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Abakan

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Abakan is the capital city of the republic of Khakassia in Russia.

Abakan scenery
Abakan scenery

It sits in a low area called the Minusinsk Depression. The city is located right where two rivers meet. These are the Yenisei and the Abakan rivers. This spot makes the city a very important place in the region. It serves as a major hub for many different activities.

Abakan scenery
Abakan scenery

History in this area goes back a very long time. An old fort called Abakansky ostrog was built in 1675. Later, a place called Ust-Abakanskoye was set up in the 1780s. The city finally got its current name in 1931. In 1940, workers found something amazing while building a highway. They found a huge palace that was 1,500 square meters in size.

Abakan scenery
Abakan scenery

This building was built in a Chinese style. Some think a Chinese general named Li Ling once lived there. Other people think a man named Guangwu might have lived there instead.

Many different people have called Abakan home over the years. In the 1800s, people from Lithuania were sent there as prisoners. They had to work in local coal mines. Later, many people from Poland also moved to the Khakassia region. Some of their descendants still live there today. To celebrate this, a Polish school was started in 1994. There is even a Polish-language department at the local university.

Abakan scenery
Abakan scenery

Abakan is a busy place with many different jobs. The city has many industries that make things like shoes and food. They also make products out of metal. There are three different theatres for people to enjoy. You can also visit the Katanov State University of Khakassia. For sports, many people love playing a game called bandy. It is a sport that is very similar to hockey.

Abakan scenery
Abakan scenery

Getting to Abakan is quite easy for travelers. The city is an important junction for the railway. It also has the Abakan International Airport.

Rossiya Tu-214 in front of terminal at Abakan Airport
Rossiya Tu-214 in front of terminal at Abakan Airport

The weather here can change a lot between seasons. This is very common in the part of the world called Siberia. The winters can be very dry. Most of the rain falls during the summer months. This happens because nearby mountains create rain shadows.

Abakan scenery
Abakan scenery
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File:Rossiya Tu-214 in front of terminal at Abakan Airport.jpg
Rossiya Tu-214 in front of terminal at...
File:Abakan-02.JPG
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File:Abakan scenery.jpg
Abakan scenery.jpg
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