JEWISH AUTONOMOUS REGION • Great Russian Encyclopedia

The search for a territory for compact settlement of Jews began back in the 1920s. By resolution of the Central Executive Committee, the Committee for the Land Arrangement of Jewish Workers (KOMZET) was created, whose task was to organize the voluntary resettlement of Jews from towns, cities and villages to allocated lands. There was also OZET - a Public Committee that dealt with the same issues, but mainly mobilizing foreign public opinion (primarily Jewish circles) in support of plans for the resettlement of Soviet Jews. At first they were supposed to be resettled in Crimea. But since there was not enough free land there, and the influx of new settlers to Crimea provoked anti-Semitic sentiments among the local population, they decided to abandon these plans. To search for the Soviet “promised land,” scientific expeditions were sent to different places until they finally found one in the Far East.

Jewish Autonomous Region on the map. Commons.wikimedia.org

Government departments

Spurs of the Bureinsky ridge. Photo by A. A. Bykov

Lime factory in the urban village of Londoko. Photo by A. A. Bykov

Brown coal mining. Photo by A. A. Bykov

System of government bodies power is determined by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Charter of the Jewish Autonomous Region (1997). State power is exercised by the Legislature. assembly, governor, regional government, other bodies formed in accordance with the Charter of the region.

Combine harvester products in Birobidzhan. Photo by A. A. Bykov

Legislator meeting - a permanent representative will represent. and legislator. state body regional authorities, consisting of 16 deputies elected for 5 years. Half of the deputies are legislators. Assembly was elected by single-mandate elections. districts, half - by proportional electorate. system. The regional governor is the highest official and at the same time the executive head. authorities. Empowered by the Legislator. meeting on the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation. In the absence of the governor, his duties are performed by the vice-governor of the region. The regional government is the highest executive. state body regional authorities. The regional governor forms and heads the government.

Nature

Relief. Territory of E. a. O. located in the Amur region. In the north and northwest stretch the low-mountain ridges of the Khingan-Bureinsky mountain system: Small Khingan, Sutarsky, Shchuki-Poktoi, Pompeevsky, high spurs of the Bureinsky ridge. up to 1421 m (highest point of E. a. o.). Karst is developed in the mountains: sinkholes, caves, karst springs. In the south and southeast there is a lacustrine-alluvial, heavily swamped Central Amur (Amur-Sungari) lowland, descending from the mountain foothills from the heights. 150–200 m to 40–50 m in the floodplain of the river. Amur. The lowland relief is complicated by remnant low-mountain highlands. up to 831 m (Mount Chaldonka, etc.).

Geological structure and minerals. In tectonic in relation to the territory of E. a. O. belongs to the Baikal-Mongol-Okhotsk folded region of the Ural-Okhotsk mobile belt. Deposits of gold ores (Sutara river basin), rare metals (Preobrazhenovskoye, Diturskoye), iron (Kimkanskoye, Sutarskoye) and manganese (South-Khinganskoye) ores of the Malokhingansky iron ore region, tin ores (Khinganskoye and Karadubskoye) of the Khingan-Olonoysky tin ore region, and also graphite (Soyuznoye), brucite (Kuldurskoye, Savkinskoye), magnetite, talc, natural builds. materials (clays, sands, facing stones - marble, dacite, etc.). Ushumunsky section of brown coals in the north-west. parts of the Middle Amur brown coal basin; Means. peat reserves. A balneological center has been organized on the basis of the Kuldur thermal water deposit. resort.

Climate. Natural conditions are favorable for the life of the population. The climate is temperate monsoon. Winter is cold, dry and with little snow, cf. January temperatures range from –21 to –25 °C on the plains to –30 °C in the mountains. Summer is warm and humid, Wed. July temperatures range from 20–22 °C on the plains to 18 °C in the mountains. Precipitation per year ranges from 500 mm on the plains to 800 mm in the mountains. Max. amount of precipitation falls in summer.

Inland waters. The density of the river network with a total length of St. 8200 km is 0.7–0.8 km/km2 in the mountains, and 0.1–0.3 km/km2 within the Middle Amur Lowland. Basic river E. a. O. – Amur with left tributaries Bidzhan, Bira, Tunguska and others. The rivers are fed by rain, with summer-autumn floods and low winter low water. There are many small (area up to 1 km2) lakes, mainly. floodplain and above-floodplain-terrace. Swamps occupy up to 28% of the territory.

Soils, flora and fauna. Territory of E. a. O. located within the subtaiga and deciduous forest zones. The soil cover is characterized by the predominance of brown soils (typical and podzolized) on mountain slopes and podbelov on the plains; Meadow and peat-gley soils are widely developed within the Central Amur Lowland. Forests occupy St. 45% of the territory of E. a. O. Deciduous forests predominate, including secondary birch and aspen forests in places of clearings and burnt areas, primary and derivative oak forests (from Mongolian oak, Manchurian and Amur linden, with the participation of Dahurian birch). In the lower parts of the slopes of the Sutarsky and Pompeevsky ridges, areas of cedar-deciduous forests (Korean pine, Amur linden, small-leaved maple, Manchurian ash, etc.) with various shrubs and vines (Manchurian walnut, Chinese lemongrass, Eleutherococcus senticosus) have been preserved. The upper parts of the mountain slopes are characterized by coniferous forests of Ayan spruce and whitebark fir, and in some places larch forests. Means. area east of the river. Bira (in the Middle Amur Lowland) is occupied by mari (swampy larch woodlands), grass and sedge bogs. West of the river Bira in the river valley Reed meadows, sedge-reed grass and forb-reed grass meadows are common in the Amur region. Flora E. a. O. represented by St. 1100 species of plants, of which 21 species are included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (Asian adlumia, Deutzia smootha, Pyrrhosia lingua, Chinese tribord, etc.). In E. a. O. 60 species of mammals, including commercial ones (brown bear, sable, raccoon dog, elk, musk deer, red deer, wild boar, etc.) and rare species (Amur tiger, Amur hedgehog, oriental leatherback); St. nests 170 species of birds (eg bearded partridge). St. lives in rivers. 70 species of freshwater fish, including the endangered black Amur bream and black carp; in the upper reaches of Bira and Bidzhan are spawning grounds for autumn chum salmon.

Condition and protection of the environment. On b. Part of the territory there is a moderately acute ecological situation, acute in the valley of the river. Amur, west of the river mouth. Bira, which is connected ch. arr. with soil and water pollution, forest degradation, landscape disturbance during construction and mining. OK. 25% of agricultural soils lands are subject to erosion and deflation. Emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere amount to 30 thousand tons, water intake is 20 million m3 (2003), discharge of polluted wastewater is 12.5 million m3 (2002).

A system of protected natural areas occupying approx. 12% of the territory of E. a. o., represented by the state. the Bastak nature reserve, 6 reserves of regional significance (Dichun, Zhuravliny, etc.), 25 natural monuments, including hydrological (mineral springs Starikovsky, Verkhnetulchikhinsky), geological (karst caves Ledyanaya, Pasechnaya, Kabanya Lovushka, etc.) , botanical (Thickets of Lotus, etc.).

Sights of the capital of the Jewish Autonomous Region

The main street of Birobidzhan is named after Sholom Aleichem. On the territory of its square there is a monument to this famous Jewish writer. This is a two-meter copper figure of Shalom Aleichem (Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich), located on a stone pedestal. The monument is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of the Jewish people described by the writer.

Not far from the monument is the Regional Museum, the exhibits of which relate to modern fine art. In the premises of this establishment you can admire paintings by contemporary artists based on the Old Testament. To date, this collection contains about two hundred exhibits of various styles and trends, the authors of which are artists from several regions of Russia.

The capital of the Jewish Autonomous Okrug offers guests and residents of the city to enjoy the work of the creative team of the regional philharmonic society. In this center of art and culture of the Jewish Autonomous Region, very interesting creative projects are being implemented, which are brought to life by sixty artists of various genres.

The construction of the Philharmonic building was completed in 1984. To this day, up to seven hundred spectators enjoy visiting the spacious concert hall. Comfortable working conditions have also been created for creative teams. The building has rehearsal and service rooms, dressing rooms, and the most modern sound, lighting, and video projection equipment.

The regional Philharmonic Society hosts festivals of Jewish and Slavic cultures. Famous foreign and Russian soloists and professional groups come here to tour.

One of the cultural attractions of Birobidzhan is the Regional Museum of Local Lore. In it you can get acquainted with the history of the creation of Jewish autonomy, which appeared several years earlier than the state of Israel. In the exhibition halls there are objects and documents reflecting the history of the emergence and development of the city. It also contains evidence of cultural and economic achievements of which the district can be proud. The museum is located near the synagogue on Lenin Street.

Guests of Birobidzhan can also see the first stone temple built in this region. This is the Annunciation Cathedral, the construction of which was completed in 2004.

The Jewish Autonomous Okrug can rightfully be proud of this amazing environmental institution. Birobidzhan invites guests and residents of the city to visit the dendrological park. Special collections of plants are grown on a vast territory of 19 hectares. This enormous work is carried out with the aim of enriching the plant resources of the region, as well as for conducting economic, educational, educational and scientific activities. The entire Jewish Autonomous Okrug is rightfully proud of this park. A map of the territory indicates that this is a zone of coniferous-deciduous forests. That is why a wide variety of trees grow in the arboretum. There are also bushes here. But, despite this, every year cedar, fir and spruce seedlings are planted in the park.

Excursions are organized for visitors to this unique territory, during which you can see a large number of species of woody plants. Along special trails, the route leads to a hill from which an amazing view of the Uldura, Bastak, and Shukhi-Poktoi ridges opens. There are small ponds along the boundaries of the arboretum. Their inhabitants are small invertebrate animals, Far Eastern toads and Siberian salamanders.

The list of attractions in Birobidzhan also includes:

- a monument to Lenin erected in front of the building where the regional Government is located; — a stele built at the entrance to the city, on which there are inscriptions in both Russian and Yiddish; — a monument in honor of the first Jewish pioneers on the square near the station building;

— a fountain with a Jewish menorah; — a memorial complex with an eternal flame, in memory of those city residents who died during the Great Patriotic War; — the chapel of the Sovereign Orthodox Icon of the Mother of God, built in Victory Square; — IS-3 tank, installed as a monument in 2005; - synagogue; — a sculpture of a Jewish violinist and a stele with muses at the Philharmonic; - Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, made of wood in 1998-99.

Population

B. h. population of E. a. O. are Russian (89.9% – 2002 census). The rest are Ukrainians (4.4%), Jews (1.2%), Tatars, Belarusians, etc.

Characteristic of natural population decline: mortality (17.9 per 1000 inhabitants, 2005) exceeds the birth rate (11.6 per 1000 inhabitants). Infant mortality is one of the highest in the Russian Federation (15.6 per 1000 live births). The share of women is 51.7%. The share of the population under working age (up to 16 years) is 18.7%, over working age 16.2%. Wed. life expectancy is 59.3 years (one of the lowest in the Russian Federation; men - 53.9, women - 65.9). The migration outflow of the population is characteristic (54 people per 10 thousand inhabitants), mainly. outside the Far Eastern region (approx. 60.5% of emigrants). Wed. population density is low – 5.4 people/km2; b. Most of the settlements are concentrated along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Gor. us. 66.3% (2006; 66.2% in 1989).

Monument to the writer

On Sholem Aleichem Street (the central street of Birobidzhan) in 1004, a bronze monument was erected to the cult Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem, who had never been to the territory of this area. Since he died 11 years before the formation of a Jewish settlement in this territory. Thanks to his creativity, the writer became a symbol of his era.

Interesting fact: Sholom Aleichem is not a name, but a pseudonym, which translated means “peace be upon you.” The real name of the people's idol is Solomon Rabinovich.

Religion

In the region there are 26 parishes of the Birobidzhan and Kuldur diocese (established in October 2002) of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, 10 Protestant communities, 2 Jewish communities (official data as of January 2007).

Basic Orthodox churches in the region - Nikolskaya Ts. (Birobidzhan; operating since 1999), a chapel in memory of the soldiers who died for the Fatherland (Birobidzhan, 2001), the Cathedral of the Annunciation with the relics of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna (Birobidzhan; 2005, the first stone church in the region).

In 1998, the European Union was registered. religious community "Freud", on its territory since 2000 a communal Jewish religion has been opened. center, Birobidzhan ev. adv. University, youth club "Haverim", cultural and educational society "Einikait", since 2004 - the first synagogue in the region, located in a specially built building.

The largest Protestant communities: the centralized religious organization Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of Birobidzhan, Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (Nayfeld village), Church of Christians of the Evangelical Pentecostal faith “Glorious Branch” (Birobidzhan), Church of Seventh-day Adventist Christians (Birobidzhan).

Jewish community "Freud"

In 1997, the Jewish religious society “Freud” of Birobidzhan was created in a two-story building (0.5 km from the city center). The community is an association of the Birobidzhan synagogue, charitable organizations, a Sunday school, a library and a canteen for low-income Jewish families. Now the Jewish People's University has opened and began to function. There, those who wish can study Hebrew and the basics of the history of the Jewish people. On the second floor there is a club for former concentration camp prisoners during the Second World War, the Einikait society (translated as Unity) and the newly created youth club Haverin (Comrade).

Historical sketch

The most ancient archaeological sites on the territory of E. a. O. belong to the 3rd millennium BC. e. and are represented by the Kondon culture. It is replaced by the Uril culture, correlated with the Ilou tribes, then by the genetically related Polish culture, left by the ancestors of the Nivkhs. In the first centuries of our era, alien tribes of the Mohe culture appeared here, developing into the Jurchen culture. In the 8th–10th centuries. n. e. territory of modern E. a. O. was the north outskirts of the state of Bohai. After its collapse, alliances of tribes were formed (Daurs, Duchers, Khitans, Manchus, Nanais, Evenks). In the 13th–14th centuries. this part of the Amur region was part of Mong. empire, in the 1640s. as a result of the campaigns of V.D. Poyarkov, E.P. Khabarov and others, it was assigned to Rus. state, which led to a clash with China. According to the Nerchinsk Treaty of 1689, the territory from the confluence of the river. No one was allowed to populate the Sungari to the Amur and further to the Okhotsk metro station, Russian. the settlers were forced to leave the developed lands of the Amur region. The re-development of this territory by the Russians began in mid. 19th century and is associated with the activities of the Governor General of the East. Siberia by N.N. Muravyov (later Muravyov-Amursky). In 1856 for the organization and protection of the military. Cossack posts were set up in warehouses - Khingan (at the mouth of the Khingan River) and Ust-Sungari (at the mouth of the Sungari River). Since the spring of 1857, the left bank of the Amur was actively populated by Cossacks of the Transbaikal Cossack Army, from which the Amur Cossack Army was formed in 1858. In 1858–60, the first 18 villages arose - Pashkovskaya, Radde, Mikhailo-Semyonovskaya, Ventselevo, Golovino, Puzino, Voskresenovka, Ekaterino-Nikolskoye, Storozhevaya, etc. Wed. The left bank of the Amur was officially assigned to Russia under the Aigun Treaty of 1858 and the Beijing Treaty of 1860, and became part of the formed Amur Region (1858) and the Primorsky Region (1860).

Significant impact on occupancy and economics. The development of the region was influenced by the construction of the Amur railway. d. (1908–16), the final section of the Trans-Siberian Railway; the stations Bira, Birakan, Obluchye, Tikhonkaya and others were opened on it. A new stage of economics. development of modern territory of E. a. O. associated with the resettlement of peasants from the center. and zap. provinces of Ros. empire (1901–14), for which lands were allocated between the Tunguska, Amur, Bira and Malaya Bira rivers. Peasant volosts were formed - Tungusskaya (1910), Uldurinskaya (1914), and Blagoslovenskaya (where the indigenous population that had lived here for a long time predominated). In 1920 Wed. The Amur region became part of the Far Eastern Republic, 11/15/1922 – 1/4/1928 it was part of the Amur province, then – the Far Eastern Territory of the USSR. In the 1920s The Committee on the Land Organization of Working Jews (KOMZET; formed in 1924 by a resolution of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR) considered the region as a possible place for the resettlement of Jews from the West. and center. regions of the USSR. In 1927, the committee sent one of its expeditions to the area of the Bira and Bidzhan rivers to survey the territory. prof. B. L. Brook. 28.3.1928 The Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR adopted a resolution “On assigning to KOMZET for the needs of the complete settlement of free lands in the Amur region of the Far Eastern Territory by working Jews.” In May 1928 at the station. Quiet, where the settler was formed. point, the first settlers arrived from the Ukrainian SSR, BSSR, center. regions of the RSFSR and from abroad, the largest number of immigrants arrived in 1932 (14 thousand people, of which 6.2 thousand were Jews, including 293 people from abroad). They received great help from the Americans. organizations "IKOR", "Ambidjan", "Agro-Joint" (provided funds, medicines, supplied equipment for factories, tractors, etc.), as well as societies. committees for the land organization of working Jews in Minsk, Moscow, Leningrad, Kazan, etc. During the same period, there was also a reverse outflow of immigrants.

By resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR dated August 20, 1930, the Birobidzhan National National Park was formed as part of the Far Eastern Territory. district (center - a village near the station Tikhonkaya, later - the city of Birobidzhan). By resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR dated May 7, 1934, it was transformed into E. a. O. The population of the region numbered 52.7 thousand people. (1934), including 7.5 thousand Jews living in 248 settlements (in nine the Jewish population predominated), including in four workers’ settlements (Bira, Birakan, Obluchye, Smidovich). Official Yiddish was the language along with Russian, documentation in the state. institutions was conducted in two languages. Operated: lime factories (Londokovsky and at the Izvestkovy junction), Tungussky, Birsky and Birakansky timber mills, Birsky timber industry enterprise, Birakan turpentine plant, several. brick factories, Sutar gold mines; Birobidzhan agricultural The station carried out work on acclimatization and selection of agricultural products. crops Since 1934, air services have been operating. line Birobidzhan - village. Amurzet, Birobidzhan - Khabarovsk. During Vel. Otech. war enterprises E. a. O. produced products for the front.

In 1948, in connection with the start of the campaign “to combat cosmopolitanism,” in E. a. O. National repressions began. attribute: alm was closed in 1949. "Birobidzhan", Heb. state theater, books in Yiddish were confiscated from the funds of the regional library, b. h. euro intelligentsia left the region. In the 1950s, with the beginning of the “thaw”, attention to the problems of the development of the Jewish people. culture in the region has resumed.

Recommendations

Notes

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Sources

No. 40-OZ October 8, 1997 “Charter of the Jewish Autonomous Region”, as amended. Law No. 819-OZ of November 25, 2015 “On amendments to Article 19 of the Charter of the Jewish Autonomous Region.” Came into force on the date of official publication. Published: “Birobidzhan Star”, No. 125 (15577), November 4, 1997 (# 40-OZ October 8, 1997 Charter of the Jewish Autonomous Region
As amended by the Law of November 25, 2015 No. 819-OZ.
On amendments to Article 19 of the Charter of the Jewish Autonomous Region
... Valid from the date of official publication.).

Farm

E. a. O. included in the Far Eastern Economic. district Industrial volumes and agricultural products are approximately equal in cost. In the structure of GRP (2004, %) the share of transport and communications is 28.9, non-market services 15.9, p. farming 13.3, construction 13.1, trade and commercial. activities for the sale of goods and services 11.1, industry 7.3, other industries 10.4. The ratio of enterprises by type of ownership (by number of organizations, 2005,%): private 58.9, state. and municipal 20.5, society. and religious organizations (associations) 11.0, other forms of ownership 9.6.

Economically active us. 91 thousand people, of which approx. 90% are employed in the economy. Sectoral structure of employment (%, 2004): trade and society. food 14.5, industry 14.4, s. agriculture 12.4, housing and communal services 10.0, education 9.6, transport 8.5, healthcare 7.0, construction 6.3, culture and art 3.2, etc. Unemployment rate approx. 8%. Cash income per capita 8.1 thousand rubles. per month (March, 2007; 74.5% of the average income in the Russian Federation); OK. 30% of us. has income below the subsistence level.

Industry. Industrial volume products 3.4 billion rubles. (2005). In the industrial structure of the industry. production (%, 2004) the leading role belongs to the construction industry. materials (22.4), as well as forestry, woodworking and pulp and paper industries (20.4); the share of mechanical engineering and metalworking is 16.3, electric power industry is 15.8, light industry is 8.2, food industry is 6.1, other industries is 10.8.

Brown coal is mined (Table 1; the Ushumunskoye deposit is developed by the Ushumunsky Coal Mine enterprise; the main consumer is the Birobidzhan Thermal Power Plant as part of Khabarovskenergo), magnesium ores (Kuldur brucite mine).

Table 1. Main types of industrial products
1985	1990	1995	2000	2005
Electricity, billion kWh	57,5	2,5	6,6	0,3	0,6
Coal, thousand tons	–	–	–	15	116
Power transformers, thousand kVA	–	–	1493	792	1435
Commercial timber, thousand dense m3	243	436,6	33,8	22,4	178
Cement, thousand tons	1037	1073	272	250	309
Hosiery, million pairs	32,6	36,3	6,9	7	5,8

Machine-building enterprises produce electrical equipment. equipment (“Birobidzhan Power Transformer Plant”), grain, forage and rice harvesters (Dalselmash combine plant, Birobidzhan), machinery and equipment for livestock farming, etc. Harvesting and processing of wood (“Dalsoyuzprom”), lumber production , furniture (Dalmebel, etc.; all in Birobidzhan). Production of cement (cement plant, Teploozersk-type settlement), lime (lime factories in Birobidzhan and Londoko-type settlement), brick (sand-lime brick plant, Birobidzhan), reinforced concrete. products, etc.

Birobidzhan is one of the centers of light industry in the Far East: industrial and trading knitwear company "Victoria" (hosiery, knitted products), "Diamant" (knitted products), "Vostok - Holding" (footwear products), felted shoe factory "Winter". Leading enterprises in the food industry are located in Birobidzhan: a meat processing plant, a confectionery and pasta factory, Birobidzhan-Moloko, Birobidzhan-ALKO, Taiga-Vostok, etc.

One of the important factors of farms. development of the region is foreign economic. activities (main cooperation with China). The commodity structure of exports is dominated by raw materials (timber, etc.), while imports are dominated by food, machinery, equipment and vehicles. Enterprises created with the participation of China. capital, are engaged in the procurement and processing of wood, construction, agriculture. production, trade, etc. (including the Far Eastern Medical Systems plant in Birobidzhan - blood transfusion systems, blood substitutes, etc.).

Agriculture. Cost of gross output c. x-va 3.1 billion rubles. (2005), including ca. 75% comes from crop products. S.-kh. development of the territory is low - agricultural area. land 178.7 thousand hectares (about 5% of the region’s area, including arable land - more than half). The structure of sown areas is dominated by technical. culture (61.8%). They grow grain crops (22.4% of the sown area; including barley, wheat, oats, mainly in the Amur River valley; Table 2), vegetables and potatoes (12.4%; in the east of the region, in the valley of the Bira River), as well as soybeans.

Livestock farming is extensive, combining grazing and stall keeping of livestock. Basic directions – meat and dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding (Table 3, 4). Beekeeping.

Table 2. Main types of crop production, thousand tons
1985	1990	1995	2000	2005
Corn	44,8	63,9	35,2	19,6	23,2
Potato	103,7	140,8	90,9	98,9	141,9
Vegetables	27,2	23,7	13,9	26	45,5
Table 3. Livestock, thousand heads
1985	1990	1995	2000	2005
Cattle	92,5	96,6	56,7	21,8	15,3
Pigs	41,2	46,2	23	15,5	11,8
Sheep and goats	2,4	3,5	4,8	4,7	6,2
Table 4. Main types of livestock products
1985	1990	1995	2000	2005
Livestock and poultry for slaughter, thousand tons	8,5	10,6	5,3	3	2,6
Milk, thousand T	69,4	104,6	41,4	29,4	25,8
Eggs, million pieces	48,7	49	17,6	12,5	19,3

About 68% of agricultural land refers to agricultural lands. organizations, peasant (farm) holdings occupy 23.1%, for personal use of citizens - 6.3%. Peasant farms produce approx. 61% grain; in households – b. parts of potatoes (88.5%), livestock and poultry for slaughter, milk (approx. 84%), 66.6% vegetables; in agriculture organizations - 34.6% of grain.

Transport. The length of the railways is 513 km (2005). The territory of the region is crossed by the Trans-Siberian Railway. The length of paved roads is 1533 km. On the territory of E. a. O. The federal highway "Amur" passes through (Chita - Khabarovsk). The length of the river routes is 685 km. River navigation on the Amur and Tunguska rivers (river ports in the village of Leninskoye, the village of Amurzet, the village of Pashkovo, etc.). For international freight and passenger transportation on the river. Amur checkpoints operate: “Nizhneleninskoye” (Leninsky district), “Amurzet” (Oktyabrsky district), “Pashkovo” (Oluchensky district), where river and ferry (in winter - automobile) communication operates . Airport in the village Yellow Yar (near Birobidzhan).

Geography

The Jewish Autonomous Okrug is located in the southern part of the Russian Far Eastern lands. In its western part it neighbors the Amur Region, and in the eastern part it neighbors the Khabarovsk Territory. The southern border of the Jewish Autonomous Okrug coincides with the state border of Russia. It runs along the Amur River, beyond which the lands of China begin.

Jewish autonomy has an area of 36.3 thousand square kilometers. As of January 1, 2015, 168 thousand inhabitants lived on its territory. The city of Birobidzhan is the regional center of this district.

Education. Scientific and cultural institutions

In the region there are (2006): 77 preschool institutions (5.7 thousand students), 207 general education institutions (over 43 thousand students), 9 primary and 5 secondary professional institutions. education, 4 universities (in Birobidzhan), including the Far Eastern State. Social and Humanitarian Academy (founded in 1989 as the Birobidzhan State Pedagogical Institute, current name and status since 2005), branches of the Modern. Humanitarian Institute (Moscow), Khabarovsk State. Academy of Economics and Law, Far Eastern State. Agrarian Institute Among scientific institutions - Institute for comprehensive analysis of regional problems, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1990), Eur. branch of the Institute of National problems of education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. The largest library is the Birobidzhan Regional Universal Scientific Library. fuck them. Sholom Aleichem (1941). Volochaevsky Memorial Museum-Monument (1928, Volochaevka village, Smidovichi district), Region. local historian museum (1944; building 1945), Museum of modern times. art (founded in 1989 as a branch of the Far Eastern Art Museum, since 1996 an independent organization), Museum of Jewish Studies (2005).

Interesting places

The JAO district boasts unique natural monuments. A botanical monument of regional significance “Sosnyaki on Brevenchataya” was opened here. Naturally growing pine groves are especially protected here. Excursions are offered on the territory of the complex.

There is also a botanical monument “Bidzhanskie Ostryak”, named after the highest mountain – Ostryak (333 meters). This is actually a low mountain range with magnificent meadows.

“Cossack Garden” is another natural monument. This is an untouched wilderness area with many endangered species of vegetation.

The “Bidzhan outcrop” is a rocky outcrop with a unique topography. On the territory of the complex there are many unique representatives of the flora that make their way through cracks in the rocks.

And, of course, the Bastak State Nature Reserve, occupying 127,094.5 hectares.

Mass media

Information system E. a. O. takes into account the specifics of the region's population. Since 1930, the oldest socio-political books have been published. newspapers: “Birobidzhaner Stern” (more than 60 years in Yiddish, and since 1990 in Russian and Yiddish; circulation about 10 thousand copies) and “Birobidzhan Star” (in Russian, 9 thousand copies. ). All other socio-political and information publications have been published since the 1990s: “Di Vokh” (translated from Yiddish as “Week”, the first private weekly information publication, 8–12 thousand copies), “Newspaper for home” (10 thousand copies) , “Birobidzhan Week” (weekly, 4 thousand copies), official. illustrated weekly printed organ of the municipal formation “City of Birobidzhan”, “Municipal Information Newspaper” (“MIG”, 4 thousand copies).

The regional radio has been broadcasting since 1935. Nowadays it is carried out by the State. radio and television company EJSC "Bira" and Radio "Retro-FM Birobidzhan".

The decision to open E. a. in the regional center. O. studio television was adopted in 1989. Regular television broadcasting began in 1990, and daily broadcasting began in 1992.

Regional state broadcasting company E. a. O. “Bira” has been a branch of VGTRK since 2005 and includes 2 powerful stations and 20 repeaters. In the 1990s. A cable television network has been created capable of broadcasting 23 TV programs. In 2004, the Yamal-37 satellite communication transmitting station was installed. In 2004–05, a transition was made to receiving all programs in digital format.

In 1991, under the administration of Birobidzhan, a small enterprise “Bestvideo TV Company” was created, which in 1994 was reorganized into the municipal unitary enterprise “Broadcast Studio “Bestvideo””. There are electronic media and a cable television network. Leading media (2006): 6 print media, 2 radio broadcasting studios, 3 television companies; exist both at the expense of state and regional, district and Birobidzhan budgets, as well as private funds.

History of appearance

For a long time, the territory of the Amur region was inhabited by independent tribes with a small number. These were the Tungus, Daurs and Duchers. The Russian people began to develop these lands only from the mid-17th century. The impetus for this was the campaign of Vasily Poyarkov, which took place in June 1644. Russian influence in the Amur region was consolidated by Erofey Khabarov. After his campaigns, these lands began to gradually join the Russian state.

After the revolution of 1917, the new government decided to attract the Jewish population of the country to productive work and began to look for territory for its residence. The leaders of the USSR came up with a plan according to which the Jewish Autonomous Okrug was to be created. This decision, among other things, also had a political aspect. The creation of such an autonomous district was supposed to improve relations with the West, which at that time did not recognize the young state. In addition, the development of the territories of the Far East was necessary for the USSR, which was seriously threatened by the Japanese.

The resolution on the settlement of Jews on the free lands of the Amur region was adopted on March 28, 1928 by the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee. On August 20, 1930, the same body of Soviet power made a decision on the formation of the Birobidzhan region, which is part of the Far Eastern Territory. The center of this administrative unit was the Tikhonkaya station. In 1931 it was renamed the village of Birobidzhan. Somewhat later, the status of the area was changed. The Jewish Autonomous Okrug was created on its territory. This decision was legislated on May 7, 1934 by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the USSR.

Fine arts and architecture

In the 1930s–40s. buildings were erected. in the style of owls neoclassicism: station in Obluchye (1930s); in Birobidzhan - station (1935; reconstruction in the early 2000s), regional universal scientific. fuck them. Sholem Aleichem (1944, architect V. G. Gelfreich), Philharmonic building (1980s; reconstruction 2006). In the end 1990s – 2000s in the capital of E. a. O. new construction is actively underway (the village of Nikolskaya Ts., the Annunciation Cathedral, a synagogue, etc.), programs for the reconstruction of Ch. squares (ensembles with city sculptures). Among modern artists - V. A. Mizgalsky, G. S. Shtanko, D. G. Alekseytsev.