The Republic of Buryatia is situated in the south part of the East Siberia, southwards and eastwards of the lake Baikal. The territory of the Republic is 351,300 squared km and by its sizes it equals the territories of 10-12 regions of the Central-European part of the Russian Federation. The population of the Republic is 1,059,400 people. In the south Buryatia borders on the Mongolian People's Republic, in the south-west — on the Republic of Tuva, in the north-west — the Irkutsk Region, in the east — on the Chita Region. The time difference with Moscow is 5 hours.

    Buryatia takes up an advantageous geographical position. Two railway lines (Trans-Siberian and Baikal-Amur) connecting the central parts of the Community of Independent Sovereign countries (CIS) with the regions of Far East and with such countries of South-East Asia as China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan and others across the territory of Buryatia. By administrative division there exist 21 districts (regions), 6 towns, 29 urban-type settlements in the Republic.

    Buryatia is located in mean lattitudes of the Northern hemisphere. In the pole of temperate-cold climate of Siberia and transitional zone between East Siberian taiga and vast Mongolian steppes. Natural conditions of Buryatia are sharply different from that of other regions of the country disposed within the same lattitudes. That is the result of the Republic's remoteness from seas and oceans and of the "cold breath" of the Arctic ocean. The location of Buryatia almost in the center of Asian continent in great remoteness from the emollient influence of seas determine the peculiarities of its territory. Calm and bright weather with frosts up to 50 degrees Centigrade prevails in winter in the territory of the Republic. In summer the territory of Buryatia is thoroughly warmed and there takes place formation of zones of low pressure of 750-755 mm in July that is 5 mm lower than usually. At this time, air temperature arises up to 38-40 degrees Centigrade. The climate of Buryatia is sharply continental. Winter is the longest season of a year and in south parts of the Republic it is not snowy. Average duration of warm and unfrosty period is about 140-160 days. As for spring in Buryatia, it is mainly arid with frequent night-tine frosts. Autumn comes gradually, frosts begin to strike in the second part of October.

    Climate of Buryatia is considered to be healthy owing to plenty of sunlight, air dryness and low cloudness. By sunny days Buryatia surpasses many southern parts of CIS countries not yielding in that to the south coasts of the Crimea. Unfortunately, it should be noted that the concentration of industrial units in Ulan-Ude, Gusinoozersk, also in Kabansky and Zaigraevsky districts and in some other places ifluenced on deterioration of ecological state of nature in Buryatia.

    Prevalent form of the earth crust in Buryatia is represented with uplands. There are few plain sections in the republic but stretching small ones are high-located above sea-level (about 500-700 m). Being the lowest the level of Baikal is at the point of 455 m. Mountaneous relief of the republic is resulted in peculiarities of natural landscape and causes some difficulties in the development of national economy, especially in agriculture, and transport relations.

    Buryatia is divided into 4 large areas due to features of the relief: the East Sayan, Baikal Mountain Region, Selenginsk Dauria and the Vitim plateau. By virtue of its mountaineous relief Buryatia is recognized to belong to the most active seismic zones of the planet. Slight and violent earthquakes take place in Buryatia rather frequently. The most well-known and strong one was the Sagan earthquake force 10 having taken place in 1862, January 11-12 in the south-east coast of Baikal. As the result of it there appeared a new reservoir — the Proval bay. It was a destructive earthquake: a part of delta section of the Selenga river with the area of 260 squared km and several settlements (uluses) disappeared under the waves of Baikal. And nowadays underearth fluctuations are fairly frequent but they do not predominate force 5-6. No more vigorous ruinous earthquakes were observed during the late 100 years.

    Vegetational cover of the Baikal trough considerably raakes the unique beauty that the landscapes surrounding the lake Baikal are famed for. Flora of Buryatia is represented with a large number of relic and endemic species and vegetational communities. Western coast being the most dry and warm is occupied with pinery and larchy forests and steppes. At the eastern more humid shore prevail darkconiferous woods of Siberian cedar and Siberian abies with Siberian firs. In the highlands there predominates mountaneous stony tundra shrub-licheny and shrub-mossy — with cedar and hald mountain brushwoods.

    Fragmentally there are found meadows of Alpine and subalpine types in high mountains of Khamar-Daban and Barguzin ridges. Steppe vegetation is observed in the trough only at the western coast — in Priolkhonje (Tazheran steppes) and on the Olkhon island. They are the so-called "island" steppes of Pribaikalje. Along the western coast down south hills some steppe sections reach the north extreme point of Baikal forming picturesque combinations with grassy larcheries at the gentle trains and terraces and with pineries at the steep stony slopes.

    It is the fact, that mosaic of vegetation and landscapes in the Baikal trough make unique conditions for co-existence of different animal populations in small areas. This phenomenon is most distinctively displayed at the western shore of Baikal where all animal species inhabiting the Baikal region may be found. At present about 65 species of mammals, mare than 300 species of birds, 6 species of reptiles and 5 ones of amphibia are inhabiting the trough. The influence of the lake is traced not only in the animal distribution but it directly affects the vital processes of populations.

    A year reproduction cycle of small mammal species (microtine, shrews) at the strands of the lake begins 10-15 days later than it happens in adjacent areas. Some species are trophically related with the ecosystem of the lake. For instance, in May-June when the mass birth of caddis flies takes place, a brown bear usually goes down the mountains to he brink of water and feeds mainly on these insects spawing in shallow waters.

    On reserves and diversity of natural resources Buryatia takes one of the leading places in Russia. However, these mineral resources are not used in full measure. About thirty coal-bearing areas are known here. Such coal-bearing basins as Udinsk, Dzhida, Pribaikalje, Gusinoozersk and others are being distinguished in Buryatia. Among eleven coal deposits, the Gusinoozersk, Tugnui, Sangin, Daban-Gorkhon, Okino-Klyuchevsk ones are intensively being exploited at present. Ore deposits of tungsten, molybdenum and nickel are discovered in the territory of Buryatia.

    The Kholtoson and Inkur deposits of tungsten, the Orekitkansk, Naloionogorsk, Zharchikhinsk deposits of molybdenum, the Chaisk and Baikal deposits of nickel are supposed to be the most large ones. The reserves of non-ferrous metals, such as beryllium, lead, zinc and tin were also explored in the Republic. The Mokhovoye deposit of tin, the Okinsk deposit of beryllium and tantalum, the Khalyutinsk deposit of strontium, the Ozernoye and Kholodninsk deposits of lead and zinc are regarded to be the most perspective commercial ones. Since pre-revolutionary times large supplies of gold (ore and placer) have been explored and developed in the northern districts of Buryatia.

    There are also exist non-metallic minerals: phosphate, apatite, fluor spar. The Naran and Egita deposits of fluorite, the Ukhogol and Kharanur deposits of phosphorite, the Oshurkov deposit of apatite were distinguished in the Republic as well. The supplies of flux and refractories: dolomitic limestone, refractory clay, quartz and quartzite, graphite are also prospected there. Large-scale deposits of asbestos (Molodezhnoye, Ilchir, Zelenoye), and of bauxites (Boksonsk) were found in Buryatia. Unique deposits of potassium-aluminous ores (Sannyr), and of nepheline syenite (Mukhal, Nizhne-Burgultai) are met with in the Republic.

    Different deposits of building materials, such as brick and ceramsite clays, sandy-gravely mixtures, building stones, carbonate rocks for building limestone, cement, perlite and zeoiite are disposed in the Republic.

    Buryatia is rich in fresh, mineral and thermal waters. Operation resources for water-supply and irrigation are 21 millions cubic meters per day. Health resorts of Federal significance (Arshan, Goryachinsk) and of local significance (Nilova pustin, Khakusi, Kuchiger, Goryachiy Klyuch and some others) are functioning on the base of mineral and mineral-thermal waters.