Komi Republic


The Komi Republic, sometimes simply referred to as Komi, is a republic of Russia situated in the northeast of European Russia. Its capital is the city of Syktyvkar.
The population of the republic at the 2021 census was 737,853, down from 901,189 at the 2010 census.

History

The Komi people first feature in the records of the Novgorod Republic in the 11th century, when traders from Novgorod traveled to the Perm region in search of furs and animal hides. The Novgorodians called these lands Zavolochye, from the Russian word volok, and the Komi were referred to as "the Chud beyond the portage". The Novgorodians penetrated deep into these lands, and the methods used were typical of those used by later Russians in subsequent campaigns.
The Moscow principality also played an increasing role in the expansion into Komi territories, accompanied by a great increase in monastic activity in the 14th and 15th centuries under the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church. The missionary Stephen of Perm, a native of Ustyug, created the first alphabet for the Komi, known by contemporary Russians as Zyrians. He settled in Ust-Vym and became the first bishop of Perm. After Novgorod was annexed by Moscow, the Komi territories came under the influence of Moscow in the late 15th and early 16th century. The site of Syktyvkar, settled from the 16th century, was known as Sysolskoye. In 1780, under Catherine the Great, it was renamed to Ust-Sysolsk and used as a penal colony.
Russians explored the Komi territory most extensively in the 19th and early 20th centuries, starting with the expedition led by Alexander von Keyserling in 1843. They found ample reservoirs of various minerals, as well as timber, to exploit. After the founding of the Soviet Union in 1922, the Komi-Zyryan Autonomous Oblast was established on August 22, 1921, and on December 5, 1936, it was reorganized into the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic with its administrative center located at the town of Syktyvkar.
Many of the "settlers" who arrived in the early 20th century were prisoners of the Gulag – sent by the hundreds of thousands to perform forced labor in the Arctic regions of the USSR. Towns sprang up around labor-camp sites, which gangs of prisoners initially carved out of the untouched tundra and taiga. The first mine, "Rudnik No. 1", became the city of Vorkuta, and other towns of the region have similar origins: "Prisoners planned and built all of the republic's major cities, not just Ukhta but also Syktyvkar, Pechora, Vorkuta, and Inta. Prisoners built Komi's railways and roads, as well as its original industrial infrastructure." On 21 March 1996, the Komi Republic signed a power-sharing agreement with the government of Russia, granting it autonomy. The agreement was abolished on 20 May 2002.

Geography

The republic is situated to the west of the Ural Mountains, in the north-east of the East European Plain. The Polar Urals rise in the northeastern part. Forests cover over 70% of the territory, and swamps cover approximately 15%. The Komi Republic is the second-largest federal region by area in European Russia after Arkhangelsk Oblast.
Major rivers include:
  • Izhma River
  • Mezen River
  • Pechora River
  • Sysola River
  • Usa River
  • Vashka River
  • Vychegda River
  • Vym River

    Lakes

There are many lakes in the republic. Major lakes include:
  • Sindorskoye Lake
  • Yam-Ozero Lake

    Natural resources

The republic's natural resources include coal, oil, natural gas, gold, diamonds, and timber. Native reindeer are in abundance and have been intentionally bred for human usage by the indigenous population.
Around 32,800 km2 of mostly boreal forest in the Republic's Northern Ural Mountains have been recognized in 1995 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Virgin Komi Forests. It is the first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Russia and the largest expanse of virgin forests in Europe. The site includes two pre-existing protected areas: Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve and Yugyd Va National Park.

Climate

Winters in the republic are long and cold, and the summers, while short, are quite warm.
  • Average January temperature: to
  • Average July temperature: to
  • Lowest recorded temperature:
  • Average annual precipitation:

    Manpupuner and the 7 Strong Men rock formations

Deemed one of the Seven Wonders of Russia, the Komi Republic is home to Manpupuner, a mysterious site in the northern Ural Mountains, in the Troitsko-Pechorsky District, made out of seven rock towers bursting out of the flat plateau known as the "7 Strong Men". Manpupuner is a very popular attraction in Russia, but not on an international level. Information regarding its origin is scarce. However, it is known that their height and abnormal shapes make the top of these rock giants inaccessible even to experienced rock-climbers.

Administrative divisions

Komi Republic is divided into 12 raions or districts.

Demographics

Population:
17-12-192617-01-193917-01-195915-01-197017-01-197917-01-198909-10-200214-10-2010
Total population207,314318,996806,199964,8021,110,3611,250,8471,018,674901,189
Average annual population growth+1.7%+1.6%+1.3%-1.6%-1.5%
Males46%49%52%50%51%50%48%
Females54%51%48%50%49%50%52%
Females per 1000 males
Proportion urban4.4%9.1%59.4%61.9%70.8%75.5%75.3%
Territory 434,150415,900415,900415,900415,900415,900415,900415,900
Population density/km20.50.81.92.32.73.02.42.2

Settlements

Vital statistics

Average population Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate Crude death rate Natural change Total fertility rate
19204 7604 353407-
193010 2566 5743 682-
194014 97612 1342 842-
19456 4326 185247-
195053420 0876 00214 08537.611.226.4-
196083625 5785 01020 56830.66.024.6-
196593818 9565 24113 71520.25.614.6-
197097016 4626 27610 18617.06.510.5-
19751 04418 8997 28411 61518.17.011.1-
19801 13720 6859 16911 51618.28.110.1-
19811 15321 2449 10312 14118.47.910.5-
19821 16923 4208 75814 66220.07.512.5-
19831 18523 8069 25014 55620.17.812.3-
19841 19924 2179 48614 73120.27.912.3-
19851 21323 3039 33413 96919.27.711.5-
19861 22824 1768 11216 06419.76.613.1-
19871 24223 6168 54415 07219.06.912.1-
19881 25620 9168 93011 98616.77.19.5-
19891 25618 4818 8579 62414.77.17.7-
19901 24416 9309 3217 60913.67.56.11.873
19911 23115 5899 6655 92412.77.94.8
19921 21413 88011 4262 45411.49.42.0
19931 19912 15814 642- 2 48410.112.2- 2.1
19941 17411 83516 074- 4 23910.113.7- 3.6
19951 14511 10515 057- 3 9529.713.2- 3.51.317
19961 12410 90013 674- 2 7749.712.2- 2.5
19971 10610 38812 244- 1 8569.411.1- 1.7
19981 08710 79311 545- 7529.910.6- 0.7
19991 0689 68012 253- 2 5739.111.5- 2.4
20001 0509 90613 594- 3 6889.412.9- 3.51.219
20011 03610 32513 968- 3 64310.013.5- 3.51.272
20021 02111 17715 265- 4 08810.915.0- 4.01.374
20031 00411 46215 810- 4 34811.415.8- 4.31.401
200498711 48915 210- 3 72111.615.4- 3.81.397
200597110 97515 074- 4 09911.315.5- 4.21.332
200695510 87213 519- 2 64711.414.1- 2.81.318
200794111 52312 304- 78112.213.1- 0.81.406
200892811 71912 270- 55112.613.2- 0.61.452
200991611 86812 182- 31413.013.3- 0.31.62
201090311 64811 819- 17112.913.1- 0.21.63
201111 71511 097+ 44313.012.4+ 0.61.71
201289012 41810 830+ 1 58814.012.2+ 1.81.88
201387612 43610 484+ 1 95214.212.0+ 2.21.96
201486812 29110 621+ 1 67014.212.2+ 2.02.01
201586111 79710 666+ 1 13113.612.3+ 1.32.00
201685411 23910 523+ 71613.112.3+ 0.81.97
20178459 7669 958- 19211.511.8- 0.31.78