These are some incredible facts about the Pearl of Siberia as most of the people call Lake Baikal, but for some people, these facts are not as important as the feeling of infinite freedom, unity with the wildlife and contemplation of the eternal realm of primeval wisdom that can be found while traveling across Lake Baikal.
The longest river in Siberia, and in the whole Russia, is the Yenisei-Angara-Selenge River system , which is 5, km long. According to the legend, Angara is a daughter of Lake Baikal. One day Angara run away to her boyfriend — Yenisei. Her father became so angry that he hit her with a rock, she stumbled and fell. Angara asked for forgiveness but her father said, she would only get his tears.
Novosibirsk is also the fastest growing city in the world, and for sure one of the places to visit in Russia. Most Siberians are Russians and Russified Ukrainians.
Apart from them, about one-twentieth of the population consists of aboriginal groups. The largest indigenous group in Siberia are the Buryats, mainly concentrated in their homeland, the Buryat Republic. Siberia is a hotspot for biodiversity and wildlife! Numerous species live there, and unfortunately, many are endangered ones, including tigers, leopards, bears, eagles, sheep, salmon. You have probably heard all these words before — katorga, ssylka and Gulag are terms associated with exile and forced labor camps in the Soviet Russia, many located in Siberia.
Gulag was the governmental agency, which administrated the Soviet forced labor camps, and was the main instrument of political repression in the USSR.
Katorga was forced labor or penal servitude, the harshest punishment, usually with a sentence of a decade or more, which often meant death. Ssylka exile involved different types of banishment, for example it required the victim to live in one of the towns in Siberia under police control. It is the longest railway line in the world, connecting Moscow with the easternmost points of Russia and the Sea of Japan.
The journey from Moscow to Vladivostok takes one week. The Trans-Siberian Railway is, until today, one of the most convenient and most reliable means of transportation in the region. Read more about one of the most scenic railway rides in the world in our Essential guide for Trans-Siberian Railway trip. Siberia occupies a huge territory, which includes almost every kind of habitat found in the northern latitudes with a wide variety of climatic conditions and geographic landscapes.
Which means — there are countless reasons to come and countless things to do there! Siberia is great for nature and active tourism. You can do mountain climbing in Altay Mountains, rock climbing in Stolby, volcano climbing in the Kuril Islands or Kamchatka, wildlife tracking in national reserves or hiking across the frozen waters of Baikal. Learning from Siberian life directly from Buryats , discovering shamanism, spending cold evenings in Russian banya sauna and tasting local delicious food will also make your stay unforgettable!
Want to explore Siberia? Find yourself in a Siberian village located km away from the magnificent lake Baikal without leaving home on an online tour! We invite you on a trip following the life of Leo Tolstoy by exploring his cradle and alma mater — Yasnaya Polyana. Discover the rural life of Central Russia! Find numerous CO2 bubbles, skate on the largest ice rink in the world, enjoy bizarre ice forms, and more.
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Where is Siberia? How big is Siberia? How many people live in Siberia? Since when is Siberia part of Russia? What is the weather in Siberia like? What is the highest point in Siberia? The total area of Siberia is about 13,, sq. All but the extreme southwest of the region belongs to Russia. The remainder belongs to the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan. To the south of Siberia are Kazakhstan, Mongolia , and China. There are several islands that are also considered part of the region of Siberia.
One of the largest is the island of Sakhalin, which lies very close to the Siberian mainland in the aforementioned Sea of Okhotsk. To the immediate south of this island is Hokkaido, the northernmost island of the Japanese mainland.
In addition, a chain of islands known as the Kuril Islands , situated between Hokkaido and the Kamchatka Peninsula , is also considered part of Siberia, as are the islands in the Kara Sea and East Siberian Sea.
Siberia contains four distinct geographical regions. It is a relatively flat region containing large areas of swampland. The basin of the Lena River separates Central Siberia from Northeastern Siberia, which contains a number of mountain ranges, upland massifs, and intervening basins.
The smallest region of Siberia is what is known as the Baikal area, which is an area surrounding Lake Baikal in the south-central area of the region. In terms of political geography, Siberia is divided into two federal districts, the Siberian Federal District in the west and the Far Eastern Federal District in the east.
These federal districts are further divided into other subnational jurisdictions. Some of these jurisdictions are known as republics , which are somewhat equivalent to US states. These republics largely correspond to the territory of a particular ethnic group. Siberia is very multiethnic and multicultural. People of Russian origin make up the bulk of the population in the region.
They live mostly in the large cities close to the borders with Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China. However, there are also several non-Russian ethnic groups living in Siberia, some of which are indigenous to the area. People of other linguistic groups in Siberia include the Buryats of Buryatia, who are related to the Mongols, as well as other, smaller groups.
The most populous city in Siberia is called Novosibirsk, which is situated on the banks of the Ob River. It contains more than 1. The city of Omsk, which has a population of more than 1.
It has long been an important Russian naval port. It is not known where the first people to live in Siberia came from.
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