Sibir

Sibir, commonly rendered as Siberia in English, is a vast geographic region that forms the eastern part of Russia. It spans roughly from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the borders with Mongolia and China in the south.

Geography and climate: The landscape includes the West Siberian Plain, the Central Siberian Plateau, and the East Siberian Lowland, drained by the Ob, Yenisei, and Lena rivers. The climate ranges from subarctic to polar, with long, very cold winters; much of the interior is underlain by permafrost.

History and people: Sibir has been home to diverse indigenous groups such as the Nenets, Evenks, Yakuts, and Buryats for millennia. Russian expansion from the 16th century integrated the region into the Russian state, driving the fur trade, exploration, and later industrial development. The Trans-Siberian Railway, completed in the early 20th century, linked Siberia with European Russia and the Far East. In the Soviet era, the region saw rapid industrialization and the establishment of labor camps.

Economy and environment: The regional economy is dominated by natural resources, including oil and natural gas in western areas, coal, metals, and timber, complemented by hydropower. Large-scale extraction has produced economic growth but also environmental challenges, such as permafrost thaw, habitat disruption, and pollution in some areas.

Demographics and culture: Population density is low outside a few city centers, with major urban hubs including Novosibirsk, Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, and Yakutsk. The region is ethnically diverse, hosting many indigenous languages and cultural traditions.