Dazzling sun, boundless blue sky, golden desert at the coast of a dark blue lake, boundless steppes with caravans of camels walking near ancient barrows and rocks, Alpine meadows of amazing colors. Ridges of mountains hiding in white clouds, hillsides and flat tops covered by a green carpet of tundra, and a snow cover where there are originate prompt mountain small rivers and live amazing animals - yaks and snow leopards.

Tuva gathered and harmoniously united all finest features that the Earth conceals in it.

Geographical position

The Republic of Tuva is located in the geographical center of the Asian continent and borders with the Republic of Mongolia, Krasnoyarsk region, and Irkutsk area, Republic of Altai, the Republic of Buryatiya and the Republic of Khakassia. The territory of Tuva is 168.6 thousand square km, it reaches from East to West more than 700 km, from north to south in the eastern part with 450 km, and in the central part with 100 km. The population density makes 1.8 people per 1 square km.

History

People have occupied the territory of modern Tuva about 40-30 thousands years ago. Good climatic conditions and fine nature always attracted people. Here numerous wars and battles took place, Tuva was repeatedly won by different nations which considerably influenced the ethno genesis of the Tuvinians.

In this way in the VI-VIII h centuries, the republic was a part of Turkic kaganate which in 745-840 was conquered by the Uigurs - one of the most ancient Turkic nations, which left a significant trace on the ethno genesis of the modern Tuvinians. In the IXth century appeared the Kirghiz who have put the basis of Tuva ethnicity. In XIII-XIV centuries the country was under the authority of the Mongolian dynasty of Yuan, and in XVII century Tuva was conquered by the Djungars. In the period from 1757 up to 1912 the country was under the rule of the Manchurians. In 1914 Tuva was accepted under the Russian protection.

In March, 1918 the Soviet authority was approved on the territory of Tuva. In 1921 with the support of the Red Army, congress Vsetuvinsky has proclaimed the foundation of the National republic of Tuva with capital city in Kyzyl (founded in 1914). In October 1944 the republic became the part of the Soviet Union.

Since 1991 the Republic of Tuva is constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

Climate

The climate of Tuva is sharply-continental. In summertime the temperature rises up to +40 C degrees, the summer is frequently dry. In the winter the temperature goes down up to 50 C below zero, winter has basically little snow.

The best time to visit the Republic of Tuva is starting the middle of June up to the end of September.

Natural resources

Tuva has a mountainous relief: mountains occupy 82 % of the territory, and 18 % - plains. The largest rivers of Tuva are the Yenisey and the Hemchik. The most valuable kinds of raw material of the republic, which are of great importance both for Tuva and for the country as a whole are the mineral coal, iron, colored, precious and rare metals.

Tuvinians

The Tuvinians are main population of Tuva. Their number on the territory of the republic makes 198.4 thousands, and within the whole Russia they are 206.2 thousands people.

The Tuvinians are divided in the eastern and western Tuvinians, or the Tuvinians-todjinians, which are about 5% of all Tuvinians.

The Tuvinians speak Tuvinian, which is a language from the Turkic group of Altai family. There are also Russian, and in southern regions Mongolian languages.

Ancient ancestors of the Tuvinians are the Turkic-language tribes in Central Asia that had come onto the territory of modern Tuva not later than 1st millennium and mixed here with Keto-language and Samodiysk-language tribes.