Unit 2 Text 1. The komi republic

The Komi Republic lies in the far northeast of the European part of Russia. The total area is 415.9 thousand sq. km. The republic stretches for 1275 km from southwest to northeast. The territory is equal to that of several European states put together. In the north the Komi Republic borders on the Arkhangelsk region, in the east there are the Ural Mountains, while in the south it borders on the Kirov, Sverdlovsk and Perm regions.

Though the territory is huge the population is only 1.2 million people. The Komi Republic has 20 districts, 10 cities and towns, 45 settlements. The capital of the republic is Syktyvkar and it is the seat of the Republican administration. The executive power is exercised by the Head of the Republic and the Republican Government. The legislative body is represented by the Republican State Council (Gossovet). The members of the State Council are elected by direct popular vote for a four-year term.

It is difficult to say when man began to develop this severe land. They say, the first hunters and fishermen came to our land in the 6^th—7^th centuries. Many centuries ago the Komi, Finno-Ugric people, settled on the banks of the Pechora, Vytchegda and Mezen. At the beginning of the 15^th century the Komi people were converted to Christianity. Monk Stephan Khrup (later known as Stephan Permsky) played a great role in that. He was also the first to translate the religious books into the Komi language and to open the first school for the Komi children.

The climate is severe in the north and relatively mild in the southwest. The mean temperatures are +1 ºC in the south of the republic and –6 ºC in the north. Winter lasts from 5 to 7 months. The forested area is 39 mln ha and the greater part of the Komi territory is covered with coniferous forests (71 per cent of the total area). The volume of mature wood is over 2 billion cubic metres. Spruce is a characteristic tree of our land. Further to the north forests give place to tundra and marshlands. The fauna is similar to that of northwestern Europe. In the forests we can come across a fox, bear, marten, elk. In our republic there are about 200 species of birds, both resident and migratory. The rivers are rich in fish: salmon, white salmon, grayling.

Around 32,800 km² of mostly boreal forest in the Republic's Northern Ural Mountains have been recognized in 1995 as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Virgin Komi Forests. It is the first natural UNESCO World Heritage site in Russia and the largest expanse of virgin forests in Europe. The site also includes Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve (created in 1930) and Yugyd Va National Park (created in 1994).

The Komi republic is rich in natural resources: coal, oil, natural gas, bauxite, titanium. The mining industry is a very important part of our economy. Coal is mined in Vorkuta, Inta. The chief oilfields are in Ukhta and Usinsk. Most of the natural gas deposits are located in Vuktyl. The timber industry is the largest sector of the economy of the republic and its share in the total output is about 15 %. Mondi Business Paper Syktyvkar (pulp-and-paper mill) is one of the largest in Europe. The Komi Republic also produces timber products, furniture, machines, synthetic materials, food.

Agriculture's share in the economy is much smaller. There are some dairy and meat-and-dairy farms, poultry raising farms, a pig-breeding farm in Zelenetz. A third of the reindeer stock of the European North is concentrated in our republic. Reindeer breeding is one of the most effective branches of animal husbandry in the north of the Komi Republic. The chief vegetables are potatoes, cabbages, beets, carrots. We also grow oats.

The economy of the Republic is developing and new technologically advanced plants are being built, new good roads and railways are being constructed and the economic ties of the republic with other regions and other countries are expanding.