About the City
Barnaul is located in
south-central Russia about 350 km north of the Mongolian border and
250 km south of Novosibirsk. It is located in the Siberian plain on
the banks of the River Ob which is one of the three long south-north
flowing rivers in Russia. It has a population of about 750,000,
which constitutes a small-middle sized city by Russian standards.
This area is very famous for its silver and precious stones.
The huge malachite and jasper vases located in the Hermitage in St.
Petersburg come primarily from Kolyvan in the general area of
Barnaul. Although not the black chernozem of the Ukraine and some
parts of Russia, the soil is good and agricultural production is
high. However, the growing season is very short. Most people have
dachas (small houses outside of the city on plots of land) where
they grow fruit and vegetables.
Barnaul is the capital of
the Altay region, which before the break-up of the Soviet Union, was
quite a large region. However, now the mountain area of the Altay,
inhabited by Altay peoples and Russians, went independent in 1991.
So, there is the Altay region of Russian, of which Barnaul is the
capital, and the independent country of the Altay, with its capital
of Gorno-Altaysk. The mountainous area is very beautiful indeed with
rivers and lakes. The Altay region around Barnaul is also home to
large groups of Germans from the Volga area who were moved into
Siberia during wartime by Stalin, and to other groups of Germans as
well. Many have gone back to Germany as a result of German
reunification.
Altai State University, with approximately
600 students, is located in Barnaul, as are several other
educational institutions, including the Pedagogical Institute.
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