Welcome to Tatarstan.

1. Welcome to Tatarstan. Welcome to Tatarstan

2. Tatarstan • The Republic of Tatarstan is a subject of the Russian Federation. The Declaration of State sovereignty of the Republic was signed on the 30 th of August, 1990. The names “republic of Tatarstan” and “Tatarstan” are equivalent

3. Languages • The official languages are Tatar and Russian

4. Location • Tatarstan is one of the largest socio - economic, scientific and political centres of the Volga Region. It is located at the centre of the Russian Federation. It connects East and West, North and South of the country

5. Regions • Tatarstan borders on the Republic of Bashkortostan, Chuvashia, Mari – El, Udmurtia and on the region of Russia: Samara, Ulianovsk, Kirov and Orenburg. Tatarstan has no borders with foreign states

6. Resources. • Its area is more than 67 thousand square kilometers. It is as big as Ireland, Sri – Lanka, Lithuania. Tatarstan is rich in oil. The most well – known oil fields are Romashkinskoye, Novo – Velkhovskoye, Pervomaiskoye and Bondyuzhskoye..

7. Tatarstan is also rich in brown and black coal, copper, gypsum, dolomites, clays, mineral waters and medical muds

8. Water resources • The republic has huge water resources. The Volga river system is of great importance to Russia and Tatarstan. The Volga, the Kama, the Vyatka and the Belaya rivers are the four longest rivers.

9. Rivers • But there are also a lot of smaller rivers: the Zai, the Myosha, the Cheremshan, the Kazanka, etc and a lot of beautiful lakes, such as Lake Kaban, Swan Lake, Blue Lake, Deep Lake and others

10. Population • The population of the Republic of Tatarstan is around 3,8 million people. 2,7 million people live in towns and cities.

11. Living • One million people live in the countryside. Tatartan takes the eighth place in the Russian Federation (after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Bashkortostan, Moscow region, Krasnodar region, Rostov region, Sverdlovsk region).

12. Cities and towns • There are 19 cities and towns and more than 3000 settlements in Tatarstan. The largest cities are: • Kazan • Naberezhnye Chelny • Nizhnekamsk

13. Almetyevsk Zelenodolsk Bugulma Cities and towns

14. History • Tatarstan is a multireligious republic. During its history Tatarstan has accumulated the richest experience of peoples of various nationalities, ethnic and religious groups. More than 100 nationalities live friendly in the republic.

15. The two main nationalities are: • the Tatars (more than 2 million people) • the Russians (1,5 million people). • The third place is taken by the Chuvashes – 126,5 thousand people. The important national values are tolerance, consensus and compromise.

16. Kazan • The capital of Tatarstan is Kazan. Kazan is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the Volga region. Kazan is a thousand – year – old city with rich and unique history. In 2005 the people of Tatarstan, Russia and the whole world celebrated its millennium anniversary.

17. Suyumbike Tower • The most unusual structure in the Kremlin complex is the Suyumbike Tower. It has become the architectural symbol of Kazan and is famous a long way from the Republic of Tatarstan.

18. The Kazan Kremlin • The Kazan Kremlin reminds us of the role Kazan played in the long stormy history not only of Tatarstan and Russia, but of the Eurasian continent. From 1708 the Kremlin became the centre of the first Kazan district of the Russian Empire.

19. Sabantuy • Tatarstan is a multicultural republic. There are many various festivals holidays. Some of them are specific to this or that nation. Many of them have become very popular common and loved by all. For example Sabantuy .

20. Sabantuy is the most popular festival in Tatarstan. This holiday takes place at the beginning of summer. During this festival there are a lot of spectacular competitions. The most exciting are the horse races

21. Nauruz • Nauruz means the “New Year Day”. It is a very old festival. This festival takes place on the 21 st of March. This holiday symbolizes the end of darkness and the victory of the light over the evil. It is a bright and unforgettable festival. People sing songs and dance.

22. Sport • Million people all over the world are fond of sports and games. Sport is very popular in Tatarstan too. Today Tatarstan is the land of well – developed sportsmen, famous athletes, the Olympic champions known all over the world.

23. Ak Bars • The Kazan “Ak Bars” is the most popular ice – hockey team in Tatarstan. It has become one of the best ice – hockey teams in Russia. The Kazaners are always happy to go to their matches.

24. Ishpishmak • The Tatars like the pastries of all kinds very much. One of their favourite ones is “ishpishmak”. It is a triangle – shaped pie with chopped peppered meat, potatoes and some onion.

25. Peremyach • “Peremyach” is also a meat pie, but it is round. It is a very tasty!

26. Plov • Plov is one of the favourite dishes the people in Tatarstan choose to eat. It has meat, rice, onions, carrots and a lot of sapices.

27. Pelmeni • If you like soups, you will probably like noodle soup and meat dumplings (pelmeni).

28. Others • The most popular drink in Tatarstan is tea. The Tatars like tea with milk, with lemon or with dried apricots. And sweet pastries: “chuk – chuk”, “kosh tele”, “talkysh keleve” and much more.

29. Animals and birds • Tatarstan is famous for a large variety of species of animals and birds There live hundreds of them. Some of them are in the red Book. The main task of the population of Tatarstan is to protect them for our future generations. Protected natural territories play an important role.