Abakan

History

Abakansky ostrog (Абаканский острог), also known as Abakansk (Абаканск), was built at the mouth of the Abakan River in 1675. In the 1780s, the selo of Ust-Abakanskoye (Усть-Абаканское) was established in this area. It was granted town status and given its current name on 30 April 1931.

In 1940, Russian construction workers found ancient ruins during the construction of a highway between Abakan and Askiz. When the site was excavated by Soviet archaeologists in 1941–1945, they realized that they had discovered a building absolutely unique for the area: a large (1500 square meters) Chinese-style, likely Han dynasty era (206 BC–220 AD) palace. The identity of the high-ranking personage who lived luxuriously in Chinese style, far outside the Han Empire's borders, has remained a matter for discussion ever since. Russian archaeologist surmised, based on circumstantial evidence, that the palace may have been the residence of Li Ling, a Chinese general who had been defeated by the Xiongnu in 99 BCE, and defected to them as a result. While this opinion has remained popular, other views have been expressed as well. More recently, for example, it was claimed by as the residence of , a Han throne pretender from the Guangwu era.

Lithuanian and Polish exiles

In the late 18th and during the 19th century, Lithuanian participants in the 1794, 1830–1831, and 1863 rebellions against Russian rule were exiled to Abakan. A group of camps was established where prisoners were forced to work in the coal mines. After Stalin's death, Lithuanian exiles from the nearby settlements moved in.

Also Polish exiles were deported to Khakassia, with the some descendants still living in the region. In 1994, a local Polish school was founded, which was supported by the local authorities until 2014, and in 1999, a Polish-language faculty was introduced at the local Khakassian State University.

Administrative and municipal status

Abakan is the capital of the republic. Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is incorporated as the City of Abakan—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts As a municipal division, the City of Abakan is incorporated as Abakan Urban Okrug.

Economy

The city has an industry enterprises, Katanov State University of Khakasia, and three theatres. Furthermore, it has a commercial center that produces footwear, foodstuffs, and metal products.

Transportation

Abakan (together with Tayshet) was a terminal of the major Abakan-Taishet Railway. Now it is an important railway junction.

The city is served by the Abakan International Airport.

Military

The 100th Air Assault Brigade of the Russian Airborne Troops was based in the city until circa 1996.

Sites

Abakan's sites of interest include:

• Holy Transfiguration Cathedral (Russian: Спасо-Преображенский кафедральный собор (Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy kafedral’nyy sobor))
• "Good Angel of Peace" sculpture (Russian: Скульптура «Добрый ангел мира» (Skul’ptura «Dobryy angel mira»))
• Park of Topiary Art (Russian: Парк топиарного искусства (Park Topiarnogo Iskusstva))
• Khakas National local history museum named after Leonid Kyzlasov (Russian: Хакасский краеведческий музей имени Л.Р. Кызласова (Khakasskiy Natsional'nyy Krayevedcheskiy Muzey Im. L.R. Kyzlasova))

Sports

Bandy, similar to hockey, is one of the most popular sports in the city. Sayany-Khakassia was playing in the top-tier Super League in the 2012–13 season but was relegated for the 2013–14 season and has been playing in the Russian Bandy Supreme League ever since. The Russian Government Cup was played here in 1988 and in 2012.

Climate

Abakan has a borderline dry-winter continental (Köppen climate classification Dwb)/cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk). Temperature differences between seasons are extreme, which is typical for Siberia. Precipitation is concentrated in the summer and is less common because of rain shadows from nearby mountains. |Jan record high C=7.2 |Feb record high C=9.1 |Mar record high C=20.2 |Apr record high C=33.5 |May record high C=37.6 |Jun record high C=37.1 |Jul record high C=38.5 |Aug record high C=36.3 |Sep record high C=34.3 |Oct record high C=24.5 |Nov record high C=15.6 |Dec record high C=7.5 |year record high C= |Jan avg record high C = 0.1 |Feb avg record high C = 1.8 |Mar avg record high C = 11.6 |Apr avg record high C = 22.5 |May avg record high C = 30.1 |Jun avg record high C = 32.3 |Jul avg record high C = 33.7 |Aug avg record high C = 31.5 |Sep avg record high C = 25.9 |Oct avg record high C = 18.3 |Nov avg record high C = 8.3 |Dec avg record high C = 1.8 |year avg record high C = 34.5 |Jan avg record low C = -34.9 |Feb avg record low C = -33.5 |Mar avg record low C = -25.7 |Apr avg record low C = -11.6 |May avg record low C = -5.0 |Jun avg record low C = 3.3 |Jul avg record low C = 8.4 |Aug avg record low C = 4.3 |Sep avg record low C = -3.3 |Oct avg record low C = -12.1 |Nov avg record low C = -24.5 |Dec avg record low C = -32.7 |year avg record low C = -37.4 |Jan record low C = −47.6 |Feb record low C = −45.1 |Mar record low C = −38.7 |Apr record low C = −23.2 |May record low C = −11.1 |Jun record low C = -3.6 |Jul record low C = 1.2 |Aug record low C = 0.2 |Sep record low C = −9.5 |Oct record low C = −22.9 |Nov record low C = −37.6 |Dec record low C = −43.8 |year record low C =

Local government

The structure of the local government in the city of Abakan is as follows:

• council of deputies of the city of Abakan - a representative body of the municipality;
• the head of the city of Abakan - the head of the municipality;
• the administration of the city of Abakan - the executive and administrative body of the municipality;
• auditing commission of the municipality of the city of Abakan - the control and accounting body of the municipality.

; Council of Deputies The council consists of 28 deputies. Deputies are elected in single-member constituencies and on party lists. Elections of deputies of the VI convocation were held on a single voting day in 2018.

; Head of the city (head of the municipality)

• Alexey Viktorovich Lyomin

; Chairman of the Council of Deputies

• Albert Yuryevich Tupikin

; Nikolai Bulakin Prize In 2021, the annual Nikolai Bulakin Prize of Abakan was established for outstanding services and achievements in the city's development. The award includes a monetary reward of 200,000 rubles and a diploma.

References

Notes

Sources

• {{Cite Soviet law

References

1. Charter of Abakan, Article 7
2. {{harvnb. Munro. 1995
3. Charter of Abakan, Article 20
4. "Абакан - Официальный портал {{!}} Алексей Викторович Лемин".
5. Republic of Khakassia Territorial Branch of the [[Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Federal State Statistics Service]]. [http://hakasstat.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_ts/hakasstat/resources/7e23de0043e1d7da821ccbd92111eac8/%D0%A7%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C+%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F.htm Численность населения на начало года] {{Webarchive. link. (May 15, 2014 {{in lang). ru
6. {{ru-pop-ref. 2010Census
7. {{ru-pop-ref. 2002Census
8. {{ru-pop-ref. 1989Census
9. (2003). "Энциклопедия Города России". Большая Российская Энциклопедия.
10. Resolution of April 30, 1931
11. {{harvnb. Yevtyukhova. 1954{{page needed. (August 2014)
12. {{harvnb. Kovalyov. 2007
13. {{harvnb. Juodvalkytė. 2001{{page needed. (August 2014)
14. Goreva, Svetlana. (2019). "Polacy na Syberii od XIX do XXI wieku".
15. Law #20
16. {{harvnb. Hoiberg. 1993
17. Law #59
18. {{harvnb. Schofield. 1993{{page needed. (August 2014)
19. [http://xakac.info/files/news/43/11/news1425826770.jpeg Team picture of Sayany-Khakassia]
20. "Moyennes 1981-2010 Russie (Asie)".
21. "Météo Climat stats for Abakan". Météo Climat.
22. "Мэрия Абакана / Устав города Абакана". мэрия.абакан.рф.
23. "Сведения о проводящихся выборах и референдумах".
24. "Состав Совета депутатов".
25. Applicants for the N. G. Bulakin Prize - Abakan. - 2021. - November 24. - p. 4.
26. [https://abakan-news.ru/2021/10/15/премия-имени-н-г-булакина-новая-муниц/ Новая муниципальная награда] {{Webarchive. link. (December 4, 2021 — IRTA Abakan, 15 October 2021.)