The Komi Republic, with the territory of 416000 km², is usually called the Russian Klondike and a treasure of innumerable wealth. Several European countries, for example, France, Italy, Germany, would fit on its territory. The Komi Republic is situated in the north-east of the European part of the Russian Federation. It attracts attention with its amazing natural territories, historical places and mysterious stories. The capital of the Komi Republic is Syktyvkar.
Huge raw material wealth is concentrated in Komi: oil, gas, gold, bauxite, wood. But all the gold of the world can be given for the immense northern forests, where hundreds of species of rare animals and birds live, for the mountainous beauty of the Urals and transparent rivers with clear water.
Imagine, Komi virgin forests are the largest in Europe and produce oxygen that all Europe breathes, and therefore this land is called the land where air is born. To preserve these treasures in Komi, the Yugyd Va National Park (Light Water) and the Pechora-Ilych Biosphere Reserve were created. In 1995, these territories were included to the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. Now, it takes four hours to fly around the reserve on the An-2 plane.
Komi is a real woodland. Forests occupy 72% of its total area. Near the eastern border of the republic pass the Ural Mountains with the highest point – Mount Narodnaya (1894 meters). Other territories are tundra with deer pastures and swamps. Two large rivers flow in the region: Pechora – the largest river in the European North – and Vychegda. With many small rivers, they form a heavy river network.