ABSTRACT
This chapter provides all basic political, economic, and demographic data on a territorial unit of the Russian Federation, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Krasnoyarsk Krai is the second-largest Russian region after Sakha, occupying an area of 2,339,700 sq km, which is nearly 14 percent of the country’s total territory. It stretches 3,000 km from north to south. The krai was created in 1934 and then included the Taimyr and Evenk autonomous okrugs and Khakassia Autonomous Oblast. In 1991, Khakassia seceded and became a republic within the Russian Federation. Krasnoyarsk also produces 20 percent of the country’s timber. It is one of a few Russian regions whose own budgetary revenues nearly cover its expenditures. Lebed is the first national politician to seek a governorship as a platform to boost his career to the presidency. Nevertheless, one of his main themes is that Russia in general, and Krasnoyarsk as part of the larger country, must rely on its own resources.
