ABSTRACT
This chapter provides all basic political, economic, and demographic data on every territorial unit of the Russian Federation, its local government structure, regional politics and electoral history through the spring 2000 elections and the summer 2000 reorganization of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Most of the okrug’s territory lies above the Arctic Circle. A well-educated entrepreneur, Vladimir Butov, is a logical leader for the underdeveloped, but resource-rich Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Butov has made it abundantly clear that he wants the Nenets Okrug and its leader to be the primary beneficiary of its natural resource deposits, and seems to find the intentions of many regional and foreign investors unacceptable. Nenets Autonomous Okrug possesses the third largest oil reserve in the country, thus it is not surprising that Butov has been at the head of several business discussions. Butov belongs to the group of governors described as “strong managers.” These candidates ran as independents, usually with strong support from the business community.
