Altai region
The Altai Krai (Altaisky Krai) is a federal subject of Russia in the Siberian Federal District. In the west part the Altai Krai borders on Eastern Kazakhstan, in the north and south – east it borders with Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions, in the south – east part it borders with the Altai republic.
Overview
- The Altai Krai was established on September 28, 1937.
- Region territory: 167.85 thousand km2
- Population: 2.508,5 thousand people.
- Administrative center: Barnaul
- Distance from Barnaul to Moskow: 3400 km
- Urban population: 54%
- Number of historical and architectural monuments: over 5059
Time zone
The Altai Krai is located in the Omsk Time Zone (OMST/OMSST). UTC offset is +6:00 (OMST)/+7:00 (OMSST).
Climate
The climate in the Altai territory is moderate sharply continental and is a result of frequent air mass change that come from the Atlantic, the Arctic, Eastern Siberia and Middle Asia. Average annual temperatures are positive, about 0.5°C - 2.1°Ñ. Average maximum temperatures of July comprise 26°C – 28°C, extreme temperatures come up to 40°C – 41°C. Average minimum temperatures of January are from –20°C till –24°C. The absolute winter minimum is from -50°C till -55°C. The average annual precipitation level varies from 230 up to 600-70 mm.
Natural resources
The Altai territory belongs to two landscape types: West – Siberian Plain and Altai – Sayan Mountains. The mountain part spreads to the plain part in the east and south. Due to the landscape types the climate varies greatly. Almost all landscape areas of Russia are present in the Altai territory - steppe and forest steppe, taiga, mountains and reach river ecosystems.
Minerals and raw materials. Minerals in the Altai territory are presented with complex ore, copper, nickel, cobalt, iron ore, precious metals. Altai is famous for its unique deposits of jasper, porphyry, marble, granite, mineral and drinking water, natural therapeutic muds.
Salt lakes of Altai contain substantial stores of minerals for chemical industry: sodium sulfate, common salt, magnesium sulfate and bromine salt.
Complex ore can be found in 16 deposits with the total balance reserve of 70 million tones. The deposits are close to each other in the area with a well developed infrastructure. Beside basic metals – copper, lead and zinc the ore contains gold, silver, cadmium, bismuth, selenium, thallium, gallium, tellurium, sulphur and other elements (in some deposits barite is present).
The source of iron ore is presented with two well developed deposits with the total reserve of 490 million tones. The deposits are in an inappropriate subsoil stock.
A high prognostic potential of coal (200 million tones of black coal and 600 million tones of brown coal).
Water resources of the Altai territory are presented by surface and subterranean water. The main rivers are: Ob, Biya, Katun, Aley, Charysh. The total surface flow of the rivers comprise 53,5 cubic km. per year. The major waterway of Altai - the Ob river - has length of 493 km. in the Altai territory.
Over 11000 lakes are present in the Altai territory, 230 of them have area over 1 km2.
The Altai territory has one of the biggest sources of mineral water in Russia that has become the basis for resort system. Resort Belokurikha uses springs with sub-thermal low-mineralized low-radon nitrogen-siliceous water.
Forests of the Altai territory have a great environmental and economic value. The total area of forest resources is 4375,1 thousand hectares (26% of the Altai territory). The percentage of forest land in the Altai territory comprises 21%. The dominant trees in the Altai territory forests are coniferous trees - 43,2% (including cedar 1,1%) and small-leaved trees – 56,8%.
Economy
The Altai Territory is favorably located close to major sources of raw materials, has a well-developed infrastructure, especially in the area of heavy industry, and an abundance of natural resources. It is a major industrial and agricultural region of the country.
Investment climate
The Altai territory with its high economic potential and stable developing economy has a high level of investment attractiveness due to the low investment risk, favorable investment climate, openness of information about investment activity in Altai and the support of investment activity by the Altai territory Administration. Altai legislation is aimed at creating conditions for investing money and at minimizing financial risks of investors.
The general level of investment potential in the Altai territory is high. According to the leading rating agency “Expert RA” Altai has been in the 30 investment attractive regions for 10 years. This position was 24 in 2007. The administrative risk level is lower the average (“Expert RA”).
The Altai territory rates in the 20 most attractive tourism investment regions of Russia and takes the second place in Siberian list.
The basic branches and the major products
Industry is the major sector of the Altai territory economy and it comprises the biggest part in the territory budget revenues. About 40% of the gross regional product is provided by 2000 industrial companies of the Altai territory where 400 companies are big and middle.
The major field in the economy development of the Altai territory is mining industry, complex ore mining development.
Mechanical engineering where are issued caterpillar a tractor and ploughs, steam boilers, cargo main cars, diesel engines, trunks, forge–squeezing machines, chisel machine tools, generators for tractors and cars. The significant part is made with production of the enterprises of a defensive complex. The largest enterprises: "Altay tractor factory", "Altay motor factory", “Barnaultrasmash”, "Sibenergomash", "Àltaipressmash", “Altay car-building factory”, "Àltaikoks".
The food-processing industry - processing of grain, meat-dairy production, release alcoholic and soft drinks.
Chemistry and petrochemistry industries are less developed. The basic share in manufacture borrows “Kuchuksky sulphatic combine” in Blagoveshensk, which extracts sulfate of sodium with its partial processing in the sulphurous sodium used in color and light industries.
Energy. Eleven large and middle size companies work in the Altai territory. These companies are engaged in issues of production, transferring and distribution electricity and heating. The main company in Altai is the Barnaul branch of the stock company “Kuzbassenergo”.
There are more than 2000 industrial companies operating in both heavy and light industry. The leading sectors are the power, engineering, chemical and petrochemical, building material, textile, and light industries.
Agriculture. The Altai territory is one of Russia's most important agricultural regions. Today, farmland covers an area of 110,000 sq km, of which 69,220 sq km, or nearly 41% of the total area of the territory, is cropland. The main crops are hard varieties of spring wheat, buckwheat, millet, peas, barley, oats, and potatoes and other vegetables. This is this only region of Siberia where sunflowers, soybeans, sugar beets, and certain kinds of fruit grow.
Livestock farming specializes in meat, milk, wool, and egg production. Altai Territory is a major wool producer and an important base for breeding fine-fleeced pedigreed sheep. The territorial market also offers pedigreed swine, poultry, meat, eggs, honey, and wild products such as deer antlers, furs, and pelts.
Fruit-growing in Altai is made possible by specialists of the internationally known Lisavenko Horticultural Research Institute, which has developed a range of fruit and berry varieties adapted to the climate.
Infrastructure
On the Altai territory the network of railways is developed. Their general extent - 1803 km, and 866 km - tracks of the industrial enterprises. The longest line of the Altai area - Novosibirsk - Barnaul - Semipalatinsk on which are carried out transit transportations of cargoes from east areas of the country to Central Asia. On Southern- Siberian railway there are transit streams of cargoes to the western areas. The largest railway stations: Altay, Barnaul, Biisk, Rubtsovsk, Àleiskaya.
Length of highways of the general using – 15.5 thousand in km. All the regional centers are connected with Barnaul highways with a firm covering. On territory of area there passes federal line M-52.
The Barnaul airport carries out an air communication with 30 cities of other regions of the country and abroad.
The general length of navigable lines is about 650 km. In a zone water-transport service there is a sixth part of territory of area with the population 1 million people. Navigation is developed on the rivers of Ob, Bii, Katun, Chumyshu, Charyshu. The basic category of cargoes is grain, building materials, wood and coal. On the rivers specialized quays and river stations operate.
The Altai territory bank system is represented with 8 independent banks of Altai and 22 branches of credit companies of other regions. Independent credit organizations of Altai belong to middle size and small banks and at the same time they are safe banks with developed business. The Altai territory is attractive for credit companies from other regions. Coming of banks from other regions to Altai stimulates development of free competition, growth of investment into Altai economy, lowering of interest rates, increase of bank services and higher standards of client service. The present system of departments of credit companies makes it possible to provide the whole range of bank services for corporate persons and natural persons.
Communication. The Altai territory is covered by Russian nationwide cellular provider “Megafon”, which is working in GSM 900/1800 standard.
External links
http://www.altairegion22.ru/ - Official website of the Altai Republic