Population of Tatarstan and its ethnic composition. Area, economy, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan
– one of the largest and most well-developed entities Russian Federation. Over the long history of its existence, the republic has emerged as an important geopolitical center of Russia between the areas of European and Asian cultures.
This was facilitated by the favorable economic and geographical position on the eastern borders of the European subcontinent, the proximity of industrial Central region and the Urals. Located at the intersection of the largest transport systems in Russia, the region is connected with the raw material bases of Siberia and the agricultural regions of the Volga Federal District.
Modern Tatarstan is a large region with a complex diversified industry and developed agriculture. The republic has high educational and scientific potential.
Geographical location
Tatarstan is located in the center of the Russian Federation on the East European Plain, at the confluence of two largest rivers - the Volga and Kama. The extreme northern point is located near the village of Verkhniy Sardek, Baltasinsky district - 56o40.5′ N, the southern point - near the village of Khansverkino, Bavlinsky district - 53o58′ N, the western point - near the village of Tatarskaya Bezdna, Drozhzhanovsky district - 47o16′ in .d., eastern - near the village of Tynlamas, Aktanysh district - 54o17′ east. From west to east the republic stretches for 450 km, and from south to north – 285 km.
It borders in the north with the Kirov region, in the northeast - with the Republic of Udmurtia, in the east - with the Republic of Bashkortostan, in the southeast - with the Orenburg region, in the south - with Samara region, in the southwest - with the Ulyanovsk region, in the west - with the Chuvash Republic, in the northwest - with the Mari Republic.
The total area of Tatarstan is 67,836 km2, or 0.4% of the territory of the Russian Federation, and about 7% of the territory of the Volga Federal District.
Kazan is the capital of the republic, located 797 km east of Moscow.
Geological structure and minerals
The platform is based on a crystalline foundation of ancient Archaean-Proterozoic rocks. From above it is covered by a significant cover of sedimentary rocks of marine and continental origin, 1500–2000 m thick.
Devonian rocks lie on the surface of the basement, terrigenous rocks below (sandstones, siltstones, mudstones), and carbonate rocks above (limestones, dolomites with layers of gypsum and anhydrite). The thickness of Devonian deposits is up to 700 m.
The territory of the republic is located in the east of the largest tectonic structure - the Russian Platform, within the Volga-Ural anteclise. Main tectonic elements are the Tatar arch with the northern (Kukmorsky) and southern (Almetyevsky) protrusions, the Melekes depression and southern part Kazan-Kazhimsky trough. The western part of the territory belongs to the eastern slope of the Tokmov arch.
The predominant surface area of the republic is composed of Upper Permian sediments.
Carbonate rocks (limestones and dolomites) with interlayers of clays, sandstones, gypsum and anhydrites predominate.
Mesozoic deposits are developed in the extreme southwest of the republic.
Above that lie the rocks of the Carboniferous system (Carboniferous). Carbonate rocks (limestones and dolomites) with interlayers of clays, sandstones, gypsum and anhydrites predominate. The thickness of the sequence is from 600 to 1000 m. Permian deposits are represented by lower and upper sections. Lower Permian rocks are represented by dolomites, limestones with interlayers of gypsum, anhydrites and marls. The greatest thickness of these deposits is in the east of the republic (up to 300 m), where in some places they reach the surface.
The predominant surface area of the republic is composed of Upper Permian sediments. They almost everywhere come to the surface in river valleys and are exposed by ravines. In the west of the republic, in the lower part, carbonate rocks of marine origin predominate - dolomites and limestones with interlayers of gypsum.
Above that lie continental formations - red clays, sandstones and marls that make up the watershed surfaces. The thickness of the deposits reaches 280-350 m.
In the east, sandy-clayey rocks with interlayers of limestone and marls predominate in the lower part; clayey-sandy deposits lie higher up, giving way to sandy, silty, clayey continental formations with thin interlayers of marls, limestones and dolomites occurring at the highest watersheds (photo). The total thickness of sediments reaches 200-300 m.
Mesozoic deposits are developed in the extreme southwest of the republic. Formations of the Jurassic system are represented by clays, siltstones, marls with interlayers of sandstones, oil shale and phosphorite pebbles. The thickness reaches 70-80 m. Cretaceous deposits are gray, dark gray clays, sandstones with thin layers of phosphorites, marls, limestones, with a total thickness of up to 120-160 m.
Cenozoic deposits are represented by deposits of the Neogene and Quaternary system, which were formed under continental conditions. Neogene formations are confined to the valleys of large and medium-sized rivers. These are deposits composed of dark gray silty-clayey rocks with interlayers and lenses of sands and pebbles with a total thickness of 200-300 m.
The youngest Quaternary deposits cover the entire territory of the republic. In the Volga and Kama valleys, the thickness of alluvial deposits of the terrace complex reaches 70-120 m, their composition is predominantly sandy with interlayers of pebbles, clays, loams and sandy loams.
Slope deposits reach a thickness of 15-20 m at the base of the slopes, decreasing up the slope. At watersheds, the thickness of sediments is 1.5-2.0 m. The composition is predominantly loamy, sandy loam with crushed stone.
Minerals
The most valuable are deposits of combustible and non-metallic minerals - oil, gas, bitumen, hard and brown coal, oil shale, peat, building stone, sand and gravel materials. Oil and associated gas are produced mainly in the Trans-Kama region and Eastern Cis-Kama region of the republic. The main deposits are confined to the lower stage of the Devonian and Carboniferous deposits; in terms of reserves, they are predominantly small. TO large deposits include only Romashkinskoye, Novo-Elkhovskoye and Bavlinskoye. The oil is heavy, high-sulfur. Along with oil, associated gas is produced - a valuable chemical raw material.
Hard and brown coals have been explored in the Eastern Trans-Kama region of the republic; they lie at significant depths - from 900 to 1200 m, which makes their extraction not yet profitable.
The Permian deposits contain significant reserves of bitumen and bituminous rocks - reserve sources of hydrocarbon raw materials, as well as deposits of gypsum, limestone, and dolomite.
Among the minerals of the Mesozoic, the most important are oil shale, phosphorites, and zeolite-containing rocks. They are found in the southwestern regions of the republic in the Volga region. Small reserves and low quality hinder the extraction of these types of minerals.
Deposits of bentonite clays, loams, sands, sand and gravel materials, building stone (rubble stone and crushed stone), and peat are associated with Cenozoic deposits. They are widespread throughout the republic and are sources of construction and mining raw materials.
Relief
The territory of the Republic of Tatarstan is a plain with highlands and lowlands that were formed over a geologically long time. The average height of the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan is 150–160 m, 90% of the territory lies at an altitude of no more than 200 m above sea level. The highest altitudes are in the southeastern part of the republic within the Bugulma-Belebeevskaya Upland. The highest point is 381 m. The minimum heights are confined to the left bank of the Volga and Kama rivers, the lowest point is 53 m (the waterline of the Kuibyshev reservoir).
The Volga and Kama valleys divide the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan into three parts - in the west, on the right bank of the Volga, the Pre-Volga region stands out, in the north, on the left bank of the Volga and the right bank of the Kama - Predkamye, in the south, south-east, on the left bank of the Kama - Zakamye.
The western part of the republic is the Volga Upland, the northern and eastern borders of which are washed by the Volga waters. The average height of the Volga region is 140 m, the maximum is 276 m (the upper reaches of the Bezdny River, the right tributary of the Sura, Drozhzhanovsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan). The Volga banks are steep everywhere, cut by small river valleys and ravines.
In Predkamye, in the north-west of the republic, the southern end includes the southern end of the Vyatsky Uval hill. The highest heights here reach 235 m in the upper reaches of the Ilet and Shoshma rivers, the average height is 125 m. In the Eastern Predkamie, in the northeast of the Republic of Tatarstan, from Udmurt Republic The Mozhginskaya and Sarapulskaya uplands enter at their southern ends, with maximum heights of 240–243 m, the average height is 120 m, the average height of the interfluve spaces is 140-160 m.
In the southeast of the republic, in Eastern Trans-Kama, the highest territory is observed - the Bugulmino-Belebeevskaya Upland with an average height of 175 m. Two altitude levels are well defined: 220-240 m and 300-320 m.
The low-lying plains are formed by large rivers, the valleys of which were formed along tectonic faults and troughs. The largest area is occupied by the Trans-Volga Lowland. It stretches along the left bank of the Volga in the form of a complex of terraces in a narrow strip until it merges with the Kama, and then, expanding, forms the low-lying Western Trans-Kama region with leveled spaces 80-100 and 120-160 m high.
The Kama-Belskaya lowland corresponds to the valleys of the Kama, Belaya, and Ika rivers with prevailing heights of 100-120 m.
The valleys of large and medium-sized rivers have a pronounced asymmetry of slopes, caused by the displacement of the channels of these rivers to the right under the influence of the Coriolis force. The steep and high banks are composed of bedrock. On the gentler left slopes there is a complex of river terraces above the floodplain.
Large forms of relief are complicated by river valleys of small rivers and streams, ravines, and gullies. The asymmetry of the slopes of small river valleys is associated with unequal heating of slopes of different exposures in a cold periglacial climate. The slopes facing south and west are steeper.
The relief features make it possible to develop agriculture in all regions of the republic. However, human activity, as a result of which forests were cleared, converting surface runoff into underground, and significant areas of land were plowed, contributed to the development of gully and soil erosion.
Karst processes in Permian carbonate rocks, landslides on the slopes of river valleys composed of clays, and other small erosional landforms are widespread.
Climate
The climate of the republic is temperate continental. Summer is warm, winter is moderately cold. The duration of sunshine is on average 1900 hours, the sunniest period is from April to August. The total solar radiation for the year is approximately 3900 MJ/sq.m.
The climate is formed under the influence of the west-east transfer of air masses. Air masses from the Atlantic they soften the climate and form cloudy weather with precipitation. Air from Siberia and the Arctic brings significant cooling during the cold period.
The warmest month of the year is July with average temperatures of 18-20 °C, the coldest is January (-13, -14 °C). The absolute minimum temperature is -44, -48 °C (in Kazan -46.8 °C in 1942). The absolute maximum temperature is +40 °C. The absolute annual amplitude reaches 80-90 °C. The average annual temperature is approximately 2-3.1 °C.
Average precipitation is from 460 to 520 mm. During the warm period of the year (above 0 °C) 65-75% of the annual precipitation falls. The maximum precipitation occurs in July (51-65 mm), the minimum in February (21-27 mm). Some years are dry. The growing season is about 170 days.
Snow cover forms after mid-November and melts in the first half of April. The duration of snow cover is 140-150 days a year, the average height is 35-45 cm. The maximum depth of soil freezing is 110-165 cm.
The climatic resources of individual regions of the republic are different. Pre-Kama and Eastern Trans-Kama are relatively cold, but better humidified parts of the Republic of Tatarstan. Western Trans-Kama is a relatively warm region, but droughts are often observed. The best combination The Volga region of the Republic of Tatarstan has climatic indicators. Climatic conditions republics are moderately favorable for conducting agriculture.
Surface and underground waters
The territory of the republic has an extensive river network, which belongs to the Volga-Kama basin. The total length of all rivers is about 22 thousand km, and their number is more than 3.5 thousand. The largest rivers are the Volga, Kama, Belaya, Vyatka, Ik.
They are transit, their sources are in other regions of the Russian Federation. Transit bringing river waters is about 230 km3/year, and surface water local formation – 8-10 km3/year. The main part of the river network consists of small rivers and streams. The total water surface area is 4.5 thousand km2, or 6.5% of the entire territory of the republic.
The rivers of the republic have a mixed supply with a predominance of snow, which provides 60-80% of the annual flow. In second place is underground feeding, in third place is rain feeding.
The nature of nutrition determines water regime rec. On all rivers, the spring flood is clearly distinguished by a sharp increase in water levels. The earliest (March 28-29) flood begins on the rivers in the southwest of the republic and ends in early May. The average duration is 30-60 days.
After the spring flood, summer low water begins, with low water levels, and some rivers and streams dry up. At this time, the river is fed exclusively by groundwater. After intense and prolonged rains, the summer low-water period is interrupted by floods, on average 2-3 times.
In autumn, there is a slight rise in water on the rivers, which is largely due to a decrease in evaporation from the surface of the basin. With the onset of cold weather, rivers begin to freeze and ice forms. The ice thickness reaches 50-80 cm. During the winter, the rivers experience stable low water, the lowest water levels and flow rates are observed, food is supplied by groundwater.
The Volga is the largest river in the European part of Russia and the largest river in Europe. The total length of the Volga is 3530 km, the basin area is 1360 thousand km2. It originates on the Valdai Hills at an altitude of 228 m, from a spring in the village of Volgo-Verkhovye, Tver region and flowing throughout the entire territory Central Russia, flows into the Caspian Sea. The Volga flows through the republic in its western part for 186 km. The right bank is high and forms picturesque cliffs and ledges. The left bank is flat, occupied by terraces above the floodplain. The width near the city of Kazan is 3-6 km, in the Kama Ustye area - up to 35 km. The main tributaries within the republic are the Kama and Sviyaga.
The Kama is the left, largest tributary of the Volga. Length 1805 km, basin area 507 thousand km2. The sources are located in the central part of the Verkhnekamsk Upland (in the northeast of Udmurtia). It enters the republic with its lower course (360 km), crossing it from northeast to southwest. It flows in a wide (up to 15 km) valley. The average water flow at the mouth is 3500 m3/s.
Large tributaries of the Kama are Belaya, Vyatka, Ik.
Belaya is a left tributary of the Kama, flowing from the South Ural mountains. The total length of the river is 1430 km, on the territory of the republic - 50 km. The river bed is winding and the valley is wide. Average water flow 950 m3/s.
The Vyatka is the right tributary of the Kama, flows from north to south, length 1314 km (60 km in the republic), basin area 129 thousand km2. The current is slow, the channel is winding, the valley is well developed with a steep right bank, the left bank is flat. There are a large number of rapids on the river. Average water flow 890 m3/s.
The Ik is a large left tributary of the Kama, flowing downstream after the Belaya River, flowing from south to north. Of its 598 km length, 483 km are in Tatarstan, forming a natural border with the Republic of Bashkortostan. Average water flow is 45.5 m3/s.
The right tributary of the Volga, the Sviyaga, flows along the Volga region of the republic. Starts in the Ulyanovsk region. Length - 375 km (206 km in the republic), basin area - 16,700 km2. It flows from south to north parallel to the Volga. The river bed is winding, the width at low water is 20-30 m. The average water flow is 34 m3/s.
In the Western Predkamye there are the basins of the Ilet, Kazanka, Mesha, as well as the right tributaries of the Lower Kama (Shumbut, Bersut) and the Lower Vyatka (Shoshma, Burets). The largest is the Mesha River (271 km, average consumption 17.4 m3/s).
In the Eastern Cis-Kama region there are two middle rivers - Izh and Toyma with their sources in Udmurtia. In Western Trans-Kama, the largest rivers are the Bolshoy Cheremshan and Aktai, and in Eastern Trans-Kama - Stepnoy Zai and Sheshma.
The largest water bodies of Tatarstan are 4 reservoirs that supply the republic water resources for various purposes. The Kuibyshev Reservoir was created in 1955, the largest not only in Tatarstan, but also in Europe, it provides seasonal regulation of the flow of the Middle Volga, navigation, water supply and irrigation. The Nizhnekamsk reservoir was created in 1978 and provides daily and weekly redistribution to the hydroelectric complex. Zainsky hydroelectric complex was created in 1963, serves for technical support GRES. The Karabash reservoir was created in 1957 and serves to supply water to oil fields and industrial enterprises.
There are more than 8 thousand lakes and more than 7 thousand swamps on the territory of the republic. The most swampy is the northern part of the Eastern Trans-Kama region - the Kama-Belskaya lowland.
On the territory of the republic there are 731 hydraulic structures, 550 ponds, 115 treatment facilities, 11 protective dams.
The republic's subsoil is rich in groundwater - from highly mineralized to slightly brackish and fresh. Groundwater resources fully meet the needs of the population. There is 1.45 m3/day of fresh underground water per inhabitant.
A large number of springs - about 4 thousand. Many of them are equipped and are places of pilgrimage (“holy springs”).
The total reserves of mineral groundwater are 3.3 thousand m3/day.
Soils
The soils are very diverse - from soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils in the north and west to various types chernozems in the south of the republic (32% of the area). On the territory of the region there are especially fertile thick chernozems, and gray forest and leached chernozem soils predominate.
There are three soil regions on the territory of Tatarstan:
Northern (Predkamye) - the most common are light gray forest (29%) and sod-podzolic (21%), located mainly on watershed plateaus and upper parts of slopes. 18.3% percent is occupied by gray and dark gray forest soils. On hills and hills, turf soils are found. 22.5% is occupied by washed away soils, floodplains - 6-7%, swamps - about 2%. In a number of areas (Baltasinsky, Kukmorsky, Mamadyshsky) soil erosion is severe, affecting up to 40% of the territory.
Western (Pre-Volga region) - in the northern part forest-steppe soils (51.7%), gray and dark gray (32.7%) predominate. A significant area is occupied by podzolized and leached chernozems. High areas of the region are occupied by soddy-podzolic and light gray soils (12%). Floodplain soils occupy 6.5%, swamp soils – 1.2%. In the southwest of the region, chernozems are widespread (leached soils predominate).
South-eastern (Zakamye) - to the west of Sheshma, leached and ordinary chernozems predominate, the right bank of Maly Cheremshan is occupied by dark gray soils. To the east of Sheshma, gray forest and chernozem soils predominate, in the northern part of the region - leached chernozem soils.
The main part of the territory of the republic is represented by agricultural lands. Chernozems are the most fertile. They occupy 40% of the arable land. Water and wind erosion and intensive agriculture contribute to the decline in land fertility.
Flora and fauna
The territory of the republic in the north of Predkamye enters the taiga zone. Most of the Pre-Kama region, the Volga region, the northern part of the Trans-Kama region are located in the deciduous forest zone, the south of the Pre-Volga region and most of the Trans-Kama region are in the forest-steppe zone.
Only about 17% of the republic's territory is covered with forests. The forests are dominated by hardwoods(oak, linden, birch and aspen), coniferous species are represented mainly by pine and spruce.
The taiga zone is represented by two subzones: the southern taiga with a predominance of coniferous trees in the forests and the sub-taiga with mixed broad-leaved and coniferous forests. For the forested north of the Volga region, spruce and fir are typical; to the south they are replaced by broad-leaved species, especially oak and linden, which is also included in the second tier along with elm and Norway maple. Hazel, warty euonymus and other shrubs grow in the undergrowth. Where there are few of them, lush oak forest herbs develop; There are also mossy places where green mosses are combined with thickets of ferns.
To the south there are fewer natural forests, the number of broad-leaved species in them increases, linden and oak predominate. On light sandy loam and sand there are pine forests with oak and linden.
In the southern forest-steppe, starting on the left bank of the Volga south of the Kama River, and on the right bank south of the outskirts of the Kuibyshev reservoir, the amount of heat increases. Drier turfy meadow steppes with a predominance of feather grass, tonkonoga, and fescue are more common here.
Tatarstan is located on the border of two zoogeographic zones - forest and steppe. There is a wide variety of species - more than 400 vertebrates and more than 270 birds.
In addition to the wolf, fox, common to the European part of Russia, common hedgehog, moose are found here (in the north), bear, lynx, pine marten and ermine are occasionally found. From the northeast, Siberian species penetrate here - weasels and chipmunks. Common forest rodents include the white hare, the squirrel, which lives in tall pine and mixed forests, and the dormouse, which usually lives in oak forests with dense undergrowth. Among the mammals there are also waterfowl, such as muskrat, otter, mink, and muskrat.
In the forest-steppe, in addition to steppe animals, there are also numerous species of forest animals that live in oak forests and pine forests. The steppe fauna of the Middle Volga region is represented by the jerboa, marmot, mole vole, brown hare, steppe polecat and others.
Many migratory birds nest in the republic and live here temporarily. As among animals, among birds there is also mutual penetration of forest and steppe. The three-toed woodpecker, black grouse, wood grouse, eagle owl, long-eared owl, tawny owl and hazel grouse are coexisted with the black swift, gray and white partridge, bustard and lark - field and forest. There are numerous inhabitants of the reservoirs: black-headed gull, gull, or steamer gull, common tern, as well as swans, geese, ducks, pochards and mergansers. Feathered predators - peregrine falcon, hawk, common buzzard, tuvik, griffon vulture, black vulture, steppe eagle, golden eagle, kite, marsh harrier and others - 28 species in total.
Specially protected natural areas
To preserve natural complexes, specially protected natural areas (SPNA) have been created in the republic. According to the state cadastre of protected areas, in the republic their total number is 163, including the largest of them - the Volga-Kama State Natural Biosphere Reserve, the Nizhnyaya Kama National Park, as well as 25 state natural reserves and 135 natural monuments with a total area of 137.8 thousand . ha, or 2% of the total area of the republic.
To preserve the diversity of flora and fauna on the territory of the republic, the Volga-Kama Nature Reserve was founded in 1960. Located in Western Predkamie, it includes two isolated areas: Raifsky (in the Zelenodolsk district, 25 km northwest of Kazan) and Saralovsky (in the Laishevsky district, on the left bank of the Volga, 60 km south of Kazan). Its area is 8 thousand hectares (more than 7 thousand hectares are covered with forests, 58 hectares are meadows, 62 hectares are reservoirs).
The relief of the Raifa site is mostly flat. The beautiful Raifa Lake, into which the Sumka River flows, has been preserved. The relief of the Saralovsky area is characterized by significant fluctuations in absolute heights (from 50 m to 140 m).
The flora of the reserve consists of more than 800 species. Of particular interest is the dendrological garden located in the Raifa forestry. It contains plants from almost all continents. The reserve also protects 55 species of mammals, 195 species of birds and 30 species of fish (the coastal shallows are rich spawning grounds).
The vegetation on the Raifa site is two-hundred-year-old mixed coniferous-deciduous forests (with a predominance of pine), characteristic of middle zone European part of Russia, there are also oak, linden, spruce, birch, and aspen. The southern border of the distribution of spruce and fir in the European part of Russia runs along the Raifsky site. About 570 species of vascular plants have been registered at the Raifa site; rare species include unifoliate pulp grass, tuberous calypso, and sedges: tares, matted, two-seeded.
More than 90% of the Saralovsky site is covered with forest; mostly pine and linden. The most interesting are the pine woodlands on the sandy hills, where Siberian bellflower, sleep grass, Marshall's wormwood, Polesie fescue, sandy astragalus, and spiked veronica penetrate. Rare species include feathery feather grass and squat sedge. Many species are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The wildlife of the reserve is very rich. There are 21 species of rodents: flying squirrel, common squirrel, river beaver, garden and forest dormouse, red vole, yellow-throated mouse, brown hare and mountain hare. Six species of insectivores have been recorded: the common hedgehog, the mole, and the shrew. Occasionally there are wolves, bears, lynx, ermine, roe deer, reddish ground squirrels, and hamsters; Common species include fox and elk, badger, raccoon dog, weasel, American mink, and pine marten.
There are numerous birds: black grouse, hazel grouse, gray partridge, quail, dove, wood pigeon, rock pigeon, corncrake, gray heron, woodcock, snipe; less commonly, capercaillie, gray crane. The owls that live are the tawny owl, the great owl and the great owl, and the raptors include the golden eagle, the white-tailed eagle, the peregrine falcon, the Hobby, and the black kite.
The Lower Kama National Park was created in 1991 to preserve and restore the unique natural complex of the richest floristically and typologically forests and floodplain meadow communities of the Republic of Tatarstan and use them for scientific, recreational, educational and cultural purposes.
The park is located in the northeast of the Republic of Tatarstan within the Eastern Pre-Kama region and the Eastern Trans-Kama region, in the valley of the Kama River and its tributaries Toyma, Kriushi, Tanayka, Shilninka. Administratively, the territory of the park is located within two administrative districts - Tukaevsky and Elabuga. The area of the national park is 26.6 thousand hectares.
From the locals climatic factors It is worth noting the structural features of the relief and the presence of a large water basin on the territory - the Nizhnekamsk reservoir. The surface of the territory is slightly undulating, dissected by valleys of small rivers and streams, and a network of ravines and gullies. The park's position on the border of three natural subzones (deciduous-spruce and broad-leaved forests, meadow steppes) determined the diversity of natural landscape complexes and flora of the park.
The flora of the national park is represented by more than 650 species of higher vascular plants, the basis of which are forest (boreal, pine forest, nemoral) species growing in forested and forest-edge ecotopes; as well as plants of dry and floodplain meadows, which are confined to watersheds and the valley of the Kama River, to the valleys of small rivers.
Also in the park there are about 100 species of lichens, more than 50 species of mosses, and more than 100 species of macromycete fungi.
Feather grass and red pollenhead growing in the park are listed in the Red Book of Russia; 86 plant species present in the flora of the national park are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The fauna of the park as a whole is typical for the east of the central zone of the European part of Russia. Mammals are represented by 42 species. Among them are typical forest inhabitants: elk, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, badger, pine marten, squirrel, weasel; and inhabitants of reservoirs and their coastal parts: beaver, muskrat, otter, raccoon dog. The water bat, long-eared bat, wood pipistrelle, wood mouse and chipmunk that live in the national park are rare species and are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Tatarstan. The avifauna is quite diverse (more than 190 species, including 136 nesting species). Most species are forest species, open space species, and wetland species.
Links from the article
Government structure and population
Tatarstan is a republic within the Russian Federation. Head of State and Supreme official The Republic of Tatarstan is the President. He heads the system executive bodies state power in the republic and directs the activities of the Cabinet of Ministers - the executive and administrative body of state power. The Cabinet of Ministers is responsible to the President. The candidacy of the Prime Minister is approved by the Parliament of Tatarstan at the proposal of the President.
Russia - not only big country, but also the only power in the world, which includes twenty-two republics. Each of them actively interacts with the Russian government, but retains its sovereignty. The Republic of Tatarstan occupies a special place in the history and economy of our country. Today we will tell you about it.
Russia, Republic of Tatarstan: general characteristics
Tatarstan lies practically in the heart of the Russian Federation. The entire territory of the republic lies within the boundaries of the East European Plain, where the Volga and Kama meet in its most fertile place. And they, as you know, are one of the largest rivers in Europe. The capital of Tatarstan is the city of Kazan, located seven hundred and ninety-seven kilometers from Moscow, and is considered one of the most beautiful and largest cities in the country.
Republic of Tatarstan: area and territories
The area of the Republic of Tatarstan is 67,836 square kilometers. If we consider this area as part of the Russian Federation, then this is less than one percent of the total territory of our country.
Almost the entire republic is located in the zone of plains and steppes; a little more than ninety percent of the territories lie at an altitude of two hundred meters above sea level.
About eighteen percent of the total area of Tatarstan is occupied by forests, with the advantage of deciduous trees. Coniferous forests make up only five percent of the total “green lungs” of Tatarstan. More than four hundred species of different animals live on the plains and forests of the republic.
Tatarstan: brief historical background
People have been building settlements on the territory of the modern republic since approximately the eighth century BC. A little later, the state of the Volga Bulgars was formed here. In this territory they constituted the main population.
Tatarstan, or rather its territory, in the fifteenth century went to the Kazan Khanate, which a hundred years later became part of the Moscow state. Only in the twenties of the last century the name of the state was transformed into the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. After the breakup Soviet Union The name "Republic of Tatarstan" appeared in official documents.
Kazan is the most beautiful city of the republic
In every country, the capital is the most beautiful city. Therefore, it is not surprising that from your first visit to Tatarstan, Kazan will become your all-encompassing love. This city amazes tourists with a unique combination of architectural historical monuments and modern buildings that fit perfectly into the appearance of the capital of Tatarstan.
Every year the flow of tourists seeking to visit Kazan increases. For example, last year more than two million people visited this amazing city. For several years now, the capital of the republic has occupied a leading position in the list of the most popular cities where you can spend the New Year holidays. In addition, Kazan has the official status of “the third capital of Russia.” All this, combined with the extraordinary beauty of the city and the hospitality of its inhabitants, is enough to attract the attention of tourists to the capital of the former Kazan Khanate.
Republic of Tatarstan: population
Tatarstan is a densely populated republic. According to the latest data, the population is 3,885,253 people. Annual natural increase The number of citizens of the republic is 0.2%, this figure allows Tatarstan to hold the eighth place in the Russian Federation in terms of population.
The average life expectancy has been at seventy-two years for several years now. This is the highest level in the last thirty years. The favorable situation within the republic is evidenced by the figure characterizing how the population is replenished. Tatarstan is a country where the birth rate remains at a consistently high level. For every thousand people, twelve new citizens are born. Sociologists predict that by 2020 the population of the republic will cross the border to 5,000,000 people.
Tatarstan: population density
The population density of the Republic of Tatarstan, according to 2017 data, is 57.26 people per square kilometer. These are the national averages. The majority of the republic's citizens live in cities, which very clearly characterizes Tatarstan. Kazan accommodates more than forty-five percent of the country's total population.
IN rural areas Only twenty-four percent of the republic's citizens live.
Ethnic composition of the former Kazan Khanate
Throughout Russia there is no such multinational state as Tatarstan. According to the latest data, more than one hundred and fifteen nationalities live here, all of which are historically established populations. Since ancient times, Tatarstan has served as a haven for numerous ethnic diasporas. This policy turned out to be very beneficial for the state, because all peoples are united and conflicts based on interethnic hostility have never arisen in the country.
Now the state is home to eight nationalities, which number more than ten thousand people, among them Russians, Maris and Tatars. The most numerous include the following nationalities:
- Tatars - more than two million people;
- Russians - about one and a half million people;
- Chuvash - one hundred twenty-six and a half thousand people.
As a percentage, Tatars make up fifty-two percent of the total population, Russians make up thirty-nine and a half percent of the population, and the Chuvash, respectively, make up three percent of the citizens of Tatarstan.
Religious preferences of the population of the Republic of Tatarstan
The largest faiths in the republic are Orthodoxy and Islam. Approximately fifty percent of the population professes Islam, predominantly Tatars and Bashkirs. Almost forty-five percent of Tatarstan citizens consider themselves Orthodox. According to sociological surveys, representatives of Catholicism, Judaism and other religious movements live in the country. At the legislative level, the republic has established a balance between two major faiths.
Economic development of Tatarstan
The economy of Tatarstan is one of the most developed in the Russian Federation. It ranks sixth in the country in terms of production volumes. The petrochemical industry plays a major role in the republic. In Tatarstan, they are engaged not only in oil production, but also in its refining, which brings significant funds to the state budget and raises its authority among the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
The share of mechanical engineering in the industrial complex of the country is large, which attracts foreign investment to the republic. According to information for last year, Tatarstan cooperated with one hundred and thirty world powers, with imports and exports accounting for approximately the same percentage.
From the first decade of this century, the Republic of Tatarstan began reorganizing the housing stock. Over six years, more than three hundred thousand were put into operation in the country. square meters housing. In parallel, the construction of satellite cities of Kazan and the construction of sports and entertainment institutions at the federal level began. This brought Tatarstan to a new level in the international sports arena, which, in turn, provides the republic’s budget with additional funds allocated for the development of the region’s economy.
Economists have long been pleased with the monthly increase in production in the republic, equal to 0.1%. If this trend continues, then in a few years Tatarstan will completely overcome its dependence on the oil industry, which over the past year has shown itself to be extremely unstable. All other constituent entities of the Russian Federation that depend on this industry have significantly reduced their economic growth. The Republic very far-sightedly directed the received investments into the development of the chemical industry, managing with its help to ultimately cover the existing budget deficit.
Despite the fact that inflation in the republic is slowly but steadily growing, the standard of living in Tatarstan remains consistently high. The Republic is one of the five regions of Russia with the most high level life. Now it ranks fourth, behind the constant leaders of the list - Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Moscow region.
The Republic of Tatarstan can be considered one of the most unique subjects of the Russian Federation. Sociologists and economists predict rapid growth in the region in the near future, which will take the republic to a completely new level of development.
Information about the area
Forest covered approx. 16% of the territory.
map of the Republic of Tatarstan
FOREST VOLGA REGION (PREDKAMYE)
Forest Trans-Volga region, or Predkamye, occupies the northern part republics, separated from the Volga region by a valley r. Volga and from the forest-steppe Trans-Volga region, or Trans-Kama region, - the valley r. Kama. The water surface in these valleys has become very wide due to the creation of the Kuibyshev reservoir. In the north and east, the territory borders on Mari El, the Kirov region and Udmurtia.
The area reaches almost 22.2 thousand square meters. km, and the lower reaches of the Vyatka valley, flowing from the north, from Kirov region, divide the territory into two unequal parts: western (western Predkamye) and eastern (eastern Predkamye). Within the latter there are only two administrative districts out of 12 (Elabuga and Agryz).
This part is called the Forest Trans-Volga region because it is located within the forest zone, in contrast to the Volga region and Trans-Kama region, which are located in the forest-steppe zone with the predominance of chernozem rather than gray forest soils. However, in terms of forest cover, the forested Trans-Volga region currently does not live up to its name. Here, due to the intensive agricultural activity of the rural population, the forests, represented mainly by broad-leaved trees, have been cleared, as well as coniferous species: pine with areas of spruce and fir, and climatic and soil conditions made it possible to create an agricultural landscape over vast areas with small islands of forests, mainly on watershed strips.
Geography of Tatarstan 
In the western part of the forest-steppe Trans-Volga region, the soil cover is represented mainly by chernozems, with leached chernozems occupying 52.2% of the area, ordinary chernozems 13.3% and carbonate chernozems on loess-like clays and loams - 1.8%. Forest soils make up 32.6% of the area, with 28.3% being gray and dark gray soils, which are characteristic of areas under broad-leaved forests and partly occupied by them at present. Soils of the southern taiga type - soddy-podzolic - account for only 1.2%. Small areas are occupied by light gray, brown and brown-gray soils. Almost 10% of the area is made up of floodplain and swamp soils.
Within the Kama-Belsk plain part, forest-type soils already account for 41%, and floodplain, swamp and semi-swamp soils occupy over 14%. More than 1% of the area is under steep exposed slopes of southern and western exposure. Of the forest type soils, the first place is occupied by gray, dark gray and light gray - 33%. Up to 8% of the area is under brown and brown-gray soils. The area under soddy-podzolic soils has increased slightly - up to 2%. The range of chernozem soils includes leached chernozems - 40% of the area, ordinary chernozems - about 6.5%, carbonate chernozems - up to 3%. The total wedge of chernozem soils is somewhat smaller than in the western part and amounts to 49.3%.
GENERAL ARTICLE ABOUT TATARSTAN - HERE!!! SEMIOZERNAYA DESERT - NEAR KAZAN!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND PHOTOS:
http://www.intat.ru/land/tatar/
Geographical characteristics of the administrative regions of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Kazan, 1972.
Korobkov A.I., Mikheev Yu.3. Along the rivers of southern and southeastern Russia. M., Physical culture and sport, 1977.
Korobkov A.I., Mikheev Yu.3., Suslov V.E. Along the rivers of the Volga region. M., Physical culture and sport, 1980.
Essays on the geography of the Republic of Tatarstan. Kazan, 1957.
Ryzhavsky G.Ya. Along the Kama and its tributaries. M., Physical Culture and Sport, 1986.
Ryzhavsky G.Ya. Along rivers and lakes Central Russia. M., 2000.
Primitive society on the territory of the Middle Volga region
The history of mankind goes back over two million years. The longest period in it is the era primitive society. This era is divided into three periods: the Stone Age, Bronze and Iron Ages. Scientists divide the history of the Stone Age into three main periods: Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) and Neolithic (New Stone Age). The first people on the territory of modern Tatarstan appeared in the Paleolithic era, that is, about 100-40 thousand years ago. At that time, a cold and dry climate prevailed. Vegetation was sparse, with the most common animals being deer, elk, bears, rhinoceroses and mammoths. They were hunted by primitive man.
The oldest hunters' camp was located on the banks of the Volga, "Krasnaya Glinka" not far from the villages of Bessonovo, Tetyushsky district. They lived in caves and huts and led a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place following herds of animals. During the Late Paleolithic period (40-12 thousand years ago), climate warming occurred. Risers of that time were discovered along the banks of the Volga and Kama, near the villages of Dolgaya Polyana, Syukeevo, Krasnovidovo, Izmeri and some others. During this period, the modern type of people finally emerged. A primitive tribal society arose. People lived in artificially constructed houses and led a sedentary lifestyle. People have gone far ahead in their development. At this time, primitive religion was born. This belief is in the origin of people from animals and plants (totemism), the existence of souls and spirits (animism), belief in magic, in the supernatural properties of objects.
Primitive art arose, images of animals made of clay, figurines, and rock paintings appeared. To replace the ancient stone age the Mesolithic came (VIII - V millennium BC). Progressive changes in the life of human society are associated with it. The natural and geographical conditions of the region are approaching modern ones. The way of life of a person is changing, the role of fishing is increasing, stone processing technology is being improved, and new types of weapons are being invented. Several dozen settlements have been discovered on the territory of the middle Volga region. The territory of Tatarstan during the Neolithic of the New Stone Age (IV - first half of the 3rd millennium BC) became more populous. The man made another discovery: he learned to sculpt pottery. Clan groups unite into tribes. An archaeological culture developed, differing from neighboring cultures in the unique shape and strengthening of pottery and some chic stone implements. Tribes of the Volosovo archaeological culture lived on the territory of Tatarstan during the Chalcolithic era (second half of the 3rd - early 2nd millennium BC). The main occupations continued to be hunting, fishing and gathering. But gradually the Volosovites switched to agriculture and cattle breeding, and began to master metal. Representatives of the Bronze Age. The Volga region is considered to be the orderly tribes. Their settlements were discovered in the vicinity of Kazan. The Prikazan tribes lived in the 16th – 5th centuries. BC Excavations show that the population knew construction crafts, warfare, agriculture, and cattle breeding.
People did not depend on hunting; they could have grain reserves; domestic animals provided meat, milk, wool and leather. The increase in living standards led to population growth. Up to 500 people lived in the settlements of the Prikazan tribes. Metallurgists and foundries who produce bronze products are distinguished. The role of exchange with neighboring tribes is increasing. Tribal clashes over territory occur more frequently. Under these conditions, the male metallurgist, cattle breeder and warrior begin to play a major role, and patriarchal families arise.
Great Migration of Peoples Huns
More than 1600 years ago, towards the end of the 15th century, the great migration of peoples began. The movement from east to west covered the entire Eurasian steppe zone. As a result, other ethical groups and associations arose, and the ethnographic map of early medieval Europe changed. The Great Migration of Peoples brought an end to the slave system of the ancient world. The era of feudal relations began. This change in the Attic exchange of the entire Old World began with the Huns. The Huns are the first historically known broad-speaking tribes, known since the 4th century. BC called the Xiongnu, who lived in central Asia and northern China. Later they were divided into the southern Xiongnu, who remained from their land, and the northern ones, who went to the modern Kyrgyz-Kazakh steppes. Some remained there, and the other continued their journey to the west. These Huns crossed the Volga and reached the Crimea. The Huns left a noticeable mark on the history of the peoples of Eurasia, primarily the widely spoken ones, including the Tatars. Part of the Huns during their invasion of Europe in the 4th century. appeared in the Middle Volga, therefore, the Middle Volga region, early medieval Tatarstan from the era of the Great Migration of Peoples began to enter the ethnopolitical world.
It was created in 552. By 555 many peoples and tribes of Altai, southern Siberia, central and Middle. Asia found itself subjugated. The eastern border abutted the northern borders of the Chinese Empire, the western border reached the Crimea. There was early feudalism in Turkic. The basis of the economy is cattle breeding, agriculture, the development of production and trade led to money circulation. The highest achievement of culture was the appearance of writing. At the beginning of VII, it split into two parts: Western Turkic and Eastern Turkic. The Western Kaganate occupied Central Asian and more western lands. But soon an independent Khazar was formed on the Kama and North Caucasian steppes. The East had to defend itself even more from China due to its long common borders. The Kaganate defended its independence several times, but in 745. The Eastern Turkic Khaganate ceased to exist after its defeat in the battle with the army of the Uyghur Khan Mogon-Chura. The Uyghur Khaganate emerges - one of the Turkic states of the early Middle Ages (745-840). The Kazar Kagimat (650-965) was founded by the Turkic-speaking Khazars, who came to Eastern Europe as part of the Huns. At first, the Kaganate occupied the North Caucasian and Caspian steppes; over time, its dominance extended to the Northern Black Sea region to the Crimea, and in the north to Volga Bulgaria and the Russian principalities. The population of Khazaria, in addition to the Khazars, included the Bulgarians, Savirs, and Barsils, who were similar in language.
Volga Bulgaria. Golden Horde
His nephew Kubrat became the only khan of the state of Great Bulgaria (632-650), which ceased to exist after the death of Kubrat Khan. Part of the population went to the Danube, the other remained on their land. A third of the Bulgarians moved later, at the end of the 8th century. in the Middle Volga region. Before the arrival of the Bulgarians on Wednesday. Along the Volga, local Finno-Ugric and Zobulgarian Turkic-speaking tribes lived there. The Bulgarians came into local contact with them at the turn of the 9th – 10th centuries. created their new state - Volga Bulgaria.
She occupied lands in the center of Sr. Volga region, in the West. Trans-Kama and Volga region, and later, in the 12th century. - during the period of economic and political growth of Bulgaria - its territory expanded somewhat: in the north - to the Kazanka basin, and the borders in the south to the Yaik River, which were guarded by Bulgar guard detachments. The ethnic composition of the country was quite varied; the main population of Bulgaria was called the collective term “Bulgars”. The capital of this state, located at the confluence of the Volga and Kama, was also called “Bulgaram”. Bulgar and its neighboring Suvar became the object of attention of the Muslim East, and coinage began in these cities. A little later, cities appeared: Bilyar, Tukhchii, Kashan, Tortsk. The emergence of cities and the spread of urban culture in Volga Bulgaria was facilitated by the adoption of Islam, which occurred in 922. The basis of the economy of Volga Bulgaria was arable farming. Chernozem gave good harvest bread, which was even exported abroad. Cattle breeding, hunting, and fishing also played a role. Crafts reached a high level: metallurgy, leather processing, pottery, jewelry, etc. Construction and architecture, the construction of defensive fortifications, became widespread. Particular attention was paid to trade, both domestic and foreign. Bulgar was a famous center of international trade. Its own writing emerged. Turkic and ancient Tatar poetry was widespread, and the Bulgars also had scientists: historians, philosophers, lawyers, and doctors.
Volga Bulgaria ceased to exist as an independent state in 1236. after its conquest by Batu's army. Soon it became part of the Golden Horde as its northern ulus. The creators of the Golden Horde were a small number of the Mongol elite, its indigenous population were Turkic-speaking peoples: Kinchaks, Oguzes, Volga Bulgars, Madjars, etc., as well as Turkic-speaking Tatars; by the end of the 14th century, the main population of the Golden Horde was called Tatars. The basis of the economy was nomadic cattle breeding, arable farming, highly developed crafts, and foreign trade. The Golden Horde was a feudal state headed by a khan. She maintained a powerful, well-armed army. By the end of the 14th century. The fall of the Golden Horde began. Despite the attempts of Emir Idegei to restore its former power, it was in the 30s and 40s of the 15th century. broke up into separate Tatar khanates.
Khanate of Kazan
The Kazan Khanate was founded in 1445 by Mahmutek, the eldest son of the last legitimate Horde khan Ulu - Muhammad. The reign of Mahmutek and his son Ibrahim from 1445 to 1479. is successful in the formation and development of a new state. The Kazan Khanate occupied the lands of the middle Volga region from the river. Sura to the Ural Mountains, its southern limits reached along the Volga to the city of Sary-Tau, and to the north they passed along the upper reaches of the Kama and Vyatka. The main population were Tatars; the Khanate also included Bashkirs, Chuvash, Mari, and Udmurts. Economic system The basis of the economy was closely related to the way of life of the former Volga Bulgaria and the Golden Horde: agricultural culture, cattle breeding. The craft reached a very high level of development. The wealth of material culture provided the basis for the development of the spiritual world of society: literature, song creativity, and other types of folklore. The Kazan Khanate was a feudal state led by a khan. The army was mainly militia, collected during wars and campaigns. Until 1552, the Tatar army knew almost no defeats.
150 thousand Russian army with 150 cannons led by Tsar Ivan the Terrible on August 23, 1552. surrounded Kazan. After 40 days of siege and holding powerful explosions the city was taken on October 2. The defenders of Kazan were killed, their wives and children were given over to the wars, Tatar blood flowed like a river. The Kazan Khanate ceased to exist.
Tatars within the Russian state
Moscow carried out punitive actions against the rebels. Throughout the years 1553, troops marched along the banks of the Volga, Kama, Vyatka, and Sviyaga and suppressed popular uprisings. The war covered the period 1552-1556. and was carried out with varying degrees of success. Russian troops surrounded the town of Chalym and took it by storm. Ali - Akram was killed, Mamysh - Berzy and other leaders of the uprising were taken to Moscow and executed. With the suppression of the uprising, the resistance of the peoples of the region did not stop. They flared up repeatedly until the end of the 16th century. With the conquest of Kazan, all state structures of the Kazan Khanate were liquidated. Ivan the Terrible organized his own administration of the region and created his own administration. The administration of the region was entrusted to two governors, Kazan and Sviyazhsk. In Kazan, the military horizon was abandoned; in addition to administrative and military power in the region, church power was also beginning to strengthen. The intensive construction of monasteries and fortresses - cities - begins. These events were aimed at the colonization of the former Kazan Khanate. Lands were confiscated from the nobility, the population was expelled from Kazan and other cities, Tatars were not allowed to settle along the banks of rivers. The forced Christianization of the Tatars and other peoples of the region began. Muslim temples, schools, madrassas, and written monuments were destroyed. These events led to numerous uprisings in 1572. Tatar and Mari population Wed. The Volga region was brutally suppressed as a result of military operations in 1574. However, the movement soon resumed again in the 80s, but again in 1584. was depressed, and in 1587. the remnants of the rebels are completely broken.
Kazan region in the 17th century.
In the 17th century The strengthening of the Russian state continues on the territory of Wed. Volga region. The penetration of Russians here and the development of its territories is increasing. In the 17th century trade relations between the Tatars and Wed began to revive. Asia, Iran, India, the Caucasus and Siberia. Over the period, the economy, agriculture, revival and development of culture were restored. The ensuing oppression from the Russian state only strengthened the idea of the struggle for freedom. The purpose of numerous armed uprisings in the 17th century is evidence of this. As a result of many years of armed struggle, the Tatar people defended not only their vital rights, but also the rights of other peoples of the Volga and Urals regions.
Tataria in the 18th century.
Period of the 18th century was marked by major reforms that affected the Kazan region. Territory of the region in 1708 became part of the newly organized Kazan province, thereby losing the last signs of independence. In 1775 The Kazan province became part of 13 districts. Economic development provinces in the 18th century. characterized by the development of the feudal mode of production. However, from the second half of the 18th century. Industry began to emerge. Industrial enterprises are appearing in the region. Among the industries, it is worth highlighting leather, soap and candle making, cloth making, copper smelting, and textile production. Great value the economy that emerged in 1718 played a role in the economy of the region. Kazan Admiralty. The 18th century is characterized by a further intensification of attempts at national oppression. The Tatar population responded to such repressions with new uprisings (1718,1735,1739). However, they were all brutally suppressed. The desire of the Tatar people for freedom and national independence was especially strongly manifested in their participation in the peasant war under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev, who promised to return their independence. Despite the fact that the “Pugachevism” was defeated, it had a great influence on the further policy of the Russian state towards Muslims. Catherine II made some concessions. So, in 1773 a decree was issued that prohibited forced baptism, from 1776, it was decided to conduct trade throughout Russia, from 1784, the Murzas were equated with the Russian nobility, it was allowed to build mosques. The field of economic and spiritual activity opened up, mektebes and madrassas were opened. In 1758, the first gymnasium was opened in Kazan, and in 1789, the main public school. In the 18th century Kazan becomes an object of study by Russian scientists.
Kazan province in the first and second half of the 19th century
The basis of the region's economy in the first half of the 19th century. Agriculture continued to remain. During this period, the development of industry such as manufactories with hired workers continued. There were many industrial enterprises in the districts of the province. The quality of workshops in rural areas is increasing. Big specific gravity Trade continued to occupy the region. National oppression in the 19th century. changed. The discovery of early XIX V. university, which became the center of advanced scientific and socio-political thought in Kazan. At the end of the 50s. the province numbered about 1.5 million people. More than 90% lived in rural areas. Kazan was one of the largest cities in Russia; more than 60 thousand people lived there.
At the end of the century, more than 10 thousand people worked in factories. The difficult working conditions of the workers created favorable conditions for the spread of revolutionary ideas among them. Students of Kazan University played a significant role in their dissemination. The abolition of serfdom served as a powerful stimulant for the development of productive forces and the rise of the country's economy, but also intensified the class struggle. Before them there were peasant unrest.
Kazan province at the beginning of the 20th century
The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the growth of the revolutionary movement in society. These movements seriously affected the Muslim regions of the country, primarily the Tatars, due to a number of objective reasons, who were the most receptive to similar ideas at that time. The overthrow of the autocracy was practically supported by all the people. In Kazan, as throughout the country, bodies of the Provisional Government and Soviets were created. For the first time, bodies of the national movement of the Tatars were created - “National Council”, - “Milli-Shuro”.
Tatarstan 1917-1992
The October Revolution, which brought the Bolsheviks to power, was relatively easy and successful throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. In Kazan from October 23, 1917 There were sluggish battles between revolutionary-minded soldiers and Red Guards and government troops. When news arrived in Kazan about the fall of the Provisional Government in the capital, the fighting ended in victory for the rebels. Soviet power was established. Among the Bolshevik leaders were M. Vakhitov, K. Grasis, N. Ershov and others. During the civil war, the territory of the republic twice became the site of fierce battles (1918, 1919), but the opponents of Bolshevism were defeated. New states were created on the ruins of the Russian Empire. The formation of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed on June 25, 1920. The republic was created by the CPC, a multinational state that was part of the RSFSR (Tatars - 49.5%, Russians - 41.2%, Chuvash - 5.9%, Mari - 0.8%). During the period 1920-1940. TASSR became an industrial-agrarian republic. Collectivization was carried out. New industrial enterprises have been created. A number of enterprises have been restored and reconstructed.
The war of 1941-1945 was a heavy burden. fell on the shoulders of the residents of Tatarstan. More than 560 thousand residents of the republic went to the battlefields, over 300 thousand did not return as women. The republic has become one of the largest centers for the production of modern military equipment. Aircraft built in Kazan were among the first to carry out raids on Berlin in the summer of 1941. The republic's enterprises produced shells and fuses, cartridges and bombs, mines, aviation and tank instruments, parachutes, communications equipment, shoes, food and much more to meet the needs of the front. In the most difficult war conditions, women, children, old people - the main labor force in agriculture - gave the country millions of tons of grain. 50 hospitals were opened in Kazan and the cities of the republic, where 340 thousand officers and soldiers received medical care. In 1943, in the southeast of the republic, in Shugurov, the first industrial oil was produced. Scientists and teachers, doctors, writers, artists, musicians, and agricultural specialists made their contribution to the victory. The real dawn of the oil refining industry occurred in the mid-50s. In the 70s, Tatarstan produced up to 100 million tons of oil annually. Where the main oil fields were located, new cities and towns grew - Almetyevsk, Leninogorsk, Jalil, etc. In the early 70s. On the banks of the Kama, the country's largest factories for the production of trucks, rubber, and tires are being created, and a hydroelectric power station is being built. New technologies are being actively introduced into agriculture. At the same time, the rapid development of industry and the intensification of agriculture constantly worsened the environmental situation: emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere increased, rivers, lakes, and even ground waters were polluted, and some plant species died. All this had a negative impact on the health of the population. This work includes public organizations. With their active influence, the construction of a gas station on Kama and a plant for protein preparations in Kazan is canceled.
Tatarstan: current situation
Since 1990, a new transition has begun in the modern history of Tatarstan - objections and development of statehood. In the 30s, Tatarstan actually lost all its rights and was only nominally called a republic. On August 30, 1990, the legislative body of Tatarstan proclaimed state sovereignty. The Declaration of Sovereignty became an act of realization of the inalienable right of the Tatar nation, the entire people of the republic, to self-determination. In accordance with the Declaration, the land, its subsoil, natural resources and other resources became the property of the people of the republic. Two languages - Tatar and Russian - were declared state. The Constitution and laws of the republic began to have supremacy throughout the entire territory of Tatarstan. The declaration also recorded the need to conclude an agreement with the Russian Federation. In November 1992 The Supreme Council adopted the Constitution of Tatarstan, which legally established the foundations of sovereignty. The republic was proclaimed a democratic legal state, expressing the will and interests of the entire multinational people of the republic, having their own citizenship and their own state symbols.
In August 1991 Official changes began between the delegations of Tatarstan and Russia, ending on February 15, 1994. signing of a bilateral political agreement. This agreement became the first interstate document in the last four hundred and forty years, defining relations between Moscow and Kazan. The Treaty is guided equally by the Constitution of Russia and the Constitution of Tatarstan. The agreement defined the powers of the federal center and the republic, secured the division of property, and proposed a mechanism for a new type of relations in the state. The treaty became an important event not only in the life of Tatarstan, but also in Russia, because it marked out for it the path of transition from a unitary form of state to a contractual federation.
Tatarstan- one of the largest and economically developed regions of Russia. It is in the top three in terms of the amount of agricultural products among other Russian cities. It is an oil republic. Direct trade and economic relations have been established with many countries in Europe and Asia, which result in the opening of foreign economic representative offices in other countries.
Capital — Kazan. Beautiful, modern city with a population of 1 million 206 thousand people. Center for scientific, cultural, economic, industrial and political life Tatarstan.
A little about the name:
The republic under this name dates back to 1920, when V. Lenin signed a decree on the formation of the TASSR, part of the RSFSR.
On August 30, 1990, the sovereignty of Tatarstan was adopted and a new name appeared - the Republic of Tatarstan.
Location:
Tatarstan- the central part of Russia, located at the junction of the Volga river and the Kama river. In the west it borders with the republic. Chuvashia and the Mari Republic. In the north - Kirov region. and Udmurtia. In the east - with Bashkortostan and the Orenburg region. In the south - from the Ulyanovsk and Samara regions.
Square
The territory of the republic is 67,836 km². Length - vertically - about 290 km, horizontally - about 460 km.
Population:
According to data for 2015, the number of living people is 3 million 855 thousand 258 people. Basically, these are Tatars and Russians.
Tatarstan- one of the most multinational regions of the country. 115 nationalities live here: Chuvash, Udmurts, Bashkirs, Mari, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Jews, etc.
National flag:
Rectangular shape with three transverse stripes: green, white and red.
What do they symbolize?
green - symbol of spring, rebirth
white - purity
red - maturity, vitality
There is another, no less interesting version:
· green - Tatars
· red—Russian population
white - a symbol of their friendship and harmony
Territorial division:
Includes 43 districts and 22 cities.
Most famous cities
· Naberezhnye Chelny
· Zelenodolsk
· Elabuga
Nizhnekamsk
· Almetyevsk
· Bugulma
· Chistopol
· Zainsk
· Leninogorsk
· Bavli
· Nurlat
· Aznakaevo
Briefly about the cities of the Republic of Tatarstan
Naberezhnye Chelny
- second in size and population after Kazan. Located in the north-east. parts of the republic. Center - Tukaevsky district. Distance to Kazan - 225 km. Population - 524 thousand.
Zelenodolsk
- located in the north-west. parts of RT. Center of Green district. 38 km from the capital. 98 thousand people live here.
Yelabuga
- to the north - east Tatarstan. Located near Chelny and Nizhnekamsk. Center of Elab. district. 215 km from Kazan. Number of people - 72 thousand.
Nizhnekamsk
- a city on the left bank of the Kama. Center of Nizhnekamsk region. 236 km from the capital. Number of residents - 235 thousand.
Almetyevsk
- in the southeast parts. Center of Almetyevsky district. 279 km from the capital. Number of people - 150 thousand people.
Bugulma
- in the southeast. Center of Bugul district. Bugulma is located 333 km from Kazan. 87 thousand people live here.
Chistopol
- is located in the middle of Tatarstan. Center of Chistopol district. Distance from the capital - 144 km. 61 thousand people live in Chistopol.
Zainsk
- a city at the confluence of the Stepna and Lesnaya Zai rivers. Center of Zainsky district. Population - 41 thousand people. Located 287 km. from Kazan.
Leninogorsk
- southeastern part Tatarstan. Center of Lenin district. The distance to the capital is 322 km. 64 thousand people live in Leninogorsk.
Bavly
- southeast of the Republic of Tatarstan. Center of Bavlinsky district. To Kazan - 369 km. Population - 22 thousand.
Nurlat
- city in the southern part. Center of Nurlatsky district. 33 thousand people live in Nurlat. 200 km from the capital.
Aznakaevo
- in the southeast parts. Center of the Aznak district. Kazan is 376 km away. Number of living people - 35 thousand.
Buinsk
- southwestern part. Center - Buinsky district. Number of people - 21 thousand people. Located 137 km. from the capital.
Geography
Climate:
Moderate continental with comfortable summer and winter. July is the warmest month, t° - from +18°C to +20°C, the coldest month is January, t° from −13°C to −14°C. Climate changes within the Republic of Tatarstan are insignificant!
Nature:
Tatarstan- predominantly a plain with zones of forests and forest-steppes. The republic has a rich natural world. There are many rivers, lakes, and ponds here. Despite numerous endless steppes, in the Republic of Tatarstan there are quite a lot of territories occupied by pine and deciduous forests. Many mineral resources have been found, among which the most significant are oil and coal. Also Tatarstan has the largest reservoirs - Kuibyshevskoye and Nizhnekamskoye.
Water resources:
The region has a large number water bodies: rivers - large and small, lakes that have their own unique characteristics. A separate point is the presence in Tatarstan huge water storage facilities performing strategically important functions.
Rivers and lakes:
Volga and Kama are the largest rivers Eastern Europe. The length of the republic is the first - 177 km, the second - 380 km, Vyatka - 60 km and Belaya - 50 km, flowing into the Kama. Famous rivers are Sviyaga, Mesha, Shoshma.
In addition to them, there are about 500 smaller rivers in the republic, but no less long (more than 10 km).
There are also about 8 thousand small lakes and ponds.
Famous lakes:
· In Kazan - Kaban (Middle, Lower, Upper), Lebyazhye, Blue
· In Laishevsky district - Kovalinskoye, Tarlashinskoye
· In Zelenodolsky - Raifskoye, Ilyinskoye
· In Nizhnekamsk - Podbornoe and Vyazovoe
Reservoirs:
The republic has large reserves of water, concentrated in the following reservoirs:
· Kuibyshevskoye is the largest in Europe, providing regulation of water flows to the Middle. Volga
Nizhnekamskoe - large water body, which carries out constant distribution of flows throughout the waterworks
· Karabashskoe - water supply system for important industrial enterprises
· Zainskoe - the main function is technical maintenance of the state district power station
Flora and fauna:
Forests account for 18% of the entire territory of the Republic of Tatarstan. Mainly oaks, birches, lindens, aspens, as well as pine and spruce trees grow here. Most often, the forest borders on the steppe, forming vast and numerous forest-steppe zones. There is also a taiga forest, represented by trees - larch and pine needles.
Availability in Tatarstan forest-steppe allows animals accustomed to living both in the steppe and in the forest to feel comfortable. The republic is home to more than 400 species of animals (hares, squirrels, moose, foxes, hedgehogs, martens, wolves, bears...). You can meet representatives of 270 types of different birds (peregrine falcons, larks, golden eagles, wood grouse, owls, woodpeckers, hawks and many others).
Fertile soils:
Tatarstan- an amazingly fertile region, represented by a large amount of black soil. The highest content of humus (a substance containing the most valuable nutritional substances) is observed in the southern regions of the republic.
Minerals:
Tatarstan has a developed mineral resource base, represented by various valuable minerals.
Oil:
Many people know that the republic is famous for its oil. And this is true. After all, oil is its main wealth.
In recent years, about 127 oil fields have been discovered, the main of which are:
Romashkinskoye is one of the largest in the world
· Novo-Elkhovskoe
· Bavlinskoe
· Bondyuzhskoe
· Pervomayskoye
Gas:
Along with oil, natural gas is produced. On average, for 1 ton of oil there is approximately 40 cubic meters of associated gas.
Coal:
Along with oil, coal mining is widely developed. 108 coal deposits have been identified, mainly associated with the areas of the Kama coal basin.
Other fossils:
No less significant is the production:
oil shale
· gypsum
· phosphorites
· copper
limestone
· peat
· building stone, etc.
These rocks are a unique material used in various industries.
