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учебник по регионоведнию версия для печати 2

1. Scan the text. The History of Khabarovsk

The history and development of Khabarovsk is closely connected with the name of Governor - General of Eastern Siberia count Muravyov-Amursky. He became known as the "father" of Khabarovsk because this city was founded on his order as one of the first military outposts on the Amur River.

On May 19, 1858, Commander of the 13th Siberian battalion, Captain Yakov Dyachenko and his soldiers built the first winter quarters of the future Khabarovsk. Muravyov-Amursky named a new outpost Khabarovka in honor of a great pioneer of the Amur land Yerofey Pavlovich Khabarov.

For quite a long time it remained a small settlement serving the port on the Amur River and transportation hub on the long way from the Far East to the west of Russia.

Like many other cities in Siberia and the Far East, Khabarovka grew slowly during the governorship of N. N. Muravyov-Amursky in the years 1847-1861. In 1864, the Surveyor M. Lubensky made a topographical plan to transform it from a military post to the city.

Natural landscape defined the «face» of the future city: high bank of the Amur River, three long hills and small rivers Byri and Uri, flowing between them, which became key elements in the organization of the city territory.

In 1865 Khabarovka had one church, 59 state-owned and 140 private houses, and 14 shops. Its population consisted of 943 military and 351 civil residents.

Big changes came to Khabarovka in April 28, 1880 after the Governor- General of Eastern Siberia D. G. Anuchin changed the status of Khabarovka from a settlement to a town and moved there his residency from Nikolaevsk. In 1893 Khabarovka was renamed to Khabarovsk.

In 1894, a department of Russian Geographical Society was formed in Khabarovsk. It initiated the foundation of libraries, theaters, and museums in the city. Since then, the cultural life of Khabarovsk is thriving.

In 1900, there appeared telephone service, and in 1907 - outdoor electric lighting.

The first wooden church was built in Khabarovsk in 1868. It was named in honor of St. Innocent, the first Bishop of Irkutsk, the patron of Siberia and the Far East of Russia, who was canonized after his death. Later there appeared four Orthodox temples. The largest one was Uspensky Cathedral.

Late 19th and early 20th century is a period of transformation of Khabarovsk from a provincial town into a major administrative, military, industrial and cultural center of the Far East. At the beginning of the 20th century a system of national education started rapidly develop there. In 1915, in Khabarovsk were two secondary schools: a technical school and technical railway school as well as 8 secondary schools, military school, seminary, teacher's college and business school.

The city developed rapidly. More and more initiative, enterprising people came here to do 

commerce and open small industrial enterprises.

Compared to many other cities of the RFE, Khabarovsk is quite a "lucky" city in terms of its geographical location, political, economical and military status. The city avoided destruction in the war with Japan in 1905, the Revolution and Foreign Intervention in Vladivostok, and also WWII. During the Soviet period Khabarovsk was never closed to visitors or tourists. This allowed the city to save the architecture and develop according to original plan. There was created a unique culture with many museums and theatres, strong educational base with many universities and colleges, and good conditions for industry and transportation development.

Now Khabarovsk is the administrative center and the largest city of Khabarovsk Territory. It is located some 30 km from the Chinese border. The city lies at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, about 800 kilometers north of Vladivostok. Rail distance from Khabarovsk to Moscow is 9,289 kilometers.

It is the second largest city in the Russian Far East, after Vladivostok. Its population is 578, 6 persons (2009).

Khabarovsk is located in the center of the Far East where most federal and regional organisations are located (headquarters of the Far East military district, Far Eastern Railway Administration, such associations as the Head Department for construction in the Far East, Dallesprom, Dallestroy, etc.). 

In 2002 the city became the administrative center of the Seventh Far Eastern Federal District of Russia.

Khabarovsk is twinned with the following sister cities:

2. Answer the following questions:

•Who was the “father” of Khabarovsk?

•When was Khabarovka founded?

•What are the peculiarities of Khabarovsk landscape?

•What kind of people prevailed in the city at the end of the 19th century?

•Which event took place in Khabarovka in 1880?

•When did Khabarovka become Khabarovsk?

•What was the system of education in Khabarovsk?

•Why can we name this city a “lucky” one?

3. Complete the sentences:

•The first administrator of Khabarovka was ___________________________________

a) Muravyov-Amursky b) Nevelskoy c) Dayachenko

•The outlook of modern Khabarovsk was predetermined by____________________

a) natural landscape b) location on the bank of the river c) a topographer

• Rivers Byri and Uri ________________________________________________________

a) dried b) flow under the city c) were dug out

• Governor-General moved from Nikolaevsk to Khabarovka because______________________________________________________________________

a) he replaced the center of his possessions b) he disliked the city

c) Nikolaevsk stopped its development

• The Railway Bridge across the Amur River was named «the miracle of the 20th century» because ___________________________________________________________________

a) it was the longest bridge in Russia b) its construction was unique c) nobody could construct the same bridge

• Now Khabarovsk is the real international center because __________________________

a) it has a lot of sister cities

b) the main Far Eastern and foreign authorities are located there

c) it is a place of the international meetings

4. Write if the statement is true (T) or false (F):

•Khabarovka was established as a rural settlement. ______

•Since its founding Khabarovka began to develop rapidly. _____

• Khabarovsk is developing in accordance with the plan, which was established 150 years ago. ______

•Three long hills were transformed into streets: Muravyov-Amursky, Lenin and Seryshev. _____

•At early 20th century all streets of the city were illuminated. _____

• Citizens of the city paid a great attention to religion. ______

•Travelers always liked to visit the city. _____