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Buryatia

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Buryatia is a republic located in the Russian Far East.

Buryatia02
Buryatia02

It sits in a very interesting spot in Siberia. To its north, you will find Lake Baikal, which is the deepest lake on Earth.

Большая Байкальская тропа
Большая Байкальская тропа

The republic also touches Zabaykalsky Krai to the east and Tuva to the west. To the south, it shares a border with the country of Mongolia. The capital city is Ulan-Ude.

Центр Улан-Удэ
Центр Улан-Удэ

This place is home to the indigenous Buryat people.

The land here is mostly made of mountains. Over 80% of the territory is in mountainous regions.

Southernburyatia
Southernburyatia

You can find the Baikal Mountains along the northern shores of the lake. In the south, near the border with Mongolia, there are the Selenga Highlands. The area also has many different rivers. These include the Barguzin, Kitoy, and Selenga rivers.

View of the valley of the Uda near the village of Khorinsk
View of the valley of the Uda near the village of Khorinsk

The climate changes depending on where you stand. The capital has a humid steppe climate. However, the north has a humid continental climate.

People have lived near Lake Baikal since the fifth century. Many different groups once ruled this land. These included the Xiongnu Empire and the Mongol Empire.

Buryat home2
Buryat home2

Over time, the Buryat people became a distinct group. Some lived on the western shore of the lake. They had good land for farming. Other Buryats lived in the east. They were nomads who lived in moveable felt yurts. This history shaped how different groups lived and worked.

Buryatia has many valuable things in its ground. People find gold, tungsten, zinc, and uranium there.

Blue diopsidite skarn Buryatia Republic, Transbaikalia, eastern Siberia
Blue diopsidite skarn Buryatia Republic, Transbaikalia, eastern Siberia

The population was 978,588 according to the 2021 Census. In the past, the area was a busy place for trade. From 1727, it was a border crossing for trade between Russia and China. This was known as the Kyakhta trade. Buddhism is also a very important part of the culture. You can see beautiful Buddhist temples in the region.

Буддийский храм в Гэгэтуе
Буддийский храм в Гэгэтуе

Today, Buryatia is an autonomous republic within Russia. This means it has its own local government. The people elect a Head of the Republic every four years.

Dzharun-Hashor
Dzharun-Hashor

The parliament is called the People's Khural. It has 66 deputies who are elected by the people. Large projects like the Baikal–Amur Mainline railway were built here. These projects brought many new workers to the area. Many people moved to cities like Ulan-Ude for jobs and school. This helped the cities grow much larger over time.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
Буряад Уласай түрын дуулал.ogg
File:Большая Байкальская тропа.jpg
Большая Байкальская тропа.jpg
File:View_of_the_valley_of_the_Uda_near_the_village_of_Khorinsk.jpg
View_of_the_valley_of_the_Uda_near_the_vil...
File:Southernburyatia.jpg
Southernburyatia.jpg
File:Blue diopsidite skarn Buryatia Republic, Transbaikalia, eastern Siberia.jpg
Blue diopsidite skarn Buryatia Republic,...
File:Buryat home2.jpg
Buryat home2.jpg
File:Buryatia02.png
Buryatia02.png
File:Dzharun-Hashor.jpg
Dzharun-Hashor.jpg
File:Буддийский храм в Гэгэтуе.jpg
Буддийский храм в Гэгэтуе.jpg
File:Центр Улан-Удэ.JPG
Центр Улан-Удэ.JPG
File:Baikalskoe - panoramio.jpg
Baikalskoe - panoramio.jpg
File:Республика Бурятия, Баргузинский залив.jpg
Республика Бурятия, Баргузинский залив.jpg

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