The Book about Nature of Khakassia

The Republic of Khakassia is a federal subject of Russia. Its capital city is Abakan, which is also the largest city in the republic. The republic’s population is 532,4 thousand people.

The republic is located in the southwestern part of Eastern Siberia of The Russian Federation. It stretches for 460 kilometers from north to south and for 200 kilometers from east to west. Mountains cover two thirds of the republic’s territory and serve as the natural boundaries of the republic.

One of the most famous nature sight of Khakassia are the Sayan Mountains.

The Sayan Mountains are a mountain range in southern Siberia, Russia. In the past, it served as the border between Mongolia and Russia.

Moreover, Ergaki is a mountain range in the Western Sayan Mountains in southern Siberia, Russia. Ergaki is also the name of natural park, which contains the mountain range.

The highest point is peak Zvyozdniy (Starry), (2265 meters).

The Hanging Rock, Western Sayan, Ergaki mountains

Lake of mountain spirits Western Sayan, Ergaki mountains

Borus – a mountain range in the south part of the Western Sayan. It is located on the bank of the Yenisei. It is part of the national park “Shushensky Bor”. The maximum height of the ridge is 2318 m. One of the habitable place for camping is The Ryabinoviy waterfall.

One of the exciting sights of the nature of Khakassia is The Chest.It is an array of five separate mountain with a height of 200 m, a combination of mounds, rock paintings and special constructions, which according to archeologists were used by ancient people for observing the stars, sun and moon.
Chain stretches 4.5 kilometers from North to South and consists of five main forts, but it’s name the Chests got from the northernmost mountain — Chest, on top of which there is a rock in the form of a cube, similar to the outline of the chest.

The Yenisei is the largest river in the republic. Other significant rivers include the Abakan, the Tom, the Bely (White) Iyus and the Cherny (Black) Iyus. There are over three hundred lakes in the republic, both salt- and fresh-water. One of them is Lake Tus which is more salty than The Dead Sea.

The Yenisei river 

Lake Tus

Also, there is Balankul (“Losiny(deer) Lake”) – a lake in the under-water zone of the Askiz region of the Republic. In the old days this lake was considered sacred by the Khakass. According to popular belief, mountain spirits lived here, to which all passing by brought sacrifices, coaxing them.

Bele is a lake in the northern part of Khakassia, in the Shira district. The lake is of tectonic origin and has not been fully investigated to the present. Bele is the largest mineral reservoir throughout Eastern Siberia. The water in the lake is close in composition to the sea.

Bely Iyus river

Climate is sharp-continental, with the average annual winter temperature is -18°C, and summer’s is 24°C. Natural resources are abundant and include coal, iron, gold, silver, oil, and natural gas. Molybdenum and coal deposits are the largest in Russia. Forests cover the south and the west of the republic. Another sight is technogenic fault named The Tuim Fault was formed at the site of an underground mine. And it has a great popularity among the tourists. 

By the way, there are different species of trees in the Khakassian forests. For example, there are a lot of birch, fir-tree, pine-tree, the siberian pine and also there are many bushes.

The Khakass Nature Reserve 

Besides, most of the territory of Khakassia are the steppes where are located places of burial of the ancestors of the Khakas people.

A megalith near the village of Safronov, Khakassia

Also, there are many caves in the Republic. For example, there is a Borodino cave which is located in Bograd district of the territory of Khakassia. It has environmental and scientific importance. 

The end