More than a third of the total area of Russia is occupied by the Far Eastern District. Its territory is sparsely populated lands with rather harsh climatic conditions, which are far from large cities and developed industrial regions.
Far Eastern District - the edge of Russia
This territorial entity is located in the extreme east of the country and has a wide outlet to the oceans. Do not confuse it with the Far East (geographical region), these are completely different concepts.
The Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation is the absolute leader in size. It occupies about 36% of the total area of the country. At the same time, only 6 million people live here. The district was formed by the corresponding decree of the President in 2000 (its borders are highlighted in red on the map).
The Far Eastern District is extremely rich in natural resources. This is a region with a unique andvirtually untouched flora and fauna. Oil and gas, diamonds and antimony, silver and tin are mined here. The richest deposits of mineral resources make it possible to develop the fuel industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, and the electric power industry.
The region has colossal forest resources. Approximately one-third of the nation's timber resources are located in this county.
Composition of the Far Eastern District and the largest cities
There are 66 cities within the county. The largest of them are Khabarovsk (administrative center), Vladivostok and Yakutsk. But none of them has a population greater than one million.
The Far Eastern District consists of nine subjects of the Russian Federation. A complete list, as well as data on their population, is given in the table:
| Name of the subject of the Russian Federation | Population (thousand people) |
| Primorsky Krai | 1929 |
| Khabarovsk Territory | 1335 |
| Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) | 960 |
| Amur Region | 806 |
| Sakhalin Region | 487 |
| Kamchatsky Krai | 317 |
| Jewish Autonomous Region | 166 |
| Magadan region | 146 |
| Chukotka Autonomous Okrug | 50 |
Economy and population of the district
The Okrug ranks last in Russia in terms of population density (1 person/sq.km). It should be noted that the number of residents of the Far Eastern District has decreased by almost 20% over the past 20 years. Experts call migration the main reason for the population decline in the region.
The ethnic structure of the district is rather motley and diverse. The most numerous nation here are Russians (about 78%). They are followed by the Yakuts (7.5%). There are quite a lot of Ukrainians, Belarusians, Uzbeks, Koreans and Tatars in this region. Most of the population lives in cities.
Almost all of the county's economic indicators have been on the rise since 2000. The basis of the economy of this region is mining, forestry, electricity and building materials. Crafts traditional for the Far East are also developing here: fishing, reindeer breeding and hunting.
The Far Eastern District, due to its special geographical location, cooperates quite closely with some Asian countries (North and South Korea, China and Japan).
Tourist potential of the Far Eastern District
This region has a huge tourism potential, which is attractive primarily for foreigners. But most Russians, probably, do not fully realize how interesting and diverse this region is: in natural, ethno-cultural and landscaperespect.
The most impressive for tourists and travelers is Kamchatka. There is certainly something to be surprised and amazed! Majestic hills, mud volcanoes, famous hot springs, virgin tundra and pristine lakes - all this can be seen on this fabulous peninsula.
Other regions of the Far Eastern District are no less interesting. So, in Primorsky Krai you can admire grandiose gorges and waterfalls, in Yakutia you can raft down one of the rapids and cold rivers, and in Chukotka you can take an unforgettable dog sled safari.
