The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. The states closest in area to it are almost half the size of it. The territory of Russia is more than 17 million square kilometers. It consists of 85 entities, including republics, regions, territories, autonomous okrugs and other entities. They occupy a different area. It is interesting to know which is the largest and which is the smallest republic in Russia.
From Saho to Ingushetia
The largest of the 22 republics in
the Russian Federation is Yakutia, or the Republic of Sakha. By the way, she carries this name since the end of 1991.
Sakha covers an area of just over 3 million square meters. km It is part of the Far Eastern District of the Russian Federation and is located in the north-east of Siberia. Consists of 33 districts and 5 cities. Its capital was Yakutsk. Less than one million people live in Sakha, so it occupies one of the lowest places in terms of population density .
The smallest republic in Russia is Ingushetia, located in the North Caucasus and covering an area of 3628 square meters. km
About Ingushetia more
It became an independent republic within the Russian Federation in 1992. Since 1936, it was part of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Before that, there was Terek region. The first relations of the Ingush with Russia date back to 1770. After 40 years, in 1810, a number of significant Ingush clans, the so-called teips, became Russian subjects.
Today, Ingushetia is part of the North Caucasus Federal District. Subject to administrative-territorial division into 4 districts and 4 cities. The capital is the city of Magas.
The smallest republic in Russia is located in the north of the central part of the Greater Caucasus. Its length from north to south is 144 km, from east to west - 72 km. The relief is mountainous and piedmont. The population mainly lives in the Sunzhenskaya valley (453 thousand people).
Although this small republic is traditionally distinguished by hospitality, the life of its population cannot be called calm. Territorial disputes with Chechnya and North Ossetia add tension to this Russian region.
Other small republics
The smallest republic in Russia, Ingushetia, is two times smaller than the next largest republic - Adygea, which covers an area of 7792 square meters. km Adygea is surrounded by the territory of the Krasnodar Territory. Its capital is the city of Maykop. It was formed on the territory of the Kuban-Black Sea region in 1922 and was then called the Circassian (Adygea) Autonomous Region.
Three of the smallest republics of the Russian Federation are closed by North Ossetia (in another way - Alania), which is located in the northern part of the Greater Caucasus. Its area is 7987 square meters. km The capital is the city of Vladikavkaz. North Ossetia, like Ingushetia, is one of the most densely populated regions of the Russian Federation (5th place).
Slightly larger entities
If you look at the republics of Russia on a map, you can find those that are somewhat larger than those indicated, but still occupy very small territories. The area of such republics exceeds 10 thousand square meters. km, but does not reach 20 thousand. These are Kabardino-Balkaria (12470 sq. Km), Karachay-Cherkessia (14277 sq. Km) and Chechnya (15647 sq. Km). All of them are part of the North Caucasus Federal District - the youngest in the Russian Federation, formed in 2010.
This group also includes Chuvashia, whose area is 18343 square meters. km It is located in the center of the European part of the Russian Federation. The republic includes 21 districts and 9 cities. The capital of Chuvashia is the city of Cheboksary, located on the banks of the Volga. The population of the republic is 1 million 239 thousand people. It consists mainly of Chuvashs and Russians.
Small or large
Perhaps the big name is the republic, whose area exceeds 20 thousand square meters. km, but does not reach 50 thousand square meters. km, you can’t. It includes Russia and such administrative units. The Republic of Mordovia, for example, covers an area of 26128 square meters. km and is divided into 22 districts, and also has 3 cities of republican subordination. Its capital is the city of Saransk.
In 1994, the Republic of Mordovia was formed from the Mordovian SSR. Geographically, it is located on the East European Plain. Refers to the Volga Federal District of the Russian Federation. Its population is a little over 810 thousand people.
Almost the same territory is occupied by the Republic of Mari El - 23,375 square meters. km It is located in the Volga Federal District of the Russian Federation. In Soviet times, it was called the Mari ASSR. Almost 700 thousand people live in the republic, mainly Maris and Russians.
A notable feature of this region is the abundance of rivers - about 190, the main - the Volga.
Among the subjects of the federation, which includes Russia, the Udmurt Republic also can not boast of a vast territory. Its area is 42061 square meters. km
Udmurtia has been leading its statehood since 1920. Then Votskaya AO was formed, which then became the Udmurt AO. It also belongs to the Volga Federal District, located in the Urals. Its population is more than 1.5 million people. The capital is the city of Izhevsk.
Last republic
In March 2014, Russia replenished with two more subjects of the federation. The Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol became part of it.
If we turn to history, then initially
Crimea joined Russia in 1783. Tauride region, then Novorossiysk province, then Crimean ASSR, Crimean region. Crimea had such different names over the years of its stay as part of Russia and the RSFSR. In 1954 he was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. The Republic of Crimea began to be called since 1991.
The area of the peninsula is 26081 square meters. km The population of Crimea, together with the city of Sevastopol - more than 2 million 300 thousand people. Most of them are Russians, Ukrainians in second place, and Tatars in third.
Looking at the republics of Russia on a map, you can see that Crimea falls out of the general conglomerate and does not have a land border with the rest of Russia. Crimea is washed by the Azov and Black Seas. It is connected to the mainland by the Perekop Isthmus, whose width is only 8 kilometers, and borders on the Kherson region of Ukraine in this place. However, beyond the Kerch Strait, Russia immediately begins.
The Republic of Crimea is characterized by favorable, mild climatic conditions and a wide variety of landscapes. She was rightly considered the main health resort of the Soviet Union, and later - the CIS countries.