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The capital city of Zabaikalsky krai: Chita.
Zabaikalsky krai (also spelled Zabaykalsky, Zabaykalski, Zabaikalski) is situated in Zabaikalie. The region was formed in 2008 by uniting Chita (Chitinskaya) oblast and Aginsky Buryatsky autonomous okrug. Zabaikalsky krai is a part of Siberian Federal District. Capital city of the region is Chita. The region borders on Mongolia and China.
Zabaikalsky krai population is 1,117,000 (2009) on the territory of 434,500 sq. km.
Zabaikalsky krai possesses considerable and little developed hydropower potential as well as large resources of timber. The largest in Russia deposit of copper - Udokanskoye - is located on the territory of Zabaikalsky region with the resources of 20 million tons. The area possesses the largest in the country prospected resources of copper, molybdenum, gold, tin, tantalum and metallic ores. Zabaikalsky kray is the main developing resource base of nuclear industry of Russia.
Mining is the main industry of Zabaikalsky region: gold, molybdenum, tin, lead, zinc and coal. Ferrous metallurgy is developed as well as machine-building - tools, compressors and refrigerators; forest and wood-processing industries; light and food industries.
Agriculture of the kray is specialized in cattle- and sheep-breeding. In the north of the region reindeer-breeding and fur trade are developed. The growing crops are wheat, barley and oats.
Navigation is available on the river Shilka. Main resorts of Zabaikalsky krai are Darasun, Shivanda, Urguchan, Molokovka, Olentuy, Yamarovka.
Zabaikalsky krai nature
Zabaikalsky Russia krai nature
Zabaykalsky krai landscape
In 1,000 A.C. the territory of present Zabaikalsky krai was inhabited by the tribes of Evenks and later - Buryats. From the 18th century the territory behind Baikal was assimilated by Russian colonists. Among the first colonists there were a lot of exiled old believers. From 1782-1783 the kray was a part of Nerchinskaya (Zabaikalskaya) oblast of Irkutsk territory ruled by governor-general, from 1851 Zabaikalskaya oblast was a part of Irkytskaya gubernia with the capital in Chita.
Since 19th century mining has been the main industry of the region. A lot of exiled people worked at mines and plants of the oblast. After rebellion of December 14th, 1825, dozens of Decembrists were exiled there (brothers Bestuzhev, M.S.Lunin, N.M.Muravyov, C.G.Volkonsky, A.I.Yakubovich and others), later wives of some of them came to live there. The Decembrists influenced the development of the culture in the kray. In 1851 Zabaikalskaya Cossack army with the center in Chita was formed.
At the end of 19th century the construction of Trans-Siberian railway forced the economic development of Zabaikalsky kray. During Civil war there were heavy fights of the Red Army with Kolchak and G.M.Semyonov armies on the territory of the kray. On April 6, 1920, Dalnevostochnaya republic was formed. In 1922 it became the part of the RSFSR.
In April 1926 Zabaikalskaya gubernia was divided into Chitinsky and Sretensky districts which were the parts of Dalnevostochny kray. At the end of 1920 - early 1930s during collectivization Cossack settlements were destroyed; Buryat - cattle-breeders - were forced to have a settled way of life.
In March 1934 Chitinskaya oblast was formed, it became a part of Vostochno-Sibirsky kray. On September 26, 1937, Vostochno-Sibirsky kray was divided into Irkutskaya and Chitinskaya oblasts. Within Chitinskaya oblast there was Aginsky Buryat-Mongol national district formed. On March 2nd, 1969, there was an armed conflict on the Soviet-China border close to frontier point Nizhne-Mikhailovka on the island Damansky.
The present day Zabaikalsky krai was formed on March 1, 2008 by uniting Chitinskaya oblast and Aginsky Buryatsky autonomous okrug.
Among the historical monuments of Zabaikalsky kray are: a number of monuments of Nerchinsky stockaded town (17-18th centuries), a wooden Mikhailo-Archangel church (18th century, Chita city), Saint Peter and Paul wooden church (19th century, Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky), Akatuyskaya prison, Decembrists museum, a cemetery (19th century, Shilka), Resurrection church (1825, Nerchinsk).
On the territory of Nerchinsky district there is the unique Savateyevsky quarry of semi-precious stones.
Zabaikalsky region nature
Zabaikalsky region winter
Zabaikalsky region view
Zabaykalsky krai view
Zabaikalsky krai scenery
Zabaikalsky krai village
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