Altai Krai
Altai Krai (Алта́йский край) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar Region), Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Oblasts, and the Altai Republic. The krai's administrative centre is the city of Barnaul. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the krai was 2,163,693. The region is named after the Altai Mountains. Altai Krai has rolling foothills, grasslands, lakes, rivers, and mountains. The highest point of the krai is high Mayak Shangina. The climate is severe with long cold dry winters and hot, usually dry summers. The region's main waterway is the Ob River, which gives its name to the Ob Plateau. The Biya and Katun Rivers are also important. The biggest lakes are Lake Kulunda, Lake Kuchuk, Bolshoye Topolnoye and Lake Mikhaylov. Altai Krai has rich natural resources, including lumber, as well as significant mineral reserves. These include the nonferrous metals lead, manganese, tungsten, molybdenum, bauxite, and gold, as well as iron ore. Forests cover about of the krai's land. See also Geography of South-Central Siberia. This region of Siberia is extremely important due to its biodiversity, an area of over is recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. The area is home to animals considered rare, including the endangered snow leopard. Bone fragments of the Denisova hominin originate from the Denisova Cave in Altai Krai. This area is part of a great crossroads in the ancient world. Nomadic tribes crossed through the territory during periods of migration. These nomadic tribes consisted of different peoples. Archeological sites reveal that ancient humans lived in the area. The Altay people are a Turkic people, some of whom settled here, who were originally nomadic and date back to the 2nd millennium BC. The territory of the krai has been controlled by the Xiongnu Empire (209 BC-93 AD), the Rouran Khaganate (330-555), the Mongol Empire (1206-1368), the Golden Horde, the Northern Yuan (1368-1691) and the Zunghar Khanate (1634–1758).