Komi Republic
For other uses, see Komi.The
Komi Republic (;
Komi: Коми Республика) is a
federal subject of
Russia (a
republic). The direct
transliteration of the republic's name is
Respublika Komi.
The republic is located to the west of the
Ural mountains, in the north-east of the
East European Plain.
Forests cover over 70% of the territory of the republic, and
swamps cover approx. 15%. 32,800 km² of
tundra in the Northern Ural mountains are covered by the
Virgin Komi Forests, the first natural
UNESCO World Heritage site in Russia and the largest expanse of virgin forests in
Europe.
Area: 415,900 km².
Borders:
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internal:
Nenetsia (NW/N),
Yamalia (NE/E),
Khantia-Mansia (E),
Sverdlovsk Oblast (SE),
Perm Krai (S),
Kirov Oblast (S/SW),
Arkhangelsk Oblast (W).
Highest point:
Mount Narodnaya (1,894 m)
Maximum N->S distance: 785 km.
Maximum E->W distance: 695 km.
Time zone
The Komi Republic is located in the
Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD).
UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).
Rivers
Major rivers include:
*
Izhma River*
Mezen River*
Pechora River*
Sysola River*
Usa River*
Vashka River*
Vychegda River*
Vym RiverLakes
There are many lakes in the republic. Major lakes include:
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Sindorskoye Lake*
Yam-Ozero LakeNatural Resources
The republic's natural resources include
coal,
oil,
natural gas,
gold,
diamonds, and more.
Climate
Winters in the republic are long and cold, and the summers, while short, are quite warm.
Average January temperature: -17°C (southern parts) to -20°C (northern parts)
Average July temperature: +11°C (northern parts) to +15°C (southern parts)
Average annual precipitation: 625 mm
:
The republic's native inhabitants are the Finnic
Komi, or
Komi-Zyryans, who account for ~25% of the republic's population.
Russians account for 58% of the population.
*
Population: 1,018,674 (2002)
*
Urban: 766,587 (75.3%)
*
Rural: 252,087 (24.7%)
*
Male: 488,316 (47.9%)
*
Female: 530,358 (52.1%)
*
Females per 1000 males: 1,086
*
Average age: 34.5 years
*
Urban: 33.7 years
*
Rural: 36.8 years
*
Male: 32.3 years
*
Female: 36.8 years
*
Number of households: 381,626 (with 992,612 people)
*
Urban: 289,854 (with 749,329 people)
*
Rural: 91,772 (with 243,283 people)
A northernmost portion of European Russia, Komi was an unspoiled land throughout most of history, dwelt in only by nomadic native peoples.
The territory of the republic was most intensely settled in the
19th and in the beginning of the
20th centuries.The
Komi-Zyryan Autonomous Oblast was established on
August 22,
1929, and on
December 5 of the same year it was reorganized into an
Komi-Zyryan ASSR.
Many of the "settlers" who came in the early 20th century were prisoners of the
Gulag who were sent by the hundreds of thousands to perform forced labor in the Arctic regions of the USSR. Towns sprang up around labor-camp sites, which were initially carved out of the untouched
tundra and
taiga by gangs of prisoners.
The Komi Republic in its modern form was established on
May 26,
1992.
The head of government in Komi Republic is the Head of the Republic.
As of 2004, the head of the republic is
Vladimir Alexandrovich Torlopov, who was elected in December of
2001.
Komi Republic's major industries include oil processing, timber, woodworking, and electric power industries. Major industrial centers are
Syktyvkar,
Inta,
Pechora,
Sosnogorsk,
Ukhta, and
Vorkuta.
Transportation
Railroad transportation is very well developed. The most important railroad line is
Kotlas-
Vorkuta-
Salekhard, which is used to ship most goods in and out of the republic. The rivers
Vychegda and
Pechora are navigable. There are airports in
Syktyvkar,
Ukhta, and Vorkuta.
In
1997, total railroad trackage was 1,708 km, automobile roads—4,677 km.
There are over 450 secondary schools in the republic (with ~180,000 students). The most important higher education facilities include
Syktyvkar State University and
Ukhta State Technical University.
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Music of the Komi Republic*
Permyakia*
Udoria*
Official site of the Republic of Komi.
*
Official site of the Syktyvkar State University).
*
Official site of the Syktyvkar State University).
*
Official site of the Ukhta State Technical University.
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Snowboarding in Komi Republic.
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Map of the Komi Republic.
