Portal:Siberia
The Siberia Portal
A portal dedicated to Siberia
Introduction
Siberia | |
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Geographical region | |
Siberia (/saɪˈbɪəriə/ sy-BEER-ee-ə; Russian: Сибирь, romanized: Sibir', IPA: [sʲɪˈbʲirʲ] ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states since the centuries-long conquest of Siberia, which began with the fall of the Khanate of Sibir in the late 16th century and concluded with the annexation of Chukotka in 1778. Siberia is vast and sparsely populated, covering an area of over 13.1 million square kilometres (5,100,000 sq mi), but home to roughly a quarter of Russia's population. Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Omsk are the largest cities in the area.
Because Siberia is a geographic and historic concept and not a political entity, there is no single precise definition of its territorial borders. Traditionally, Siberia spans the entire expanse of land from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, with the Ural River usually forming the southernmost portion of its western boundary, and includes most of the drainage basin of the Arctic Ocean. It is further defined as stretching from the territories within the Arctic Circle in the north to the northern borders of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China in the south, although the hills of north-central Kazakhstan are also commonly included. The Russian government divides the region into three federal districts (groupings of Russian federal subjects), of which only the central one is officially referred to as "Siberian"; the other two are the Ural and Far Eastern federal districts, named for the Ural and Russian Far East regions that correspond respectively to the western and eastern thirds of Siberia in the broader sense.
Siberia is known for its long, harsh winters, with a January average of −25 °C (−13 °F). Although it is geographically in Asia, Russian sovereignty and colonization since the 16th century have rendered the region culturally and ethnically European. Over 85% of its population are of European descent, chiefly Russian (comprising the Siberian sub-ethnic group), and Eastern Slavic cultural influences predominate throughout the region. Nevertheless, there exist sizable ethnic minorities of Asian lineage, including various Turkic communities—many of which, such as the Yakuts, Tuvans, Altai, and Khakas, are Indigenous—along with the Mongolic Buryats, ethnic Koreans, and smaller groups of Samoyedic and Tungusic peoples (several of whom are classified as Indigenous small-numbered peoples by the Russian government), among many others. (Full article...)
Selected article -
Admiral Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (Russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Колча́к; 16 November [O.S. 4 November] 1874 – 7 February 1920) was a Russian military leader and polar explorer who held the title of Supreme Ruler of Russia from 1918 to 1920 during the Russian Civil War, though his actual control over Russian territory was limited. Previously, he served in the Imperial Russian Navy and fought in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I.
The son of a naval artillery officer, Kolchak graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps and during his career became an accomplished oceanographer and Arctic explorer. He was involved in several expeditions to northern Russia, including the New Siberian Islands, and was the youngest vice admiral in the Imperial Navy. He was wounded and taken prisoner during the Russo-Japanese War, and upon his return he advocated for strengthening the fleet to the State Duma, including with the introduction of submarines and aircraft. Kolchak was the Baltic Fleet chief of operations when World War I broke out and was made the commander of the Black Sea Fleet shortly before the February Revolution. When Emperor Nicholas II asked the commanders of each army group and fleet for their opinion on abdicating the throne, Kolchak was the only one who opposed his abdication.
During the events of the Russian Revolution in 1917 he was popular among conservative newspapers, who saw him as a potential military dictator. Early in the civil war, Kolchak briefly served as the minister of war and navy in the Provisional All-Russian Government until a November 1918 coup saw him installed as leader and all authority was transferred to his own government. His authority was eventually recognized by the other leaders of the White movement, and he served as its principal leader, although Anton Denikin enjoyed more power than Kolchak. His government was based in Omsk, in southwestern Siberia. (Full article...)
Interesting facts -
- In 1962 Balagansk in Siberia was created as a new township, being established after the old town was submerged by the construction of the Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station (pictured).
- Patomskiy crater, in Siberia gained the notice of Russian ufologists after a 2010 scientific expedition.
- Christopher Szwernicki was titled "Apostle of Siberia" by Pope Leo XIII.
General topics
- Prehistory of Siberia
- History of Siberia
- Geography of Siberia
- North Asia § Geography
- Demographics of Siberia
- Indigenous peoples of Siberia
- Category:Flora of Siberia – includes flora taxa that are native to Siberia. Taxa of the lowest rank are always included. Higher taxa are included only if endemic.
- Siberia Governorate
- Siberian Republic
- Great Russian Regions
- Trans-Siberian Railway
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Trans-Siberian Railway route map
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