Altai Republic

The **Altai Republic** (; Altai: , _Altay Respublika_; , , ), also known as **Gorno-Altai Republic**, is a republic of Russia. It is in southern Siberia and is a part of the Siberian Federal District. It has an area of . It has a population of 210,924 people. It is the least-populous republic of Russia and least-populous federal subject in the Siberian Federal District. Gorno-Altaysk is the capital and the largest town of the republic.

The Altai Republic is one of Russia's ethnic republics. It mainly represents the indigenous Altai people. The Altai are a Turkic ethnic group that make up 37% of the republic's population, while ethnic Russians form a majority at 54%, and with minority populations of Kazakhs, other Central Asian ethnicities, and Germans. The official languages of the Altai Republic are Russian and Altai. Kazakh is official in areas where it is spoken more.

## History

The Xiongnu Empire (209 BC – AD 93) owned the territory of the modern Altai Republic. The area was part of the First Turkic Khaganate, the Uyghur Empire, and the Yeniseian Kyrgyzs. This time was the time when Turkic cultures and languages became most common.

The southern part of the Altai Republic came under the Naiman Khanate. The territory of the modern Altai Republic has been ruled by the Mongolic Xianbei state (93–234), Rouran Khaganate (330–555), Mongol Empire (1206–1368), Golden Horde (1240–1502), Zunghar Khanate (1634–1758) and Qing Empire (1757–1864).

The entire Altan Nuur Uriankhai region was annexed into the Russian Empire in 1864–1867 by the Treaty of Tarbagatai. During the Russian Civil War, the Confederated Republic of Altai (Karakorum-Altai Region) was created in 1918. It claimed to be the first step to rebuilding Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire. But it never became a competing force in the Russian Civil War. It stayed neutral from 1918 until January 1920, when it was taken back by Russia. A second Altai Republic was formed in 1921 and lasted until 1922 when they were annexed by the Bolsheviks.

On June 1, 1922, the Oyrot Autonomous Oblast () was created in Altai Krai. This gave the Altai people more autonomy again. The original name for this region was Bazla. On January 7, 1948, it was renamed Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast (). In 1991 it was turned into the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR). In 1992 it was renamed to the Altai Republic.

## Geography

The Altai Republic is in the Altai Mountains. It is at the junction of the Siberian taiga, the Kazakh steppes, and the Mongolian semi-deserts. Forests cover about 25% of the republic. The highest point in the Altai Republic is Belukha Mountain, which stands at 4,506 m (14,783 ft) tall.

The Altai Republic borders Kemerovo Oblast to the north, Khakassia to the northeast, Tuva to the east, Altai Krai to the west/northwest, Mongolia (Bayan-Ölgii Province) to the southeast, China (Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang) to the south, and Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region) to the south/southwest.

### Climate

The republic has a temperate continental climate. It has short and mild summers (June–August) and long, cold, and often quite frosty winters (November–March).

In general, the republic's climate of the southeastern areas, such as the (Ulagansky and Kosh-Agachsky Districts), is harsher than the climate of the less elevated northern areas.

- _Average annual temperature_: +1 °C to −6.7 °C.
- _January temperature range_: -9.2 °C to −31 °C.
- _July temperature range_: +11 °C to +19 °C.
- _Average annual precipitation_: 100–1000 mm.

## Administrative divisions

The Altai Republic is administratively divided into ten districts and Gorno-Altaysk Urban Okrug. The districts are further divided into ninety-two rural settlements.

## Demographics

**Population**:

### Ethnic groups

According to the 2021 Census, ethnic Russians make up 53.7% of the republic's population. The indigenous Altai people make up 37.0%. Other groups include Kazakhs (6.4%), and several smaller groups.
|rowspan="2"|Ethnic group|colspan="2"|1926 Census|colspan="2"|1939 Census|colspan="2"|1959 Census|colspan="2"|1970 Census|colspan="2"|1979 Census|colspan="2"|1989 Census|colspan="2"|2002 Census|colspan="2"|2010 Census|colspan="2"|2021 Census|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|style="text-align:left;"|Altai|42,213<sup>1</sup>|42.4%|39,285|24.2%|38,019|24.2%|46,750|27.8%|50,203|29.2%|59,130|31.0%|68,027<sup>2</sup>|33.6%|69,963<sup>3</sup>|34.5%|73,242|37.0%<sup>4</sup>|
|style="text-align:left;"|Russians|51,813|52.0%|114,209|70.4%|109,661|69.8%|110,442|65.6%|108,795|63.2%|115,188|60.4%|116,510|57.5%|114,802|56.6%|106,258|53.7%|
|align="left"|Kazakhs|2,326|2.3%|4,280|2.6%|4,745|3.0%|7,170|4.3%|8,677|5.0%|10,692|5.6%|12,108|6.0%|12,524|6.2%|12,647|6.4%|
|style="text-align:left;"|Others|3,309|3.3%|4,405|2.7%|4,736|3.0%|3,899|2.3%|4,365|2.5%|5,821|3.1%|5,914|2.9%|5,447|2.7%|5,741|2.9%|

1. including 3,414 Telengits, 1,384 Kumandins and 344 Teleuts
1. including 2,368 Telengits, 1,533 Tubalars, 931 Kumandins, 830 Chelkans, 141 Shors and 32 Teleuts
1. including 3,648 Telengits, 1,891 Tubalars, 1,062 Kumandins, 1,113 Chelkans and 87 Shors
1. including 2,587 Telengits, 3,424 Tubalars, 1,037 Kumandins, 1,170 Chelkans and 91 Shors

## Notable people

- Alexander Berdnikov (born April 8, 1953), Chairman of the Government of the Altai Republic, and the head of the republic from January 20, 2006.
- Grigory Gurkin (January 24, 1870 – October 11, 1937), landscape painter.
- Mikhail Lapshin (September 1, 1934 – June 17, 2006),  President of the Altai Republic from January 19, 2002, to January 19, 2006.
- Sergey Mikayelyan (born April 27, 1992), cross-country skier.
- Viktor Shvaiko (b. 1965), painter.
- Semyon Zubakin (born May 4, 1952), Head of the Altai Republic in Russia from January 13, 1998, to January 19, 2002.

## Other websites

- Official website of the Altai Republic
- United Nations University digital video (2009) "Rediscovering Altai's human-nature relationships – Russia": a Telengit community leader and shaman from the Russian Altai's high altitude Kosh Agach Raion traversing Altai's sacred lands <small>Accessed 1 December 2009</small>

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Altai Republic
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **settlement type**: Republics of Russia, Republic
- **image flag**: Flag of Altai Republic.svg
- **image map**: Map of Russia (2014–2022) - Altai Republic.svg
- **subdivision name**: Russia
- **subdivision type2**: Federal districts of Russia, Federal district
- **subdivision name2**: Siberian Federal District, Siberian
- **subdivision type3**: Economic regions of Russia, Economic region
- **subdivision name3**: West Siberian economic region, West Siberian
- **leader title**: Head of the Altai Republic, Head
- **leader name**: Oleg Khorokhordin
- **total type**: Total
- **area total km2**: 92,903
- **population rank**: List of federal subjects of Russia by population, 81st
- **population density km2**: 2.27
- **population as of**: Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census
- **population total**: 210924
- **timezone1**: Omsk Time, MSK+3
- **blank name**: OKTMO ID
- **blank info**: 84000000
- **native name**: Республика Алтай
- **image shield**: Coat of Arms of Altai Republic.svg
- **iso code**: RU-AL
- **registration plate**: 04
- **utc offset**: +6
- **anthem**: National Anthem of the Altai Republic

- **translit lang1**: Other official
- **translit lang1 info1**: Алтай Республика
- **translit lang1 type1**: Altai language, Altai
- **flag size**: 120px
- **shield size**: 75px
- **flag link**: Flag of Altai Republic
- **shield link**: Flag of the Altai Republic
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Gorno-Altaysk
- **population urban**: 31%
- **population rural**: 69%
- **blank name sec1**: Official language(s)
- **mapsize**: 300px
- **government type**: State Assembly of the Altai Republic, State Assembly—El Kurultai
- **translit lang1 info2**: Алтай Республикасы / Altai Respublikasy
- **translit lang1 type2**: Kazakh language, Kazakh