The supreme body of the legislative and representative branch is the bicameral State Assembly - Kurultai. The highest executive organ is the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Bashkortostan is located along the South Urals and the adjacent plains. Its territory is 143.600 square kilometers and the population is over 4 million people.

About a hundred nationalities inhabit Bashkortostan: Bashkirs, Russians, Tatars, Chuvashes, Maris, Ukrainians, Germans. The indigenous population is Bashkirs.

The Republic numbers 20 cities, the largest being Ufa, Sterlitamak, Salavat, Neftekamsk, Oktyabrski. The capital city is Ufa. The city was established in 1574. The population is 1.1 million people.

Based on the will expressed by the overwhelming majority of our multinational people during the Republican Referendums held in 1993 and 1995, the leadership of the Republic is consistently working to strengthen political and economic independence of Bashkortostan within the Russian Federation.

Our effort has found a legal foundation in signing, on August 3, 1994, of the Treaty "On Demarcation of Competence and Mutual Delegation of Powers between the Bodies of State Authority of the Russian Federation and the Bodies of State Authority of the Republic of Bashkortostan". More than a dozen inter-governmental agreements have been signed to implement the provisions of the Treaty. The principles declared back in 1990 to the effect that land, natural riches, other resources within the territory of the Republic, as well as the whole of the economic, R&D and technological potential are exclusive property of the Republic of Bashkortostan have thus materialized.

Political and economic independence inspires and gives new strength to each of us - from a rank-and-file worker to the President. At the same time, this independence places a great responsibility upon us for the fate of the Republic, for the future of our Motherland. Possessing abundant natural resources, a powerful scientific and manufacturing capability and - the main asset - hard-working and friendly people, the Republic of Bashkortostan is sure to cope with this challenging task.

We are confident that in the nearest future Bashkortostan will emerge as a prosperous republic within renewed Russia.