The city of Krasnoyarsk standing on the Yenisey River is one of the most popular tourist spots and is one of the oldest towns in Siberia. It was founded in 1628 as a trading post. The favorable geographic location and the discovery of gold led to its development as a major river port and industrial center.

Krasnoyarsk citizens are proud of the famous Nature Reserve ‘Stolby’ - the rocks of volcanic origin where the rock climbers can practice their skills. The ‘Stolby’ Reserve is close to the city. The Krasnoyarsk Territory is home to over 450 plant species, over 340 bird species and 90 different animal species, like the snowy panther, snowy Putoran ram, the Arctic fox and the stoat. Still mostly wild land, the Krasnoyarsk Territory has 6 State Nature Preserves. Siberia is also a paradise for speleologists thanks to many scenic and picturesque caves.

The region is known as a native land of the leading 19th century Russian painter Vasily Surikov who was born in Krasnoyarsk and lived here. The Surikov Museum-Estate and Surikov Art Musuem are major sightseeing spots of the city.

Ethnic composition

Ethnic composition of the Krasnoyarsk Territory is diverse and is comprised of over 100 nationalities and ethnic groups: Russians – 87%, Ukrainians – 3,5%, Tatars – 2%, Germans – 1,5%, Chvash – 0,7%, Mordva – 0,5%, Northern peoples – 0,4%, Khakass – 0,2%, other nationalities – 3,3%.