BASHKOTOSTAN

The Republic of Bashkortostan is a sovereign republic within the Russian Federation. March 23, 1919 marked the birth of the Bashkir autonomous republic and it became sovereign on October 11,1990. The Head of the State is the President.

Bashkortostan is located along the South Urals at the very junction of Europe and Asia.

The nature here is varied and beautiful - high mountains covered with thick forests, numerous rivers and lakes. The climate is continental with warm, sometimes hot, summers and cold winters.

Its territory is more than 143 thousand square kilometres. It is larger in territory than Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal and many other European and Asian countries.

The population is more than 4 million people. About one hundred nationalities live in peace here. They profess different religions. The Bashkort people profess Islam, but without fundamentalism.

Bashkortostan is rich in oil and gas and oil extracting and oil refining are leading industries in the republic.

Bashkortostan is both industrial and agricultural region. It can meet its own demands in agricultural products such as meat, milk, vegetables and others. The unique lime-tree forests are the source of the delicious Bashkir honey. Bashkortostan is also famous for its koumiss - a kind of drink made from mare milk. Koumiss is considered to be good for one's health. A lot of people come to Bashkortostan's numerous health resorts and sanatoriums to improve their health.

There are 20 cities in the republic. The largest ones are Ufa, Sterlitamak, Salavat, Neftekamsk, Oktyabrsky. The capital city is Ufa. It was founded in 1574.

The population is over a million. Ufa is the centre of industry, education and culture.

There are many industrial enterprises in the city. The largest of them is a petrochemical complex comprising three oil refineries, a factory producing synthetic spirit and a chemical plant.

Industrial enterprises influence not only the economy, they change the city, improve the well-being of the population and intensity the development of science, culture and art.

There are 8 universities and institutes and about a dozen colleges where young people can go to continue their education.

Bashkortostan gave the world a large number of famous people. Among them the national poet Mustai Karim, the Russian opera legend F. Shalyapin, a ballet dancer R. Nuriyev, some modern pop and rock singers and groups known all over the country and abroad.

In Ufa there are a lot of places of interest for a tourist to see – museums, historical monuments, art exhibitions, theatres. But visitors find the Bashkort people and their traditions most fascinating.

Bashkortostan with its hardworking and friendly people is sure to become a prosperous republic within renewed Russia.