The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia Encyclopedia World Factbook American Heritage Coll. Syktyvkar is the capital. The region is a wooded lowland, stretching across the Pechora and the Vychegda river basins and the upper reaches of the Mezen River. The northern part is permanently frozen, wooded tundra.
Mining is the most important economic activity.
There are major coal fields in the Pechora basin, yielding heating and coking coal. Saint Petersburg receives most of its coal from the region. The Komi, formerly called Zyrians, speak a Finno-Ugric language and adhere to the Russian Orthodox religion. The area belonged to the Novgorod Republic from the 13th cent. The Komi Republic has a 180-member parliament.