Chuvashia

I

Introduction

Chuvashia, autonomous republic, central European Russia, bordered by the republics of Mari El on the north, Tatarstan on the east, Ul’yanovsk Oblast (province) on the south, Mordovia on the south-west, and Nizhniy Novgorod Oblast on the west. Chuvashia has an area of 18,300 sq km (7,066 sq mi). Cheboksary is the capital and largest city.

II

Land and Resources

The republic is located mainly on the right bank of the River Volga, between its tributaries, the Sura and Sviyaga rivers. The Volga highland lies on the right bank of the Volga. It descends precipitously towards the river from the Chuvash Plateau, which mainly lies between 175 and 227 m (561 and 745 ft). The plain of the left bank has sandy knolls, swamps, and peat bogs. The republic's rivers flow into the Volga, which cuts through Chuvashia for 127 km (79 mi). The largest lakes are the Shikhanzanskoe and Siutkul. Almost one third of the republic is covered with forests of pine, spruce, birch, oak, and lime trees. Chavash Varmane National Park occupies an area of 252 sq km (97 sq mi) in the north-west of the republic. Established in 1993, the park consists mainly of forest steppe and is a popular destination for ecotourism.

Chuvashia has a mildly continental climate. Temperatures average -12.7° C (9° F) in January and 19.3° C (66.7° F) in July. Precipitation averages 450 to 500 mm (17.5 to 19.6 in) a year; the majority (70 per cent) falls during the summer.

III

Population

Chuvashia has a population of 1,346,300 (2002 estimate). With an average 72 people per sq km (186 per sq mi), it is one of Russia’s most densely populated regions. Around 61 per cent of Chuvashia’s population is classed as urban. Cheboksary has a population of about 440,800 (2002). As well as being the capital of Chuvashia, Cheboksary is also the largest port on the Volga, and is home to the major educational and scientific institutions of the republic—Chuvash State University, Chuvash State Pedagogical University, and Chuvash State Agricultural Academy.

The Chuvash account for almost 68 per cent (2002 census) of the republic's population; Russians are the largest minority (26.5 per cent), followed by Tatars (2.8 per cent), and Mordvins (1.2 per cent). The Chuvash are descendants of Finnic-Ugric peoples who mixed with the Turkic-speaking Bolgar peoples of the Volga region. Their language is Turkic and is divided into two principal dialects, the Upstream (Vir'ial) and the Downstream (Anatri). The written language is based on the Downstream dialect. A Cyrillic Chuvash alphabet was developed in the 18th century; an improved alphabet designed in the 1870s has proved to be more acceptable. Chuvash is the only Turkic language that has always used Cyrillic, though there have been eight different variants (see Altaic Languages).

IV

Economy

The economy combines agriculture and industry. Arable farming is dominated by grain and fodder crops, although fruit and wine are developing in importance. Animal husbandry is also significant; livestock raised includes cattle, pigs, and poultry. The timber industry is one of the oldest in the republic. Other industries include electrical engineering, machine-building, chemical production, and food processing. Chuvashia is connected by rail and road, as well as pipelines, with the rest of Russia.