Krasnoyarsk – Siberian City
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Krasnoyarsk Region and City
Krasnoyarsk is the third largest city in Siberia. Krasnoyarsk lies on the Yenisei River and is an important junction on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
History
The city was founded in July of 1628 as a Russian border fort. A group of service class people led by the Cossack Andrey Dubenskoy arrived to the confluence of the Kacha River with the Yenisei River and constructed fortifications intended to protect the frontier from attacks of native peoples who lived along Yenisei and its tributaries.
Intensive growth of Krasnoyarsk began with the arrival of the Moscow post road in 1735 to 1741 which connected the nearby towns of Achinsk andKansk with Krasnoyarsk and with the rest of Russia. Growth continued with the discovery of gold and the arrival of a railroad in 1895. In 1749, 145 miles south of Krasnojarsk, a meteorite mass of about 700 kg. was found. It was seen by Peter Simon Pallas in 1772 and transported to Krasnoyarsk.
In the 19th century Krasnoyarsk was the center of the Siberian Cossack movement. By the end of the 19th century Krasnoyarsk had several manufacturing facilities, railroad workshops and an engine-house. In the Russian Empire, Krasnoyarsk was one of the places to which political exiles were banished. During the epoch of Stalinism, Krasnoyarsk was a major center of the Gulag system. The most important labor camp was the Kraslag or Krasnoyarsky ITL with the two units located in Kansk and Reshyoty. In the city of Krasnoyarsk itself, the Yeniseylag or Yeniseysky ITL labor camp was prominent as well during World War II.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and beginning of the privatization many large plants and factories, such as the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Plant, many became owned by alleged criminal authorities and oligarchs while others were declared bankrupt. The economic transition resulted in a dramatic raise in unemployment and numerous strikes.
Geography
The total area of the city, including suburbs and the river, is 172 square kilometers (66.4 sq mi). The Yenisei River flows from west to east through the city. Due to the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric dam 32 kilometers (20 mi) upstream, the Yenisei never freezes in winter and never exceeds 14 °C (57.2 °F) in summer through the city. Near the city center, its altitude is 136 meters (446 ft) above sea level. There are several islands in the river, the largest of which are Tatyshev and Otdyha Isles, used mainly for recreation.
To the south and west, Krasnoyarsk is surrounded by forested hills averaging 410 meters (1,345 ft) in height above river level. Further south are the gigantic rock cliffs of the Stolby Nature Reserve rising from the surrounding hills. The western hills form the Gremyachinskaya Griva crest, starting with the Nikolayevskaya Sopka hill (notable for its ski jumping tracks).
Population
The population of Krasnoyarsk includes a number of peoples, the most numerous are Russians, Ukrainians, Tatars, Germans, and Belarusians. Lately the number of Tajiks, Uzbeks and other Central Asian and Caucasian peoples has grown extensively because of vast, often illegal immigration in search for work. Another populous immigrant group is the Chinese who, unlike other foreign workers, are employed in much more lucrative areas and often form business partnerships with local companies.
Education
Next to Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk is a very prominent scientific and educational center of Siberia, with over 30 higher education facilities, many of which are the branches of the Russian Academy of Science, and about 200 high schools. Like Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk has a special city district called Akademgorodok (Academic Townin Russian) where several educational institutes are located. Krasnoyarsk’s Institute of Biophysicsis known for a 1973–1985 experiment on ecological isolation of human beings (the “Bios Experiment”).
Sports
Krasnoyarsk is considered a stronghold of the rugby union in Russia. Two Krasnoyarsk clubs, Krasny Yar and Enisei-STM, participate in the national Professional Rugby League. Matches are covered by local media, and the intra-city derby match between Krasny Yar and Enisei-STM can attract large crowds. Many players of the Russian national rugby team hail from the area.
Text source: Wikipedia – 2009, waytorussia.net
