiang, Northeast China, Gansu, Buryatia, Zabaykalsky Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, Tuva, Altai Republic and eastern Kazak ...
(93–234),
Rouran Khaganate
The Rouran Khaganate, also Juan-Juan Khaganate (), was a tribal confederation and later state founded by a people of Proto-Mongolic Donghu origin.*Pulleyblank, Edwin G. (2000)"Ji 姬 and Jiang 姜: The Role of Exogamic Clans in the Organizatio ...
(330–555),
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
(1206–1368),
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fr ...
(1240–1502),
Zunghar Khanate
The Dzungar Khanate, also written as the Zunghar Khanate, was an Inner Asian khanate of Oirat Mongol origin. At its greatest extent, it covered an area from southern Siberia in the north to present-day Kyrgyzstan in the south, and from th ...
(1634–1758) and
Qing Empire
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
(1757–1864).
The Qing period is a semi-autonomous period with the supervision of two
Altan Nuur Uriankhai Governor Banners and part of the seven
Altai Uriankhai
The Altai Uriankhai (Mongolian Cyrillic: , ; ) refers to a Mongol tribe around the Altai Mountains that was organized by the Qing dynasty. They now form a subgroup in western Mongolia and eastern Xinjiang.
The Uriyangkhai or Uriankhai people ...
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
Chuy () is a city in the extreme east of Uruguay, in the Rocha Department, northeast of Montevideo. It lies on the border with Brazil, separated from its Brazilian sister town of Chuí only by a shared avenue that serves as the border, and by the ...
drainage basin has been occupied by Russians.
The entire
Altan Nuur Uriankhai
Uriankhai ( traditional Mongolian: , Mongolian Cyrillic: урианхай; sah, урааҥхай; zh, t=烏梁海, s=乌梁海, p=Wūliánghǎi), Uriankhan (, урианхан) or Uriankhat (, урианхад), is a term of address applie ...
region was annexed into the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the 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 the Great Northern War. ...
in 1864–1867 by the
Treaty of Tarbagatai
The Treaty of Tarbagatai () or Treaty of Chuguchak () of 7 October Old_Style.html"_;"title="5_September_Old_Style">O.S./nowiki>_1864_was_a_border_protocol_between_Qing_dynasty.html" "title="Old_Style">O.S..html" ;"title="Old_Style.html" ;"title=" ...
. During the
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
, 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
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
.
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
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar ...
. The original name for this region was Bazla. On January 7, 1948, it was renamed
Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast
The Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast (russian: Горно-Алтайская автономная область) was formed as the Oyrot Autonomous Oblast (russian: Ойротская Автономная область) in 1922 and renamed in 1948.
...
(). In 1991 it was reorganized into the
Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
The Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (russian: Горно-Алтайская Автономная Советская Социалистическая Республик) was an autonomous republic within the Russian Socialist Fed ...
(ASSR). In 1992 it was renamed as the Altai Republic.
Geography
The Altai Republic is situated in the
Altai Mountains
The Altai Mountains (), also spelled Altay Mountains, are a mountain range in Central Asia, Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob River, Ob have their headwaters. The m ...
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 of ...
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, spruce ...
, 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 grasslands, ...
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 to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
and the semi-
desert
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...
s 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 million, ...
. Forests cover about 25% of the republic's territory.
*''Area'':
*''Borders'':
**''internal'':
Kemerovo Oblast
Kemerovo Oblast — Kuzbass (russian: Ке́меровская о́бласть — Кузба́сс, translit=Kemerovskaya oblast — Kuzbass, ), also known simply as Kemerovo Oblast (russian: Ке́меровская о́бласть, label=non ...
(N),
Republic of Khakassia
Khakassia (russian: Хакасия; kjh, Хакасия, Хакас Чирі, ''Khakasiya'', ''Khakas Çiri''), officially the Republic of Khakassia (russian: Республика Хакасия, r=Respublika Khakasiya, ; kjh, Хакас Рес ...
(NE),
Tuva Republic
Tuva (; russian: Тува́) or Tyva ( tyv, Тыва), officially the Republic of Tuva (russian: Респу́блика Тыва́, r=Respublika Tyva, p=rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva; tyv, Тыва Республика, translit=Tyva Respublika ...
(E), and
Altai Krai
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar ...
(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 million, ...
(
Bayan-Ölgii Province
Bayan-Ölgii ( mn, Баян-Өлгий, ; xal, Байн-Өлгий, ; kk, Бай-Өлке / Bai-Ölke, ; "Rich region") is the westernmost of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. The country's only Muslim and Kazakh-majority aimag, it was ...
) (SE), China (
Altay Prefecture
Altay Prefecture is located in Northern Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. It has an area of and a population of 561,667 (2000). It is a part of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. At the 2000 census, Altay was the only major subdivision of Ili ...
,
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 to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
(
East Kazakhstan Province
East Kazakhstan Region ( kk, Шығыс Қазақстан облысы, translit=Şyğys Qazaqstan oblysy; russian: Восточно-Казахстанская область, Vostochno-Kazakhstanskaya oblast) is a region of Kazakhstan. It occupi ...
) (S/SW)
*''Highest point'':
Mount Belukha (4,506 m)
*''Maximum N–S distance'': 360 km
*''Maximum E–W distance'': 380 km
Rivers and lakes
![Katun](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Katun.jpg)
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
Katun may refer to:
Places
* Katun (river), a tributary of the Ob in Siberia, Russia
* Katun Mountains or Katun Alps, a mountain range in Russia, part of the Altai Mountains
* Katun (Vranje), a village in Vranje Municipality, Serbia
* Katun (A ...
and the
Biya, both of which originate in the mountains and flow northwards. The junction of the two rivers eventually forms the
Ob River
}
The Ob ( rus, Обь, p=opʲ: Ob') is a major river in Russia. It is in western Siberia; and together with Irtysh forms the world's List of rivers by length, seventh-longest river system, at . It forms at the confluence of the Biya (river), Biya ...
, 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 of ...
, which flows northward to the Arctic Ocean.
The source of the black Biya River is
Lake Teletskoye
Lake Teletskoye (russian: Телецкое озеро, lit=the lake of the ; ) is the largest lake in the Altai Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia, and has depth up to 325 meters.
Situated at a height of above the sea level, the lake is ...
, 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 the mystical kingdom of
Shambhala
In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala ( sa, शम्भल ',''Śambhala'', also ''Sambhala'', is the name of a town between the Rathaprā and Ganges rivers, identified by some with Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh. In the Puranas, it is named as t ...
.
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
Lake Teletskoye (russian: Телецкое озеро, lit=the lake of the ; ) is the largest lake in the Altai Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia, and has depth up to 325 meters.
Situated at a height of above the sea level, the lake is ...
, 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
The Altai Mountains (), also spelled Altay Mountains, are a mountain range in Central Asia, Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob River, Ob have their headwaters. The m ...
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 to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
,
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 million, ...
and China. The region continues to experience periodic notable
seismic
Seismology (; from Ancient Greek σεισμός (''seismós'') meaning "earthquake" and -λογία (''-logía'') meaning "study of") is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other ...
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
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 of ...
.
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#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
s contain a great amount of fresh water. The general volume of ice for registered Altai glaciers comes to a total of 57 km
3, 52 km
3 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 km
3 per year. The largest glaciers are Bolshoy Taldurinsky (35 km
2), Mensu (21 km
2), Sofiysky (17 km
2), and Bolshoy Maashey (16 km
2).
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 met ...
,
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 ore
Iron 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, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the fo ...
s, and
lithium
Lithium (from el, λίθος, lithos, lit=stone) is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the least dense solid el ...
, in addition to other smaller amounts of minerals. The large city of
Barnaul
Barnaul ( rus, Барнау́л, p=bərnɐˈul) is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and administrative centre of Altai Krai, Russia, located at the confluence of the Barnaulka and Ob Rivers in the West Siberian Plain. As ...
in neighboring
Altai Krai
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar ...
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
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
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 District
Kosh-Agachsky District (russian: Кош-Ага́чский райо́н, Kosh-Agachskij raion; alt, Кош-Агаш аймак, ''Koş-Agaş aymak''; kz, Қосағаш ауданы, ''Qosağaş audanı'') is an administrativeLaw #101-RZ and mun ...
s), 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 hail. ...
'': 100–1000 mm.
Administrative divisions
The Altai Republic is administratively divided into ten
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
and
Gorno-Altaysk
Gorno-Altaysk (russian: Го́рно-Алта́йск, a=Горно-Алтайск.ogg, r=Gorno-Altaysk, p=ˈgornə ɐlˈtajsk; ; historically, pre-1932: Ulala) is the capital town of the Altai Republic, Russia.
The population stands at around ...
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 Al ...
making up 34.5%. Other groups include people of
Kazakh (6.2%), and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
(700 or 0.3%) ethnicity, together with smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
# including 3,414
Telengits
Telengits or Telengut are a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group primarily found in the Altai Republic, Russia. Telengits mainly live in a territory of Kosh-Agach District of the Altai Republic. They are part of a larger cultural group of Southe ...
, 1,384
Kumandins
The Kumandins (natively, Kumandy, Kuvandy(g)) are a Turkic indigenous people of Siberia. They reside mainly in the Altai Krai and Altai Republic of the Russian Federation. They speak the Northern Altai Kumandin language.
According to the 1926 ...
and 344
Teleuts
''Telenget, Telengut''
, native_name_lang = alt
, image = TeleutsinRussia.png
, population =
, region1 =
*
, pop1 = 2,643
, ref1 =
, region2 =
, pop2 =
, ref2 ...
# including 2,368
Telengits
Telengits or Telengut are a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group primarily found in the Altai Republic, Russia. Telengits mainly live in a territory of Kosh-Agach District of the Altai Republic. They are part of a larger cultural group of Southe ...
, 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
The Kumandins (natively, Kumandy, Kuvandy(g)) are a Turkic indigenous people of Siberia. They reside mainly in the Altai Krai and Altai Republic of the Russian Federation. They speak the Northern Altai Kumandin language.
According to the 1926 ...
, 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
Shors or Shorians ( Shor: , ''shor-kizhi'', , ''tadar-kizhi'', , ''shor'', , ''tadar'', , ''shor-kizhiler'', , ''tadar-kizhiler'', , ''shorlar'', , ''tadarlar'') are a Turkic ethnic group native to Kemerovo Oblast of Russia. Their self design ...
and 32
Teleuts
''Telenget, Telengut''
, native_name_lang = alt
, image = TeleutsinRussia.png
, population =
, region1 =
*
, pop1 = 2,643
, ref1 =
, region2 =
, pop2 =
, ref2 ...
# including 3,648
Telengits
Telengits or Telengut are a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group primarily found in the Altai Republic, Russia. Telengits mainly live in a territory of Kosh-Agach District of the Altai Republic. They are part of a larger cultural group of Southe ...
, 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
The Kumandins (natively, Kumandy, Kuvandy(g)) are a Turkic indigenous people of Siberia. They reside mainly in the Altai Krai and Altai Republic of the Russian Federation. They speak the Northern Altai Kumandin language.
According to the 1926 ...
, 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
Shors or Shorians ( Shor: , ''shor-kizhi'', , ''tadar-kizhi'', , ''shor'', , ''tadar'', , ''shor-kizhiler'', , ''tadar-kizhiler'', , ''shorlar'', , ''tadarlar'') are a Turkic ethnic group native to Kemerovo Oblast of Russia. Their self design ...
#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, who succeeded
Alexander Berdnikov 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 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 Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
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 sc ...
,
chemicals
A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., wit ...
,
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 met ...
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 borders c ...
in the south. The republic's main paved road threads its way through the rugged
Altai Mountains
The Altai Mountains (), also spelled Altay Mountains, are a mountain range in Central Asia, Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob River, Ob have their headwaters. The m ...
. 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
Gorno-Altaysk Airport () is an airport in Russia located 9 km west of Gorno-Altaysk. It services small airliners. In 2019, 102,338 passengers passed through this airport.
New terminal and new runway
In 2011, the construction of a new term ...
near the
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
's capital, was doubled. In June that same year,
S7 Airlines
S7 Airlines, legally JSC Siberia Airlines (russian: АО «Авиакомпания "Сибирь"», "АО Aviakompania Sibir"), is an airline headquartered in Ob, Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia, with offices in Moscow. As of 2008, it was Russia's ...
started direct flights from Moscow. Prior to this, passengers used to fly through
Barnaul
Barnaul ( rus, Барнау́л, p=bərnɐˈul) is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and administrative centre of Altai Krai, Russia, located at the confluence of the Barnaulka and Ob Rivers in the West Siberian Plain. As ...
in
Altai Krai
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar ...
or
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk (, also ; rus, Новосиби́рск, p=nəvəsʲɪˈbʲirsk, a=ru-Новосибирск.ogg) is the largest city and administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast and Siberian Federal District in Russia. As of the Russian Census ...
.
Tourism
With the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
, 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
Lake Teletskoye (russian: Телецкое озеро, lit=the lake of the ; ) is the largest lake in the Altai Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia, and has depth up to 325 meters.
Situated at a height of above the sea level, the lake is ...
or
Mount Belukha 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. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
(
Gorno-Altaisk State University
History
Gorno-Altaisk State University was founded in 1949 as the Pedagogical Institute. It is located in Gorno-Altaisk, Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Nort ...
), twelve colleges, and 205
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
s 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
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
and
nature religion
A nature religion is a religious movement that believes nature and the natural world is an embodiment of divinity, sacredness or spiritual power. Beyer 1998. p. 11. Nature religions include indigenous religions practiced in various parts of th ...
s, namely
Rodnovery
The Slavic Native Faith, commonly known as Rodnovery
* bg, Родноверие, translit=Rоdnoverie
* bs, Rodnovjerje
* mk, Родноверие, translit=Rodnoverie
* cz, Rodnověří
* hr, Rodnovjerje
* pl, Rodzimowierstwo; Rodzima ...
(Slavic native faith),
Tengrism
Tengrism (also known as Tengriism, Tengerism, or Tengrianism) is an ethnic and old state Turkic peoples, Turko-Mongolic peoples, Mongolic religion originating in the Eurasian Steppe, Eurasian steppes, based on folk shamanism, animism and general ...
(Central Asians' native faith) and
Burkhanism
Burkhanism or Ak Jang ( alt, Ак јаҥ "the White Faith") is a indigenist new religious movement that flourished among the Altai people of Russia's Altai Republic between 1904 and the 1930s. The Russian Empire was suspicious of the movement' ...
, constituting altogether 13% of the population. 6% of the population follows
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, 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 p ...
(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 bet ...
and 1%
Protestants
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
. 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
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a Spirit world (Spiritualism), spirit world through Altered state of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, such as tranc ...
, revived by modern
Tengrist
Tengrism (also known as Tengriism, Tengerism, or Tengrianism) is an ethnic and old state Turko- Mongolic religion originating in the Eurasian steppes, based on folk shamanism, animism and generally centered around the titular sky god Tengri. ...
movements and
Burkhanism
Burkhanism or Ak Jang ( alt, Ак јаҥ "the White Faith") is a indigenist new religious movement that flourished among the Altai people of Russia's Altai Republic between 1904 and the 1930s. The Russian Empire was suspicious of the movement' ...
. 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
The Slavic Native Faith, commonly known as Rodnovery
* bg, Родноверие, translit=Rоdnoverie
* bs, Rodnovjerje
* mk, Родноверие, translit=Rodnoverie
* cz, Rodnověří
* hr, Rodnovjerje
* pl, Rodzimowierstwo; Rodzima ...
(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 Abraha ...
.
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 majo ...
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 million, ...
and
Tuva
Tuva (; russian: Тува́) or Tyva ( tyv, Тыва), officially the Republic of Tuva (russian: Респу́блика Тыва́, r=Respublika Tyva, p=rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva; tyv, Тыва Республика, translit=Tyva Respublika ...
.
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
Burkhanism or Ak Jang ( alt, Ак јаҥ "the White Faith") is a indigenist new religious movement that flourished among the Altai people of Russia's Altai Republic between 1904 and the 1930s. The Russian Empire was suspicious of the movement' ...
(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, which is considered to be the location of
Shambhala
In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala ( sa, शम्भल ',''Śambhala'', also ''Sambhala'', is the name of a town between the Rathaprā and Ganges rivers, identified by some with Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh. In the Puranas, it is named as t ...
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 bet ...
" 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
Ukok Plateau is a plateau covered by grasslands located in southwestern Siberia, in the Altai Mountains region of Russia near the borders China-Russia border, with China, Kazakhstan-Russia border, Kazakhstan and Mongolia-Russia border, Mongolia. T ...
, on which there are many standing stones and
kurgan
A kurgan is a type of tumulus constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into much of Central Asi ...
s. Although archaeologists consider
kurgan
A kurgan is a type of tumulus constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into much of Central Asi ...
s 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
The Siberian Ice Maiden, also known as the Princess of Ukok (russian: Принце́сса Уко́ка), the Altai Princess (russian: Алтайская принцесса), Devochka and Ochy-bala (russian: Очы-бала, the heroine of the A ...
, 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 (born April 8, 1953), Chairman of the Government of the Altai Republic, and the head of the republic from January 20, 2006.
*
Grigory Gurkin
Grigory Ivanovich Gurkin (russian: Григо́рий Ива́нович Гу́ркин; 24 January 1870 – 11 October 1937) was a Russian landscape painter, the first professional artist of Altai ethnic origin. He is notable for his Altai ...
(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 Nordi ...
(born April 27, 1992), cross-country skier.
*
Viktor Shvaiko (b. 1965), painter.
*
Semyon Zubakin (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
*
Altai-Sayan region
The Altai-Sayan region is an area of Inner Asia proximate to the Altai Mountains and the Sayan Mountains, near to where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together. This region is one of the world centers of temperate plant diversity. Its ...
References
Citations
Sources
*
External links
Official website of the Altai RepublicUnited 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 landsAccessed 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