Komi Republic

Komi Republic Республика Коми (Russian) Коми Республика (Komi)
—  Republic  —
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: State Anthem of the Komi Republic[1]
Coordinates: 64°17′N 54°28′E / 64.283°N 54.467°E / 64.283; 54.467Coordinates: 64°17′N 54°28′E / 64.283°N 54.467°E / 64.283; 54.467
Political status
Country	Russia
Federal district	Northwestern[2]
Economic region	Northern[3]
Established	December 5, 1936[4]
Capital	Syktyvkar
Government (as of January 2014)
• Head[5]	Sergey Gaplikov[6]
• Legislature	State Council[5]
Statistics
Area (as of the 2002 Census)[7]
• Total	415,900 km2 (160,600 sq mi)
Area rank	13th
Population (2010 Census)[8]
• Total	901,189
• Rank	58th
• Density[9]	2.17/km2 (5.6/sq mi)
• Urban	76.9%
• Rural	23.1%
Population (January 2013 est.)
• Total	880,639[10]
Time zone(s)	MSK (UTC+03:00)[11]
ISO 3166-2	RU-KO
License plates	11
Official languages	Russian;[12] Komi[13]
Official website

The Komi Republic (Russian: Респу́блика Ко́ми, Respublika Komi; Komi: Коми Республика, Komi Respublika) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). Its capital is the city of Syktyvkar. Population: 901,189 (2010 Census).^[8]

Geography

The republic is situated to the west of the Ural mountains, in the north-east of the East European Plain. Forests cover over 70% of the territory and swamps cover approximately 15%.

• Area: 415,900 square kilometers (160,600 sq mi)
• Borders (all internal): Nenets (NW/N), Yamalo-Nenets (NE/E), Khanty–Mansi (E), Sverdlovsk (SE), Perm Krai (S), Kirov (S/SW), and Arkhangelsk (W).
• Highest point: Mount Narodnaya (1,894 m)
• Maximum N→S distance: 785 kilometers (488 mi)
• Maximum E→W distance: 695 kilometers (432 mi)

Rivers

Major rivers include:

• Izhma River
• Mezen River
• Pechora River
• Sysola River
• Usa River
• Vashka River
• Vychegda River
• Vym River

Lakes

There are many lakes in the republic. Major lakes include:

• Sindorskoye Lake
• Yam-Ozero Lake

Natural resources

The Vym River, Komi Republic, Russia

The republic's natural resources include coal, oil, natural gas, gold, diamonds and timber. Native reindeer are in abundance, and have been intentionally bred for human usage by the indigenous population.

Around 32,800 km² of mostly boreal forest (as well as some alpine tundra and meadows) in the Republic's Northern Ural Mountains have been recognized in 1995 as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Virgin Komi Forests. It is the first natural UNESCO World Heritage site in Russia and the largest expanse of virgin forests in Europe. The site includes two pre-existing protected areas: Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve (created in 1930) and Yugyd Va National Park (created in 1994).

Climate

Winters in the republic are long and cold, and the summers, while short, are quite warm.

• Average January temperature: −17 °C (1 °F) (southern parts) to −20 °C (−4 °F) (northern parts)
• Average July temperature: 11 °C (52 °F) (northern parts) to 15 °C (59 °F) (southern parts)
• Lowest recorded temperature: −58.1 °C (−72.6 °F) (village of Ust-Shchuger)
• Average annual precipitation: 625 mm (24.6 in)

Manpupuner and the 7 Strong Men rock formations

Deemed one of the Seven Wonders of Russia, Komi Republic is home to Manpupuner (Man-Pupu-Nyer), a mysterious site in the northern Ural mountains, in the Troitsko-Pechorsky District, made out of seven rock towers bursting out of the flat plateau known as the "7 Strong Men." Manpupuner is a very popular attraction in Russia, but not on an international level. Information regarding its origin is scarce. We know however that their height and abnormal shapes make the top of these rock giants inaccessible even to experienced rock-climbers.

Administrative divisions

History

Map of the Komi Republic

The Komi first appear in the records of the Novgorod Republic in the 12th century, when Novgorodian (East Slavic) traders travelled to the Perm region in search of furs and animal hides. The Komi territories came under the influence of Muscovy in the late Middle Ages (late 15th to early 16th centuries). The site of Syktyvkar has been settled since the 16th century. It was known as Sysolskoye (Сысольскoe). In 1780, under Catherine the Great, it was renamed to Ust-Sysolsk (Усть-Сысольск) and used as a penal colony.

Starting from the expedition led by Alexander von Keyserling in 1843, the Komi territory was most extensively explored in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries by the Russians, who found ample reservoirs of various minerals, as well as timber, to exploit. After the founding of the Soviet Union, the Komi-Zyryan Autonomous Oblast was established on August 22, 1921,^[14] and on December 5, 1936, it was reorganized into the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic with its administrative center located at the town of Syktyvkar.

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 first mine, "Rudnik No. 1," became the city of Vorkuta, and the other towns of the region have similar origins: "Prisoners planned and built all of the republic's major cities, not just Ukhta but also Syktyvkar, Pechora, Vorkuta, and Inta. Prisoners built Komi's railways and roads, as well as its original industrial infrastructure."^[15]

Demographics

Population

Population: 901,189 (2010 Census);^[8] 1,018,674 (2002 Census);^[16] 1,261,024 (1989 Census).^[17]

Vital statistics

Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service

Regional vital statistics for 2011

Source:^[18]

District	Birth Rate	Death Rate	Natural Growth Rate	Whites as % of Pop	Native Komi and Nenets as % of Pop
Komi Republic	13.0	12.4	0.06%	96.05%	3.95%
Syktyvkar	12.5	10.2	0.23%	97.61%	2.39%
Vorkuta	11.8	9.7	0.21%	92.33%	7.67%
Vuktyl	11.2	12.6	-0.14%	95.27%	4.73%
Inta	11.1	12.6	-0.15%	95.40%	4.60%
Pechora	13.0	13.6	-0.06%	96.89%	3.11%
Sosnogorsk	12.6	14.4	-0.18%	97.02%	2.98%
Usinsk	14.7	9.0	0.57%	86.04%	13.96%
Ukhta	11.0	10.7	0.03%	96.20%	3.80%
Izhemsky	19.1	18.8	0.03%	99.62%	0.38%
Knyazhpogostsky	11.6	15.9	-0.43%	95.50%	4.50%
Koygorodsky	16.2	18.3	-0.21%	97.89%	2.11%
Kortkerossky	16.9	18.6	-0.17%	98.86%	1.14%
Priluzsky	15.6	18.4	-0.28%	98.98%	1.02%
Syktyvdinsky	17.3	13.3	0.40%	98.11%	1.89%
Sysolsky	16.4	17.6	-0.12%	98.37%	1.63%
Troitsko-Pechorsky	14.0	17.9	-0.39%	97.80%	2.20%
Udorsky	15.6	13.1	0.25%	95.33%	4.67%
Ust-Vymsky	12.0	15.8	-0.38%	96.48%	3.52%
Ust-Kulomsky	19.2	18.9	0.03%	98.96%	1.04%
Ust-Tsilemsky	16.1	15.4	0.07%	99.62%	0.38%

Ethnic groups

According to the 2010 Census,^[8] ethnic Russians make up 65.1% of the republic's population, while the ethnic Komi are only 23.7%. Other groups include Ukrainians (4.2%), Tatars (1.3%), Belarusians (1%), Ethnic Germans (0.6%), Chuvash (0.6%), Azeris (0.6%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.

Religion

Religion in Komi (2012)^[20][21]

  Russian Orthodox (30.2%)

  Unaffiliated Christian (4%)

  Muslim (1%)

  Rodnover and Komi folk religion (1%)

  Other Orthodox (1%)

  Old Believers (1%)

  Roman Catholic (0.4%)

  Spiritual but not religious (41%)

  Atheist (14%)

  Other or undeclared (6.4%)

According to a 2012 official survey^[20] 30.2% of the population of Komi adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 4% are unaffiliated generic Christians, 1% are Rodnovers or Komi native religious believers, 1% are Muslims, 1% are Orthodox Christians not belonging to churches or members of non-Russian Orthodox churches, 1% are Old Believers, and 0.4% are members of the Catholic Church. In addition, 41% of the population declared to be "spiritual but not religious", 14% is atheist, and 6.4% follows other religions or failed to answer the question.^[20]

Politics

The head of government in the Komi Republic is the Head of the Republic. As of 2010, the head of the republic is Vyacheslav Gayzer.

The State Council is the legislature.

Economy

The Komi Republic's major industries include oil processing, timber, woodworking, natural gas and electric power industries. Major industrial centers are Syktyvkar, Inta, Pechora, Sosnogorsk, Ukhta, and Vorkuta.

Natural gas transportation and distribution is conducted by Komigaz.

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.

Education

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.

Sports

Stroitel used to play in Russian Bandy Super League for a long time. Now the team plays in Russian Bandy Supreme League, the second highest division. In 2016 the authorities presented a five-year plan to develop bandy in the republic.

See also

• Music of the Komi Republic
• Komi-Permyak Okrug
• Komi mythology
• Udoria
• Extreme points of Europe
• Valery Leontiev

References

Notes

Sources

• 17 февраля 1994 г. «Конституция Республики Коми», в ред. Закона №67-РЗ от 23 октября 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Конституцию Республики Коми». Вступил в силу 10 марта 1994 г. (за исключением отдельных положений). Опубликован: "Красное знамя", №45, 10 марта 1994 г. (February 17, 1994 Constitution of the Komi Republic, as amended by the Law #67-RZ of October 23, 2015 On Amending the Constitution of the Komi Republic. Effective as of March 10, 1994 (with the exception of several clauses).).
• Государственный Совет Республики Коми. Закон №XII-20/5 от 6 июня 1994 г. «О государственном гимне Республики Коми», в ред. Закона №44-РЗ от 4 июля 2006 г «О внесении изменений и дополнения в Закон Республики Коми "О Государственном гимне Республики Коми"». Вступил в силу 11 июня 1994 г. (за исключением отдельных положений). Опубликован: "Красное Знамя", №109, 11 июня 1994 г. (State Council of the Komi Republic. Law #XII-20/5 of June 6, 1994 On the State Anthem of the Komi Republic, as amended by the Law #44-RZ of July 4, 2006 On Amending and Supplementing the Law of the Komi Republic "On the State Anthem of the Komi Republic". Effective as of June 11, 1994 (with the exception of certain clauses).).
• "Коми АССР. Административно-территориальное деление на 1 июля 1968 г." Коми книжное издательство. Сыктывкар, 1968. (Komi ASSR. Administrative-Territorial Structure as of July 1, 1968)

Further reading

• Pearson, M., Ojanen, P., Havimo, M., Kuuluvainen, T. & Vasander, H. (eds.) 2007. On the European Edge — Journey through Komi Nature and Culture. University of Helsinki Department of Forest Ecology Publications 36. 216 p. ISBN 978-952-10-3898-3.
• Strogoff, M., Brochet, P. & Auzias, D. 2005. Guidebook Komi Republic. Avant-Garde Publishers, Moscow. 176. p. ISBN 5-86394-255-X.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Komi.

Subdivisions of Russia
Federal subjects Republics Adygea Altai Bashkortostan Buryatia Chechnya Chuvashia Crimea1 Dagestan Ingushetia Kabardino-Balkaria Kalmykia Karachay-Cherkessia Karelia Khakassia Komi Mari El Mordovia North Ossetia-Alania Sakha Tatarstan Tuva Udmurtia Krais Altai Kamchatka Khabarovsk Krasnodar Krasnoyarsk Perm Primorsky Stavropol Zabaykalsky Oblasts Amur Arkhangelsk Astrakhan Belgorod Bryansk Chelyabinsk Irkutsk Ivanovo Kaliningrad Kaluga Kemerovo Kirov Kostroma Kurgan Kursk Leningrad Lipetsk Magadan Moscow Murmansk Nizhny Novgorod Novgorod Novosibirsk Omsk Orenburg Oryol Penza Pskov Rostov Ryazan Sakhalin Samara Saratov Smolensk Sverdlovsk Tambov Tomsk Tula Tver Tyumen Ulyanovsk Vladimir Volgograd Vologda Voronezh Yaroslavl Federal cities Moscow St. Petersburg Sevastopol1 Autonomous oblast Jewish Autonomous okrugs Chukotka Khanty-Mansi2 Nenets3 Yamalo-Nenets2 1Claimed by Ukraine and considered by most of the international community to be part of Ukraine 2Administratively subordinated to Tyumen Oblast 3Administratively subordinated to Arkhangelsk Oblast
Internal additional non-constitutional divisions by different institutions Economic regions (by Ministry of Economic Development) Military districts (by Ministry of Defence) Federal districts (by President) Judicial districts (by law "On arbitration courts")

	Nenets Autonomous Okrug	Nenets Autonomous Okrug and  Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug	Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
	Arkhangelsk Oblast		Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
		Komi
	Kirov Oblast	Kirov Oblast and  Perm Krai	Sverdlovsk Oblast