ABSTRACT
This chapter presents all basic political, economic, and demographic data on a territorial unit of the Russian Federation, Gorno-Altai, which is one of the poorest regions in Siberia, and Semen Zubakin came to power in the midst of a dire political and economic crisis. The republic, which receives 85 percent of its budget from federal subsidies, had long been politically unstable. The republic was formed in 1991 when the region seceded from Altai Krai. A new constitution was adopted in 1997, establishing the office of a directly elected president serving simultaneously as the republican prime minister. Promoting economic development in the Gorno-Altai Republic is a formidable task. Altai’s intense political discord has hindered Zubakin’s attempts to lead from the start. The 1998 economic crisis in Southeast Asia affected the economy of Gorno-Altai Republic in a very direct way: South Korea was the main buyer of stag antlers, which can be used to make medicinal products.
