Irkutsk province
Irkutsk province

- in Eastern Siberia, between 51 ° and 62 ° 30 "N and 96 ° and 107 ° E (from Grinich) exceeds France or Germany in space: according to Strelbitsky's measurement, it has 653290 sq. E., in including under part of the waters of Lake Baikal 15042 sq. in. and under the island of Olkhon 550 sq. in. The greatest length of I. Gubernia from the southwest to the northeast reaches 1300 in. with a width of 650 in. The boundaries of the province : in the north and partly in the north - Yakutsk, in the east and south-east the Trans-Baikal region, in the south - the Chinese Empire (Mongolia), in the west - the Yenisei province. It is a flat elevation with an inclination from south to north, belted in the southwest, south, and east by mountain ranges, among which lies a vast deep-water basin, Lake Baikal, in the southeastern outskirts of the province. the most ancient strike-slip that separated most of the area it occupied from the high Trans-Baikal plateau lying in the southeast, and in the northwest from a lower terrace located in the middle part of the Yenisei Gubernia. consists of: a mountainous alpine country with chains of mountains diverging from it, flat hills and riverine valleys - the two main water arteries - the Angara and the Lena and their tributaries. The mountains that fill I. provinces belong to two main ranges - the Sayan and the Baikal mountains; of these, the first, filling the south of the lips with its spurs, has an alpine character and, entering the limits of I. lips., in the southwest. its part, near the upper reaches of the Biryusa and Uda rivers, is sent from the N.Z. to Yu.V. - either in one chain, from 15 to 20 in. wide, then in several parallel chains, separated by deep and narrow gorges of mountain rivers, and the width of the ridge reaches 50 in. The average height of the main peaks of the Sayan is 7500 feet. above the surface of the monastery, with its individual peaks from 8 to 8500 feet, and its highest loach lying on the border with Mongolia - Mungu-Sardyk, that is, a silver mountain, forever covered with snow on top, reaches up to 11500 feet. On the sowing The slope of this char descends from its top during the 4th c. double glacier, pushing its terminal moraines to the lake. Ehoy. The general disorder in the location of the Sayan Mountains, scattered by deep valleys and wild gorges, with fast water flows, conical, stone peaks of bald mountains, devoid of any vegetation, constitute the characteristic features of the main chain of the ridge, on the tops of which snow disappears for a period from June to August. In deep mountain hollows facing north, in some years snow lies throughout the summer. Starting from the central axis of the Sayan Range, to the north. there is a gradual decrease in its spurs - to the valley of the river. Angara, which, however, at the mouth of the river. White lies still at 1200 feet. above ocean level. The lowering of the Sayan mountains goes, as it were, in ledges: the highest row of bald mountains is followed by their second row with a softer outline of the tops of the mountains, already covered with forest, then follows - the third row, of even lower height, etc., all these mountains go parallel to each other to each other, then mutually intersecting. Within I. lips. Sayan separates many branches from itself, which can be considered independent ridges: in the southwest. corner of the province, on its border, at the head of the river. Biryusy, part of the Sayan Range is called the Biryusinsk Mountains, reaching up to 6200 feet. abs. height. Further going to the southeast. direction, the main part of the Sayan, Ergik-Targak-Taiga, has a rather complex relief. From the mountain node Taraskhan-Daban, in the upper reaches of the river. Ii, two ridges begin, going to the north: Kuytun-Khardyn and another ridge that does not have a name. At the Junbuluk node, where the extinct crater Khukushka (Cups) lies with lava flows over 20 versts, a high, rocky ridge rises up to 7200 ft., going between pp. Hoyt-Okoy and Okoy. Then from the Nuku Daban node rising to 7500 ft. and component sowing. spur of Mungu-Sardyk, diverge like a fan: a) Ida Mountains, between pp. Okoy and Belaya; b) Kitoi Alps, between channels pp. Belaya and Kitoy; c) Tunkinsky squirrels accompanying the S. valley of the river. Irkut; The chain of mountains running parallel to them, bounding the Irkut valley from the south, is called Gurbi-Daban and, preserving the complex relief of the Sayan, branches into many mountain ranges that differ in geological and faunal respects from the Sayan. Finally, to the southeast. part of the province is the Urguldey knot, which lies at the head of the river. - Zon-Murina, a tributary of the river. Irkut and Dzhida, which flows into the river. Selenga; from this node, a high chain of mountains (7500 feet abs. height) is directed to the East, bearing the name of Khamar-Daban, which is one of the highest heights lying in the southwest. corner of Baikal and the Baikal Mountains in general. Of the mountain passes in the Sayan, the most famous and convenient are: a) the mountain pass - Obo-Sarym, lying at an altitude of 6100 feet, in the upper reaches of the river. Khangi, a tributary of the river. Irkut. Further to S.Z. lie: b) Naryn-Khoroysky pass, c) Uryuk-Daban, d) Tengiz-Daban, e) Taurus-Daban and f) Mustag-Arsha; of these, the first and third are used for a significant drive of cattle from Mongolia to the city of Irkutsk and for the delivery of manufactured goods from the latter to Mongolia (up to 80,000 rubles). 2nd group of mountains I. lips. make up - Baikal, rising at the head of pp. Lena and Kirenga to the highest altitude of 6000 ft. and consisting of chains: Primorsky and Onotsky (see). The flat hill on which the mountainous alpine country of the Sayan rests occupies the entire north and northwest. I. lips., having for the most part a height of 1,500 to 2,000 feet. The lower ledge of this plateau, representing the least elevated part (up to 800 feet of absolute height) of the provinces, is located in the north-west. its parts, downstream pp. Lower Tunguska and Lena, near the borders of the Yakutsk region. The considerable irregularities of the soil encountered on this plateau are the consequences of erosion and the formation of river valleys; of these low watershed ranges are known in the provinces: Berezovy (see), Ilimsky, Tungussky, etc. The most extensive plain is located along the river. Angara, having a boundary line running approximately from the city of Irkutsk to the river. Kitoy, from here to the river. Belaya to the mouth of the river. Zalary, then crosses the middle course of the river. Kady and goes to S.V. on the river Angara, where, having crossed to its right bank, it ends; but even this plain is hilly in many places. In addition to this plain, in I. lips. there are two more: one between pp. Okoy and Udoy, another, more elevated and treeless, bearing the name of the "Brotherly Steppe", stretches along the Yakut tract to the Kachugskaya pier on the river. Lena. The geognostic composition of the soil of I. lips. due to its diversity deserves special attention. Sedimentary rocks belonging to the latest modern deposits consist of lacustrine-river pebble and sandy-argillaceous sediments, are found everywhere in river valleys and often border the shores of lakes in the form of a rampart; alluvium is often found on the slopes and even on the tops of mountains; loose sands are located in different places of the province, but in small areas. From the more ancient Tertiary deposits we find in the southwest. parts of Baikal, in some places in the Sayans and in the entire Tunkinskaya hollow - loess. In the river valley Hangars were found from post-Pliocene layers: pebble deposits, loess-like layered loam and forest; then tertiary deposits are also found: along the river. Kamenka and in the west. parts of the province - downstream pp. Oki, Kimilteiki, Udy, etc. In the east. parts of I. province, in the upper reaches of the river. Lena and its tributaries, as well as downstream pp. Angi and Buguldeyki are sediments - clay-sand or gravel; in addition, uniform red-colored deposits and loess are strongly developed in the Lena Valley. The remains of thick-skinned animals that once lived in this area were found in the Tertiary sediments: a primitive bull, aurochs, various deer and antelopes. The rocks of the tertiary system are insignificantly distributed in I. lips. Of the sediments of the Mesozoic (secondary) era, only the Jurassic formation was found in the south. part of the province, stretching a strip of about 100 ver. in width from Lake Baikal to the city of Nizhne-Udinsk; its sediments (on the Devonian red sandstones or on the Upper Silurian limestone) consist of shaly clays and marls, sandstones with interlayers of brown coal and, in places, limestone and siliceous shale. Of the sedimentary rocks of the Paleozoic (primary) era, the most common in the province are the Carboniferous, Devonian and Silurian systems, which, from the outburst of the Angara from Lake Baikal, run in a wide strip along the Angara almost to sowing. borders of the Balagansky district; are also found in the watershed pp. The Angara and Lena, and in the valley of the last rocks of the Devonian system, are more widespread relative to others and consist of red sandstones, marls and clays. The rocks of the Devonian system are located: in the Tunkinsky Alps, on the right bank of the river. Angara, a little higher than the city of Balagansk, throughout the valley of the river. Wasps, then, moving to the left bank of the Angara, drag along the pp. Ungi, Ii and Oka and at the confluence of the latter into the Angara - on both banks of the latter. They accompany the upper reaches of the river. Lena to the city of Kirensk, followed by the red sandstones of the Silurian system along the right bank of the Lena to the Darinskaya station, and on the left bank there is Upper Silurian limestone. Older sedimentary deposits—of the Cambrian-Silurian system—characterized by a considerable thickness of their layers (up to 2,500 feet) are widely distributed in the mountainous parts of I. Bay. slope of the Onot Range, in many places on the Lena, on the river. Angara (near Usolye), from the mouth of the river. Belaya to the city of Balagansk, and so on. Irkut, Oka, Butogol, Dzhanbulak, and others, then in the Onot Range and partly in the Primorsky-Baikal Mountains and other places. Crystalline rocks belonging to the Archean (Laurentian) system make up all the ridges of the main ranges - the Sayan, the Tunka Alps, the Baikal Mountains. These rocks form two tiers: the upper one consists of alternating layers of dolomite or crystalline limestone with feldspar rocks, and the lower tier is mostly gneiss, granite, granite-syenite and chlorites. shale. The layers are bent into a series of folds, often overturned and pressed against each other. Stretching of folds in the southern part of the province in the Sayan Mountains and the Tunka Alps in the WNW - ESE direction, in the Eastern Sayan from WSW to NW, and in the Baikal Mountains from WSW to ENE; moreover, in the latter there are anticlinal inflections of the layers. Crystalline rocks are also common in other mountainous parts of the I. province, for example, in the valley of the river. Angara below the confluence of the river. Oki granites form all significant Angara rapids. Less than other crystalline rocks are widespread in the province - diorites and serpentines; diabases are found mainly in app. and northwest. parts of the lips. and in the river valley Tunguska. Basalts have a more significant distribution, they are found: on the slope of Mungu-Sardyk, at the Khanginsky guard and at Tunka - along the Irkut, southwest. parts of Lake Baikal, between pp. Slyudyanka and Tala, in the lower reaches of the Ilim, along the river. Angara, while along its tributaries volcanic tuffs are more common, as well as obsidian and pumice; finally, in the Tunkinskaya basin there are lava hills, and in the Elovsky spur there is a friend. in places - lava flows: all this indicates that the local area was once the center of strong volcanic activity, which is now manifested in fairly frequent earthquakes in Irkutsk. The Irkutsk province is rich in minerals, but it is poorer in gold than neighboring provinces; its richest gold-bearing placers are located in its southwestern part, along the system of the Biryusa River, in the Nizhneudinsk district, where in 1892 23 pounds of gold was washed at 21 mines. 22 lb. 20 gold, with an average gold content of 100 pd. - 25.25 shares. Three mines were developed in the Kirensky district, according to pp. Kheppe and Jalogun, where gold was panned 2 pd. 30 fn. (1890). Placers poor in content, now not being developed, are located along the rivers flowing into Baikal, and along the upper tributaries of the river. Lena, in the Verkholensky district. (cm.). Graphite of high value is found in the Botugolsky bald lake (its development has been abandoned; see) and on the island of Olkhon. Brown coal has been found in many places: near the city of Irkutsk in the coastal cliffs of the Angara, along pp. Irkut, Kude, Ushakovka, in several places of the Balagan region, the most noteworthy deposits of coal along the river. Oka; but it is not found anywhere. Iron ore is found in many places in the province, but is developed only at the confluence of the river. Oki in the Angara, at the Nikolaev ironworking plant. Iron vitriol is located near the village. Ziminsky, on the right bank of the river. Oki and in Zheltuni-Tong mountain. There are salt springs: in the 68th c. from the city of Irkutsk, on the river. Angara, along the river. Ilim and four versts from the bank of the river. Lena, on the river. Kuta. In these places, on four varnits, table salt was mined in 1892 in the amount of 170,929 rubles. In addition, salt springs are also known: on the river. Taganka, which flows into the river. Oka, in the upper reaches of the river. Ungi, a tributary of the river. Angara, in the valley pp. Kuda and Belaya, near the village of Uzkiy Luch and on the island of the river. Angara, lying above the city of Balagansk. Glauber's salt (Gudjir) is located in small lakes near the north-west. shores of Baikal, between the river. Angoy and Olkhon Island. Saltpeter mud lie along the river. Taloy, near the village. Tunks. Of the mineral springs, the most famous are: Turan - near the Nile Desert, on the river. Uhe-Ugun, in the 250th c. from Irkutsk, have a temperature of up to 36.6 ° R. Arshan-Su is a carbon dioxide source, in the 40th century. from the Turan guard. Okinsky - on the river. Ok, in 500 c. from Irkutsk. Barnaul - soda, near the village. More-Mamyrsky, in the Nizhneudinsk district. and others. Gypsum is located: in the upper reaches of the river. Wasps, along the river. Angara, above Balagansk, on the right bank of the river. Ungi and its tributary the Hive; lime burning is carried out in many places of the province. Kaolin and white clay are mined in the upper reaches of the river. Oyoka. Refractory clay is located along the river. White, near vil. Badai, and brick - in many places of the province. Refractory stone found along the river. Ange, adj. Baikal, and in the 10th c. from the village of Bratsky Ostrog. Feldspar and quartz for glass plants. mined in the Baikal mountains, near the Ulan-Nur cape and pp. Malaya Buguldeyka and Elantsa. Millstone - along the river. Asya 2nd and on the right bank of the river. Angara, near the village. Yanda. Grindstone - between the stations of Olzonovskaya and Baendaevskaya of the Yakut tract. White fine-grained marble - along the river. Slyudyanka, which flows into Baikal. Colored stones are found most in the southeast. parts of I. lips., so: lapis lazuli - along the river. Slyudyanka; venisa - along the river. Malaya Fast; Amazonian stone, sphene and crimson feldspar - along the river. Big Fast. Mica, serpentine, talc, chondrodite, laurel - are located along the river. Thaw; blue calcareous spar, rose quartz, salite, baikalite, tremolite, black schorl, etc. - along the river. Slyudyanka. Black mica, green apatite - in the valley of Uluntui; jade in the upper reaches of the river. Belaya, in the Kitoy Alps. And. the province is plentifully irrigated with waters; the first place in terms of the vastness of the reservoir belongs to the lake. Baikal, which constitutes the natural border of the province on Yu.V. (cm.). Apart from it, there are no large lakes in the province. Almost all the rivers of I. lips. belong mainly to two river basins - the Yenisei and Lena. 3 Tunguskas belong to the Yenisei system: Upper, or Angara, Podkamennaya and Lower, with their tributaries. Angara and Lena are the two main water arteries that are of great importance in the economic life of the region; of these, the Angara forms the waterway to the west and serves to float grain for the trade of the Yenisei Gubernia. and other goods, and Lena plays an even greater role in the delivery of bread and manufactured goods to the Yakutsk Territory. The Angara-Lena watershed, passing 70-100 versts from each of these rivers, determines the insignificance of the right tributaries of the Angara and the left tributaries of the Lena. The largest tributaries of the Angara flow into it from the left, carrying their waters from the more remote alpine places of the Sayan; more significant tributaries of the Lena flow into it on the right, collecting their waters - in the Baikal, Ikat, Severo-Muisky and other remote mountain ranges. Angara, leaving Baikal, crosses I. lips. in the north-north-west. direction for about 1000 century, and its depth along the fairway from Baikal to Irkutsk is from 3 to 5 s. In the Angara from Baikal to Irkutsk, due to the rapid flow of water, the freezing of the river occurs not earlier than the onset of 30-degree frosts - at the end of December, and the formation of ice occurs at the bottom of the river. In general, the course of the Angara is very fast, and the rapids on it make navigation along it very difficult. Starting from the confluence of the river. Oka, the Angara changes its name (to the Upper Tunguska) and over the course of the 70th century, one after the other, within the I. Gubernia, 7 rapids appear on it, of which the most important are: Hangover - stretching for 1 century, with a fall water up to 3 1/2 sazhens, Pyanovsky - 1 1/2 in. long, water drop 4 1/2 sazhens, and Padun - with the same length having a water drop up to 7 1/2 sazhens, and in all these rapids, a granite ridge of reefs runs throughout the entire width of the river. Of the left tributaries of the Angara, the most remarkable are pp. Irkut (see), Kitoy, Belaya (see), Oka - one of the most significant rivers of the province - and Uda. Of the right tributaries of the Angara, the most famous are: Ushakovka (60th century), Kuda (170th century), Yanda (140th century), Ilim (380th century) and Kata (200th century). Podkamennaya Tunguska, flowing to the right into the river. Yenisei (see), belongs to I. lips. only by its sources, and the Lower Tunguska irrigates the province for 650 years, taking a fairly significant tributary of the river. Nenu (150 century; see). Lena, originating about 20 versts from Lake Baikal, from the north-west. slopes of the Baikal mountains, irrigates the province during the 1600th century; its course is rather quiet, it becomes a raftable river from the village. Kachug, lying about 200 versts from its source; here it has 30 fathoms. lat. and up to 6 ft. depths; at Ust-Kuta, the width of the river. Lena up to 1/2 century, and Vitim up to 1 century. Along the river The Lena grouped the settled population of the Verkholensky and Kirensky districts. Of the largest right tributaries of the Lena are known: Kirenga (500th century), Chaya (240th century), Chuya (320th century) and Vitim (see). Of the left tributaries of the Lena, the largest are the Kulenga (120th century), the Ilga (200th century), the Kuta (280th century), the Peleduy (300th century), and the Nyuya (370th century). The climate of I. province, which lies far from the seas, high above the surface of the ocean, covered with primeval forests, is continental, with a significant annual amplitude and prolonged cold. Average long-term temperature in I. Gubernia:

Administratively, I. lips. since 1857 it has been divided into 5 districts: Irkutsk, Balagansky, Nizhneudinsky, Verkholensky and Kirensky, in which there are 18 sections (stans), 45 volosts, 40 foreign departments and one separate rural society. The entire population of the province, with 4 district cities, 1 provincial and 1 provincial, in 1892 extended to 465,428 villages, including 249,151 men. and 216277 women. Most of the peasant settlements were grouped along the banks of pp. Angara, Lena and some of their tributaries, as well as along the Moscow tract. There are few large villages, and they are located along the postal route; with more than 500 households, there are only seven. Loan life is developed only in the Balagansky district. The population density is negligible; a huge space (up to 90% of the provinces) is not fenced and does not belong to anyone. In the most populated Balagansky district, per 1 sq. ver. account for rural population 3.3 days, in the least populated, Kirensky - 0.11 days, in the entire province - 0.62 people. In the more populated three districts, one farm accounts for 5.6 d.v. etc., and workers - 1.3. For 100 mzh. accounts for 97.7 women. Settled and nomadic Buryats - 117811, Tungus - 1654, Karagas - 431; the rest of the population is dominated by the Russian element; among the exiles there are many Poles, Jews, Tatars. The population of the province, consisting of a mixture of foreigners, settlers and exiles from different areas of Russia, formed a special local type - the Siberian, with a special local dialect. The largest part of the population of average height, namely 71%; high - 12%, low - 17%. Goiter with its companions - cretinism and deaf-mutism is quite common. In 1892, 4736 marriages were concluded in I. province, 20895 were born (10722 males and 10173 females), 16710 died (9093 males, 7617 females). According to the average conclusion over the past 30 years, the percentage of births: in the Orthodox population - 4.9%, and in the pagan - 3.6%; the mortality rate among the Orthodox is 3.9%, among the pagans - 3.2%. Natural population growth - 1.07%, actual - 1.33%; the difference falls on immigration. In 1890, there were 4441 hereditary and personal nobles, White Orthodox clergy -1880, monastic -87, Catholic - 2, Lutheran - 1, Jewish -1, Lamaic - 10, Mohammedan - 9; honorary citizens of hereditary and personal - 1368, merchants - 1623, philistines - 27111, workshops - 2983, peasants of all denominations - 223812, regular troops - 2546, retired lower ranks, soldiers' wives and children - 18039, Cossacks - 5230, settled aliens - 14178, nomadic - 103633, vagrants - 2085, foreign subjects - 68, exiled settlers and settled workers - 29218, political exiles - 619, settlers from exile convicts - 5441, persons not belonging to the indicated categories - 482. In 1892 There were 372456 Orthodox, schismatics of various sects - 382 (most of all Subbotniks in the village of Zima, Balagansky district), Catholics - 3485, Armenian Gregorians - 86, Protestants - 569, Mohammedans - 2843, Jews - 6315, Lamaites - 14210 , shamanists - 64945. In the period from 1872 to 81, he adopted Orthodoxy in I. lips. 16704 people (mostly Buryats). In the province, not counting the cities, there were 223 churches, 2 ministries, 216 chapels, 2 mosques, 2 datsans and 5 prayer houses. In 1892, for all salaries 1112098 rubles were subject to collection, of which 450149 rubles remained in arrears, including:

Article about the word Irkutsk province" V encyclopedic dictionary Brockhaus and Efron has been read 1274 times

IRKUTSK PROVINCE. It was formed in 1764 from the Irkutsk province of the Siberian provinces. It included Ilimsk, Irkutsk, Nerchinsk, Yakutsk, Okhotsk districts, Irkutsk suburban, Verkholensk, Barguzinsky, Selenginsky districts. Adm. center - Irkutsk. In 1782, in connection with the organization of governorships, the city of Irkutsk was abolished and transformed into the Irkutsk governorate, consisting of 4 regions: Irkutsk, Nerchinsk, Okhotsk, and Yakutsk, and 17 districts. In 1796, the I. city was restored as part of the 15th district, subordinate to the “military governor with civil authority” located in Irkutsk. In 1803 it was divided into Irkutsk, Nizhneudinsky, Verkhneudinsky, Kirensky, Nerchinsk, and Yakutsk uyezds. To control the north-east. ter. within the framework of the I. city, the Yakut (1805) and Kamchatka (1803) regions were established. exercise. In 1822 acc. with the reform of M.M. Speransky I. g. as part of the Irkutsk, Verkhneudinsky, Nizhneudinsky, Kirensky and Nerchinsk districts. became part of the East Siberian General Government. In 1851 Verkhneudinsky and Nerchinsk districts. transferred to the formed Trans-Baikal region, and Balagansky and Verkholensky regions were created as part of the province; in 1898 ok. renamed into counties. In 1913, Irkutsk, Verkholensky, Balagansky, Nizhneudinsky, and Kirensky districts were included in the I. and Olekminsko-Vitimsky mountain district.

In 1764–1805 the square. I. g. was approx. 10,782 thousand sq. versts, con. 1913 - 786.4 thousand square meters verst. Number population (thousand people): 1792 - approx. 360; 1858 - 319.9; 1897 - 514.3; 1906 - 552.7; 1914 - 750.2; 1916 - 810.9. Oud. mountain weight. population: 1858 - 7.8%; 1916 - 16.7%. Feature of the national lip composition. - root, ch. arr. Buryat., the population was in the middle. 19th century about a third. In con. XIX - early. 20th century as a result of intensive influx of immigrants root weight. population has dropped significantly.

The coat of arms was approved on July 5, 1878: in silver. shield a black running babr with scarlet eyes holding a scarlet sable in its mouth. The shield is surmounted by the imperial crown and surrounded by evil. oak leaves connected with St. Andrew's ribbon. (The coat of arms of Irkutsk 1790 is taken as the basis: “In the silver field of the shield there is a running babr, and in his mouth he has a sable.”) When creating the coat of arms of I. g., an error occurred in the Department of Heraldry - a tiger called mest. inhabitants of the babr, by the will of the officials turned into a beaver).

In 1917–18, the Cheremkhovo district was formed in I. (district), Angarsky (subsequently divided into Alarsky and Bokhansky) and Ekhirit-Bulagatsky Buryats. aimags (with the rights of y.). In 1920, after the formation of the Far Eastern Republic, part of the territory was included in the province. Transbaikal region, on which the Selenginsky (Kabansky) district was created. and Selenginsky aimag. In 1920–21, the Bodaibo district was also established. and Tunkinsky aimag. Fast. All-Russian Central Executive Committee of 9 Jan. 1922 Buryats. aimags were transferred to the newly formed Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Oblast (later Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). In 1922 Nizhneudinsky renamed to Tulunsky, Cheremhovsky u. - to Ziminsky, with the transfer of their centers to the station. Tulun and st. Winter. In March 1924, Balagansky and Selenginsky districts were abolished, as part of the province: Bodaibinsky (in September 1924 it was transformed into a separate industrial district), Verkholensky, Ziminsky, Irkutsk, Kirensky, Tulunsky districts.

In 1923 area. I. g. was 772.7 thousand square meters. km; num. population - 770.8 thousand people; beats mountain weight. population - 21%. National composition (1920): Russians - 82.2%; Buryats - 12.2; Jews - 1.4; Tatars - 1.3; Poles - 1.1; Ukrainians - 0.8; Belarusians - 0.3; other – 0.7%.

After February Revolution the Irkutsk Governor-General that existed before, which included the Irkutsk and Yenisei provinces, the Trans-Baikal and Yakutsk regions, ceased to exist. On August 15, the territory of the Irkutsk province was divided into 3 districts - Irkutsk, Tulunsky, Kirensky and 2 industrial regions - Cheremkhovsky and Bodaibinsky. On May 25, 1925, the Siberian Territory was formed by a decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. Irkutsk province became part of it.

Relief

In general, the surface of the Irkutsk province is a flat elevation with a slope from south to north, belted from the southwest, south and east by mountain ranges, among which in the southeastern outskirts of the province lies a vast deep-water depression - Lake Baikal. The terrace-like lowering of this flat hill is due to an ancient shift that separated most of the area occupied by it from the high Transbaikal plateau lying in the southeast, and in the northwest from a lower terrace located in the middle part of the Yenisei province. In particular, the area of ​​the Irkutsk province consists of: a mountainous alpine country with chains of mountains diverging from it, flat hills and riverine valleys - the two main water arteries - the Angara and the Lena and their tributaries. The mountains that fill the Irkutsk province belong to two main ranges - the Sayan and the Baikal mountains; of these, the first one, filling the south of the province with its spurs, has an alpine character and, entering the borders of the Irkutsk province, in its southwestern part, near the upper reaches of the Biryusa and Uda rivers, it goes from northwest to southeast - then in one chain, wide from 15 to 20 versts, then by several parallel chains separated by deep and narrow gorges of mountain rivers, and the width of the ridge reaches 50 versts. The average height of the main peaks of the Sayan is 7500 feet above the sea surface, with its individual peaks from 8 to 8500 feet, and its highest char lying on the border with Mongolia - Mungu-Sardyk, that is, a silver mountain, forever covered with snow on top, reaches up to 11500 ft. On the northern slope of this char, a double glacier descends from its top for 4 miles, pushing its terminal moraines to the lake. Ehoy. The general disorder in the location of the Sayan Mountains, scattered by deep valleys and wild gorges, with fast water flows, conical, stone peaks of loaches, devoid of any vegetation, constitute the characteristic features of the main chain of the ridge, on the tops of which snow disappears for a period from June to August. In deep mountain hollows facing north, in some years snow lies throughout the summer. Starting from the central axis of the Sayan Range, to the north. there is a gradual decrease in its spurs - to the valley of the river. Angara, which, however, at the mouth of the river. White lies still at an altitude of 1200 feet above sea level. The lowering of the Sayan Mountains proceeds, as it were, in ledges: the highest row of bald mountains is followed by their second row with a softer outline of the mountain peaks, already covered with forest, followed by the third row, of even lower height, etc. etc., all these mountains run either parallel to each other, or mutually intersecting. Within the Irkutsk province, Sayan separates from itself many branches that can be considered independent ridges: at the southwestern corner of the province, on its border, at the head of the river. Biryusy, part of the Sayan Range is called the Biryusinsky Mountains, reaching up to 6200 feet of absolute height. Further going to the southeast. direction, the main part of the Sayan, Ergik-Targak-Taiga, has a rather complex relief. From the mountain node Taraskhan-Daban, in the upper reaches of the river. Ii, two ridges begin, going to the north: Kuytun-Khardyn and another ridge that does not have a name. At the Junbuluk node, where the extinct crater Khukushka (Cups) lies with lava flows over 20 versts, a high, rocky ridge rises up to 7200 feet, going between pp. Hoyt-Okoy and Okoy. Then from the node of Nuku-Daban, rising to 7500 feet and making sowing. spur of Mungu-Sardyk, diverge like a fan: a) Ida Mountains, between pp. Okoy and Belaya; b) Kitoi Alps, between channels pp. Belaya and Kitoy; c) Tunkinsky squirrels accompanying the valley of the river from the north. Irkut; The chain of mountains running parallel to them, which limits the Irkut valley from the south, is called Gurbi-Daban and, preserving the complex relief of the Sayan, branches into many mountain ranges that differ in geological and faunistic respects from the Sayan. Finally, in the southeastern part of the province there is the Urguldeysky knot, which lies at the head of the river. - Zon-Murina, a tributary of the river. Irkut and Dzhida, which flows into the river. Selenga; From this node, a high chain of mountains (7500 feet of absolute height) is directed to the East, bearing the name of Khamar-Daban, which is one of the highest heights lying at the southwestern corner of Baikal and the Baikal Mountains in general. Of the mountain passes in the Sayan, the most famous and convenient are: a) the mountain pass - Obo-Sarym, lying at an altitude of 6100 feet, in the upper reaches of the river. Khangi, a tributary of the river. Irkut. Further to the northwest lie: b) Naryn-Khoroysky pass, c) Uryuk-Daban, d) Tengiz-Daban, e) Taurus-Daban and f) Mustag-Arsha; of these, the first and third are used for a significant drive of cattle from Mongolia to the city of Irkutsk and for the delivery of manufactured goods from the latter to Mongolia (up to 80,000 rubles). The 2nd group of mountains of the Irkutsk province are - Baikal, rising at the head of pp. Lena and Kirenga to the highest height of 6000 feet and consisting of chains: Primorsky and Onotsky. The flat upland, on which the mountainous alpine country of the Sayan rests, occupies the entire north and north-west of the Irkutsk province, having for the most part a height of 1,500 to 2,000 feet. The lower ledge of this plateau, representing the least elevated part (up to 800 feet of absolute height) of the province, is located in the northwest of its part, along the course of pp. Lower Tunguska and Lena, near the borders of the Yakutsk region. The considerable irregularities of the soil encountered on this plateau are the consequences of erosion and the formation of river valleys; of these low watershed ranges are known in the province: Berezovy, Ilimsky, Tungussky, etc. The most extensive plain is located along the river. Angara, having a boundary line running approximately from the city of Irkutsk to the river. Kitoy, from here to the river. Belaya to the mouth of the river. Zalary, then crosses the middle course of the river. Kady and heads northeast to the river. Angara, where, having crossed to its right bank, it ends; but even this plain is hilly in many places. In addition to this plain, there are two more plains in the Irkutsk province: one between pp. Okoy and Udoy, another, more elevated and treeless, bearing the name of the "Brotherly Steppe", stretches along the Yakut tract to the Kachugskaya pier on the river. Lena.

Geology

The geognostic composition of the soil of the Irkutsk province deserves special attention due to its diversity. Sedimentary rocks belonging to the latest modern deposits consist of lacustrine-river pebble and sandy-argillaceous sediments, are found everywhere in river valleys and often border the shores of lakes in the form of a rampart; alluvium is often found on the slopes and even on the tops of mountains; loose sands are located in different places of the province, but in small areas. Of the more ancient Tertiary deposits, we find in the southwestern part of Baikal, in some places in the Sayans and in the entire Tunkinskaya hollow - loess. In the river valley Hangars were found from post-Pliocene layers: pebble deposits, loess-like layered loam and forest; then tertiary deposits are also found: along the river. Kamenka and in the west. parts of the province - downstream pp. Oka, Kimilteyki, Udy, etc. In the eastern part of the Irkutsk province, in the upper reaches of the river. Lena and its tributaries, as well as along the pp. Angi and Buguldeyki are sediments - clay-sand or gravel; in addition, uniform red-colored deposits and loess are strongly developed in the Lena Valley. The remains of thick-skinned animals that once lived in this area were found in the Tertiary sediments: a primitive bull, aurochs, various deer and antelopes. The rocks of the tertiary system have a slight distribution in the Irkutsk province. Of the sediments of the Mesozoic (secondary) era, only the Jurassic formation was found in the southern part of the province, stretching in a strip of about 100 versts in width from Lake Baikal to the city of Nizhne-Udinsk; its sediments (on Devonian red sandstones or on Upper Silurian limestone) consist of shaly clays and marls, sandstones with interlayers of brown coal and, in places, limestone and silicic shale. Of the sedimentary rocks of the Paleozoic (primary) era, the most common in the province are the Carboniferous, Devonian and Silurian systems, which, from the outburst of the Angara from Lake Baikal, run in a wide strip along the Angara almost to the northern border of the Balagansky district; are also found in the watershed pp. The Angara and Lena, and in the valley of the last rocks of the Devonian system, are more widespread relative to others and consist of red sandstones, marls and clays. The rocks of the Devonian system are located: in the Tunkinsky Alps, on the right bank of the river. Angara, a little higher than the city of Balagansk, throughout the valley of the river. Wasps, then, moving to the left bank of the Angara, drag along the pp. Ungi, Ii and Oka and at the confluence of the latter into the Angara - on both banks of the latter. They accompany the upper reaches of the river. Lena to the city Kirensk, followed by the red sandstones of the Silurian system along the right bank of the Lena to the Darinskaya station, and on the left bank there is Upper Silurian limestone. Older sedimentary deposits - the Cambrian-Silurian system - which are distinguished by a significant thickness of their layers (up to 2500 feet), are very common in the mountainous parts of the Irkutsk province, and the upper tier consists exclusively of limestones located in the northwestern slope of the Onotsky ridge, in many places on Lena, on the river. Angara (near Usolye), from the mouth of the river. Belaya to the city of Balagansk, and so on. Irkut, Oka, Butogol, Dzhanbulak, and others, then in the Onot Range and partly in the Primorsky-Baikal Mountains and other places. Crystalline rocks belonging to the Archean (Laurentian) system make up all the ridges of the main ranges - the Sayan, the Tunka Alps, the Baikal Mountains. These rocks form two tiers: the upper layer consists of alternating layers of dolomite or crystalline limestone with feldspar rocks, and the lower tier is most often gneiss, granite, granite-syenite and chlorite schists. The layers are bent into a series of folds, often overturned and pressed against each other. Stretching of folds in the southern part of the province in the Sayan Mountains and the Tunka Alps in the WNW - ESE direction, in the Eastern Sayan from WSW to NW, and in the Baikal Mountains from WSW to ENE; moreover, in the latter there are anticlinal inflections of the layers. Crystalline rocks are also common in other mountainous parts of the Irkutsk province, for example, in the valley of the river. Angara below the confluence of the river. Oki granites form all significant Angara rapids. Less than other crystalline rocks are widespread in the province - diorites and serpentines; diabases are located mainly in the western and northwestern parts of the province and in the valley of the river. Tunguska. Basalts have a more significant distribution, they are found: on the slope of Mungu-Sardyk, at the Khanginsky guard and at Tunka - along the Irkut, southwest. parts of Lake Baikal, between pp. Slyudyanka and Tala, in the lower reaches of the Ilim, along the river. Angara, while along its tributaries, volcanic tuffs are more common, as well as obsidian and pumice; finally, there are lava hills in the Tunka basin, and lava flows in the Elovsky spur and other places: all this indicates that the local area was once the center of strong volcanic activity, which is now manifested in fairly frequent earthquakes in Irkutsk.

Minerals

The Irkutsk province is rich in minerals, but it is poorer in gold than neighboring provinces; its richest gold-bearing placers are located in its southwestern part, along the Biryusa river system, in the Nizhneudinsk district, where in 1892, 23 poods of gold 22 pounds 20 spools were washed at 21 mines, with an average gold grade of 100 poods - 25.25 shares. Three mines were developed in the Kirensky district, according to pp. Nerpe and Dzhalohun, where 2 poods of gold 30 pounds were washed (1890). Placers poor in content, now not being developed, are located along the rivers flowing into Baikal, and along the upper tributaries of the river. Lena, in the Verkholensky district. Graphite of high value is found in the Botugolsky bald mountain (its development has been abandoned) and on Olkhon Island. Brown coal has been found in many places: near the city of Irkutsk in the coastal cliffs of the Angara, along pp. Irkut, Kude, Ushakovka, in several places of the Balagansky district, the most noteworthy deposits of coal along the river. Oka; but it is not found anywhere. Iron ore is found in many places in the province, but is developed only at the confluence of the river. Oki in the Angara, at the Nikolaev ironworking plant. Iron vitriol is located near the village. Ziminsky, on the right bank of the river. Oki and in Zheltuni-Tong mountain.

There are salt springs: 68 versts from the city of Irkutsk, on the river. Angara, along the river. Ilim and four versts from the bank of the river. Lena, on the river. Kuta. In these places, on four varnits, table salt was mined in 1892 in the amount of 170,929 rubles. In addition, salt springs are also known: on the river. Taganka, which flows into the river. Oka, in the upper reaches of the river. Ungi, a tributary of the river. Angara, in the valley pp. Kuda and Belaya, near the village of Uzkiy Luch and on the island of the river. Angara, lying above the city of Balagansk. Glauber's salt (Gudjir) is located in small lakes off the northwestern shores of Lake Baikal, between the river. Angoy and Olkhon Island. Saltpeter mud lie along the river. Taloy, near the village. Tunks. Of the mineral springs, the most famous are: Turan - near the Nile Desert, on the river. Uhe-Ugun, 250 versts. from Irkutsk, have a temperature of up to 36.6 ° R. Arshan-Su is a carbon dioxide source, 40 versts from the Turan guard. Okinsky - on the river. Oka, 500 miles from Irkutsk. Barnaul - soda, near the village. Bolshe-Mamyrsky, in the Nizhneudinsky district, etc.

Of the plants, we should mention the bushes found in the Sayan Mountains - camel's tail (Caragana jubata) and sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides).

In addition to forests, alpine vegetation, calcareous rocks and cliffs, solonetz and steppe vegetation is developed in the province, and plants belonging to the flora of the Far East come across in the Baikal places.

Fauna

In the animal kingdom, there is a great variety, especially forest ones. From predatory badger, wolverine, brown bear, sable, ermine, otter, wolf, fox, lynx; from rodents: flying squirrel, squirrel, chipmunk, evrashki, hare, etc.; from multi-ungulates - wild boar; from ruminants: musk deer, roe deer, red deer, elk (moose) and reindeer. In Baikal, there is a special genus of seal - the seal (Рһocabaicalensis). Of the insects, we note only a special harmful genus of the grasshopper (Gomphocerus sibirica), which reproduces strongly in dry years, destroying crops and meadow grasses.

Administrative division

Administrative division of the Irkutsk province

In administrative terms, the Irkutsk province is divided from the city into 5 districts: Irkutsk, Balagansky, Nizhneudinsky, Verkholensky and Kirensky, in which there are 18 sections (stans), 45 volosts, 40 foreign departments and one separate rural society. The entire population of the province, with 4 district cities, 1 provincial and 1 provincial, in 1892 extended to 465,428 villages, including 249,151 men. and 216277 women. Most of the peasant settlements were grouped along the banks of pp. Angara, Lena and some of their tributaries, as well as along the Moscow tract. There are few large villages, and they are located along the postal route; with more than 500 households, there are only seven. Loan life is developed only in the Balagansky district.

Taxes and fees

In 1892, 1,112,098 rubles were due for collection of all salaries, of which 450,149 rubles remained in arrears. Most of the arrears remain with the exiled settlers, who have the least payment power. Unsettled collections remained in the arrears of 561,977 rubles, in the payment of which only 43,153 rubles were received. Treasury payments, worldly expenses and natural service of the three districts, Irkutsk, Balagansky and Nizhneudinsky, together amounted to 1,294,723 rubles. (1887), of which 914,721 rubles fall to the share of peasants, and 380,002 rubles to foreigners. One worker accounts for from 24 to 30 rubles, and for a cash soul - from 10 to 13 rubles. Worldly incomes extended only to 94,143 rubles, including 87,506 rubles for peasants and 6,637 rubles for foreigners. Of natural duties, the cost of the road is up to 560,000 rubles, underwater - up to 300,000 rubles. Of the government revenues in 1892, the most gave: excise tax - 1910794 rubles. and customs - 7263884 rubles.

Education, medicine, charity

Public education, with the exception of the provincial city, is poorly developed: in 1892 there were 427 educational institutions, students - 11112, including 8056 males, or 72.5%, and 3056 females, or 27.5%. Of the entire population of the province, students accounted for 2.1%, of the population of cities - 7.7%, districts - 1.2%; to children of school age in cities - 46.3%, in districts - 7.2%, in the entire province - 12.2%. There were 366 rural schools, including literacy schools - 223, parochial schools - 74, schools of the Ministry of Public Education: parochial - 63 and two-class - 6. In addition, in the villages there are many home schools with settler teachers; in three districts there are 107 such schools, with the number of students up to 1020. In the province there are 13 hospitals (for 664 beds), 3 stage infirmaries, 15 emergency rooms (72 kr.), 4 infirmaries at plants and factories (26 kr.), 5 pharmacies (of which two are rural), 37 doctors, 4 female doctors, 66 paramedics, 21 midwives. Charity, with the exception of Irkutsk, is poorly developed; in the villages there are only 8 almshouses, in which 66 people were cared for; in addition, there are 4 private almshouses and up to 9 houses in which the decrepit and crippled find only shelter, earning food by alms.

Economy

Agriculture

The main occupation of the inhabitants is agriculture, which is not practiced only by the Olkhon Buryats and the Alaguev clans of the Kapsal department, as well as the Tungus and Karagas. The entire north of the province, that is, most of the Kirensky district and the northeastern part of the Nizhneudinsky district, as well as the entire rocky western coast of Lake Baikal with Olkhon Island, should be included in the non-grain zone; then, less than other parts of the province, the western and southwestern ones are grain-growing, starting from the river. Udy to zap. province borders. The center and the southern part are very fertile: the soil here is very fat and does not require fertilization; but in the south only the Irkut valley is populated. The most common soils in the Irkutsk province are loamy, mostly reddish, then gray and, as an exception, white; This kind of soil, at a depth of 3-4 inches, is difficult to cultivate, but wheat will be born well on them. The second place belongs to - black lands, divided into strong and light; the latter are subdivided into steppe and so-called pukhuns or buzuns (bukhovina). This soil lies below the red loams, mostly at the bottom of the pads (intermountain valleys), richer in humus; its depth is from several inches to an arshin. In the steppes, black (light) soils contain less humus than bukhovina, soon lose their productivity and require a long rest, so that after the removal of 3 or 5 loaves, they are left in fallows for up to 15 years and are unsuitable for winter. Bukhovina, lying in low places where there were swamps, is considered the worst soil, tundra soils located near swamps and caltus approach it. Finally, sandy soils and sandy loams of various qualities are widely distributed in the province, with which silty soils are sometimes found side by side. These soils are of little use for crops; even less suitable for arable farming are silty soils that occur with sandy loam and solonets, requiring fertilizer, which, with the exception of the Kirensky district. and some large villages, is not used anywhere, and depleted arable land is usually thrown under fallow land for decades. Although local conditions contain all the data for the development of a three-field crop rotation, but most of the cultivated area - 8/9 - is exploited through a two-field system together with a fallow one, and the field is sown for several years in a row, until it is completely exhausted (up to 15 years), or completely abandoned , being replaced by a new one, for which the undercut is used. Land under crops in 1892 shows only 348,400 acres; of this number, Balagansky district accounted for 39.8%, Irkutsk province - 22%, Verkholensky - 16.1%, Nizhneudinsky - 14.6%, Kirensky - 7.5%. In recent years, the number of plowlands has increased, especially in the Balagan and Irkutsk districts. Of the winter crops, more are sown in the Verkholensky and Nizhneudinsky districts, and spring crops - in the Balagansky district. The average grain yield for a seven-year period (1880-1887): for winter rye itself-5.9, spring 3.4, wheat (spring) 3.2, oats 3.1.

The settlement of the region was hampered by temporary measures against voluntary resettlement, for example, decrees and years. The settlement of Irkutsk was mainly carried out by exiles.

A significant part of the settlers (exiles), however, is constantly outside the province: either in the gold mines, or in an unknown absence. A considerable contingent of migrants was made up of penal soldiers, prisoners of war, and especially Polish insurgents - and the years: in 1866, there were up to 18,000 exiled Poles in Siberia.

The settlement of the region by the exiled element continues to this day: for example, in 1890, 4019 exiles of various categories entered the Irkutsk province; in addition, 1088 people were settled in the province, including 261 members of their families. There were 27 landmark buildings in the Irkutsk province along the Moskovsky tract and 5 along the Yakutsk tract, 4 prison castles, 3 shelters for children under arrest; in the latter there were 75 boys and 62 girls.

Governorate leadership

Governors General

Irkutsk military governors

Governor-Generals of Siberia

Governors

Viceroy rulers

Governors

Lieutenant Governors

Chairmen of the provincial government