The Republic of Buryatiya

Geographical location
The Republic of Buryatia is situated in the centre of Asia continent, between the Eastern Siberia and Mongolia. In the south the republic has boundary with Mongolia, in the east - with Chitinsky region, in the west - with the republic of Tuva.
Territory of Buryatia is 351.4 thousand square km, is framed by Baikal lake. Having the maximum depth of 1636 metres, the Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. Climate is continental.
The republic occupies an advantageous geographic position in the system of relations of Russia with countries of ASEAN.

Administrative division
Capital is Ulan-Ude, founded in 1666. Ulan-Ude is a political, economic, industrial and cultural centre of the republic. It is one of the oldest towns of Siberia and the Far East. In the republic there are 6 towns, 29 town settlements, 615 inhabited settlements. Distance from Ulan-Ude to Moscow is 5519 km, to the Pacific Ocean is 3500 km.

Economics
In the republic's economics there are different territorial complexes. There are 8 of them.
The core of central economic region is Ulan-Ude industrial junction, where 67% of all industrial enterprises are concentrated (instruments, machine-building plants, factories of textile and food industries). In this region there are also enterprises of fuel-power complex - Gusinoozyorsk hydro-electric power-station, mine, coal-mine. In agriculture sheep-breeding is developed.
The object of south economic region is Tugnunskiy coal section. This region is the main producer of grain in the republic. Meat stock-breeding is developed.
Pribaikalsky economic region includes cellulose combine, cement plant, reinforced-concrete plant, building materials combine. Stock- and sheep-breeding are successfully developed.
Verkhneudinsky economic region is specialized in stock-breeding. Some small enterprises recycle forest.
Industrial centre of Dzhidinsky economic region is wolfram combine. The region is one of the general stock-breeding zone in the republic.
South-west economic region is famous for its resorts "Arshan", "Nilova Pustyn", "Khongor Uula", where in treatment mineral sources are used. In the region great reserves of gold ore have been found, but its mining is complicated because of the remoteness of the territory from main transport lines.
Kyakhtinsky economic region is located in the boundary with Mongolia. Intensive transport communications of the state with eastern neighbours set up the necessity of foundation free customs zone in the region.
North economic region is rich in natural resources. But poor transport-economic connections with other regions of the republic and the absence of industrial enterprises on working up supplies make economic development of the region difficult.

Science and education
Buryatsky Scientific Centre of the Siberian Department of Academy of Sciences and its research departments, 4 higher educational establishments, more than 20 technical colleges and special secondary schools. This vast scientific and professional potential will determine the progressive economic development of the republic.