Mari El Republic (
Russian:
Респу́блика Мари́й Эл;
Mari: Марий Эл Республика) is a
federal subject of
Russia (a
republic). The direct
romanization of the republic's Russian name is
Respublika Mariy El and Mari name is
Marii El Respublika. The republic is also sometimes called
Mariy El or
Marii El in
English.
Geography Mari El is located in the
Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD).
UTC offset is
UTC+3 (MSK)/
UTC+4 (MSD).
Time zone There are 476 rivers in Mari El. Most of them are considered to be minor: 10-50 m wide and .5-1.4 m deep. They usually freeze from mid-November till mid-April. Major rivers include:
Bolshaya Kokshaga River Buy River Ilet River Iravka River Kundysh River Lazh River Malaya Kokshaga River Maly Kundysh River Nemda River Rutka River Urzhumka River Vetluga River (navigable)
Volga River (navigable)
Yushut River Rivers There are over 200 lakes in Mari El, most of them with an area less than 1 km² and depth of 1-3 m. Many lakes are located among swamps. Swamps cover large areas (10-70 km², up to 100 km²), and usually freeze in December. Average depth of the swamps is .5-1.5 m (up to 3 m), but they are impassable in fall and spring due to flooding.
Major lakes include:
Karas Lake Kichiyer Lake Yalchik Lake Tair Lake Cheboksary Reservoir Lakes There are virtually no natural resources of industrial significance in the republic. Other resources include
peat,
mineral waters, and
limestone.
Natural resources Climate is moderately
continental. Winters are moderately cold and snowy. Summers are warm and often rainy.
Average January temperature: −13°C
Average July temperature: +19°C
Average annual precipitation: 450–500 mm
Administrative divisions Main article: Mari people Demographics Main article: Crime in Mari El
Crime Ancient Mari tribes were known since the 5th century. Later their area was a tributary of
Volga Bulgaria and the
Golden Horde. In the 1440s it was incorporated into the
Khanate of Kazan and was occupied by
Russia after the fall of
Kazan in 1552.
Mari Autonomous Oblast was established on
November 4,
1920. It was re-organized into
Mari ASSR on
December 5,
1936.
In its present form the Mari El Republic was formed on
December 22,
1990.
History The head of government in the Mari El Republic is the President. As of 2007, the president is
Leonid Igorevich Markelov, who was elected in January of 2001.
The ethnic Mari people are under heavy Russification and Leonid Markelov has ordered many Mari language newspapers to close..
Politics The most developed industries are machine construction, metal working, timber, woodworking, and food industries. Most of the industrial enterprises are located in the capital Yoshkar-Ola, as well as in the towns of
Kozmodemyansk,
Volzhsk, and
Zvenigovo Economy In the republic, there is one airport, fifteen train stations, 53 bus stations, and a river port in Kozmodemyansk (on the Volga River), as well as four other minor river ports.
Transportation Telephony,
Internet service, and
cable television are provided by
Volga Telecom.
Communication There are eight museums in Mari El. The largest ones include the
National Museum, the
Museum of History, and the
Republican Museum of Fine Arts in Yoshkar-Ola, and the
Museum of Arts and History in Kozmodemyansk.
Culture The most important facilities of higher education include
Mari State Technical University,
Mari State University, and
Mari State Pedagogical Institute; all located in Yoshkar-Ola.
Education The most common confessions include
Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox
Old Believers, and
Islam(60%). Traditional
Mari religion (
marla faith—
Christianity with elements of
Totemism and
Shamanism) is also popular.
Tourism
See also
