Overview

The Russian Far East is on the Pacific rim, north of China and to the west and north of Japan. The region covers an area two-thirds the size of Canada and has a coastline extending 6,000 miles from the Arctic Circle to the Sea of Japan. Siberia, often confused with the Russian Far East, borders the region to the west some 1500 miles from the Pacific.

The region is lightly populated with 70% of its approximately 8 million population living in cities and small towns largely in the southeast. The region comprises ten relatively independent geopolitical subregions: the Amur Oblast, the Chukotka Autonomous Region, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, the Kamchatka Oblast, the Khabarovski Krai, the Koryak Republic, the Magadan Oblast, the Primorski Krai, the Sakhalin Oblast and the Republic of Yakutia. The principle cities are the port of Vladivostok in the far south; Khabarovsk north of Vladivostok and approximately 100 miles inland; the town of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Sakhalin Island; the port of Magadan on the mainland opposite the Kamchatka Peninsula; the port of Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka peninsula and the port of Anadyr in the far north.

The region contains much of the underdeveloped natural resources of Russia and unsurpassed scenic beauty. The taiga (or forest) in the south-east region contains a great variety of wildlife, including the Siberian Tiger, and over 250 species of trees and bushes. The ocean between Sakhalin Island and the Kamchatka Peninsula offers one of the wealthiest fishing grounds in the world. The Kamchatka Peninsula is the home of some 160 volcanoes and has a unique geyser valley. Snow conditions on Sakhalin are so good that the 1972 Soviet Olympic training facility was located there and it is still being used by Sakhalin skiers.

The cities and towns of the region offer a diversity of architecture, history, culture and experience. A climate similar to northern California is characteristic of the far south and permafrost and below zero temperatures in the far north.

Vladivostok is a spectacular natural harbor surrounded by hills which often reminds visitors of San Francisco. It is the terminus of the Trans Siberian railroad. Founded in 1860, the city's early existence was a military post and later as a fortress with a network of tunnels under the city which still exist today. The city layout and architecture reflects a European flavor having numerous open spaces. Many of the city's major buildings were the offices of German, Dutch and British trading companies. Prior to the Bolshevik revolution Vladivostok not only became a major port but also a cosmopolitan center and intellectual Mecca with many literary clubs and social cafes.

Khabarovsk is a small country town on the Amur River at the crossing of the Trans Siberian railroad. It has a southern California climate in the summer but the winters are very cold. It has a very busy international airport. The town is noted for its avenues lined with trees. Small cruise ships ply the Amur River which are used both by the local people visiting their dachas along the banks of the River Amur on weekends and also by visitors.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is currently the hub of all activities as the potential center of gas and oil development. As a consequence this area has had the largest influx of foreigners and has developed accordingly. The town itself, located in a beautiful mountainous setting, is rather small.

Petropavlovsk, although relatively small, is the largest town of the Kamchatka Peninsula where volcanoes, abundant wild and marine life creates a haven for eco-tourism individuals. Formerly difficult to access for many reasons, now is the first Russian stop on both Alaska and Reeve Aleutian flights from Anchorage, only four hours away from the U.S.

The Russian Far East has a distinct and independent character. Moscow is approximately 9 time zones away. Those who were not in tune with the dictates of Moscow were exiled here. The region, being a border region, also has a significant military presence. As a consequence some areas were closed for both Russians and foreigners alike. The region is largely unspoiled and one of the world's last remaining frontiers, one of the few places where people can visit and be the first to see what others have not.

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