CHUKOTKA AUTONOMOUS OKRUG

'Chukotka Autonomous Okrug' (, tr.: ''Chukotsky avtonomny okrug''; Chukchi: Чукоткакэн автономныкэн округ), or 'Chukotka' (Чуко́тка), is a federal subject of Russia (an autonomous okrug) located in the Far Eastern Federal District.
It is the farthest northeast region of Russia, and since the sale of Alaska to the United States is the only region of Russia lying partially in the western geographical hemisphere. It is washed by the Bering Sea, a section of the Pacific Ocean, and the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea, which are part of the Arctic Ocean. Chukotka has an area of 737,700 km² and population of 53,824 (according to 2002 Census), and just over 55,000 in 2004. The principal town and administrative center is Anadyr.
Lake El'gygytgyn, an important site for scientific research on climate change, is located in Chukotka, as is the village of Uelen, the closest substantial Russian settlement to the United States.

Contents

History

Economy

Administrative divisions

Demographics

Roman Abramovich

See also

References

External links

History

Chukotka was formerly an autonomous okrug subsumed within Magadan Oblast, but it declared its separation in 1991; a move that was confirmed by the Russian Constitutional Court in 1993.
Traditionally the home of the native Chukchi people, Siberian Yupiks, Koryaks, Chuvans, Evens/Lamuts, Yukagirs, and Russian Old Settlers, the region was subject to collectivisation and forced settlement during the Soviet era.

Economy

Chukotka has large reserves of oil, natural gas, coal, gold, and tungsten, which are slowly being exploited, but much of the rural population exists on subsistence reindeer herding, hunting, and fishing. The urban population is employed in mining, administration, construction, cultural work, education, medicine, and other occupations.
Elgygytgyn Lake, an important site for scientific research on climate change, is located in Chukotka.

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Administrative divisions of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug

Demographics

''Population'' (2002): 53,824
''Ethnic groups'': Indigenous peoples make up less than one third of the total population. According to the 2002 Census the ‘national composition’ was • Russian 51.86% • Chukchi 23.45% • Ukrainian 9.22% • Eskimo 2.85% • Even 2.61% • Chuvan 1.778% • Tatar 0.99% • Belarusians 0.96% • Yukaghir 0.34% • Chuvash 0.30% • Moldovan 0.24% • Buriat 0.22% • German 0.22% • Bashkir 0.22% • Azeri 0.20% • and a few other groups of less than one hundred persons each. In addition, 2.23% of the inhabitants chose not to specify their ethnic background on the census questionnaire.^[1] Historical figures are given below:

	census 1939	census 1959	census 1970	census 1979	census 1989	census 2002
Chukchis	12,111 (56.2%)	9,975 (21.4%)	11,001 (10.9%)	11,292 (8.1%)	11,914 (7.3%)	12,622 (23.5%)
Chuvans					944 (0.6%)	951 (1.8%)
Eskimos	800 (3.7%)	1,064 (2.3%)	1,149 (1.1%)	1,278 (0.9%)	1,452 (0.9%)	1,534 (2.9%)
Evens	817 (3.8%)	820 (1.8%)	1,061 (1.0%)	969 (0.7%)	1,336 (0.8%)	1,407 (2.6%)
Russians	5,183 (24.1%)	28,318 (60.7%)	70,531 (69.7%)	96,424 (68.9%)	108,297 (66.1%)	27,918 (51.9%)
Ukrainians	571 (2.7%)	3,543 (7.6%)	10,393 (10.3%)	20,122 (14.4%)	27,600 (16.8%)	4,960 (9.2%)
Others	2,055 (9.5%)	2,969 (6.4%)	7,049 (7.0%)	9,859 (7.0%)	12,391 (7.6%)	4,432 (8.2%)

'Vital statistics' (2005)

★ ''Births'': 795 (birth rate 15.7)

★ ''Deaths'': 597 (death rate 11.8)

Roman Abramovich

The governor of Chukotka, business oligarch Roman Abramovich, who is also the owner of Chelsea F.C., has spent over US$1 billion in the region on developing infrastructure and providing direct aid to the inhabitants^[2] since becoming governor in 2000. There are also reports, however, that Chukotka gave Abramovich's company Sibneft tax breaks in excess of US$450 million^[3].

See also

★ Chukchi Peninsula

References

1.
2. What Abramovich may do with his money ''BBC News'', 29 September 2005
3. Abramovich region found bankrupt ''BBC News'', 21 May 2004

External links

★ Official website of Chukotka Autonomous District.

★ Chukotka page with images.