Russia - The Republic of Tuva

Overview:
Geographical Features: The republic of Tyva is situated in the centre of Asia in the south of Eastern Siberia. Length of the territory from north to south is 420 km, from west to east - 630 km. The republic borders on Mongolia in the south, on Irkutskaya region in the north-east, on the republic of Khakasia in the north-west, on the republic of Buryatia in the east, on the republic of Altai in the west, on Krasnoyarsky region in the north.
More...

Population: Of the population of approximately 310,000 people 97% are Tuvans. Other Tuvans live in Mongolia and the Peoples Republic of China. Tuvans are one of the oldest peoples to inhabit Central Asia with a unique culture. The mixture of cultural roots of ancient Tuvans, Uigurs and Kyrgyzians formed a the basis of the culture of the present-day.

Languages: The Tuvan people speak a Turkic language.

Economy: Tyva is an industrial and agricultural republic, rich in different minerals. There are 3 main economic regions: Central - the most inhabited part of republic with industrial centres (Kyzyl, Ak-Dovurak, Chadan), important region of grain-growing and stock-breeding; Southern - region of stock-breeding; North-Eastern - region of timber cutting, hunting, deer-farming and fishing.

Administrative division: The republic is divided into 16 districts, 1 town of the republican submission, 4 towns of district submission, 3 town settlements, 94 villages. Capital of the republic is the town of Kyzyl. It was founded in 1914.

Brief History:

1207 Tuva was conquered by Gengis-Khan and came under the Yuan dynasty. The Mongol feudal system prevented the Tuvan culture from further development.
18th century Tuva was conquered by the Manchy Empire.
1914 Tuva became a Russian protectorate.
1921 The All Tuvan Gathering proclaimed the first sovereign Tighten Republic.
1944 The Tie National Republic made the decision to "voluntarily" join the Soviet Union. Tie became an autonomous province of the Russian Federation.
1961 The autonomous province received the status of Tuvan Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic.
1991 After the collapse of the Soviet Union the sovereign Republic Tuva within the Russian Federation was founded.

Current situation: Tuva continues its struggle and work on the appropriate way to safeguard and develop its own identity and sovereignty through the difficult changes from a command-oriented planned economy towards an open market economy. The process of democratization of government institutions and public life goes on at a steady pace. The original culture, traditions and religion are gaining more followers. Political influence and pressure from the Russian government is clearly felt in the republic where some members of parliament try to resist the dictates of Moscow in the interest of their people.