RUSSIAN FAR EAST

Russian Far East: translation

Though the region is often viewed as part ofSiberia, the Russian Far East (dal’nii vostok Rossii) is a historically and geographically distinct region of the Russian Federation. The area is comprised of the northeastern extremities of theEurasiansupercontinent, and borders on or nearChina, the Korean Peninsula,Japan, and the American state of Alaska. In theRussian language, the region is simply referred to as the Far East, and is differentiated from the non-Russian parts of the Far East that are called East Asia (vostochnaia Aziia) or the Asia Pacific Region (Aziatsko-tikhookeanskiiregion).

The region is roughly synonymous with the Far EasternFederal District, and includes thefederal subjectsofSakha,Amur,Kamchatka,Khabarovsk,Magadan,Chukotka,Primorsky,Sakhalin, and theJewish Autonomous Oblast.Covering an area of more than 6,000,000 square kilometers with a population of less than 7 million, the Russian Far East is one of the most sparsely populated areas of the globe. Whileethnic Russiansare the majority (82 percent) in the region, there are large numbers ofethnic minorities, particularlyindigenous peoples of the north. Traditional occupations such as reindeer herding andfishingcontinue to employ a sizable percentage of the autochthonous population. The region’s flora andwildlifeare extremely diverse, and there have been efforts to protect the region’s pristineenvironmentin recent years. However, newly discovered reserves of hydrocarbons, as well as continued exploitation of diamonds and precious metals, are making preservation of the ecosystem increasingly difficult.

Due to its distance fromMoscowand poortransportationlinks with the rest of the country, the Russian Far East is afforded a high level of autonomy compared to other regions of the Russian Federation. China’s historic claims to the region, combined with the steady flow ofChineseimmigrants into the area, are of concern to many Russian politicians.

See alsoImmigration; North Korea.