Siberia

Overview

Siberia is an extensive geographical region, and by the broadest definition is also known as North Asia. Siberia has been historically part of Russia since the 17th century.

The territory of Siberia extends eastwards from the Ural Mountains to the watershed between the Pacific and Arctic drainage basins. Siberia stretches southwards from the Arctic Ocean to the hills of north-central Kazakhstan and to the national borders of Mongolia and China.

With an area of 13.1 million square kilometres, Siberia accounts for 77% of Russia's land area, but it is home to just 40 million people - 27% of the country's population. This is equivalent to an average population density of about 3 inhabitants per square kilometre (approximately equal to that of Australia), making Siberia one of the most sparsely populated regions on Earth.

History

Siberia was inhabited by different groups of nomads such as the Enets, the Nenets, the Huns, the Scythians and the Uyghurs.

The growing power of Russia in the West began to undermine the Siberian Khanate in the 16th century. First, groups of traders and Cossacks began to enter the area, and then the Russian army began to set up forts farther and farther east. Towns such as Mangazeya, Tara, Yeniseysk and Tobolsk were developed, the last being declared the capital of Siberia

The growing power of Russia in the West began to undermine the Siberian Khanate in the 16th century. First, groups of traders and Cossacks began to enter the area, and then the Russian army began to set up forts farther and farther east. Towns such as Mangazeya, Tara, Yeniseysk and Tobolsk were developed, the last being declared the capital of Siberia

Mountain ranges	Rivers
Altai Mountains Anadyr Range Baikal Mountains Chamar-Daban Chersky Range Dzhugdzhur Mountains Gydan Mountains Koryak Mountains Sayan Mountains Tannu-Ola Mountains Ural Mountains Verkhoyansk Mountains Yablonoi Mountains	Anabar River Angara River Indigirka River Irtysh River Kolyma River Lake Baikal Lena River Lower Tunguska River Novosibirsk Reservoir Ob River Popigay River Stony Tunguska River Upper Angara River Uvs Nuur Yana River Yenisei River