The Republic of Khakassia has been since 3rd of July 1991 "an independent part of the Russian Federation." The head of the government is Alexey Lebed, the younger brother of the well-known governor of Siberia Alexander Lebed. The republic is divided in 8 different districts (rayons).
The size of Khakassia is 61,876 sqkm. The climate, vegetation, animal species are found according to the geographical circumstances:
a) In the East, around Abakan, 26.4% of the country is dry steppe with mountains up to 700 m and a precipitation of max. 400 mm per year. Here are the burial mounds which are so typical of Khakassia.
b) Ring-shaped adjoining areas of 8.4% of lower forest and 18.5% of taiga has mountains up to 1200 m and a rainfall of 800 mm/yr.
c) The next ring describes the largest area of 35.6%. It is forest where the mountains are up to 2000 m and where the rainfall can be up to 1000 mm/yr.
d) Only in the South, bordering to Altai and Tuva, there is the high mountain range where the precipitation is more than 1,5 mtr per year and where the highest mountain of Khakassia, the Karatosh (2930 m) is located.
The average highest temperature for the summer given is 22°C and the absolute highest temperature measured was 36°C. Likewise the average lowest temperature for the winter is about
-20°C and the absolute lowest -51°C.
Khakassia has over 500 lakes, a few of which are salt water lakes with healthful waters (155gr/ltr). Therefore, Khakassia has several health resorts of which Lake Shira is the famous one. It is said that a lot of illnesses can be treated there.
In the latest magazine of the republic they say that the economic figures and the social progress would place Khakassia in the category "A" of financially stable areas in Russia (which only 13 of 98 regions would have).
Among the mineral resources in Khakassia molybdenum is emphasised and they produce about 85% of what Russia produces. Further the processing of aluminium very significant, it is said to be the number two producer in Russia. Other mineral resources mentioned are coal, marble, granite and gold. Half of the Khakass industry is thought to be processing of non-ferrous metals.
Khakassia also possesses the biggest hydroelectric power plant of Russia which dams up the Yenesey river 100 km South of Abakan.
Also stockbreeding is traditional in Khakassia. The figures of 1995 show that 15% of the republic is pastureland. 2/3 of the stock raising is sheep and goat farming, the remaining being pig and chicken farming. Someone told me that, at least in the past, Khakassia has been famous for the preserving of meat in tins.
Another eighth of the republic is arable land. Khakassia has large areas of cornfields, fodder fields as well as vegetables growing.
The transportation network in Khakassia are good: Abakan has two railway lines connectintg it to the TrasSibirian Railway. Trains go between Krasnoyarsk and Abakan three times a day. They take either 12 hrs. (500 Rub./Kupe) or 17 hrs. (270 Rub./Kupe). The bus connection is much faster and a car or minibus can take you either way for 500 Rub. in 5 hrs. In addition, a railway line goes westwards and connects Abakan with Novokusnezk in the Kermerobskaya Oblast. Within Khakassia there are view railway lines which branch off from the main lines but then not more than 50 km into the land. The trip to Askis by elektritshka takes 2,25 hrs, but it can be done in one hr by car for 60 Rub./seat.
The road network is not very large but good. The M-54 from Krasnoyarsk to Kysil (Tuva) cuts through the East of Khakassia and goes through Abakan. Another connection leads from Abasa into the Southwest of Tuva. Several minor roads cross the republic, so that virtually only the Southwest of Khakassia, the high mountain region, actually remains unreached.
Abakan has an airport. From there they fly on Fridays to Kysil and Novosibirsk, to Vladivostok on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, Moskow nearly daily, and Norilsk on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There is no flight going to Krasnoyarsk!!
There is an Internet provider in Abakan and I heard that it is working fine. But there is no cell-phone company in Abakan.
The hotel "Abakan" is on Prospekta Lenina. It offers a double bedroom for 125 Rub. plus 40 Rub. for breakfast and person. Single bedroom costs 71 Rub. plus breakfast accordingly.
Conclusions: According to my observation, Khakassia appears to be relatively orderly place. The capital, Abakan, is friendly and tidy, new street situations relax the picture, the best public transportation I have ever seen in Russia were there, prices for groceries and other products were as low as in Krasnodar and the choice of foreign products was also similar. To rent an apartment seems to be even cheaper than in Krasnodar: 3000Rub./Month for 3 rooms. Pavel made the comment: with the city Abakan and its opportunities God has already provided everything for a good basis ...