The Republic of Khakassia was formed in 1991. It has a territory of 61,600 square kilometres, a population of 538,600, and population density of 8.7 per sq km. The gainfully employed population numbers 262,200.
The Republic is inhabited by people of 106 nationalities of whom Russians account for 80.3%, Khakassians for 12% and Germans for 1.7%.
The Republic of Khakassia comprises five republic-status cities: Abakan, Abaza, Sayanogorsk, Sorsk and Chernogorsk.
The administrative centre is the city of Abakan.
The Republic consists of eight districts:
- Altai, with administrative centre in the village of Bely Yar;
- Askiz, with administrative centre in the village of Askiz;
- Beya, with administrative centre in the village of Beya;
- Bograd, with administrative centre in the village of Bograd;
- Ordzhonikidze, with administrative centre in the urban settlement of Kopyevo;
- Tashtyp, with administrative centre in the village of Tashtyp;
- Ust-Abakan, with administrative centre in the urban settlement of Ust-Abakan; and
- Shira, with administrative centre in the village of Shira.
Khakassia is rich in mineral resources. Deposits of iron, molybdenum, gold, coal, barite, bentonite, gem stones and facing stones and various types of building materials are present and are being extracted. All in all, there are more than 300 deposits and potential sites.
Industry accounts for 38% of the gross regional product of the Republic of Khakassia and for 36.7% of the tax revenue.
Metallurgy accounts for 45% of the Republic's industrial output. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by Sayanogorsk Aluminium Plant, the Khakassian Aluminium Plant and RUSAL SAYANAL which put out a wide range of products from primary aluminium to rolled aluminium and high value added products, including a wide range of aluminium foils.
RUSAL SAYANAL provides 60% of the foil for the Russian market. The primary export partners for this product are Austria, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Italy, the US, France and Switzerland.
In November 2007, RUSAL completed a major project by putting into operation the Khakassian Aluminium Plant with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons of aluminium ingots.
Sorsky GOK (Ore-Dressing Plant) is the only producer of molybdenum concentrate in Russia which exports more than 95% of its products to the Netherlands and China.
Power generation accounts for 16% of the heavy industry. The Republic's energy system comprises the Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydroelectric Power Plant, Mainskaya Hydroelectric Power Plant and three thermal generation plants with a total capacity of 7,016 MW.
Before the tragic developments on August 17, 2009 the Sayano-Shushenskaya Power Plant played an important role in regulating the parameters of the Russian National Power Grid. It was the highest upstream hydroelectric power plant on the Yenisei River and one of the largest in the world with an installed capacity of 6.4 million kilowatts and an average annual output of 22.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
The coal industry accounts for 9% of industrial output. The main coal companies are Stepnoy Coalface Company and a group of companies of the Khakassian branch of SUEK open-end joint-stock company.
Iron, molybdenum and copper ore production account for 4.5% of industrial output. The key enterprises of the sector are the Abakan and Teya branches of Yevrazruda open-end joint-stock company and Sorsky GOK limited liability company.
Food production is one of the most dynamic sectors, with leading companies including AYAN, APK Mavr, the Sayan branch of Sayanmoloko, PF Sibirskaya Gubernia and Khleb.
One of Khakassia's main natural resources is timber, with forests occupying 48.4% of the region's territory. About 96% of the forested areas are mountains of which coniferous forests account for 75%, one-third of which are cedar trees.
Its compact territory and numerous historical landmarks make Khakassia an attractive tourist destination all year round. Picturesque landscapes, a multitude of unique natural, historical and ethnic landmarks drive the tourist industry's development in various fields. It has something to offer to those interested in history and people who prefer active holidays, including trekking, rafting, hunting including bear, Siberian stag and wood grouse. Cave exploring is also popular.
The Republic boasts a number of lakes with balneological properties, the best known being Shira, Bele, Utinoye, Tus, Altayskoye and Shunet. The region has a federal natural reserve Khakassky and four republican wildlife reserves with more than a hundred protected unique natural sites.
Scientific research is represented by the Khakass Language, Literature and History Research Institute, the Khakass Archeological Expedition, and the Khakass Agrarian Research Institute, a branch of the Siberian Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Khakassia is a unique region with a rich historical and cultural heritage inhabited by people of more than a hundred nationalities. The art world is oriented in two directions: one toward European culture and the other gravitating to the culture of Turkic peoples. The Government of the Republic of Khakassia considers the preservation of indigenous traditions to be one of the priorities of its nationalities policy.