Siberia

Siberia is a huge part of Russia that stretches across all of North Asia. It starts at the Ural Mountains in the west and ends at the Pacific Ocean in the east. This area is very big—about three-quarters of Russia's total land—and it was claimed by Russia starting in 1582 when they took over the Khanat of Sibir, finishing with the addition of Chukotka in 1778.

Siberia has very cold winters, with temperatures often dropping below −25 °C (−13 °F) in January. Even though it is in Asia, most people there are of European descent, mainly Russian, because of centuries of Russian settlement. However, there are also many different ethnic groups, including the Yakuts, Tuvans, Altai, Khakas, Buryats, ethnic Koreans, and others.

Big cities in Siberia include Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Omsk. The region is divided into three federal districts by the Russian government: the Siberian, Ural, and Far Eastern districts. Despite its cold climate and wide-open spaces, Siberia is an important part of Russia, both geographically and historically.

Etymology

The name "Siberia" has several possible origins. In Russian, it came into use after contact with the Khanat of Sibir in the 15th century. Some believe it means "sleeping land" in an old language, while others think it comes from a word meaning "dense forest." Another idea is that it was named after a group of people called the Sibe people. There are many different guesses about where the name really comes from.

History

Main articles: Prehistory of Siberia, History of Siberia, and List of Russian explorers

Siberia has a long and interesting history. In ancient times, it was part of a huge landmass called Pangea. Over millions of years, many different animals lived there, and scientists have found well-preserved remains of these animals in the icy ground.

Many groups of people, such as nomads, lived in Siberia over the centuries. In the 13th century, much of the area was taken over by the Mongol Empire. Later, Russian explorers and traders began to travel into Siberia, looking especially for valuable furs. They built forts and towns, and more and more Russian people moved to the region.

During the time of the Soviet Union, Siberia became very important for its natural resources. Many people were moved to the region to work in mines and factories, and new cities grew up around these industries.

Today, Siberia is still an important part of Russia, known for its vast forests, rivers, and natural resources like oil and gas. New projects, such as the 'Power of Siberia' gas pipeline to China, continue to shape the region's future.

Geography

Further information: Geography of Russia

Siberia is a huge part of Russia, covering about 13.1 million square kilometres (5,100,000 mi²). It stretches from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, making up most of Russia's land. Siberia is part of Asia, but because it belongs to Russia, it is often thought of as European in culture and politics.

The land in Siberia changes a lot. There are wide flat areas called the West Siberian Plain and flat-topped highlands called the Central Siberian Plateau. In some places, like eastern and central Sakha, there are tall mountain ranges that reach almost 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). The highest point in Siberia is the active volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka on the Kamchatka Peninsula, which stands at 4,750 metres (15,580 ft). The Ukok Plateau is a special area protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Fauna

Siberia is home to many interesting birds and mammals. Some of the birds you can find there include the Hazel grouse, Siberian grouse, Black grouse, and the Siberian tiger, among others.

The region also has many mammals, such as the Moose, Red deer, Grey wolf, and the Brown bear. These animals have adapted to live in Siberia's cold and snowy environment.

Flora

See also: Category:Flora of Siberia

Siberia is home to many special plants, including several types of trees. Some of the trees found there are Siberian larch (Larix sibirica), Gmelin larch (Larix gmelinii), Siberian spruce (Picea obovata), and dwarf pine (Pinus pumila). These plants have adapted to survive in the cold and snowy conditions of Siberia.

Politics

Siberia has been part of many different countries and states over the centuries. It started with ancient groups like the Xianbei state and the Mongol Empire, and later became part of big empires such as the Russian Empire. Today, Siberia is a major part of Russia, which has been the main country controlling the area since the late 1500s. Many smaller states and republics have also existed in Siberia at different times, showing its rich and complex history.

Borders and administrative division

The term "Siberia" has changed over time and means different things to different people. Historically, it was thought of as all the land in Russia and North Kazakhstan east of the Ural Mountains, stretching all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Today, many people define Siberia as the area from the Ural Mountains to a certain line between rivers flowing to the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and from the Arctic Ocean down to the borders of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China.

Some cities in Siberia are very important. Novosibirsk is the largest city in Siberia and a key center for business, science, and culture. Other notable cities include Omsk, which was once a temporary capital during a big conflict in Russian history, and Tobolsk, the first capital of Siberia. There are many other significant cities such as Tomsk, Irkutsk, Barnaul, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, and Novokuznetsk.

Economy

Novosibirsk is the most important city for the Siberian economy, especially since 2000 when it became a regional center for government work. Russia's largest oil refinery is the Omsk Refinery.

Siberia is very rich in minerals, with large amounts of important metals such as nickel, gold, lead, coal, molybdenum, gypsum, diamonds, diopside, silver, and zinc. It also has lots of oil and natural gas, especially in the Khanty-Mansiysk area. The Norilsk area holds about 40% of the world's known nickel, and Norilsk Nickel is the biggest maker of nickel and palladium in the world.

Farming in Siberia is difficult because the growing season is very short. However, in the southwest, where the soil is rich and the climate is milder, people grow wheat, barley, rye, and potatoes, and raise many sheep and cattle. In other areas, people have raised reindeer for over 10,000 years. Siberia also has the world's largest forests, which are an important source of timber. The Sea of Okhotsk is one of the richest fishing areas in the world, and Siberia provides over 10% of the world's yearly fish catch.

Sport

Russia's third most popular sport, bandy, is important in Siberia. During the 2015–16 Russian Bandy Super League season, a team from Krasnoyarsk named Yenisey won the championship for the third time in a row. Other teams from Siberia also play in this league, including SKA-Neftyanik from Khabarovsk, Kuzbass from Kemerovo, and Sibselmash from Novosibirsk.

Krasnoyarsk is also a big city for rugby in Russia, with two of the country's largest rugby clubs located there. The city also hosted the 2019 Winter Universiade, an international sports event for university students.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Siberia

See also: Siberians and Indigenous peoples of Siberia

Siberia is a big area with about 30 million people. Most of them live in cities, especially in apartments, while some live in rural areas in simple log houses. The largest group of people in Siberia are Russians, but there are also many other groups, including indigenous peoples like the Buryats and Yakuts. The population is spread out, with only about three people living in each square kilometre.

Religion

See also: Shamanism in Siberia and Religion in Russia

Siberia is home to many different beliefs and religions. Many people practice Orthodox Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism, or Islam. There are also communities of Jews live in Siberia and the Russian Orthodox Church is the largest religious group.

Traditionally, Siberia is known for its connection to shamanism, where people believe in many gods and spirits. Each area has its own special traditions and sacred places, such as the island of Olkhon in Lake Baikal.

Transport

Many cities in northern Siberia, like Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, cannot be reached by road because there are almost no roads connecting them to other big cities in Russia or Asia. The main way to travel across Siberia is by the Trans-Siberian Railway, which runs from Moscow in the west all the way to Vladivostok in the east. For cities that are far from the railway, people travel by air or use another railway called the Baikal–Amur Railway.

Culture

Siberia has many special foods made by the people who live there. One popular dish is called Stroganina, which is made from raw fish that is sliced very thin and frozen. Another famous food is pelmeni, a type of dumpling that people often freeze and keep outside during the cold winter. The area also has many tasty dishes using berries, nuts, and mushrooms from the rich nature around them.