| SIBERIA
Russia : 17 million km - 145
million inhabitants
Siberia :
13 million km - 32,3 million inhabitants
President : Vladimir Poutine, re-elected in 2004
Prime minister : Mikhaïl Fradkov, successor of Mikhaïl
Kassianov.
The Russian federation is composed of 89 federal states
:
• 21 republics are mainly independent. Each one has
its own constitution, President and Parliament. Each one
has a representative in the foreign office and is supposed
to be the territory of an ethnic minority.
Ex : The Independent Republic of Sakha – Iakoutia
• 49 oblast or provinces :
These are the most common ones, with an administrative area,
a federal governor and a legislative power.
Ex : Magadan Oblast
• 6 Krais or territory :
Same one as oblast but usually more remote and less populated.
• 1 independent oblast
• 10 independent districts or area :
More independent than the oblast but less than the republics,
often with more or less important ethnics groups.
Ex : The Independent area of Tchukotka.
From the Ural mountains in the west to the Pacific in the
east, from the borders of China and Mongolia to the Arctic
ocean, Siberia (23 times larger than France) covers 7 times
zones and 74% of the Russian territory.
It is separated in 3 zones :
Western Siberia, East Sibéria and Far East Russia.
A geography with swampy area in the west and mountains in
the east. The climate is difficult with temperatures from
ranging from –68° to +36°.
Covered by permafrost (soil which never thaws) on the main
part of the north territory, this area has many rivers and
lakes. Wildlife and flora have been adapted : tundra, taiga,
forest, many species of animals, sometimes endangered species
(in the Baïkal area for example).
The preservation of this heritage is being studied and the
network of national parks is more and more important. But
pollution is a major problem.
Very rich in oil, gas, diamonds, coal and other ors, Siberia
has a huge potential. Thanks to the excess of the exploitation,
Siberia has known an important development to the detriment
of the environment.
Populated by many ethnic groups (Sakhas, Evens, Dolgans,
Tchoutches, Nenetes, Koriaks…) for thousands of years,
Russians have started to impose their culture little by
little after the victory of the cosaks on the great mongol
Khanat of Siberia in the XVIth.
Over the centuries, this russification becomes more or less
active and dramatic and brings about an important sedentarisation
of these ethnic groups.
The XXth century with the deportation, hard labour and gulags
explain the actual profile of the siberian populations.
The endangered sedentary ethnic groups are in search of
their identity, demanding their territories or asking for
compensation in this country mainly populated by Russians
or Ukrainians.
In nowadays, important questions reappear in Siberia such
as the exploitation of its potential, its relationship with
Moscow, the possibility to hold with other countries and
try to have the right place on the national and international
scene.
|
|
| |
© Photo by Christian Malet
< Sibérie > |
| |
© Photo by Christian Malet
< Sibérie >
|
| |
|
