Irkutsk Oblast

57.7107.45Koordinaten: 57 ° 42 'N, 107 ° 27 ' E

The Irkutsk Oblast (Russian Иркутская область / Irkutskaja oblast ) is an administrative unit ( oblast) in Russia.

The oblast is located in southern Siberia on the western shore of Lake Baikal. However, it reaches far into north into Central Siberian Uplands. The main rivers are the Angara River in the west and the lower reaches of the Lena, the Lower Tunguska and Tschona the north of the Oblast.

The area was inhabited by Buryats and small Turkic peoples, but today ask the Russians, the overwhelming majority. After Uighur and Mongol rule continued in the 18th century an intense Russian colonization.

The main industries include mining (gold, coal, iron ore ), the energy ( Irkutskenergo ) by large -river power plants ( Bratsk Reservoir, Irkutsk Reservoir, Ust- Ilimsker reservoir), aluminum production and the chemical industry.

Administrative divisions and largest places

The Irkutsk Oblast is divided into 33 Rajons and 9 urban districts.

On 16 April 2006, the integration of the Autonomous Okrug of Ust- Ordynsker Buryat was decided in the Irkutsk Oblast in a referendum. Composed of six Rajons, full enclosed by the Autonomous Oblast circle formed an independent federal subject until the merger came into force on 1 January 2008.

The most important cities of the oblast in addition to the major cities Irkutsk, Bratsk and Ust- Ilimsk are Angarsk, Ussolje - Sibirskoye and Cheremkhovo. In total there are 22 cities and 54 urban-type settlements.