Russian Far East: Economy

Iron and steel manufacturing, oil refining, lumbering, and machine building are among the many industries. Large thermoelectric stations furnish industrial power. Coal is mined in the Buryea River basin and on Sakhalin, whose northern half also contains major oil fields. The Kolyma gold fields constitute the chief source of Russian gold, and there are rich deposits of iron ore, lignite, lead, zinc, and silver. The main crops are wheat, oats, soybeans, and sugar beets. Fishing, fur hunting, and trapping are important occupations. Major means of transport in the region include the Trans-Siberian RR, the Baykal-Amur Mainline (BAM), and the Amur River.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• History
• Economy

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: CIS and Baltic Political Geography