There are railway, aircraft, ship, and vehicle repair yards. In 2008 the Ust-Ordyn Buryat autonomous okrug (district), inhabited mainly by Russians (about 60 percent) but also by Buryat (about 30 percent) and some Tatars, Ukrainians, and Belorussians, was merged with the Irkutsk oblast. The Irkutsk Region in Siberia is surrounded by the Krasnoyarsk and Zabaikalsky Territories and the Republic of Yakutia (Sakha), Tuva and Buryatia. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Over the rest of the oblast, timber working is the only important industry. Get directions, maps, and traffic for Irkutsk, Irkutsk Oblast. The BAM (Baikal-Amur Magistral) Railroad cuts through the centre of the oblast, running east from Ust-Kut. Irkutsk Museum of local lore. Omissions? Number in the United Federal Register of Tour Operators - PTO 015504. Climate conditions are strongly continental. The region is one of the most popular regions among tourists who, in addition to visiting its centre as part of their Trans-Siberian journey, come to visit Lake Baikal - the deepest and purest lake in the world. In the city of Taishet the Baikal-Amur Railway branches off from the Trans-Siberian Railway. Situated in the centre of the lake is Olkhon Island - a developing destination for eco-tourism. The Irkutsk hydroelectric station on the Angara River is within the city. Looking for something unique? Check flight prices and hotel availability for your visit. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Irkutsk-oblast-Russia, CRW Flags - Flag of Irkutsk Region, Russia. Irkutsk Regional Museum of the local lore is one of the oldest museums in Russia; it was founded in December 1782 on the initiative of the governor of Irkutsk province F.Klichka, who called for the city fathers to donate funds on the construction of the … The administrative centre of the region is the city of Irkutsk which is one of most interesting cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway, famed for its wooden buildings. Choose and book your tour to Russia. It acquired town status in 1686. Your holiday in Russia starts here. Irkutsk State University (1918) and the Siberian branch of the Academy of Sciences are among the city’s many teaching and research institutes. Number in the United Federal Register of Tour Operators - PTO 015504. Irkutsk Oblast is a region in Eastern Siberia, which borders Krasnoyarsk to the west, Evenkia to the northwest, Yakutia to the north, Zabaykalsky Krai to the northeast, Buryatia to the southeast, and Tuva to … Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The population of Irkutsk oblast is about 2,413,000 (2015), the area - 774,846 sq. The administrative centre of the region is the city of Irkutsk which is one of most interesting cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway, famed for its wooden buildings. (2006 est.) It consists mostly of the hills and broad valleys of the Central Siberian Plateau and of its eastern extension, the Patom Plateau.