The Khabarovsky Krai
The distance from Moscow to Khabarovsk by rail is 8,533 km., while by air it is 6,075 km. The people of Khabarovsk are sure that clearly advantageous geographic location of Khabarovsk has, from the very start, determined the importance of the city as the centre of the Russian Far East. The Khabarovsky Krai (organized in October, 1938) extends from south to north for 1,780 km and from west to east from 125 to 750 km. Our closest neighbours on the russian side are the Primorsky Krai, the Amurskaya Oblast and Magadanskaya Oblast, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutiya), while the Nevelskoy and Tatar Straits separate us from Sakhalin Island. Our southern foreign neighbour is China. The area of the Khabarovsky Krai is 787,600 sq. k.m., while the total length of the coastline of the Sea of Okhotsk and that of the Sea of Japan is 2,500 km, i. e. 4,5 % of Russia's entire territory. It includes 17 administrative districts (rayons). The Khabarovsky Krai lies in the continental climatic zone and is characterized by winter and summer monsoons. This means winters tend to be quite mild with a lot of snow and average temperatures of about 22-25 degrees Centigrade below zero. This is not as cold as Siberia, where -30 is a general average temperature. The summer is characterized by high humidity and heavy rainfalls. The July average is + 24 degrees. Climate conditions vary significantly from the north to the south and depend on the land relief and sea vicinity. Most of the Khabarovsk area is mountainous. The mountains form extensive ranges, the names of which are both enigmatic and alluring: Sikhote-Alin, Badzhal, Khingan, and the like. They are rather high (the maximum height is 2,933 metres), impressive, and are cut by watercourses. The pride of this is the Amur-river that flows across 6 districts – the Khabarovsk, Nanay, Amur, Komsomolsk, Ulchsky, and Nikolayevsk Districts. The Ussuri River flows through the Bikin, Vyazemsky, and Lazo Districts. Other major rivers include the Tunguska (Khabarovsky District), the Gur (Komsomolsky District), the Bureya (Verkhnebureyinsky District), the Okhota (Okhotsky District), the Uchur (Ayano-Maisky District), and the Amgun (Polina Osipenko District). “Amur” – is the world’s 8th longest river with headwaters in Mongolia and China with its tributary streams the total length of the river is 4, 444 km. Near Khabarovsk the Amur river is over 1 mile wide. The distance from Khabarovsk to the Pacific Ocean is about 600 miles, and it takes 44 hours to reach the estuary of the Amur by ship. In its estuary the Amur river is about 30 miles wide and almost 300 feet deep. But anyway only the 15 hundred miles of the Amur river are navigable for approximately 6 months a year. The Amur river carries cargo to the numerous sea ports of this country and abroad. The Amur Shipping Company has recently expanded the geography of its outward voyages. A few river ports have been additionally opened to be visited by the Chinese ships. The administrative centre of the Khabarovsky Krai is the city of Khabarovsk that covers almost 400 sq km and stretches along the right bank of the Amur-river for 45 km. The population of the Khabarovsky Krai is under 2 million, and about 620 thousand people live in Khabarovsk (in other words – slightly more than in Washington D.C.). Khabarovsk is an important point on the Trans-Siberian Railway (it takes 6,5 days to get to Moscow). It also has Russia’s third largest airport, offering direct flights to Harbin, Guanchzou, Seoul, Niigata, and other international destinations. It is also the Head-quarters of the Russian Far Eastern Military Region. The Khabarovsky Krai holds an important place in the Russian Far Eastern economic region and even in Russia because of such natural resources as timber, precious species of fish and fur animals, ores of ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals, water resources and others.
Ex. 3. Translate the following words and word combinations:
clearly advantageous, from the very start, closest neighbours, tend to be quite mild, coastline, headwaters, cargo, slightly more, Far Eastern Military Region, to be visited by, outward voyages, fur animals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Ex. 4. Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right:
Ex. 5. Insert prepositions where necessary:
1. The distance from Moscow to Khabarovsk … rail is 8, 533 km. 2. The Khabarovsky Krai extends from south to north … 1, 780 km and from west to east … 125 … 750 km. 3. Our closest neighbour … the Russian side are the Primorsky Krai, the Amurskaya and Magadanskaya Oblasts, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, the Republic of Sakha, while the Nevelskoy and Tatar Straits seperates us … Sakhalin Island. 4. The summer is characterized … high humidity and heavy rainfalls. 5. Climate conditions depend … the land relief and sea vicinity. 6. Amur is the world’s 8th longest river … headwaters in Mongolia and China. 7. The Khabarovsky Krai holds … an important place in the Far Eastern Economic region.
Ex. 6. Insert the words from the text:
1. The people of Khabarovsk are sure that clearly … geographic location of Khabarovsk has determined the importance of the city as the centre of the Russian Far East. 2. The Khabarovsky Krai … from south to north for 1,780 Km. 3. Our closest … are the Primorsky Krai, the Amurskaya and Magadanskaya Oblasts, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, the Republic of Sakha. 4. The Tatar Strait … us from … Island. 5. Our southern … neighbours is China. 6. The Khabarovsky Krai lies in … climatic zone and is characterized by winter and summer …. 7. The summer is characterized by high … and heavy …. 8. In winters … temperatures are – 22 - 25 degrees …. 9. Most of Khabarovsk area is …. 10. The Amur river … across 6 districts. 11. “Amur” is the 8th longest river with … in Mongolia and China. 12. The total … is 4, 444 km with its … streams. 13. It takes 44 hours to reach … of the Amur by …. 14. Only 15 hundred miles of the Amur are …. 15. The Amur Shipping Company has recently expanded the geography of its … voyages. 16. The city of Khabarovsk … along the right bank of the Amur-river for 28 miles. 17. Khabarovsk has Russia’s third largest …. 18. It is also … of the Russian Far Eastern Military Region. 19. Khabarovsk is an important … on the Trans-Siberian Railway. 20. The Khabarovsk airport offers flights to international destination. Ex. 7. Prove the statements:
1. The Khabarovsky Krai has advantageous geographic location. 2. Climate conditions vary significantly. 3. The Khabarovsky Krai lies in the mountainous area. 4. The Amur-river is one of the important rivers of the Russian Federation. 5. Rich natural resources attract attention to the Khabarovsky Krai.
Ex. 8. Answer the questions:
1. What is the distance from Moscow to Khabarovsk by rail/by air? 2. When was the Khabarovsky Krai as the administrative unit organized? 3. What are the neighbours of the Khabarovsky Krai? 4. Is the territory of the Khabarovsky Krai large? 5. Why is the climate of the Khabarovsky Krai peculiar? 6. Does the Amur-river play an important role for the Khabarovsky Krai? 7. What are the advantages of the geographical position of the Khabarovsky Krai? What role do they play for the development of the Khabarovsky Krai? 8. Is the Khabarovsky Krai rich in natural resources?
Ex. 9. Make up your own topic according to the plan:
1. Advantageous geographic location 2. Neighbours 3. Climate conditions 4. The major rivers and mountainous ranges 5. Rich natural resources
Ex. 10. a) read and translate the dialogue:
- Now we are going down the street of T.Shevchenko, leading to Lenin Stadium, the central stadium of the city. - I see the Fine Art Museum and Concert Hall and what’s this? - This is the State Museum of the Far East. - The building seems to be old. - Right. The Local Lore Museum was founded in April, 19, 1894 on the initiative of the Russian Geographic Society. - The museum is named after N.I. Grodekov. What was he? - N.I. Grodekov was the governor-general of the Far East. He worked and lived in Khabarovsk. Grodekov was honoured citizen of Khabarovsk who took part in the foundation of the museum. - I heard that a well-known scientist and writer V.K. Arsenyev lived here. Was his activity also connected with the museum? - Of course, it was. V.K. Arsenyev was the director of the museum from 1910-1918 and 1925-1926. He took part in the organization of the museum and in collecting of its exhibits. - How many departments are there in the museum? - Let’s see. First of all, nature department which features geography of the Khabarovsky Krai, its mineral resources, unique flora and fauna. On the second floor there are etnography department dating back to the turn of the 20th century and tracing the natural and cultural history of the indigenous people; the department of the political movements including the exposition "The Civil war and military conflicts" with its panorama of Volochaevskaya battle; the department devoted to the Russian pioneers and the history of settlement of the Russian Far East. Besides, we have different temporary displays on the second and third floors. Would you like to listen to one of the lectures offered by the museum to its quests? - With pleasure. Can we do it right now? - Sure. Let’s go.
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