Siberia 100 Years Ago

On March 8, 2014 by Tim Newman

Siberia Century 100 year photos - header

Siberia is massive and cold and anyone that manages to survive there gets a tip of my hat. Here’s some pictures of the people of Yenisei province, Siberia from the early 1900s. Bleak, moody and incredible.

Siberia Century 100 year old photos - reindeer

Siberia makes up 77% of Russia’s total land but only 28% of its population. It covers 13.1 million square kilometres in total which is almost 10% of Earth’s land surface.

Siberia Century 100 year old photos - yurt

PICTURES OF OLD SCHOOL RUSSIAN MONKS

Siberia Century 100 year photos - boat

Some sources say that the word “Siberia” originates from the old Turkic word for “sleeping land” or “beautiful”.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - children

EVERYDAY LIFE IN A MODERN RUSSIAN VILLAGE

Siberia Century 100 year photos - cool caot

At least three species of human are thought to have lived in Siberia just 40,000 years ago: H. sapiens, H. neanderthalensis, and the Denisova hominin. Only sapiens made it until today (as far as we know…)

Siberia Century 100 year photos - dude

The Mongols ruled the majority of the area from the 13th century until the 16th century when Russia began flexing its land grabbing muscles.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - fabric

By the mid 17th century Siberia was predominantly Russian. Little information seems to exist of that time period.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - family

Russian Collection

Siberia Century 100 year photos - fox

In the 1930s and 40s the Gulags system of prison camps sprang into fearsome action. As many as 14 million people passed through these camps and prisons, many of which were in Siberia.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - fur

Major industrial cities of Northern Siberia, such as Norilsk and Magadan, were originally camps built by prisoners and run by ex-prisoners.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - happy

The highest point in Siberia is the active volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka, on the beautiful Kamchatka Peninsula. Which hits 4,649 meters at its apex.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - inuit

BEAUTIFUL KAMCHATKA PENINSULA

Siberia Century 100 year photos - lady

Siberia has an impressive range of natural resources including some of the world’s largest deposits of nickel, gold, lead, coal, molybdenum, gypsum, diamonds, diopside, silver and zinc. On top of that it has extensive unexploited resources of oil and natural gas which could spell disaster for the wildlife in years to come.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - motion

WINTER IN CHERNOBYL

Siberia Century 100 year photos - old couple

Farming of food is pretty tough going in Siberia because of the short summers and poor soil fertility. Siberia is home to the largest forests in the world, and as such timber is a large part of their economy.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - old lady Siberia Century 100 year photos - pipe

Novosibirsk is the largest city in Siberia, with a population of about 1.5 million.

Siberia Century 100 year photos - reindeer riding

History Collection

Siberia Century 100 year photos - sledging Siberia Century 100 year photos - smoking

AMAZING RUSSIAN ROCK FORMATIONS

Siberia Century 100 year photos - tales

If they weren’t old enough for you, here are some photos from Siberia 150 years ago.

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