Between Ural mountains in the west and the bed of the Yenisei in the east there is a vast territory called Western Siberia. Let's look at the list of cities in this region below. The area occupied by the region is 15% of the entire territory of Russia. The population is 14.6 million people, according to 2010 data, which is 10% of the total population in the Russian Federation. It has a continental climate with harsh winters and warm summers. On the territory of Western Siberia there are tundra, forest-tundra, forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones.
Novosibirsk
This city was founded in 1893. It is considered the largest city in Western Siberia and ranks third in population in Russia. It is often called the Siberian capital. The population of Novosibirsk is 1.6 million people (as of 2017). The city is located on both banks of the Ob River.
Novosibirsk is also a major transport hub in Russia; the Trans-Siberian Railway runs here. The city has many scientific buildings, libraries, universities and research institutes. This suggests that it is one of the cultural and scientific centers of the country.
Omsk
This city in Western Siberia was founded in 1716. From 1918 to 1920, the city was the capital of White Russia, a state under Kolchak that did not last long. Located on the left bank of the Om River, at its confluence with the Irtysh River. Omsk is considered a major transport hub, as well as a scientific and cultural center of Western Siberia. There are many cultural attractions that make the city interesting to tourists.
Tyumen
This is the oldest city in Western Siberia. Tyumen was founded in 1586 and is located 2000 kilometers from Moscow. She is regional center two districts: Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets and together with them constitutes the largest region in the Russian Federation. Tyumen is the energy center of Russia. The city's population is 744 thousand people, according to 2017 data.
Large petroleum products production facilities are concentrated in the Tyumen region, so it can rightfully be called the oil and gas capital of Russia. Companies such as Lukoil, Gazprom, TNK and Schlumberger are based here. Oil and gas production in Tyumen accounts for 2/3 of all oil and gas production in the Russian Federation. Mechanical engineering is also developed here. A large number of factories are concentrated in the central part of the city.
The city has a lot of parks and squares, greenery and trees, many beautiful squares with fountains. Tyumen is famous for its magnificent embankment on the Tura River; it is the only four-level embankment in Russia. The largest drama theater is also located here, there is international airport and a major railway junction.
Barnaul
This city in Western Siberia is the administrative center of the Altai Territory. Located 3,400 kilometers from Moscow, in the place where the Barnaulka River flows into the Ob. It is a large industrial and transport center. The population in 2017 was 633 thousand people.
In Barnaul you can see many unique sights. This city has a lot of greenery, parks and, in general, it is very clean. Altai nature, mountain landscapes, forests and a large number of rivers are especially pleasant for tourists.
The city has many theatres, libraries and museums, making it the educational and cultural center of Siberia.
Novokuznetsk
Another city in Western Siberia, belonging to the Kemerovo region. It was founded in 1618 and was originally a fortress; at that time it was called Kuznetsk. The modern city appeared in 1931, at that moment the construction of a metallurgical plant began, and the small settlement was given city status and a new name. Novokuznetsk is located on the banks of the Tom River. The population in 2017 was 550 thousand people.
This city is considered industrial center, on its territory there are many metallurgical and coal mining plants and enterprises.
Novokuznetsk has many cultural attractions that can interest tourists.
Tomsk
The city was founded in 1604 in the eastern part of Siberia, on the coast of the Tom River. As of 2017, the population was 573 thousand people. It is considered the scientific and educational center of the Siberian region. Mechanical engineering and metalworking are well developed in Tomsk.
For tourists and historians, the city is interesting for its monuments of wooden and stone architecture of the 18th-20th centuries.
Kemerovo
This city in Western Siberia was founded in 1918 on the site of two villages. Until 1932 it was called Shcheglovsk. The population of Kemerovo in 2017 was 256 thousand people. The city is located on the banks of the Tom and Iskitimka rivers. It is the administrative center of the Kemerovo region.
Coal mining enterprises operate in Kemerovo. Chemical, food and light industry. The city has important economic, cultural, transport and industrial significance in Siberia.
Mound
This city was founded in 1679. The population in 2017 was 322 thousand people. People call Kurgan the “Siberian Gate”. It is located on the left side of the Tobol River.
Kurgan is an important economic, cultural and scientific center. There are many factories and enterprises on its territory.
The city is famous for the production of its buses, BMP-3 and Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicles, and medical advances.
For tourists, Kurgan is interesting for its cultural attractions and monuments.
Surgut
This city in Western Siberia was founded in 1594 and is considered one of the first Siberian cities. As of 2017, the population was 350 thousand people. This is a large river port in the Siberian region. Surgut is considered an economic and transport center; the energy and oil industries are well developed here. The city has two of the most powerful thermal power plants in the world.
Since Surgut is industrial city, there are not many attractions here. One of them is the Yugorsky Bridge - the longest in Siberia, it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Now you know which cities in Western Siberia are considered the largest. Each of them is unique, beautiful and interesting in its own way. Most of them were formed due to the development of the coal, oil and gas industries.
Highlights
The harsh climate makes the Siberian region unattractive for mass settlement. For the most part, these are uninhabited regions where civilization has failed to curb the wild nature. Only 36 million Russians live here, with an average population density of less than three people per square kilometer. Meanwhile, at 20 Siberian cities the population exceeds 200,000 people, and Krasnoyarsk, Omsk and Novosibirsk are millionaire cities.
Siberia is one of those places on the planet that excites the imagination. Many wonderful writers and travelers who visited here left the world with fascinating descriptions of this region. Among them are the medieval merchant, the Venetian Marco Polo, and the Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen. The British Daniel Defoe in one of his books sent Robinson Crusoe to Siberia, and the famous French writer Jules Verne wrote adventure novel, in which the action takes place precisely in these northern regions of Russia.
The perfection of nature, the rich recreational, cultural and historical potential of Siberia, the colossal scientific and industrial resources created here - all this contributes to the growing attractiveness of the region for business and tourism. Tourists who have visited here will retain vivid and varied impressions forever, because the choice of tours to Siberia is large - from a comfortable stay in health resorts with thermal waters to extreme travel to unknown mysterious places, conquering mountain peaks, and risky rafting on mountain rivers. All year round, travelers fill ski resorts and tourist centers scattered in the most beautiful corners of Siberia, wander through the best nature reserves in Russia, fish, hunt, and go on cruises on comfortable ships along the most beautiful rivers in the world.
History of Siberia
According to one version, the name of the region comes from consonant word one of the Turkic languages, meaning “blizzard”. Other researchers believe that the name of the ancient ruler of the Turks, Shibir Khan, was fixed in the toponym Siberia. Historians also found out that there once existed a powerful tribe of Ugrians in the Irtysh region, whose self-name was consonant with the word “Siberia”.
The settlement of Siberia began more than half a million years ago. The stone tools discovered by archaeologists at the oldest site of primitive people in the Altai region are at least 600 thousand years old. Here, in the valley of the Anui River, is the famous Neolithic cave site Ayu-Tash (Denisova Cave), which has become a popular tourist destination.
In the 2nd millennium BC. e. Siberia was already inhabited by various tribes from the Urals to Chukotka. From about the 9th century BC. e. here powerful tribal alliances of the Huns, Scythians, and Sarmatians began to take shape. Their distinctive cultures are known from artifacts found in burial mounds of that time.
In the 13th century, a significant part of Siberia was captured by the Mongol-Tatar rulers of the Golden Horde. Later, independent khanates arose here. Since the 15th century, the struggle for possession northern territories entered Principality of Moscow. In the last quarter of the 15th century, Moscow governors Gavrila Nelidov and Fyodor Motley conquered a vast Perm region. Then Grand Duke Ivan III sent troops beyond the Urals. The Moscow army conquered the Yugra and Vogul principalities and captured territories right up to the Irtysh River. In the middle of the next century, the Moscow Tsar Ivan the Terrible submitted a huge Khanate of Siberia(part of the territory of the Golden Horde), and when the Siberian Khan Kuchum stopped paying yasak (tribute), a Cossack squad led by Ermak headed to Siberia. The Khan's army was defeated, and the territory was annexed to the Moscow state.
By the beginning of the 17th century, Tobolsk, Tyumen, Surgut and other cities were founded in Siberia. Next, Moscow troops moved to the Ob, Yenisei, reached the Indigirka, Kolyma, Lena rivers, the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk, conquered local peoples and founded Yakutsk, Okhotsk, Irkutsk. By the middle of the century, Ataman Khabarov reached the Amur and reached the borders of China.
Under Tsar Peter I, Buryatia was conquered in 1703, and thousands of Russian settlers set off to explore Southern Siberia. Busy trade with China required construction Siberian tract. This road stretches more than 8 thousand miles from Moscow to the Amur through Kazan, Tyumen, Tobolsk, Irkutsk and Nerchinsk. The eastern section of the tract is also known as the “Tea Route”.
From 1763 to 1771, special “Siberian” money was minted exclusively for circulation in the Siberian region. These coins, in denominations from half a half to 10 kopecks, were issued by the Kolyvan Mint. Now Siberian coins are a numismatic rarity.
In the 20s years XIX century, Siberia was divided administratively into two large general governorates - West Siberian and East Siberian. Their main cities were Tobolsk and Irkutsk, respectively. By this time, the mining industry had developed in Siberia; ores, copper, gold, semi-precious and semi-precious stones were mined here. Timber was exported from here, the best wood went to the shipyards of the empire.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Trans-Siberian Railway was built, connecting Far East with the capital St. Petersburg and many cities of Russia.
During the Civil War, the Bolsheviks did not immediately establish Soviet power in Siberia. The government of Tsarist Admiral Alexander Kolchak operated here, and the Far Eastern Republic was proclaimed. At the end of the war, the industrialization of the vast region began. In the Kuznetsk basin, the production of high-quality coal was organized, large steel mills and other industries appeared.
The tragic pages of the history of Siberia are connected with the organization in this harsh region of an entire network of Stalinist concentration camps, where hundreds of thousands of repressed citizens of the USSR were sent.
In the 60-80s last century Powerful hydroelectric dams were built on large Siberian rivers, and the Baikal-Amur Mainline was laid, which gave a new impetus to the development of urban planning, the economy and culture of Siberia.
Geography and climate
This colossal territory is usually divided into two large regions: Western and Eastern Siberia. According to modern administrative division Russian Federation, Siberia is divided into regions, districts, territories, autonomous republics.
Geologists and geographers distinguish such zones in this part of Russia - the West Siberian Plain and the Central Siberian mountain plateau, stretching from the Ural and Altai mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The flat landscapes in the south are characterized by steppe and forest-steppe; in the north, taiga, tundra, mosses and lichens on permafrost predominate.
The Siberian mountains often reach three kilometers in height. The lower parts of the slopes are overgrown with mountain taiga, while the alpine tundra extends above. The largest rivers are the Yenisei, Angara, Lena, Amur. The longest river system is formed by the Ob and Irtysh (5410 km). Its sources are identified in the mountainous region on the border of Mongolia and China, and its mouth is on the coast of the Kara Sea.
Nowadays, Russians call “Siberia” the territory that is part of the Siberian Federal District, but at the beginning of the last century, both the northeast of Kazakhstan and most of the regions of Russia that are today part of the Far Eastern Federal District were called Siberia.
Climatologists identify two main climatic zones Siberia: temperate in the south and subarctic in the north. The general characteristics of the climate are sharply continental and harsh. Average temperature July in the south reaches +23 °C, in the north – about +5 °C. The average thermometer in January is in the south: -16 °C, in the north: up to -48 °C.
Weather conditions in Siberia are so varied that each region has its own temperature records and options for the best time of year to travel.
Western Siberia
Western Siberia stretches from the Ural Mountains to the foothills of Altai, Salair, Kuznetsk Alatau, Mountain Shoria and the mouth of the Yenisei, 80% of its territory is occupied by the West Siberian Plain. Numerous rivers of Western Siberia belong to the Kara Sea basin. The largest water arteries are the Ob and Irtysh. This vast territory has five natural zones: steppe, forest-steppe, forests, forest-tundra and tundra.
Tyumen region
This land, in the depths of which colossal reserves of oil and gas are stored, occupying about 60% of the entire Western Siberia, is spread out in the basins of the Irtysh and Ob. Tourists are attracted here by numerous nature reserves, national parks, historical and cultural monuments. Pilgrims go to churches and monasteries, many of which are iconic shrines of Orthodoxy.
The administrative center of the region, Tyumen, dates back to the end of the 16th century and is one of the first Russian cities built on this harsh land. In Tyumen there are the oldest Orthodox churches in Siberia, architectural historical sights, and interesting museums.
Tobolsk, founded a little later than Tyumen, for a long time had the status of the capital of Siberia. The city is famous for its ancient Kremlin, ancient wooden towers with carvings, picturesque cobbled streets leading to parks and gardens, laid out in the century before last. An interesting landmark of Tobolsk is the museum-reserve, located on the territory of the Prison Castle, built in mid-19th century century and known as the Tobolsk Central. From here the convicts were sent to hard labor or settlement in even more remote areas of endless Siberia. Not far from Tobolsk, in the tiny ancient village of Abalak, there is the famous Abalak Monastery.
Other ancient cities of the Tyumen region include Surgut, Yalutorovsk, Ishim, Zavodoukovsk, and the cities of Nizhnevartovsk, Novy Urengoy, Nadym, Noyabrsk have long been known throughout the world as the largest oil and gas production centers on the planet. These regions are also famous for their healing geothermal springs, ponds with healing mud, near which there are balneological and resort centers.
While relaxing here, do not miss the opportunity to visit the moose farm and recreation center in Turnaevo (Nizhnetavdinsky district). Here you will have a rare opportunity to admire up close the powerful elk with their luxurious horns, and feed the animals by hand. In Turnaevo you can tastefully go fishing, explore the picturesque surroundings on horseback, have a fun ride on a cart drawn by huskies and malamutes, and learn how to drive a sled.
Those who like to hunt and fish can head to the Tugun nature reserve, which is 160 km from Tyumen. Here, among the taiga wilds, lakes, streams, and well-equipped guest houses are hidden. The hunting farm has its own pheasant farm, where, to please hunters, they breed royal birds, famous for their luxurious plumage and tasty meat.
There are in the Tyumen region and great places for skiing. One of the most popular is the modern ski complex “Kamenny Mys”, located between Surgut and Nefteyugansk. Very close to Tobolsk is the Alemasova ski resort, 30 kilometers from Tyumen - the Kuliga-Park ski center.
Omsk region
Omsk region borders the Tyumen region. Its administrative center is the city of Omsk, located at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om rivers. Founded in the 18th century, today Omsk is a large city, known as one of the museum and theater centers of Siberia. Its main historical attraction is the Holy Assumption Cathedral, a significant monument of Russian architecture. During the years of the Civil War, when Omsk was the capital of the White Guard movement, the Assumption Cathedral had the status of the main temple of the ascetics of the old regime.
The second largest city in the Omsk region, Tara, is known as one of the first Russian settlements in Siberia. Initially, the village was a fortress; it soon became a place of exile for guilty peasants, townspeople, and archers. Then the Decembrists, raznochintsy revolutionaries, and populists were sent here. Here it is interesting to explore the historical quarters, where two-story wooden and stone houses of wealthy citizens of the 19th century have been preserved, when Tara was a typical Siberian merchant city.
The landscape of the Omsk region is flat, the steppes in the south, closer to the north, turn into forest-steppes, then forests stretch, and beyond them - swampy taiga. On this land there are botanical, zoological, complex reserves, a natural park, and the only rural zoo in the world. There are more than 130 hunting grounds in the region, here in different times yearly people come to hunt bear, wild boar, elk, fur-bearing animals, and waterfowl.
There are about 16,000 lakes in these parts. The most famous are the salty relic reservoirs of Uldzhai and Ebeyty with deposits of sulfate mud, the fresh lakes Saltaim, Tenis, and also Ik, where the northernmost pelican colony on the planet is located. The “Five Lakes” area is also popular among tourists – here, near reservoirs with the purest water, there are recreation centers.
There are more than 4,000 large and small rivers in the Omsk region. Om, Tara, and the taiga river Shish are famous among rafting enthusiasts, and lovers of comfortable water travel are attracted by boat cruises along the Irtysh.
Kurgan region
In the Kurgan region for Ural ranges the plain begins. This area, rich in minerals, particularly uranium, is incredibly picturesque. Thousands of lakes give it its unique appearance, the water in many of them is healing. The best health resorts in Western Siberia are located here. Holidays on Bear Lake are especially popular. According to their own medicinal properties the water in it is not inferior to the waters Dead Sea. It is so salty that neither fish nor algae live here. Lakes Gorkoye-Zvrinogolovskoye, Gorkoye-Uzkovo, Gorkoye-Victoria are famous for their healing mud.
In the Kurgan region, many monuments of temple architecture and holy monasteries have been preserved. Among them are the Dalmatovo Holy Dormition Monastery, founded in 1644, the Holy Kazan Chimeevsky Monastery, the Transfiguration Cathedral - a masterpiece of the “Siberian Baroque”, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (late 19th century), located in the main city of the region - Kurgan .
Ecotourism lovers will enjoy spending time in the Belozersky Natural Zoological Reserve with its famous ecological trail, which includes 26 demonstration objects. A very interesting man-made natural landmark is a forest in the Zverinogolovsky district, planted in the shape of a colossal inscription “Lenin is 100 years old.” An inscription that can be seen from earth's orbit, created from 40,000 pine trees.
Kemerovo region
Russians prefer to call the Kemerovo region briefly - Kuzbass. This name is similar trademark: it can be seen in the names of cafes, restaurants, hotels, sports teams. Kuzbass, where three-quarters of all Russian coal is mined, is the most densely populated region of Western Siberia. But it is not only coal mines and metallurgical plants that determine the appearance of this region. Far from industrial centers there are protected lands with untouched nature, where there are about two dozen reserves under state protection, as well as the famous Kuznetsky Alatau nature reserve.
The most popular corner of the Kemerovo region among travelers is Gornaya Shoria, located in its southern part in the middle of the rocky taiga. Tourists are attracted by ski resorts and the beauty of the Shorsky National Park. Tens of thousands of guests annually visit the Sheregesh mountain resort, famous for its peaks Mustag, Zelenaya, Utuya and Kurgan, at the foot of which there are camp sites and separate cozy guest houses. In winter, people go skiing here, and in summer, they go boating along mountain rivers, and go on foot and horseback trips.
The largest cities in the region are the administrative center of Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Yurga, and the most ancient, dating back to the 17th century, are Mariinsk and Salair. Near the latter is holy place– source of John the Baptist. In the font he built, even in severe frosts, the water never freezes.
40 km north of Kemerovo, near the Tom River, is the famous Tomsk Pisanitsa Museum-Reserve. On its territory you can see rock paintings made by the inhabitants of Pritomye, who lived here in prehistoric times.
The Kemerovo region also has its own “sea” - this is what local residents call the Belovskoye Reservoir. In this reservoir, crucian carp, carp, silver carp, and sturgeon are bred.
Tomsk region
Two-thirds of the Tomsk region is occupied by taiga forests, the rest of the territory is swampy. It is here that one of the largest swamps on the planet is located - the Vasyugan swamp.
Another natural wonder of this region is the Talovsky bowls - unique natural vessels made of limestone and birnessite. They are filled with water rich in salts and minerals, which cure many diseases. The Talovskie bowls are located 50 km from Tomsk, the main city of the region, founded in 1604 and famous for its monuments of wooden architecture.
On the right bank of the Ob, in the village of Mogochino, at the end of the last century, the St. Nicholas Convent was built. It was erected at the expense of pious benefactors who decided to build a monastery in an ancient Siberian village. Today, another community has settled near the monastery; volunteer monks live here. Not so long ago, these remote places became a famous center of pilgrimage throughout Siberia.
Novosibirsk region
Novosibirsk region occupies southeastern part West Siberian Plain. Its administrative center, the one and a half million metropolis of Novosibirsk, located in the Ob River valley, is known as the cultural, business, industrial and scientific center of Siberia, often referred to as the third capital of Russia. On the territory of Akademgorodok there are many scientific institutes known throughout the world. There are many museums in the city, and the local opera house- the largest in Russia. There are few large cities in the Novosibirsk region, but there are plenty of villages, towns and natural attractions.
Traveling through this region, visit the huge karst Barsukovskaya cave, touching the walls of which, according to legend, returns a person vitality. Another cult place is Lake Karachi, located in the Chanovsky district, fed by a bitter-salty healing spring. According to local legend, after one of the battles, Genghis Khan himself healed his wounds in it. Today there is a resort of federal significance here, and most recently, a water entertainment center with a 25-meter pool, water attractions, waterfalls, Russian and Turkish baths, and a Finnish sauna was opened at the Lake Karachi sanatorium.
The Berd Rocks, located in the Iskitimsky district, are considered the most beautiful natural monument of the Novosibirsk region. Local residents have long nicknamed these rocks St. John's wort, due to the fact that in the summer their slopes are covered with a luxurious carpet woven from thickets of this healing herb.
Not far from the city of Barabinsk there are two large lakes– Chany and Sartlan, loved by fans of summer and winter fishing. The city itself, where the fish factory operates, is simply a Klondike for fish lovers. Carp, asp, peled, carp for quite reasonable price They are sold here everywhere in fresh, chilled, smoked, and salted form.
Fans of skiing and snowboarding are well aware of the surroundings of Novosibirsk, where there are ski slopes, sports and recreation centers, and a snowboard park. The best ski resort, Novososedovo, is located 140 km from Novosibirsk, near the city of the same name.
Altai Republic
The Altai Republic, occupying part of the majestic Altai Mountains, is one of the largest tourist regions in Russia. This land still preserves the memory of the peoples who inhabited it: the Scythians, Dinlins, Huns, Turks, Uighurs, Mongols, who formed the local unique culture. Everything here breathes patriarchy. Local residents breed horses, deer, and closer to Kazakhstan, camels, and there is only one city here - the capital of the republic, Gorno-Altaisk, or Gorny, as it is more often called. It is located in a picturesque intermountain basin, away from the Chuguisky tract, the main transport artery of Altai.
The unique nature of “Russian Tibet,” as Altai is often called, breathes with special energy, and has long become a place of pilgrimage for seekers of “places of power,” adherents of secret wisdom, and ufologists. Nicholas Roerich, who organized the Great Central Asian Expedition in search of the mythical country of Shambhala in the 20s of the last century, greatly contributed to the popularization of this region. Until now, his followers go on a journey “through Roerich’s places” and, of course, visit the Roerich Museum, located in the ancient village of Verkh-Uimon.
On this earth there is also one that soars to the clouds sacred mountain Belukha, the highest in Siberia (4509 m), revered by the indigenous people as living creature. Belukha is a center of attraction for climbers, photographers, and miracle seekers.
The steep snow-covered slopes of the Altai Mountains have long been known to fans of winter sports - from amateurs to professionals. The most popular trails among skiers and snowboarders are located on the Seminsky Pass, on Mount Tugaya.
Beautiful places are located in the vicinity of Lake Manzherok, surrounded by forested mountains Sinyukha and Malaya Sinyukha. The lake is located near the village of the same name; main river Altai - Katun, known among fans of rafting and other water sports for its risky rapids. On the left bank of the river, 7 km from the village, there is a beach and entertainment complex “Biryuzovaya Katun”, where a water park, the first in the Altai region, was recently installed. The famous natural attractions of this corner of Altai are the Kamyshlinsky waterfall and the Tavdinsky caves.
On the right bank of the Katun, in its lower reaches, between the villages of Souzga and Chemal, there are camp sites, campsites, sanatoriums, and hotels. From here there are walking, cycling, and horse riding routes to the most interesting and mysterious sights of this Siberian region.
Melting glaciers and mountain snow feed the Altai rivers with their numerous tributaries, and countless lakes. One of the most amazing bodies of water is Lake Teletskoye, which is a tectonic fissure filled with the purest water with steep shores and charming bays. The Karakol lakes are good, located in an area where forests gradually give way to alpine meadows, the glacial Akkem lake, and the Shavlin lakes with their rocky, intricately contoured shores.
Ethnic tours, including visits to religious places of the indigenous peoples of Altai, are also popular among travelers. Such expeditions allow you to immerse yourself in Altai culture, get acquainted with ancient local customs and rituals, permeated with the shamanic worldview.
Altai region
The region borders the Altai Republic, partially covering the Altai Mountains and the Sayan Mountains. Its administrative center is Barnaul, one of the largest in Siberia. The second most important city is Biysk. There is a lot to see in both cities. There are interesting museums here, and interesting architectural monuments and examples of Russian wooden architecture have been preserved in historical areas.
Altai region is famous for its natural wonders, outstanding landscapes, caves, protected protected lands. You can hunt here only with a license. One of the most popular places among tourists is the Aya Natural Park, located in the picturesque valley of the Katun River. Its main attraction is the cleanest warm Lake Aya, nestled among the green mountains. In summer, the water here warms up to +20 °C; this is one of the few mountain lakes in Altai where you can swim. There is a beach on its shore, and there are bicycle and boat rentals. The surroundings of the lake with their magnificent mountain landscapes, caves, and pine forests have earned the reputation of one of the most beautiful corners of Altai. A wonderful panorama of these places will open before you if you climb the Devil’s Finger rock.
The Tigireksky Nature Reserve, one of the youngest in Russia, is located in the middle mountains - where the mountain slopes steeply descend to the valleys of rivers running through gorges and canyons. One of the rivers, the beautiful Inya, is well known to water rafting enthusiasts.
A unique natural and archaeological monument - Denisova Cave - is located above the bank of the Anui River. Judging by archaeological excavations, it served as a refuge for people and animals even in prehistoric times. Recently a sensational scientific discovery: deciphering the genome of the tissue of a fragment of a human bone found here allowed scientists to claim that even 50,000 years ago, the territory of Siberia was inhabited by people who were distant “relatives” of the Neanderthals. This ancient population was conventionally called “Denisovan”, or “Altai man”.
The main resort of the Altai Territory, Belokurikha, is located near the city of the same name. This area, which is called “Siberian Davos”, is surrounded by hills covered with dense coniferous forests. The local air, saturated with the aromas of pine needles, flowers and herbs, has an amazing healing effect. Belokurikha is included in the register of unique resorts in Russia and boasts a decent tourist infrastructure.
The Altai region is well known to amateurs gambling. Here, 230 km from Barnaul, the Siberian Coin gambling zone is located - the only complex in Siberia where gambling is legally permitted.
Eastern Siberia
Eastern Siberia extends east of the Yenisei and is bordered in the east by mountains that form the watershed between the Pacific and Arctic oceans. In the depths of this land lies most of all reserves of Russian hard and brown coal, ore, and gold. A huge part of its territory is occupied by taiga forests, and the coniferous species growing here - larches, pines, cedars, spruce, fir - make up half of the country's total forest resources.
Irkutsk region
The Irkutsk region, which is invariably associated with impenetrable taiga, majestic mountains, Decembrists, political prisoners, and shock construction projects of the Soviet era, is unofficially called the Baikal region. This is where Baikal is located - the pride of Russia, the cleanest and deepest lake on Earth (1642 m). Its venerable age is determined to be 30 million years. The original local inhabitants of these places - Mongols and Buryats - call it Baigal Nuur.
Lake Baikal is not called the sea for nothing. From a geological point of view, it is a narrow and long flooded rift valley, curved like a giant sickle from southwest to northeast for 636 km, and from coast to coast you need to swim about 70 km.
Many rivers flow into Baikal, but only one flows out of it - the Angara. The lake contains approximately a quarter of the purest fresh water available on the Earth's surface. Baikal is a unique natural reserve, and its animal diversity amazes many biologists. Some lake inhabitants are endemic.
Irkutsk region only a third belongs coastline lakes and seas, the rest is located on the territory of Buryatia. The shores of Irkutsk Baikal are steep, and the coast of Buryatia has sandy beaches. The water in Baikal, even in summer, never warms up above +18 °C.
Baikal routes, automobile and pedestrian, fishing, extreme, educational, ethnographic - the main directions of tourism in the Irkutsk region. In summer, the water surface of Lake Baikal is crossed by motor ships, yachts, and boats, and in winter, on the covered strong ice Lovers of ice fishing, curling and ice golf flock to the lake.
The northern regions of the Irkutsk region represent the complete opposite of the Baikal region. Only the most courageous and inquisitive travelers reach these impassable taiga places of Siberia, where there are much more bears and sables than people. But the areas located between Baikal and the taiga are very attractive for tourists: a trip along the Irkutsk part of the BAM will allow you to admire the impenetrable beauty of this region from the train window, a cruise along the Angara will give you the opportunity to enjoy the luxurious scenery from board the ship, trips to the outback will give you an opportunity to get acquainted with the life of the locals residents. Irkutsk ethnography is a whole world where Buryats and Golendras, Chuvashs, Evenks, Udmurts, Tatars, people from the Caucasus and Central Asia live in authentic compact settlements.
The main city of the region, ancient Irkutsk, also deserves a visit, where historical wooden houses built in the Siberian Baroque style coexist with modern high-rise buildings, and the doors of museums and theaters are open to guests. The Siberian city is especially beautiful in winter, when its snow-covered streets look like an illustration from a fairy tale.
Republic of Buryatia
Buryatia borders on the Irkutsk region along the waters of Lake Baikal and part of the territory of the Transbaikal Nature Reserve; in the south it neighbors Mongolia and is separated from this country by the high ridges of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. As in the Irkutsk region, the center of attraction for tourists in Buryatia is Lake Baikal. Stretching for tens of kilometers, the beaches with the finest sand, the color of which varies from snow-white to creamy yellow, are wide, clean and uncrowded. Most The Buryat coast of Lake Baikal is a protected area with a strict security regime, and only recently the rudiments of tourism infrastructure have begun to appear here.
On the territory of Buryatia there are two national parks - “Zabaikalsky” and “Tunkinsky”. The latter occupies the entire region of the republic of the same name, located in the Tunka Valley, which locals simply call “Tunka”. Thermal resorts are located here, the most famous of which is Arshan with its radon baths.
In Buryatia there are the most important centers of Buddhist pilgrimage in Eastern Siberia - the operating Ivolginsky, Tamchinsky and Atsagatsky datsans. Dozens of miniature monasteries with elegant, curved roofs are also scattered on this land. Tourists are treated kindly here. A smiling lama will greet you in Russian and offer you refreshment in the cafe at the datsan.
In many Buryat villages among local population There will definitely be a shaman. As a rule, shamans are respected in the area; both natives and tourists turn to them for advice different nationalities and religions.
There are ancient settlements in Buryatia where Old Believers, exiled by Catherine II to Siberia, live. In these harsh lands, they have preserved their identity, and their cultural traditions - songs, fairy tales, rituals - are included in the UNESCO list of masterpieces of intangible heritage.
There are only six cities in Buryatia. The main city of the republic is Ulan-Ude, which traces its history back to 1666, when Russian Cossacks established the Udinskoye winter hut in this place. The appearance of the city, spread out like an amphitheater along the banks of the Uda and Selenga rivers, absorbed the features of Orthodox and Buddhist cultures. Here, Orthodox churches and ancient residential buildings harmoniously coexist with datsans; no one is surprised by Buddhist monks in bright orange robes and Orthodox clergy in black robes scurrying along the same streets.
Transbaikal region
The history of the development of this land by Russian pioneers dates back to 1653, when a small Cossack army led by Voivode Pyotr Beketov, an explorer of Siberia, began to build fortifications in the places where the cities of Nerchinsk and Chita, the modern administrative center of the region, are located today.
The most famous natural attractions of this Siberian region are the Arakhleisky Natural Park with its system of lakes, which is the most important point on the migration route of migratory birds; Chara Sands is a sandy valley, lost in the mountains, arousing admiration among tourists and more than once becoming the subject of controversy among scientists over its “wrong” location.
In the upper reaches of the Chentei-Chikoy Highlands, near the border with Mongolia, the Sokhondinsky Nature Reserve is located. At different heights there are valleys with blue lakes and swamps, endless meadows, dense taiga, tundra, and this diverse landscape is crowned by elongated ridges, the tops of which are covered with eternal snow. The staff of the reserve have developed walking and combined auto-horse-riding routes that take from 3 days to a week. Tourists are always accompanied on their journey by guides and instructors.
In the valley of the Tura River, on the basis of healing springs, is located the oldest Siberian health resort, founded in 1858, the Darasun resort. Another balneological resort area, Yamorovka, is located on the river of the same name. There are also ski resorts in Transbaikalia, the most famous are Molokovka and Vysokogorye.
Krasnoyarsk region
Huge territory Krasnoyarsk Territory, located in the basin of the great Yenisei River, occupied more than 14% of Russia. This space presents an impressive variety of natural zones - steppe, forest-steppe, taiga, forest-tundra, tundra, arctic desert. Forests, mainly taiga, occupy almost 70% of this land. The contrast here is also surprising. climatic conditions: the southern regions, almost Sochi-style warm, are famous for their rich grain harvests, and in the northern expanses, where substantial reserves of minerals are stored in the bowels of the earth, winter begins in September and lasts almost eight months.
The main city of the region is Krasnoyarsk, the largest in Eastern Siberia. It has a 400-year history and is included in the list of historical cities of Russia. Krasnoyarsk stretches along both banks of the Yenisei River, and is connected by a 2-kilometer bridge. This is an important industrial, scientific and cultural center with beautiful historical areas, where buildings of the 19th-20th centuries are well preserved.
Just 3 km from Krasnoyarsk is the Stolby State Nature Reserve. On its territory, densely covered with pines, larches and cedars, a whole forest of granite rocks “grows”, created over thousands of years by winds and rains. With their bizarre shapes, the rocks resemble birds, animals, and people, which is reflected in the names of many of them. In these parts there was even formed special kind sport - stolbism, that is, climbing on pillar rocks. Daredevils who climb them are offered stunning views of the endless Siberian expanses and the Yenisei.
This greatest river planets unites the entire territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, crossing it from south to north. Cities and villages have long been settled on its banks, including the ancient Yeniseisk, which is included in the list of Russian monument cities, still preserving its pre-revolutionary appearance and enchanting with its beautiful baroque-style estates. This Siberian city is home to an important government facility – the Space Communications Center. Along the banks of the river are the cities of Kyzyl, Sayanogorsk, Abakan, Divnogorsk, Tarukhansk, Igarka, Dudinka, Minusinsk. You can get acquainted with their sights, as well as admire unique natural wonders, by going on a boat cruise along the Yenisei.
Between Minusinsk and Kyzyl is located one of the most picturesque and original corners of Eastern Siberia - the Ergaki rock massif. Here, among the most beautiful lakes and waterfalls, sharp rocky peaks rise, creating a phantasmagoric landscape.
In the Krasnoyarsk Territory there are about 300 thousand lakes, large and small, and more than ten large rivers. In the south of the region there is a chain of lakes fed by thermal springs; the reservoirs are rich in healing mud. A popular vacation spot is Lake Tiberkul, located in the valley of the Kazyr River surrounded by pristine nature.
In this corner of Siberia there are seven grandiose nature reserves. One of them, Taimyrsky, located in the far north, is the largest and most famous in the country. This kingdom of nature is home to noble reindeer and terrifying-looking musk oxen, arctic foxes, ermines, wolverines, and a huge number of birds. Lake Taimyr is home to valuable and rare species of fish. The Tunguska Nature Reserve, created at the site of the fall, is shrouded in myths and legends. Tunguska meteorite. This is the only area on the planet where you can study environmental consequences space disasters. The Central Siberian Nature Reserve is famous for its unique richness and diversity of flora and abundance of rare plants. Ethnographic research is also conducted here to study ancient culture a small aboriginal people - the Kets.
Big Arctic Reserve, the largest in Eurasia, is located beyond the Arctic Circle. The only way to get to these deserted, silent places is by air. Here travelers have the opportunity to visit the William Barents Biological Station to observe rare bird species through binoculars and get acquainted with the life and traditions of the Nenets. On the Hutuda Biga River, tourists engage in rafting and sport fishing, and the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean attract extreme surfers. On long-term complex tours, travelers are accompanied by biologists, gamekeepers, and sometimes chefs and doctors.
Republic of Khakassia
Khakassia is located in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Most of the territory of the republic is occupied by rugged mountains, which dominate the delightful landscapes with their blue lakes, stormy rivers with crystal clear water, and the bright colors of the plant kingdom.
This ancient land, covered in legends and traditions of the Khakass epic, is a unique treasure trove of archaeological finds. Among the 30 thousand ancient monuments - witnesses of history - are rock paintings, burial mounds, burial grounds and temples, and picturesque ruins of fortifications. One of the iconic buildings is the Chebaki fortress, dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. There are about 50 similar structures in the republic; the Khakassians call them “sve”. The famous local paintings are Sulekskaya and Boyarskaya, and the most famous rock painting, depicting scenes from the life of an ancient tribe, is located in the Valley of the Tagar Kings. Here, in the middle of the silent steppe, dozens of mounds are scattered, conventionally fenced with vertical stone slabs.
Khakassia is famous for its salt and fresh lakes. The largest body of water is Lake Belyo, located in the Dzherim steppe. According to legend, monsters live in this lake. Lake Shira, in the Shirinsky district, is known as one of the most popular balneological resorts in Siberia. Tourist bases are scattered throughout Khakassia: on the banks of mountain rivers and lakes, in cedar taiga forests. The Republic of Khakassia is a famous ski center in Siberia. There are about a dozen resorts and bases with modern trails of varying lengths and difficulty levels.
The main city of Khakassia is Abakan, which dates back to the 19th century and is today the industrial, cultural and scientific center of the republic. The ancient Khakassian villages have grown over the past decades, most of them are connected by roads and railways. Local residents are still engaged in cattle breeding and sheep breeding, and their way of life retains the imprint of ancient eras.
Republic of Tyva
Tyva, located in the upper reaches of the Yenisei, occupies a relatively small territory in which two completely different natural zones coexist: sandy and forest-tundra. Camels and deer, red wolves and snow leopards live here close to each other. The symbol of the republic is the “Center of Asia” obelisk, located in the capital of the republic – Kyzyl. This is exactly the definition of Tyva that was given in 1910 by the English geographer and traveler Alexander Douglas Carruthers, who visited these places.
At Kyzyl, the Big Yenisei and the Small Yenisei merge, and from here the deep river carries its waters to the north of Siberia. All Tuvan rivers originate in the mountains and abound with magnificent waterfalls. The largest and most famous are Biy-Khemsky, Khamsyrinsky, Dototsky waterfalls. Many mountain rivers are very popular among amateurs and professionals of water rafting. The most interesting places for hiking and horseback riding are located in the southwest of the republic, in the Taiga and Mongun-Taiga regions.
Fishermen are well aware of Lake Choygan-Khol and the Sorug River, located at one of the spurs of the Eastern Sayan Mountains, and on hunting grounds accounts for a good half of the entire territory of the republic.
The original culture of the main local population - the Tuvans - always has an impact vivid impression on tourists. During the festivities, horse racing, khuresh wrestling and archery competitions take place here. Going on an ethnotour around Tyva, you will be able to get acquainted with ancient Tuvan rituals, and also hear the famous Tuvan throat singing, mesmerizing with its modulations, which have absorbed the spirit of the endless steppes.
Local cuisine
Siberian cuisine is as diverse as the diverse traditions of the peoples inhabiting this vast region of the planet. The culinary preferences of the Siberian aborigines themselves have always been determined by their habitat. And today in some regions a meal is not complete without fish dishes, in others the main product is meat.
Among the famous dishes of Siberian cuisine are salted raw meat (corned beef), jellied meats and stews from offal (ears, hooves, tongues), dumplings with assorted minced meat consisting of beef, pork and lamb, pies with porridge, meat, mushroom, curd, berry fillings, sausages, hams, salted mushrooms prepared for future use. Siberian culinary products made from fish have excellent taste: it is steamed, dried, pickled, dried in the wind and sun, baked in scales stuffed with fish fillet with spices or porridge with onions and mushrooms.
National Siberian delicacy - pine nuts, seeds, honey. The most popular drinks: kvass with malt, jelly - flour, berry, milk, teas with local herbs.
Siberian souvenirs
Siberia is a generous land, ready to present its guests with a wide variety of gifts. Among the most popular edible gifts are pine nuts - in cones, unshelled, peeled, in honey. It is better to purchase nuts during the harvest season (September) or a few months after it, since this taiga souvenir very quickly loses its useful qualities and taste. A good purchase is cedar oil and excellent quality buckwheat, taiga and flower honey.
The “trick” of the Baikal regions is omul fish. As a tasty and “long-lasting” souvenir, it is better to purchase it in brine, packed in special gift barrels. They can be bought in villages, in city supermarkets, and directly at the airport before departure.
Another tasty and healthy souvenir is Siberian tea, which is not actually tea, but is a healing herbal mixture. Look for a bouquet of herbs that includes the valuable sagan-dayla plant, which, according to ancient beliefs, prolongs life. Healthy souvenirs include fir oil, cedar resin, balms and herbal tinctures.
An excellent souvenir from Siberia is jewelry and crafts made from charoite, a stone whose only deposit in the world is located on the border of the Irkutsk region and Yakutia. The extraction of this beautiful stone, shimmering in shades of pink, lilac, and purple, is strictly limited, which makes it quite expensive. To avoid purchasing a counterfeit, ask for a certificate when purchasing.
Products made from birch bark are popular: boxes, kitchen utensils, baskets, panels. In any region of Siberia you can buy interesting ethnic souvenirs: from jewelry and clothing to musical instruments.
Where to stay
Tourist infrastructure in different regions Siberia is developed heterogeneously. However, in every administrative center and major cities there are two to four star hotels. In Novosibirsk you can also stay in hotels of the world brands “Hilton” and “Marriott” (about 7,000 rubles per day).
For those who plan to relax in nature and engage in active recreation, it is better to stay at a tourist center, a campsite or a guest house. On Lake Baikal, for example, you can stay in a hostel, where a room with two beds and all amenities will cost from 2,000 rubles per day.
If you want to improve your health, go to one of the many sanatoriums or health centers. They are, as a rule, located in picturesque places with the purest healing air, rich in natural healing resources - mineral waters, mud. Most health centers are equipped with full-fledged diagnostic databases and offer comprehensive treatment and preventive services.
Transport
In the cities of Siberia, public transport is represented by buses, trolleybuses, minibuses, and Novosibirsk also boasts a metro. Fares vary by region.
Large settlements are connected by bus service. By bus you can get from the administrative centers of the regions to popular, “promoted” resorts. Tourists who come here in groups often rent a minibus to get to their desired destination comfortably. Organizes transfers from Novosibirsk to Siberian resorts transport company"Bus Center".
The Siberian regions are connected by railways: West Siberian, East Siberian, South Siberian.
IN recent years Regional air traffic is being restored and new routes are opening. Often airplanes and helicopters are the only means of transport that allow you to get to the protected Siberian regions.
The cities of Siberia are also connected by the main water arteries - Ob, Irtysh, Lena, Yenisei, Angara. By going on a long river cruise, you will get the opportunity to see places that are inaccessible to land excursions.
There are car rental centers in large Siberian cities. Prices are different everywhere, but, as a rule, no less than 900 rubles/day.
How to get there
Tolmachevo International Airport operates in the main city of Siberia, Novosibirsk. Flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg depart here daily. Travel time is from 3 to 5 hours. Airports in Irkutsk, Tomsk, Omsk, Ulan-Ude, Barnaul, Kemerovo, Bratsk, Kyzyl, Krasnoyarsk also have international status. There are airports in other cities, but they are mainly designed for domestic air traffic.
Siberia is penetrated by the Trans-Siberian Railway. By train from Moscow to the Far East, you can get to Novosibirsk, Severobaikalsk, Novokuznetsk, Blagoveshchensk, Ulan-Ude, Krasnoyarsk, Kemerovo, Abakan, Tomsk.
Trains heading to Novokuznetsk depart from the Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg; the train makes a stop in Novosibirsk.
Novosibirsk is the third in Russia
There are many settlements - cities, towns and villages in the Russian Trans-Urals, and the largest city is the capital of Siberia. Novosibirsk ranks third in Russia in terms of population after Moscow and St. Petersburg. According to 2009 data, 1.397 million people are registered in Novosibirsk. The city’s birthday is considered to be April 30, 1893, but despite its youth, it is impossible to talk about Novosibirsk without using the word “most.” Firstly, the city is located on the banks of the longest river in Russia - the Ob. The length of the Ob with its main tributary, the Irtysh, is 5,410 km.
Secondly, the city has the largest opera and ballet theater in Russia, by area, which is business card Novosibirsk. The theater building is an example of modernist architecture from the late 20s. During the construction of the theater, many unique constructive solutions, for example, the structure of a theater dome. The dome was designed by B.F Mater and P.L. Pasternak, the diameter of the dome is 60 meters with a thickness of only 8 centimeters - this is the largest dome of this design in the world.
Theatre, Trans-Siberian Railway
In May 1931, the building was laid. And already on August 1, 1941, the official opening of the theater was planned. But the war made its own adjustments, and the opening of the theater took place on May 12, 1945. In the building of the future theater during the war, evacuated exhibits from museums in Moscow and Leningrad were stored.
Start of construction Trans-Siberian Railway(1891) gave impetus to the development of the city's industry. To October Revolution In 1917, Novosibirsk (until 1925 - Novonikolaevsk) was the commercial and industrial center of Western Siberia. The leading industry in those years was the flour milling industry.
Factories of Novosibirsk
The largest Trud plant, founded in 1904, produced spare parts for mechanisms of mills, oil factories and agricultural machinery. Before the war of 1941-1945, many buildings were built in Novosibirsk industrial enterprises, among them is a tin plant, “Sibcombine”, and a boring machine plant. In 1936, an aircraft manufacturing plant was opened, which in 1939 was named after Valery Pavlovich Chkalov.
The second powerful impetus to the development of industry was given by the Great Patriotic War. Many enterprises from Leningrad and other cities of the USSR were evacuated to the largest city in Siberia, due to this, production for the front increases 8 times: only Yak fighters for the front were produced up to 33 aircraft per day.
Modern Novosibirsk
In modern Novosibirsk there are 214 enterprises that produce 2/3 of the total production of the Novosibirsk region. The leading industries of the city include mechanical engineering, metallurgy, energy, chemical, light and food industries. In 1985, the first metro stations were opened in Novosibirsk. This is the very first metro beyond the Urals with the world's longest covered metro bridge.
The city grew and developed rapidly; in just a few decades, a small town with a population of 100 thousand people became a millionaire city. Only Chicago can boast such growth rates. The center of the Russian Empire was located in Novosibirsk (Novonikolaevsk). In this place, in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, a chapel was built in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, designed by the famous architect A.D. Kryachkov.
The chapel is a symbol of Novosibirsk
The design of the chapel is made in the style of Novgorod-Pskov architecture of the 12th-14th centuries. In 1933, according to a resolution of the City Council, “taking into account the wishes of the working masses and taking into account the improvement of the city,” the chapel was destroyed. For the 100th anniversary of the city, in 1993, the St. Nicholas Chapel was re-erected. The design of the new chapel was carried out by the architect P.A. Chernobrovtsev.
Novosibirsk also gained worldwide fame thanks to its unique zoo, which occupies one of the leading places in the world in the conservation of rare animal species.
The largest city in Siberia continues to actively grow and develop. Much attention is paid not only to the construction of new modern buildings, but also to the preservation of historical architectural heritage.
Andrey Koshelev, Samogo.Net
Population of Siberia
The population of Siberia is about 24 million people. The largest cities in Siberia are Novosibirsk 1 million 390 thousand, Omsk 1 million 131 thousand, Krasnoyarsk 936.4 thousand, Barnaul 597 thousand, Irkutsk 575.8 thousand, Novokuznetsk 562 thousand people, Tyumen 538 thousand people. Ethnically, the bulk of the population is Russian, but this territory is home to many other ethnic groups and nationalities, such as Buryats, Dolgans, Nenets, Komi, Khakass, Chukchi, Evenks, Yakuts, etc.
The peoples of Siberia differed greatly in language, economic structure and social development.
The Yukagirs, Chukchi, Koryaks, Itelmens, Nivkhs, as well as the Asian Eskimos were at the earliest stage of social organization. Their development went in the direction of patriarchal-clan orders, and some features were already evident (patriarchal family, slavery), but elements of matriarchy were still preserved: there was no division into clans and clan exogamy.
Most of the peoples of Siberia were at various stages of the patriarchal-tribal system.
These are the Evenks, Kuznetsk and Chulym Tatars, Kotts, Kachins and other tribes of Southern Siberia. Remnants of patriarchal-tribal relations were also preserved among many tribes that embarked on the path of class formation. These are the Yakuts, the ancestors of the Buryats, the Daurs, the Duchers, and the Khanty-Mansi tribes.
Only the Siberian Tatars, defeated by Ermak, had their own statehood.
Population of Eastern Siberia
The total urban population is 71.5%. The most urbanized is the Irkutsk region. And Krasnoyarsk region. The rural population predominates in the autonomous okrugs: in the Buryat Ust-Ordynsky okrug there is no urban population at all, in the Buryat Aginsky okrug it is only 32%, and in the Evenkiysky okrug it is 29%.
The current migration growth of the VSED population is negative (-2.5 people.
per 1000 inhabitants), which causes depopulation of the region's population. Moreover, negative migration from the Taimyr and Evenki Autonomous Okrug is an order of magnitude higher than average and creates the prospect of complete depopulation of these regions.
The population density in the region is extremely low, four times lower than the Russian average.
IN Evenki district it is three people per 100 km2 - a record low level in the country. And only in the south - in the forest-steppe Khakassia - is the population density close to the Russian average.
The economically active population of Eastern Siberia was 50%, which is close to the national average.
About 23% of the working population was employed in industry (in Russia, 22.4% and 13.3%, respectively). The level of general unemployment is very high (in the Republics of Buryatia and Tyva, as well as in the Chita region.
The level of unemployment in the All-Russian Economic Community is quite high, and the share of hidden unemployment in its composition is large.
The ethnic composition of the population of Eastern Siberia was formed as a result of centuries-old mixing of the indigenous Turkic-Mongolian and Russian Slavic populations with the participation of small minor peoples of Siberia, including those living in the taiga regions and the Far North.
The peoples of the Turkic group live in the upper reaches of the Yenisei - Tuvinians, Khakassians.
Representatives of the Mongolian group - the Buryats - live in the mountains and steppes of Cisbaikalia and Transbaikalia; in the taiga regions of the central part of the Krasnoyarsk Territory - the Evenks, belonging to the Tungus-Manchu language group. On the Taimyr Peninsula live the Nenets, Nganasans and the Yurkic-speaking Dolgans (related to the Yakuts).
In the lower reaches of the Yenisei there lives a small people, the Keta, who have an isolated language that is not included in any of the groups. All of these peoples, with the exception of the extremely small Kets and Nganasans, have their own national-territorial entities - republics or districts.
Most of the population of Eastern Siberia adheres to the Orthodox religion, with the exception of the Buryats and Tuvans, who are Buddhists (Lamaists). The small peoples of the North and the Evenks retain traditional pagan beliefs.
Population of the West Siberian region
The total urban population is 71%.
The most urbanized are the Kemerovo region, where the number of urban residents reaches 87%, and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - 91%.
At the same time, in the Altai Republic, 75% of the population are rural residents.
The area varies in population density. Very high population density in the Kemerovo region. - about 32 people/km2.
Minimum density in polar Yamalo-Nenets District- 0.7 people/km2.
The economically active population of Western Siberia was 50%, which slightly exceeded average around the country. About 21% of the working population was employed in industry, and about 13.2% in agriculture.
The level of general unemployment in Western Siberia was lower than the Russian average only in the Tyumen region.
In other regions it exceeded the Russian average. In terms of the level of registered unemployment, all regions except the Novosibirsk region were in a worse position relative to the Russian average (1.4%). Most registered unemployed are in the Tomsk region - 2.1% economically active population. In the oil-producing Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug their number is 1.5 times higher than the Russian average.
The ethnic composition of the population of Western Siberia is represented by Slavic (mainly Russian), Ugric and Samoyed (Khanty, Mansi, Nenets) and Turkic (Tatars, Kazakhs, Altaians, Shors) peoples.
The Russian population is numerically predominant in all regions of the Western Economic Development Region. Nenets, part of the Samoyed language group Ural family live mainly in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and are its indigenous people. Khanty and Mansi, included in Ugric group Ural family, live in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Turkic peoples - Kazakhs and Tatars live in the steppe and forest-steppe zones, and the Altaians and Shors live in the mountainous regions of Altai and Mountain Shoria in the Kemerovo region.
The Russian population of Western Siberia is mainly Orthodox, the Tatars and Kazakhs are Muslim believers, the Altaians and Shors are partly Orthodox, some adhere to traditional pagan beliefs.
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Indigenous population of Siberia. Population of Western and Eastern Siberia
Siberia occupies a vast geographical area of Russia. It once included such neighboring states as Mongolia, Kazakhstan and part of China. Today this territory belongs exclusively to the Russian Federation. Despite the huge area, there are relatively few settlements in Siberia.
Most of the region is occupied by tundra and steppe.
Description of Siberia
The entire territory is divided into Eastern and Western regions. In rare cases, theologians also define the Southern region, which is the mountainous area of Altai.
The area of Siberia is about 12.6 million square meters. km. This is approximately 73.5% of the total territory of the Russian Federation. Interestingly, Siberia is larger in area than Canada.
Among the main natural zones, in addition to the Eastern and Western regions, the Baikal region and the Altai Mountains are distinguished.
The largest rivers are the Yenisei, Irtysh, Angara, Ob, Amur and Lena. The most significant lake waters are Taimyr, Baikal and Uvs-Nur.
From an economic point of view, the centers of the region can be called cities such as Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Omsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Ulan-Ude, Tomsk, etc. 
Mount Belukha is considered the highest point in Siberia - over 4.5 thousand meters.
Population history
Historians call the Samoyed tribes the first inhabitants of the region.
These people lived in the northern part. Due to the harsh climate, the only occupation was reindeer herding. They ate mainly fish from adjacent lakes and rivers. The Mansi people lived in the southern part of Siberia. Their favorite pastime was hunting. The Mansi traded furs, which were highly valued by Western merchants.
The Turks are another significant population of Siberia.
They lived in the upper reaches of the Ob River. They were engaged in blacksmithing and cattle breeding. Many Turkic tribes were nomadic. A little to the west of the mouth of the Ob River lived the Buryats. They became famous for the mining and processing of iron.
The largest ancient population of Siberia were the Tungus tribes. They settled in the territory from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Yenisei. They made a living by reindeer herding, hunting and fishing.
The more prosperous were engaged in crafts. 
There were thousands of Eskimos on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. For a long time these tribes had the slowest cultural and social development. Their only tools are a stone ax and a spear. They were primarily engaged in hunting and gathering.
In the 17th century there was a sharp leap in the development of the Yakuts and Buryats, as well as the northern Tatars.
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Indigenous people
The population of Siberia today consists of dozens of nations.
Each of them, according to the Russian Constitution, has its own right to national identification.
Many peoples of the Northern region even received autonomy within the Russian Federation with all the attendant branches of self-government. This contributed not only to the rapid development of the culture and economy of the region, but also to the preservation of local traditions and customs.
Indigenous population of Siberia to a greater extent consists of Yakuts. Their number varies between 480 thousand people. Most of the population is concentrated in the city of Yakutsk - the capital of Yakutia.
The next largest people are the Buryats. There are more than 460 thousand of them. The capital of Buryatia is the city of Ulan-Ude. Lake Baikal is considered the main asset of the republic. It is interesting that this particular region is recognized as one of the main Buddhist centers of Russia.
Tuvinians are the population of Siberia, which, according to the latest census, numbers about 264 thousand people.
In the Republic of Tyva, shamans are still revered.
The population of such peoples as the Altaians and Khakassians is almost equal: 72 thousand people each. The indigenous people of the districts are adherents of Buddhism. 
The Nenets population is only 45 thousand people. They live on the Kola Peninsula. Throughout their history, the Nenets were famous nomads.
Today their priority income is reindeer herding.
Also in Siberia live such peoples as Evenks, Chukchi, Khanty, Shors, Mansi, Koryaks, Selkups, Nanais, Tatars, Chuvans, Teleuts, Kets, Aleuts and many others. Each of them has its own centuries-old traditions and legends.
Population
The dynamics of the region's demographic component fluctuates significantly every few years.
This is due to the massive movement of young people to the southern cities of Russia and sharp jumps in the birth and death rates. There are relatively few immigrants in Siberia. The reason for this is the harsh climate and specific living conditions in villages.
According to the latest data, the population of Siberia is about 40 million people. This is more than 27% of the total number of people living in Russia.
The population is evenly distributed across regions. In the northern part of Siberia there are no large settlements due to poor living conditions. On average, there is 0.5 square meters per person here. km of land.
The most populous cities are Novosibirsk and Omsk - 1.57 and 1.05 million inhabitants, respectively. Next according to this criterion are Krasnoyarsk, Tyumen and Barnaul.
Peoples of Western Siberia
Cities account for about 71% of the region's total population.
Most of the population is concentrated in the Kemerovo and Khanty-Mansiysk districts. Nevertheless, the Altai Republic is considered the agricultural center of the Western Region.
It is noteworthy that the Kemerovo District ranks first in population density - 32 people/sq. km. 
The population of Western Siberia is 50% able-bodied. Most of the employment comes from industry and agriculture.
The region has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, with the exception of the Tomsk region and Khanty-Mansiysk.
Today the population of Western Siberia is Russians, Khanty, Nenets, and Turks. By religion, there are Orthodox, Muslims, and Buddhists.
Population of Eastern Siberia
The share of urban residents varies between 72%. The most economically developed are the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Irkutsk Region.
From the point of view agriculture The most important point in the region is the Buryat Okrug. 
Every year the population of Eastern Siberia is becoming smaller. Recently, there has been a sharp negative trend in migration and birth rates.
It also has the lowest population density in the country. In some areas it is 33 square meters. km per person. Unemployment is high.
IN ethnic composition includes such peoples as Mongols, Turks, Russians, Buryats, Evenks, Dolgans, Kets, etc. Most of the population are Orthodox and Buddhists.
Siberia is a vast geographical region in the northeastern part of Eurasia, bounded on the west by the Ural Mountains, on the east by the Far Eastern regions of Russia, on the north by the Arctic Ocean, and on the south by the border of the contiguous states of Russia. But few people know that there was a city with the same name on this territory.
Book Atlas des Enfances: Liempire russe, Imprimé à luuniversité Imperiale de Moscow, 1771.
I don’t even know what to say here. I did not find any other information about this city. I wonder where the authors got this fact from? On the other hand, the book was printed in the printing house of Moscow University. Dedicated to some Kriegs commissar Glebov. It probably went through censorship. That means they didn’t write it just like that.
It turns out that the same book was published under a different title: Experience of Russian Geography. Imperial Moscow University, 1771. Moreover, there it is dedicated to all the governors of the then Russia, according to the list. And everyone was sent a copy to correct errors and inaccuracies
Discovering cities is my specialty, heh!
That's not all. It turns out that the city of Tyumen used to be called differently. Again, this is not written anywhere else.
Book: Abulgachi-Bayadur Khan Genealogical history of the Tatars, translated into French from a handwritten Tatar book, the work of Abulgachi-Bayadur Khan, and supplemented by a large number of reliable and curious notes about the immediate current state North Asia with the necessary geographical land maps, and from French to Russian at the Academy of Sciences. Published at the end of the 18th century. And part of the map is from there. And the city of Siberia is very clearly visible on it.
Book: The life and glorious deeds of Peter the Great, All-Russian autocrat: [Text]: With the assumption [!] of a brief geographical and political history of the Russian state, Orfelin, Zachary.
Actually, everything is logical. Since time immemorial, localities have been called by the name of the main city.
By the way, I told a friend about my discovery here. We met again the other day. And he happily tells me that he saw an interview with the director of the Tobolsk Kremlin on some cable channel. And he said that yes, there was such a city in Siberia near Tobolsk.
It turns out that the city of Siberia is written about on Wikipedia. You just have to search by name Kashlyk. Moreover, as I understand it, it is under this name (and also Isker) that the city of Siberia is mentioned in modern history.
Here he is on the people's map, just below Tobolsk.
One of the paintings painted in the second half of the 19th century by the Tobolsk artist M. S. Znamensky. As you can see, people still remembered about city of Siberia.
Fragment of Ortelius's map of 1570. The city of Siberia on the Ob and Perm the Great on the Vychegda are clearly visible.
Where we learn a little about the history of the Siberian kingdom before its conquest by Muscovy. And also who founded the city of Siberia:
The first Siberian king, according to the 17th century chroniclers, had a very interesting name - Ivan. Even though there was Magmet’s Law. It’s very interesting that it is the law and not faith. This is not the first time I have come across this very definition - law. It is different from the concept of faith. And this is a completely different look at the events of that time.
Ivan was killed by a certain Chingis. Also Tatar. Miller has it in his Description of the Siberian kingdom and all the things that happened in it: St. Petersburg: Under the Emperor. Academician Sciences, 1750. - Tatars are the first and most important people of Siberia.
In addition to them, on the Irtysh River, as follows from the text, the “Chyud” people live.
The city of Siberia was founded by King Mamet somewhere at the end of the 15th century, judging by the text. And the kingdom of Siberia was part of the kingdom of Kazan for many years.
By the way, a very interesting point. Ivan the Terrible became the first tsar in Rus', and before that we only had princes. But the Siberian, Astrakhan, Kazan and Crimean rulers were originally called kings. Why this is so is unclear. There was something that we no longer know about that put these lands and their rulers above the Russian principalities in the then table of ranks. What about Kazan and Siberia? There was the Kasimov kingdom, right next door to Moscow. And there was a king and not a prince.
At the end of the text there is an interesting fact - the names of Kuchum’s sons do not coincide with the names recorded in our current history. I already wrote about the Siberian princes.
Few people know that at the beginning of the 18th century Siberian princes still lived in Russia. And they didn’t just live, but were in the service of Peter the Great.
Siberia. This is a historical and geographical area within the Asian part of Russia, which was inhabited in the Stone Age. In terms of nature, Western Siberia and Eastern Siberia stand out. The eastern one occupies the territory from the Yenisei to the ridges of the Pacific watershed. Climate mostly harsh, sharply continental.
Regions of Siberia
Siberian customs
The customs and traditions of the local population go back to cultural heritage ancient peoples who in the past inhabited the territory of modern Baikal region. Some of the customs are echoes of ancient shamanic and Buddhist rituals. These include the developed cult of obo, the cult of mountains, and the worship of the Eternal Blue Sky (Huhe Munhe Tengri). You must stop near the obo and respectfully present gifts to the spirits. If you don’t stop at the obo and don’t make a sacrifice, there will be no luck. According to Buryat belief, every mountain and valley has its own spirit.
The Buryats have a custom of “sprinkling” the spirits of the area. As a rule, before drinking alcohol, drop a little drop of alcohol onto the table from a glass or with one finger, usually the ring finger, lightly touch the alcohol and splash upwards. Accept that you will have to stop and “splash” alcohol in the most unexpected places during your trip.
There are certain rules when visiting Buryat yurts. When entering a Buryat yurt, you must not step on the threshold of the yurt; this is considered impolite. Weapons and luggage, as a sign of your good intentions, must be left outside. You cannot enter the yurt with any burden. The northern half of the yurt is considered more honorable; guests are received here. You cannot sit down without permission on the northern side of honor without an invitation. Eastern half yurts (usually to the right of the door, the entrance of the yurt is always facing south) is considered female, the left is considered male. This division continues to this day.
The custom of hospitality. When bringing tea to a guest, the hostess hands the bowl with both hands as a sign of respect. The guest must also accept it with both hands - by doing this he shows respect for the house.
At tailagans or shamanic rituals, one should not try to touch shamanic clothing, a tambourine, and especially not to put on any of the shamanic attributes to take a photo. There is a belief that certain objects, especially those associated with magic, carry a certain amount of power. It is strictly forbidden for an ordinary person to say shamanic prayers (durdalga) out loud for entertainment.
Siberian cuisine. A special local highlight is lightly salted Baikal omul; Siberian dumplings and Siberian-style meat are also widely known.
