The Tyva Republic is a federal subject of Russia (a republic).
The Republic is situated in the far south of Siberia. Its capital city of Kyzyl is located near the geographic "center of Asia". The eastern part of the republic is forested and elevated, and the west is a drier lowland.
* Borders:
o internal: Republic of Khakassia (NW/N), Krasnoyarsk Krai (N), Irkutsk Oblast (N/NE), Buryat Republic (E), Altai Republic (SW/W)
o international: Mongolia (S) (border line length: 1,305 km (811 mi)
* Highest point: Mount Mongun-Tayga, 3,970 m (13,020 ft)
* Maximum N->S distance: 450 km (280 mi)
* Maximum E->W distance: over 700 km (430 mi)
* Area: 170,427 km2., 65,830 sq.ml. (2 x Austria or 1 x Florida)
Biosphere reserve
* Ubsunur Hollow is a biosphere reserve, an environmentally protected zone and a top attraction.
Time zone
Tuva is located in the Krasnoyarsk Time Zone (KRAT/KRAST). UTC offset is +0700 (KRAT)/+0800 (KRAST).
Rivers
There are over 9,000 rivers in the republic. The area includes the upper course of the Yenisei River, the fifth longest river in the world. Most of the republic's rivers are Yenisei tributaries. There are also numerous mineral springs in the area.
Major rivers include:
* Bolshoy Yenisei River (also called Ulug-Khem)
* Kantegir River
* Khemchik River
* Maly Yenisei River (also called Ka-Khem or Kaa-Khem)
* Upper Yenisei River (also called Biy-Khem or Bii-Khem)
Lakes
There are over 9,000 lakes on the republic's territory, many of which are glacial and salt lakes. Major lakes include:
* Todzha Lake, a.k.a. Azas Lake (100 km²)—the largest in the republic
* Uvs Nuur - shared with Mongolia and a World Heritage Site
* Kadysh Lake
* Many-Khol Lake
Mountains
The area of the republic is a mountain basin, ca. 600 m high, encircled by the Sayan and Tannu-Ola ranges. Mountains and hills cover over 80% of the republic's territory. Mount Mongun-Tayga 'Silver Mountain' (3,970 m) is the highest point in Siberia and is named from its glacier.
Natural resources
Major natural mineral resources of Tuva include coal, iron ore, gold, and cobalt. Asbestos was formerly important. Wildlife is varied: wolves and bears, snow leopards, ground squirrels, flying foxes, eagles, and fish - some very large.
Climate
* Average January temperature: −32 °C (−25.6 °F)
* Average July temperature: +18 °C (64.4 °F)
* Average annual precipitation: 150 mm (6 in) (plains) to 1,000 mm (39 in) (mountains)
* Much of the country is affected by permafrost
Transportation
Tuva has as yet no railway - although (in)famous postage stamps, designed in Moscow during the time of Tuvan independence, mistakenly depict locomotives as demonstrating Soviet-inspired progress there.
There are three roads leading to Tuva, a dirt track over the mountains from Khakassia to Ak Dovurak, and an asphalt road over the passes between Khakassia (Abakan) and Kyzyl: both of these are cut off by snowfall and avalanches from time to time in winter. The third road goes south, turning into a track before entering Mongolia. The only external bus and taxi services are between Khakassia (Abakan) and Kyzyl.
Kyzyl has both large public buses and private minibus services, and buses and taxis also connect Kyzyl with the larger settlements.
Passenger ferries ply the Greater Yenisei (Bii-Khem) between Kyzyl and Toora-Khem in Todzha (Upper Tuva) when there is neither too little nor too much water over the rapids.
There is a small airfield in Kyzyl with intermittent flights.
Miscellaneous
* In the 1920s and 1930s, postage stamps from Tuva were issued. Many philatelists, including the physicist Richard Feynman, have been fascinated with Tuva because of these stamps. The stamps were issued mainly during the brief period of Tuvan independence, and had many philatelists in a furor, as they did not conform to philatelic standards. Feynman's efforts to reach Tuva are chronicled in the book Tuva or Bust! and the video The Quest For Tannu Tuva: Richard Feynman - The Last Journey of a Genius (1988) which can be viewed online through Google Video.
* Tuva was featured prominently in the award-winning documentary Genghis Blues.
* United Nations Human Development Index: Russian Federation - Republic of Tyva, rank: 79/79.
* Tuvan stamps are mentioned in a line of Gregory Corso's poem Marriage.
* Tuvan Sergey Shoygu, Russia's Minister for Emergency Situations since 1994, is Russia's longest-serving minister, and a leader of Russia's governing party 'Unity'.
* Tuvans make wishes each morning, sprinkling milk on the ground, to the north, south, east and west, with a special wooden spoon with nine small hollows for the various milk products made.
* According to Ilya Zakharov of Moscow's Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, genetic evidence suggests that the modern Tuvan people are the closest genetic relatives to the native peoples of North and South America.[21]
* Some Tuvans, even near Kyzyl, still live in traditional yurts, round, demountable and portable dwellings with sectional lath trellis walls, decorated pole roofs and covered with white felt and canvas, with colourful cloth lining. There is a central smoke-hole above the hearth or stove. It is used to tell the time as the sunlight moves around inside the yurt. The interior is arranged with the man's side to the left, the woman's to the right of the door facing East, with the altar cupboard facing that.
* Tuvans, as traditional nomads, knew no fixed national borders, which has led to small numbers being in areas outside the present Republic's boundaries, including as follows.
o China - Xinjiang: 'Tuwa' by Lake Kanas, Altay Prefecture.
o Russia - Irkutsk Oblast: 'Tofa' adjacent to north-east Tyva; Buryatia: 'Soyot' of the Upper Oka river.
o Mongolia - northern: 'Tsaatan'; north-western: 'Dukha/Duva'; western: 'Tsengel'.
Source: Wikipedia
Photo: sashapo
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