Astrakhan Oblast (Russian: Astrakhan Oblast Astrakhanskaya oblast) is
an oblast in Russia with about one million inhabitants. The region,
located on the Caspian Sea, forms the eastern edge of the South Russia
Federal District of the Russian Federation.
The oblast is located
in the Caspian depression and occupies a narrow strip on the lower
reaches of the Volga. South of the city of Astrakhan is the Volga Delta,
the largest river delta in Europe, where the Volga flows into the
Caspian Sea. The oblast is bordered by Kalmykia to the west, Volgograd
Oblast to the north, and Kazakhstan to the east. Despite the proximity
to the Caspian Sea, the climate is strictly continental with low
rainfall.
In addition to the Russians, the indigenous population
also includes the Kazakhs, Tatars, Nogai Tatars (Nogais) and Kalmyks.
Other, smaller minorities of the region are Azerbaijanis, Armenians,
Chechens and Ukrainians. About 25% of the inhabitants are Muslims. The
oblast is sparsely populated, without the capital, the population
density is less than 10 people per square kilometer.
Traditionally, fishing has been economically important, until a few
years ago, mainly for caviar in the Volga. More recently, oil and
natural gas fields have been discovered, which are being exploited.
Astrakhan - the historical capital
of the Astrakhan Khanate, an outpost of Russia in the Lower Volga
region
Akhtubinsk - a city at the
flight test center named after V.P. Chkalov
Kharаbali
is the center of Astrakhan melon growing
Znamensk
- ZATO at the test site and the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome
Narimanov
- a city attached to a shipyard; Astrakhan water divider is located
on the outskirts of Narimanov
Kamyzyak is the center of Astrakhan
fishing in the Volga delta
Baskunchak Lake and Bogdinsky-Baskunchaksky Nature Reserve with
Bolshoe Bogdo Mountain
Lotus fields in the Volga Delta
Astrakhan
water divider is a unique hydraulic engineering structure in Narimanov,
designed to regulate the flow of the Volga River without dam formation
Khosheutovsky khurul in the village. Rechnoye is a Buddhist
temple-monument in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.
The Sarai-Batu settlement is the capital of the Golden Horde in the
village of Selitrenny in the Kharabala district.
Sandy deserts on the
left bank of the Volga
The villages of Atal, Funtovo-1 and Funtovo-2,
where the absolute majority are Astrakhan Turkmens, who began to move
here since the 1650s and have not lost their identity.
The Astrakhan region has the largest Kazakh diaspora in Russia. In many places, the traveler will be able to understand Kazakh.
By plane
The only airport in the region is located in Astrakhan.
There are several daily flights from all Moscow airports, as well as
regular connections to Aktau, Yerevan and Baku.
By train
Astrakhan region is connected by rail with Volgograd region, Dagestan
and Atyrau region of Kazakhstan. There are two Moscow-Astrakhan trains
from Moscow, as well as trains to Makhachkala and Baku. There is a train
from St. Petersburg to Astrakhan, going through Saratov.
By bus
Astrakhan is connected by bus with Moscow, Western Kazakhstan, as well
as most of the regional centers of Southern Russia.
By car
The
main highway passing through the region from north to south is the R22
Kaspiy, the distance from Moscow is 1040 km. It should be noted that the
highway runs along the semi-deserted right bank of the Volga, while the
main attractions are on the left. To get to Nizhny Baskunchak,
Kharabali, etc. from the Volgograd region, you should leave the R22 in
the direction of Volzhsky before Volgograd and continue along local
roads.
In addition to P22, it should be noted the A154 highway of
good quality connecting Astrakhan with Elista, and the European route
E40 "Astrakhan-Atyrau-border with Turkmenistan".
Astrakhan region is located in the south-east of the East European
Plain within the Caspian lowland, in temperate latitudes, in a zone of
deserts and semi-deserts, which are mainly used as pastures. The region
stretches in a narrow strip on both sides of the Volga-Akhtuba
floodplain at a distance of more than 400 km. The delta spaces flooded
with hollow waters for a long period serve as a spawning ground for
important commercial fish — Russian sturgeon, sevryuga, beluga and
others.
The northernmost point is located on the border with the
Volgograd region at 48°52' s. w., the south — on the shore of the
Caspian Sea — 45 °31' s. w. The westernmost point is located in the
Chernoyarsk district on the border with the Volgograd region — 44 °58'
v. d., the east — on one of the small islands of the delta The Volga
River in the Volodarsky district at 49°15' VD. The length of the region
from north to south is more than 400 km, and from east to west is
maximum 120 km. The main landscape of the region is represented by a
young-undulating desert plain, complicated by huge arrays of hills,
sands, dry hollows, lakes, karst landforms, etc.
The current
absolute mark of the Caspian Sea is located at 27 m below the level of
the World Ocean. To the north, the absolute surface marks increase and
in the northernmost part of the region reach plus 15-20 m. The highest
point is Mount Bolshoe Bogdo — 161.9 m, located in the northeast of the
region.
The region is assigned to the fourth time zone UTC+4,
like Samara, local time in Astrakhan is 1 hour ahead of Moscow time.
The region belongs to the Volga Economic Region, the Southern
Federal District. The geographical position of the Astrakhan region is
peculiar. It is located on the border of Europe and Asia, the Volga
gives access to 5 seas.
Astrakhan region borders:
In the north
— with Kazakhstan (with the West Kazakhstan region)
In the north-west
— with the Volgograd region
In the east and northeast - with
Kazakhstan (with Atyrau region)
In the west and south — with Kalmykia
The landscape structure of the region is represented by 8 landscapes. The Volga-Sarpinsky and Baskunchak landscapes were formed in the semi-desert zone. The desert zone is represented by the Volga-Ural, Volga-Priergeninsky, Western and Eastern Ilmen-hill landscapes. The intrazonal landscapes include the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga River delta. In each landscape, several localities are distinguished with a characteristic set of tracts
According to the data of the soil and geographical zoning of Russia, the territory of the Astrakhan region is classified as the Caspian province of light chestnut and brown semi-desert soils, salt marsh complexes, sand massifs and patches of salt marshes. Light chestnut soils are zonally represented in the northern regions, in the more southern regions — brown semi-desert, in the Volga—Akhtuba floodplain, delta and subtidal Ilmen - floodplain. Intrazonal — salt marshes and salt marshes — are found everywhere among all types of soils. Zonal light chestnut and brown soils belong to the group of arid gypsum-calcareous soils. They are formed under the influence of the same soil formation process, which caused the appearance of similar external features. The main factors of soil formation for light chestnut and brown semi-desert soils are the arid climate (especially high temperatures of the growing season) and the xerophytic, sparse nature of vegetation.
The surface waters of the Astrakhan region are represented by the
Volga River with numerous watercourses (about 900 units), fresh and
salty reservoirs (about 1000 units) and the largest closed reservoir on
the planet — the Caspian Sea. Groundwater is divided into groundwater
and interplastic.
The Volga River, the longest river in Europe,
is the national pride of Russia. The Volga runs a long way — 3530 km
from its source to its confluence with the Caspian Sea, accepting more
and more new tributaries. The catchment area is 1360000 km2. The Volga,
along with the Caspian Sea and other rivers flowing into it, belongs to
the waste-free basin. Navigable channels have been built in the upper
reaches of the Volga, near Volgograd, which determined the Volga's
outlet to the World Ocean. Near the city of Volzhsky, Volgograd region,
a large arm separates from it to the east — the Akhtuba River, which
flows parallel throughout. To the north of Astrakhan, where the Buzan
arm separates from the Volga, the delta begins. Downstream, the Buzan
River joins the Akhtuba. The largest watercourses of the delta from west
to east are the Bakhtemir, Staraya Volga, Kizan, Bolda, Buzan and Kigach
branches.
The lakes of the Astrakhan region occupy a special
place. By origin, they are divided into tectonic, dammed, and mixed. By
chemical composition, it is divided into fresh and salty. Lake
Baskunchak belongs to the tectonic type. The lakes-staritsa and kultuki
belong to the dam type. The Ilmen lakes are mainly concentrated to the
west of the delta. They have a mixed origin, as wind, sea and Volga
waters took part in their formation.
The Caspian Sea is the
largest lake in the world, named the sea for its large size. The
Astrakhan region is washed by the northern part of the Caspian Sea. The
relief of the bottom of the Northern Caspian Sea is a shallow, slightly
undulating accumulative plain, complicated by the delta, avandelta and a
number of islands. The low, sloping banks are covered with impenetrable
thickets of reeds up to 3-4 m high.
The geological structure of the Astrakhan region has led to the
formation of various minerals on its territory, mainly natural gas, salt
and building materials.
In 1836, an artesian well was drilled in
Astrakhan to obtain water, but only bitter water and combustible gas
went from there.
Until the 1930s, individual researchers were
engaged in substantiating the oil content of the region to a depth of
300-350 m. In the post-war years, geological exploration began, which
led to the development of the gas field in the 1950s, which marked the
beginning of the gasification of Astrakhan and a number of settlements.
In the 1960s, a small Beshkul oil field was explored. In the early
1970s, the Bugrinsky gas field was discovered.
In August 1976,
the Astrakhan sulfur gas condensate field was discovered. It is located
70 km northeast of Astrakhan. Industrial reserves of hydrocarbons in the
left-bank part of the field alone amount to 2,588 billion m3 and 412
million tons of condensate. The composition of the gas includes the
following components: methane gas — 54%, hydrogen sulfide — 22-24%,
carbon dioxide — 19-22%; one cubic meter of gas contains an average of
250 g of condensate. One of the most important components is sulfur.
In 1990-1991, the Camel oil and Severo-Shajinskoye gas fields were
discovered.
In 2000, the Y. Korchagin oil and gas condensate
field was discovered on the territory of the Northern Caspian Sea.
Reserves in 3P categories amount to 500 million barrels of oil
equivalent. In 2005, the Filanovsky oil and gas condensate field was
discovered on the shelf. Oil reserves amount to 220 million tons, and
gas reserves amount to 40 billion m3.
There are more than 1000
salt lakes in the region. Lake Baskunchak is one of the world's largest
deposits of table salt. It contains 98% halite.
Not far from the
village of Korduan, located on the left bank of the Kigach River, there
is a Small Korduan salt lake. A mineral called astrakhanite was
discovered here for the first time.
A special role among the
deposits of building materials belongs to Russia's largest Baskunchak
gypsum deposit. The operation has been carried out since 1933 by the
Baskunchak Gypsum Plant, which produces gypsum stone and raw ground
gypsum. Gypsum is extracted from a quarry with a depth of up to 40 — 42
m. The gypsum is overlain from above by sandy-clay deposits of an
average thickness of 56 m. Gypsum extraction takes place with the help
of blasting operations.
5.5 km east of Lake Baskunchak is the
Kubatau limestone deposit, which is recommended as a raw material for
the production of construction lime.
In recent years, tremolite
has been widely used — a light porous concrete filler obtained by firing
flake rocks. Three opok deposits have been explored in our region:
Kamennoyarskoye (Chernoyarsky district), Ak-Jarskoye and Baskunchakskoye
(Akhtuba district).
The region has large reserves of mineral
waters and therapeutic mud, which are waiting for their detailed study
and development.
Specially protected territories of the Astrakhan
region
The modern network of protected areas in the region, including
state reserves, hunting farms and state natural monuments, was formed in
the 70s-80s of the XX century. There are two federal state nature
reserves on the territory of the Astrakhan region (Astrakhan Biosphere
Reserve and Bogdinsky-Baskunchaksky Reserve). There are 49 protected
areas of regional importance in the Astrakhan region. The total area of
the protected areas of the Astrakhan region is 428,694,208 thousand
hectares. They are categorized as follows:
2 natural parks:
"Volga-Akhtuba interfluve", "Baskunchak";
4 state nature reserves:
"Bogdinsky-Baskunchaksky", "Vyazovskaya Dubrava", "Ilmenno-Bugrovoy",
"Steppe" and "Berli Sands";
8 state biological reserves: Teplushki,
Ikryaninsky, Mininsky, Krestovy, Zhirotopka, Bukhovsky, Kabaniy,
Enotaevsky;
35 natural monuments of regional importance
The modern fauna of the Astrakhan region has over 9,000 species. It
is home to aquatic and terrestrial animals — inhabitants of steppe,
desert, semi-desert landscapes. There are about 150 species of protozoa
in the reservoirs of the delta. There is also a badyaga, belonging to
the class of sponges. There are 5 species of coelenterates in the
Caspian Sea basin: hydra, American blackfordia, Black Sea merizia,
Baltic butenvillia, polypodium, and another variety of hydra:
craspedacusta. About 10 species of earthworms, or earthworms, are found
in the soils of the region. The delta is also home to about 80 species
of mollusks, 260 species of crustaceans, 140 species of butterflies and
6 species of venomous spiders. About 450 species of vertebrates have
been recorded from chordate animals: 1 species of round-mouthed, 64
species of fish, 4 species of amphibians, 18 species of reptiles, about
300 species of birds and 60 species of mammals. A typical representative
of modern jawless is the Caspian lamprey. If we consider the fish that
live not only in the Volga, but also in the Caspian Sea, then there are
76 species and 47 subspecies in total. Among them are six species of
fish of the Sturgeon family — Russian and Persian sturgeon, beluga,
sevryuga, thorn and sterlet, representatives of the Herring family —
blackback, etc., Salmon family — whitefish, Caspian trout, Perch family
— walleye, bersh, common perch, etc., Carp family — roach, bream, carp,
rudd and others . The species composition of fish in commercial catches
is represented by about twenty species: bream, bluefish, gustera,
chehon, bersh, walleye, perch, pike, catfish, rudd, roach, carp,
serushka, tench, asp, ide, common podust, white amur, silver carp,
white-eyed. Small, short-lived fish of the lower reaches of the delta
and avandelta include bleak, minnow, small southern stickleback, loach,
plucker, Caspian needle fish, Caspian aterine, ruff, goby, candied goby,
Caspian sand goby, Caspian round goby, golovach goby, bubyr goby,
granular and stellate buttons. Representatives of the order of tailless
amphibians live in the Astrakhan region — the lake frog, the green toad
and the common garlic beetle. Of the order of turtles, only one species
is found in the region — the marsh turtle. The group of snakes has 10
species.
About 260 species of birds can be found within the
Astrakhan region: yellow-headed kinglet, house sparrow, field sparrow,
great tit, azure, remez, thrush, black grouse, songbird, coastal
swallow, rustic swallow, broad-tailed finch, gray shrike, black-fronted
shrike, oak-nosed, field lark, gray crow, rook, jackdaw, magpie, grey
heron, great white heron, Egyptian heron, spoonbill, loaf, big and small
booze, croaker, thrush-like reed warbler, gray goose, swans hissing and
whooping, mallard, gray duck, ogar, teal, silver and lake gulls, terns,
cormorant, pink pelican, curly pelican, gray owl, swamp owl, house owl,
owl, flat-tailed and eared owl, white-tailed eagle, steppe eagle, grouse
hawk, reed harrier, steppe harrier, field and marsh harrier, black kite,
winter falcon, saker falcon, cheglok, kobchik, common kestrel, osprey,
etc. From the order of rodents, there are small gopher and yellow
gopher, midday gerbil, shaggy-legged jerboa, field and house mice, baby
mouse, gray rat (pasyuk), common and water voles, muskrat and some other
species. From the group of predators, the wolf, the common fox, the
korsak fox, the raccoon dog, the steppe ferret, the bandage, the ermine,
the weasel, the badger, the otter, the Caspian seal and others live in
the region. In recent years, another predatory species, the American
mink, has begun to occur in the lower reaches of the Volga. The order of
(Quito-) artiodactyls is represented in the territory of the region by
wild boar, saiga, roe deer. Muskrat, big-eared hedgehog, small and
white-bellied whitethroats, which belong to the order of insectivores,
also live.
The Astrakhan region is floristically included in the Afro-Asian
desert region and in the Caspian Region of the Aral-Caspian (Turan)
province of the Iranian-Turan region of the Holarctic. The
Caspian-Turanian Circumcaspian species and endemics of the Northern
Caspian region are characteristic of the district. The species
composition of the flora of the region is not rich. The modern
vegetation of the Caspian Sea has developed approximately in the last
15-16 thousand years. During this time, only 756-850 species of higher
plants out of 240 thousand species of the world flora were able to gain
a foothold here in harsh stressful conditions of existence (lack of
moisture, salinization of the soil). But the combination of these
species, the interpenetration of the northern Boreal and desert
Iranian-Turanian create unique plant communities. There is no other
place within Russia where, with a height difference relative to the 1.5
— 2.0 m range, associations from coastal-aquatic to desert plants are
represented. On the territory of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the
delta of the river. As a result of research conducted by the ASU
Geobotany Laboratory, about 500 plant species belonging to 82 families
have been identified. The ten most species-rich families include 262
species, or more than 50% of the total number of species. Downstream,
the representation of families is changing. In the European part of
Russia, desert vegetation as a zonal type is noted only in the southeast
within the Caspian lowland. In desert habitats, the leading place
belongs to complex-colored, cereal and haze, which indicates the
connection and interpenetration of species of desert and forest
habitats.
The North Turanian (Caspian) deserts are a kingdom of
semi—shrubby (khamefit) wormwood, among which white wormwood,
poor-flowered or black wormwood, and sandy wormwood dominate. In total,
the genus wormwood is represented by 10 species. As a result of
evolution, desert plants have developed a number of morphological and
anatomical features that allow them to tolerate lack of moisture and
soil salinity.
Meadows predominate everywhere in the floodplain
and delta, which can be divided into meadows of high, medium and low
levels, with varying degrees of moisture during the growing season. In
high—level meadows, plants of xerophytic orientation are common - ground
vane, sour sorrel, blueberry, pontic wormwood, Russian bedstraw, horned
lyadvenets, etc. kinds. The meadows of the middle level are occupied by
mesophytic plants — boneless stalk, narrow-leaved bluegrass, madder
bedstraw (in the floodplain) and sea corm, medicinal marshmallow and
other species (in the delta). Due to the widely developed hydrographic
network (rivers, channels, yeriki, Ilmen), the flora of submerged and
semi-submerged species is widely represented in the floodplain and
especially in the delta of the Volga River. In the underwater part of
the delta, you can find spiral wallisneria, hornfels, urut, rdests, the
underwater form of the umbrella susak. These peculiar "underwater
meadows" are a great place for the growth and development of many
semi—aquatic fish. Green algae live in the estuaries of rivers and in
the Northern Caspian Sea. They can be both planktonic and benthic.
A
sharp change in moisture in the floodplain and delta prevents the spread
of forests. They can exist only in narrow strips (ribbon or gallery
forests) along riverbeds and channels - the main spaces are occupied by
meadows. Only in the northernmost segment of the Volga-Akhtuba
floodplain have small oak forests of pedunculate oak been preserved.
Here, black poplar, ash, elm and willows are typical, tending to the
banks of rivers and channels. Downstream, the species composition of
tree species is becoming poorer, the forests are only ribbon, with the
dominance of three-stamen willow and white willow.
There are 20
species of plants listed in the Red Book of Russia in the Astrakhan
region.
The climate of the Astrakhan region is continental and dry. Winter is
sparsely snowy, in most of the region there is a strong softening effect
of the Caspian Sea, with frequent thaws and unstable snow cover,
however, on some days there are quite intense frosts with the invasion
of cold air masses from Kazakhstan or the Urals. The summer is hot. The
climate is also characterized by large annual and daily air temperature
amplitudes, low precipitation and high moisture evaporation.
The
average annual air temperature varies from south to north from +10 °C to
+8 °C. The coldest month is January, the average temperature is -10...
-20 °C. The highest average temperature of +35...+45 °C is observed in
July.
The annual precipitation ranges from 180-200 mm in the
south to 280-290 mm in the north of the region. The greatest amount of
precipitation falls between April and July. In summer, heavy rains are
accompanied by thunderstorms, sometimes with hail.
Since ancient times, the steppes of the Lower Volga region and the
Northern Caspian have served as gates for nomads breaking through from
the East to Europe. Magnificent pasture lands, abundance of water and
low-snow winters have always attracted nomadic pastoralists here, who
settled in these places and, under certain historical conditions, began
to conduct a comprehensive cattle breeding and agricultural economy
here.
In the VIII—X centuries, the territories were part of the
Khazar Khaganate. The center of the state was originally located in the
coastal part of modern Dagestan, later moved to the lower reaches of the
Volga. Part of the ruling elite adopted Judaism. A number of East Slavic
tribal unions were politically dependent on the Khazars. There are
suggestions that the capital of the Khazar khaganate Itil, destroyed by
Prince Svyatoslav in 965, was located on the territory of the modern
Astrakhan region. Later, the Polovtsians settled here.
After
Batu's European campaign of 1236-1242, the Polovtsians ceased to exist
as an independent political unit, but formed the bulk of the Turkic
population of the Golden Horde. Actually, there were only 4 thousand
Mongols in the Jochid troops, according to Genghis Khan's will. It was
the Polovtsians who made a significant contribution to the formation of
such ethnic groups as Tatars, Kirghiz, Gagauz, Uzbeks, Kazakhs,
Karakalpaks, Crimean Tatars, Siberian Tatars, Nogais, Kumyks, Bashkirs,
Karachays, Balkars.
During the reign of Khan Uzbek (1313-1341)
and his son Janibek (1342-1357), the Golden Horde reached its heyday. In
the early 1320s, Uzbek Khan proclaimed Islam the state religion,
threatening the "infidels" with physical violence. The rebellions of the
emirs who did not want to convert to Islam were brutally suppressed. The
time of his khanate was characterized by strict punishment. Russian
princes, dependent on the khans, before leaving for the capital of the
Golden Horde, wrote spiritual wills and paternal instructions to
children in case of their death there. Since the sixties of the XIV
century, since the time of the Great Zamyatna, important political
changes have taken place in the life of the Golden Horde. The gradual
disintegration of states began. After the death of Khan Kichi-Muhammad,
the Golden Horde ceased to exist as a single state.
The Astrakhan
Khanate was formed in 1459/60, when it was headed by the former khan of
the Great Horde (this is how the central part of the Golden Horde with
its capital in Novy Sarai became known) Mahmud, and since 1461 his son
Kasim. The favorable location and lack of competition contributed to the
restoration of Astrakhan's trade relations with Khorezm, Bukhara, and
Kazan.During the reign of Kasim, trade relations were established
between Astrakhan and the Moscow Principality. In particular, during the
reign of Ivan III, ships were sent annually to Astrakhan from Moscow
along the rivers Moscow, Oka and Volga to fetch salt.After the conquest
of the Kazan Khanate and the storming of its capital, Tsar Ivan the
Terrible decided to subordinate his southern neighbor to his
influence.Yamgurchey's opponent and ally of the Moscow tsar, Khan
Dervish Ali, reigned there, promising support to Moscow. However, in
1556, this khan sided with Moscow's long—time enemies, the Crimean
Khanate and the Ottoman Empire, thus provoking a new Russian campaign
against Astrakhan. It was headed by voivode N.Cheremisinov. First, the
Don Cossacks of Ataman L. Filimonov's detachment defeated the Khan's
army near Astrakhan, after which Astrakhan was retaken without a fight
on July 2. As a result of this campaign, the Astrakhan Khanate was
completely subordinated to the Muscovite Kingdom.
After the
collapse of the Golden Horde, the Nogai were the main population of the
Astrakhan Khanate.
In 1558, the Astrakhan Khanate was annexed to
the Russian state. The instruction "Tsar of Astrakhan" was included in
the official title of the Russian autocrat. Moved to a new location in
1558 around the fortress, Astrakhan became a reliable military and
political outpost in the south of Russia, a transshipment base for its
advance to the Caucasus and the Asian Caspian region, a center of active
trade and interstate relations. This is how the Astrakhan voivodeship
was formed. In 1569, the Turks unsuccessfully besieged the Astrakhan
fortress. In 1597, the construction of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky
Monastery, which began in 1578, was completed in Astrakhan.
In
the XVII century, trade, fishing and salt industries were developing in
the Astrakhan Region. In the middle of the century, the uprising of
Stepan Razin was similar on the territory of the Astrakhan Region.
In 1715, Astrakhan was almost taken by the Nogai during the campaign
of the Kuban Nogai against the Kalmyks.
In 1705-1706, local
residents rebelled against the policy of Peter I. Considering the
special and increasing role of Astrakhan as the most important city in
Russia in trade and political relations, Peter I on November 22, 1717
signed a decree on the foundation of Astrakhan province and the
annexation of a number of cities to it: Simbirsk, Samara, Syzransk,
Kashkar, Saratov, Petrovsky, Dmitrovsky, Tsaritsyn, Cherny Yar, Krasny
Yar, Guryev and Terek. Astrakhan province was determined to play an
important role in Russia's relations with the East. In the Caspian Sea
and the Volga, Peter I saw the main highway connecting all trade between
Russia and Europe with India, Iran and Central Asia. The government was
interested in directing the flow of eastern goods along the
Caspian-Volga route.
In 1722, a shipyard was built near the mouth
of the Kutum River, which was named the Astrakhan Admiralty. In
1730-1740, silk and cotton processing began in Astrakhan province.
The administrative term "Astrakhan region" first appeared in 1785,
when (on May 5, old style) it was allocated along with the Caucasian
region as part of the Caucasian viceroyalty. However, the Astrakhan
province existed for a longer period — from 1717 to 1785 and then from
1802 to 1928. By decree of November 15, 1802, Astrakhan province was
divided into Astrakhan and Caucasian provinces. Nevertheless, the
separation of Astrakhan province from the Caucasus was completed only on
January 6, 1832, when the corresponding decree was signed.
Until
the revolutionary events of 1918-1920, it also included the Kalmyk
steppe and the Kirghiz-Kaysak (that is, Kazakh) inner Bukeev Horde,
which later caused certain difficulties in territorial demarcation and
drawing new borders, which never passed full state codification.
In Soviet times, the territory of the modern Astrakhan region was
included in the Astrakhan Province, the Lower Volga Region, the Lower
Volga Region, the Stalingrad Region and the Stalingrad Region until
December 27, 1943, when the Astrakhan Region was created by Decree of
the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (it included part of the
districts of the abolished Kalmyk ASSR and the Astrakhan District of the
Stalingrad Region).
At the end of 2010, a number of experts
announced the real possibility of merging the Volgograd and Astrakhan
regions into a single Lower Volga Region. At the same time, the emphasis
is on the Astrakhan region, its potential and the regional elite.
Since March 27, 2016, the Astrakhan region has been located in the
4th time zone (UTC+4, MSK+1).
Kazakhs make up more than 14% of the population and live in almost all districts and cities of the Astrakhan region, this is the largest indicator in Russia as a whole. As well as in other regions of Russia where Kazakhs live, there is a Kazakh cultural center, and in areas where Kazakhs live compactly, the Kazakh language is taught in secondary schools. Zholdastyk is a major Kazakh cultural center in the Astrakhan region. The Kazakh language is taught in higher educational institutions of Astrakhan (ASTU). In 2016-19, one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet was the Astrakhan Kazakh Tanzila Bisembeeva, a resident of the village of Alcha in the Krasnoyarsk region, a native of the village of Islamgazy (Islamgazinsky village) of the same district of the Astrakhan region, abolished in 1969. In March 2016, she turned 120 years old.
The representative body of the Astrakhan region is the Duma of the
Astrakhan region, in the period 1994-2001, called the Astrakhan Regional
Representative Assembly.
The Duma of the Astrakhan region has the
following structure:
Chairman of the Duma of the Astrakhan region;
First Deputy Chairman of the Duma of the Astrakhan region;
Deputy
Chairman of the Duma of the Astrakhan region;
The apparatus of the
Duma of the Astrakhan region;
Committees and political factions.
Since 2006, the chairman of the regional legislative body has been
the head of the regional branch of the United Russia Party, Alexander
Borisovich Klykanov, whose candidacy in 2009 was considered for the post
of governor of the region. In 2016, Martynov Igor Alexandrovich was
elected Chairman of the Duma of the Astrakhan region of the sixth
convocation.
Until 2006, the regional legislature was formed
according to the majority electoral system. In 2006, due to changes in
the electoral legislation, elections were held under the mixed electoral
system.
The Governor is the highest official of the Astrakhan region, who
heads the executive branch.
Governors of the Astrakhan region:
Guzhvin Anatoly Petrovich — Governor of the region in 1991-2004.
Zhilkin Alexander Alexandrovich — Governor of the region from 2004 to
2018.
Sergey Petrovich Morozov — Acting Governor of the region from
September 26, 2018 to June 5, 2019.
Babushkin Igor Yuryevich —
Governor of the region since September 17, 2019, acting governor of the
region from June 5 to September 17, 2019.
From 1991 to 2004,
Anatoly Petrovich Guzhvin was the governor of the region, who won
elections in 1996 and 2000. After Guzhvin's death in August 2004, the
acting head of the Astrakhan region, Alexander Aleksandrovich Zhilkin,
won the early elections of the head of the Astrakhan region on December
5, 2004. The winner enjoyed the support of United Russia. The Governor
directs the work of the executive authorities of the region and the
Government of the Astrakhan region. From 2004 to 2017, Konstantin
Alekseevich Markelov was the Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan
region. Since 2017, Sultanov Rasul Dzhanbekovich has been the Chairman
of the Government of the Astrakhan region.
The industrial complex of the economic center of the region —
Astrakhan — is represented by shipbuilding, pulp and paper production,
fish processing industry. The leading industries are mechanical
engineering, electric power industry, and food industry. The region has
almost inexhaustible reserves of gas, oil, and sulfur. In general, the
city's industry remains unprofitable. This is mainly the impact of the
fuel industry, which accounts for a third of industrial losses, as well
as shipbuilding, the radio industry and the electric power industry. At
the same time, industrial losses decreased by 28.9% compared to 2002.
In the Astrakhan region, 40 km from the city of Astrakhan, the LOTUS
SEZ is located, bordering the countries of the Caspian basin, at the
intersection of the International Transit Transport Corridor
North-South. The LOTUS SEZ was established in 2015 to accommodate
industrial production related to shipbuilding, mechanical engineering,
as well as other high-tech industries.
Akhtuba district (about
70.2 thousand people) is located in the northeastern part of the region.
A military training ground and branches of defense industry enterprises
are located on its territory. The main enterprises are JSC "Bassol"
(food production), JSC "Mineral—Knauf" (production of building
materials), JSC "Akhtubinsky SSRZ" (mechanical engineering), JSC
"Cannery" and CJSC "Akhtubinsky meat Processing Plant".
Kamyzyaksky district (about 50.3 thousand people) occupies a leading
position in the Astrakhan region in the production and processing of
agricultural products. The main areas of agriculture are vegetable
growing, melon farming, rice farming, meat and dairy cattle breeding.
The industry of the district is represented by the following industries:
shipbuilding (one of the oldest enterprises — JSC Volga-Caspian SRZ),
light, printing, milling and cereal industries, production of building
materials, etc.
The fuel industry is the main industry of the Astrakhan region, as
the Astrakhan gas condensate field, the largest in the European part of
Russia, is located here. The Astrakhan gas Complex, including gas fields
and a gas processing plant, operates on the basis of this gas condensate
field. The complex is specialized in the production of technical sulfur
gas, automobile gasoline, diesel and boiler fuel, propanobutane
fraction. The region has developed mechanical engineering (shipbuilding,
production of forging equipment, compressors, etc.).
Compared with
the 1990s, by 2003, the share of products from the fuel industry of the
Astrakhan region in the Russian Federation had significantly increased
(from 8% to 60%) and the electric power industry (from 2% to 11%), due
to the critical state of commercial reserves of the Caspian basin, the
share of food industry products had significantly decreased (from 36% to
9 %), and there was also a reduction in the share of light industry
products (from 27% to 1%). The best average per capita coefficients for
the production of metal—cutting machines are 4 (fourth place among all
considered types of industrial products in the regions of the Russian
Federation), natural gas, primary oil refining.
As of the beginning of 2020, 17 power plants with a total capacity of 1029.25 MW were in operation in the Astrakhan region, including 13 solar power plants and 4 thermal power plants. In 2019, they produced 4,106 million kWh of electricity.
The volume of agricultural production in the Astrakhan region in 2020 is 53.1 billion rubles, of which crop production is 30.8 billion rubles, animal husbandry is 22.3 billion rubles. The production index is 102.3%. The volume of production by agricultural organizations is 5.8 billion rubles.
The Astrakhan region is one of the few regions of the Russian
Federation that has not only preserved, but also increased the number of
livestock. The regional exhibition of breeding farm animals is held
annually in the region.
Cattle are represented by the main dairy
breeds: Simmental, red steppe and black-mottled.
The leading
branch of animal husbandry in the Astrakhan region is sheep farming. The
region has a unique genetic fund of sheep of fine-wooled, Karakul,
meat-wool and Edilbaev breeds, providing great opportunities for wool
production.
As of January 1, 2020, in farms of all categories
(agricultural organizations), the number of cattle amounted to 294.1
thousand heads (10.0 thousand), including cows — 156.2 thousand heads
(5.5 thousand), sheep and goats — 1408.8 thousand heads (45.9 thousand),
pigs — 3.1 thousand heads (300), poultry 1993.6 thousand heads (1459.9
thousand).
The number of cattle in all categories of farms in the
region as of 2016 amounted to 279.6 thousand heads, including cows —
142.7 thousand heads, sheep and goats — 1,545 thousand heads. The volume
of livestock production in farms of all categories amounted to:
livestock and poultry for slaughter in live weight 45.5 thousand tons
(100%), milk 142.1 thousand tons (100.7%), eggs 254.4 million pieces
(114%).
The fisheries complex of the Astrakhan region covers all the main
areas of activity: fishing of aquatic biological resources,
reproduction, commercial fish farming (aquaculture) processing of raw
materials, production of various types of fish products, scientific
research, training of specialists. The fishing industry includes over
200 enterprises and organizations of various forms of ownership and
activities, employing about 6 thousand people. The volume of withdrawal
of aquatic biological resources in 2017 was set at 51.3 thousand tons,
of which 29.4 thousand tons were quoted.
The natural and climatic
conditions of the Astrakhan region are favorable for the development of
aquaculture. Currently, there are 134 enterprises operating in the
region, the area of used reservoirs is about 32 thousand hectares. The
cultivation of cyprinid fish species (carp, white and mottled carp,
white amur) is carried out in the Astrakhan region in ponds of
engineering type and natural reservoirs (ilmeny). The cultivation of
sturgeon species of fish (Russian sturgeon, beluga, sterlet, bester) is
carried out in cage lines located on the watercourses of the Volga
Delta. Currently, there are 36 industrial aquaculture enterprises, the
total area of which is about 85 hectares. The annual production volume
of commercial sturgeon is 400-450 tons, and food caviar is 8-10 tons. In
total, there are 163 fish farming sites in the Astrakhan region with a
total area of 10.5 thousand hectares, 71 of which were formed in 2016.
Agricultural land is more than 3.4 million hectares. The areas
occupied for vegetable crops are the largest among all subjects of the
Russian Federation. 350 thousand tons of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants,
zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, beets, onions and cabbage are grown
annually in the fields of the region. Traditional in the Astrakhan
region is the production of rice, which is grown along the Volga River.
The climatic conditions of the region allow for two potato crops per
year. The introduction of high-quality seed material of domestic, Dutch
and German varieties into production is a determining factor in
obtaining high, stable yields.
Astrakhan region is the leader in
growing tomatoes in the open ground, with a share of 75.5% (665.4
thousand tons) of the total harvest in Russia in 2021, and in growing
melons, with a share of 48.1% (323.6 thousand tons) of the total harvest
in Russia in 2021.
The Astrakhan region is the second region of
Russia after the Volgograd region for growing onions. On an industrial
basis, it is cultivated using drip irrigation. The gross harvest of
onions in 2021 in the region amounted to 276.7 thousand tons (26.2% of
the volume of collections in Russia).
In 2020, the gross harvest
of cereals and legumes is 46.8 thousand tons (in weight after
refinement), of which rice is 22.2 thousand tons, spring barley is 11.3
thousand tons, winter wheat is 10.4 thousand tons.
In 2020, gross
harvests of fruits, berries and grapes in farms of all categories: pome
3484 thousand tons, yield 53.33 c /ha, stone 7418 thousand tons, yield
96.98 c / ha, nut-bearing 421 thousand tons, yield 59.5 c / ha, berry
3563 thousand tons, yield 105.47 c /ha. Total fruit and berry
plantations (including citrus fruits) 15197 thousand tons, plantations
in fruiting age 1706.11 hectares. Vineyards 2128 thousand tons, yield
145.86 kg / ha.
As of 1997: the length of railways is 849 km, paved roads — 4031 km, river routes — 1443 km. There are many river marinas in the region, and water transport is developed, represented by river trams and ferry crossings. The main navigable rivers are the Volga, Bakhtemir, Buzan, Bolda, Akhtuba, Kizan, Tsarev. The freezing period is usually 2-3 months a year, sometimes up to 4 months, in especially warm winters the main navigable rivers do not freeze at all. There are seaports in the city of Astrakhan and in the village of Olya. The Volga-Caspian Canal (188 km long and 5 m deep) has been dug along the seabed, connecting Bakhtemir with the deep-water part of the Caspian Sea. There is a regular sea ferry service between the ports of Olya and Gilan (Iran). There is an international airport in Astrakhan.
The Volga is in hydrostatic equilibrium with the sea into which it
flows. This makes the Volga related to other great rivers. The
transgression of the Caspian Sea was extensive during the Pleistocene.
Then it was replaced by regression, which probably took place at the
beginning of the Holocene.
Currently, there is a new sea retreat.
The level of the Caspian Sea has decreased by 2 — 2.5 m in 15 years
since the early 1930s. The hydrostatic regime on the Caspian side has
changed, many reservoirs have dried up or shallowed, and floods have
decreased.
There are 7.4 days (Cherny Yar) and 8.2 days (Estuary)
per year with a dust storm in the region. In 1960, the wind reached
25-30 m/s, and gusts up to 35 m/s. The dust spreads over hundreds of
kilometers, in the amount of 30000-40000 m3. for 1 km. Back in the early
20th century, the wind carrying the sands carried the road from the
north to the south of the region. The forest-belt barriers along the
river were not completed. The shrub plantations, partially completed in
1920-1930, are noted.
In addition to geological reasons, a
cascade of hydroelectric power plants has been built on the Volga. The
change in the water regime in the lower reaches of the hydroelectric
power plants has had a significant impact on fisheries. Most of the area
of the spawning grounds of passing fish located in the upper reaches of
the hydroelectric facilities was lost. The lifts built for the passage
of passing fish at the Volgograd and Tsimlyansk hydroelectric power
plants did not give the effect calculated in the projects. Also, the
regime of floodplain lands with the redistribution of runoff worsened.
These lands were salted. So, by 1970, the probability of flooding of the
Volga-Akhtuba floodplain did not exceed once every three years, but it
could not have been 5-7 years in a row.
However, even water
releases were not made not only for spawning grounds, but also for
floodplain meadows, since energy generation at hydroelectric power
plants was considered both cheap and necessary at that time. Instead,
they tried to solve the problem of flooding spawning grounds with the
help of another hydroelectric unit, a water divider, which was built at
the upper point of the delta.
By the time the water divider was
built, it was reliably known that 90% of the sturgeon herd migrated
through the western channels of the delta and these spawning grounds
would be destroyed.
Due to the redistribution of runoff, as well
as changes from the Caspian Sea, the dying off of the western subtidal
ilmen will continue to increase, the area of land on which melons are
grown will decrease, fish production conditions will worsen, and water
supply will be disrupted. The reservoirs constructed are the shallowest
in the RSFSR. At least 140 km3 of water was used to fill the volumes of
reservoirs at the completion of the Volga-Kama cascade, their
evaporation was 13.7 km3 per year.
Irrigated agriculture has been
used in the steppe zone for more than 100 years and has not received
significant development (by 1970 there was 0.6% of the sown area). The
review shows that the Institute of Geography of the USSR Academy of
Sciences was not able to form a meaningful idea on this topic. As a
result, only sprinkling developed, which has less risks of salinization
and erosion. The creation of snow-accumulating plantations, or the use
of upper groundwater, was not widespread and was not taken into account
in the calculations.
Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Ufa, Kuibyshevsky,
Saratov and Volgograd industrial hubs are located upstream of the Volga
(the average flow rate in the oilfield area is 1.2 million m3. water per
day for 1970 g). The regulation of the flow has reduced the flow rate of
the Volga by 1.5 — 2 times, by 1 km3. polluted waters in the Volga
region account for 2-3 times less fresh water than in Siberia, the Far
East and other regions. This water also enters shallow reservoirs. Back
in the 1960s, exploration in the Caspian Sea was carried out with the
help of explosions. There were no sewage treatment plants at the
enterprises above the river. Data on the sulfur gas condensate field are
not published. The number of vehicles has increased tenfold. By the
1980s, the withdrawal of water from the Volga was calculated up to 50
km3, which led to a further decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea,
the calculated data were up to 2 m.
Deadwood is regularly burned
in large areas. The fires also affected nature reserves. Pyrolysis
methods are also not available in the region.
By the time the
review materials were compiled, the water supply of the region was
considered the main problem of the country's water sector. Although
decent fisheries have long been abandoned in the region, this does not
change the ecology. The loss of ecological wealth indicates the absence
of a future for the Astrakhan region.
There are 6 universities in the region and more than 10 branches of
universities in other regions of Russia.
There are several
scientific organizations in the Astrakhan region
: the All-Russian
Research Institute of Irrigated Vegetable Growing and Melon Production,
address: Astrakhan region, Kamyzyaksky district, Kamyzyak, Lyubicha
str., 16. Specializes in breeding and genetics of agricultural vegetable
and melon crops, studies the problems of development of delta
landscapes.
Astrakhan Experimental Station of the N. I. Vavilov
All-Russian Institute of Plant Breeding, address: St. Petersburg,
Bolshaya Morskaya str., 42-44 (administration), Astrakhan region,
Privolzhsky district. Collections of rice, watermelon, melon, pumpkin,
tomatoes, and some leguminous crops are maintained and studied at the
station.
FGBNU Caspian Scientific Research Institute of Arid
Agriculture, address: Astrakhan region, Chernoyarsky district, Saline
Zaymishche village, Severny quarter, house 8. It is engaged in improving
seed production of cereals, forage crops and the organization of
technology for their cultivation in conditions of arid agriculture of
the Caspian lowland.
GLITZ of the Ministry of Defense named after V.
P. Chkalov, address: located in the city of Akhtubinsk, Astrakhan
region. An aviation research and testing military institution.
Bogdinsky-Baskunchaksky State Nature Reserve, address: Astrakhan region,
Akhtubinsk, Meliorator microdistrict, 19, sq. 1. The purpose of the
reserve is to preserve the unique natural complexes of Mount Bolshoe
Bogdo and the surroundings of Lake Baskunchak, study their composition
and dynamics, environmental education of the population, organization of
ecological tourism.
Astrakhan Order of the Red Banner of Labor State
Natural Biosphere Reserve, address: Astrakhan, Embankment of the Tsarev
River, 119. He studies the avifauna and ichthyofauna of the Volga Delta.
Church of Peter and Paul (XVII—XVIII centuries, village of Cherny
Yar);
Kalmyk stone monastery-khurul (early XIX century, Rechnoye
village);
Nikolaevsk-Vysokogorsky monastery on Churkin Island (late
XIX century);
Samosdelskoye settlement — remains of a medieval urban
settlement (IX—X century);
Mausoleum of Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly — in
the village of Altynzhar in the present Volodarsky district of the
Astrakhan region of Russia (1896).;
Petrovsky Lighthouse — presumably
built by Peter I for the organization of the Persian campaign
(1722-1723);
Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Nikolskoye village 1884-1899);
Limansky Khurul is the only
functioning Buddhist temple in the Astrakhan region, located in the
village of Liman;
Kapustin Yar is a missile test site in the
northwestern part of the Astrakhan region.
Were born on the territory of the region:
Oleg Rudolfovich
Airapetov (born January 6, 1963, Akhtubinsk) is a Russian historian.
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor.
Gaziza
Samitova (1862-1928) was an original Tatar poet. The daughter of a
merchant of the II guild. She spent most of her life in her native
village of Kamenny Yar.
Dmitry Petrovich Dyuzhev (born July 9, 1978,
Astrakhan) is a Russian theater and film actor, film director, Honored
Artist of the Russian Federation. Among Dyuzhev's famous acting works
are such films as "Blind Man's Buff", "Island", "It doesn't hurt Me",
the TV series "Brigade" and others.
Elanskaya, Claudia Nikolaevna
(1898-1972) was a Soviet Russian theater and film actress. People's
Artist of the USSR (1948). Winner of the Stalin Prize of the first
degree (1952).
Zavorotnyuk, Anastasia Yuryevna (April 3, 1971,
Astrakhan) is a Russian theater and film actress, TV presenter. Honored
Artist of the Russian Federation (2006).
Kudinov, Vasily
Alexandrovich (February 17, 1969, village Ilyinka, Ikryaninsky district,
Astrakhan region, RSFSR, USSR — February 11, 2017, Astrakhan, Russia)
was a Soviet and Russian handball player. Honored Master of Sports of
the USSR (1992). Honored Master of Sports of Russia (2004).
Kulichev,
Ivan Andreevich (1920-1979) — Lieutenant General, Commander of the
aviation of the Siberian Military District, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Kulteleev, Tair Muldagalievich (1911-1953) — the first Kazakh legal
scholar, one of the organizers of legal science and legal education in
Kazakhstan, a major researcher of Kazakh customary law.
Lidzhiev,
Teltya (kalm. Tolt Liҗin; (born December 22, 1906, Enotaevka (today —
Enotaevsky district, Astrakhan region), Astrakhan province, Russian
Empire — November 1970, Kalmyk ASSR, RSFSR) was a Kalmyk rhapsodist,
narrator of the Kalmyk epic "Dzhangar", dzhangarchi.
Vladimir
Matveyevich Letuchy (1943-2015) is a Russian translator of poetry and
prose from the German language.
Lisunov, Boris Pavlovich (August 19,
1898 — November 3, 1946) was a Soviet aircraft designer, colonel
engineer, and organizer of the production of the Li-2 aircraft.
Malakhov, Ivan Pavlovich (born June 29, 1953, Pologoe Zaymishche
village, in Akhtubinsky district, Astrakhan region) was the governor of
the Sakhalin Region from August 2003 to August 7, 2007.
Musagaliev,
Azamat Takhirovich; (October 25, 1984, Kamyzyak) is a Russian actor,
comedian, TV presenter and musician. Captain of the KVN team "National
team of the Kamyzyak region", participant of the show "Once upon a Time
in Russia" and host of the show "Where is logic?" on the TNT TV channel.
Mustafayev, Chingiz Fuad oglu (Azerbaijani: Çingiz Fuad oğlu Mustafayev;
August 29, 1960 — June 15, 1992) was an Azerbaijani civilian and
military journalist who made a significant contribution to the
development of national television. He collaborated with a number of
foreign news agencies. He is the author of many reports from the war
zone in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the famous report from the site of
the Khojaly massacre. The national hero of Azerbaijan.
Pokusaev,
Yevgraf Ivanovich (December 6 (19), 1909, Bolkhuny village, Enotaevsky
district, Astrakhan Province. — August 11, 1977, Saratov) was a Soviet
literary critic. The main works are devoted to the works of M. E.
Saltykov-Shchedrin, N. G. Chernyshevsky.
Redkin, Mark Stepanovich,
famous Soviet photojournalist, correspondent of the TASS Photo Chronicle
and the newspaper Frontline Illustration and other publications in the
1920s and 1930s, military photojournalist on the battlefields of the
Great Patriotic War.
Olga Vladimirovna Tomashevich (born May 15,
1956, in Kapustin Yar) is a Soviet and Russian historian and
Egyptologist, a specialist in the culture and religion of Ancient Egypt,
the gender history of Egypt and the Ancient East, and the history of
Egyptology. Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor,
Deputy Head of the Department of Ancient World History of the Faculty of
History of Moscow State University, member of the Methodological
Commission of the Faculty. Member of the Russian Association of
Antiquarians. Fellow of the A. von Humboldt Foundation.
Nikita
Fedorovich Tseplyaev (born May 28 (June 9), 1891, Volnoye, Russian
Empire — January 2, 1971, Astrakhan, USSR) was a Russian and Soviet
military figure, major General.