In our vast country, there are many mountain ranges, which differ from each other by their height ranges, as well as climatic conditions.Most of these small arrays utilized by man, sparsely populated, but because nature is able to maintain its original, natural appearance.
Of all the mountain ranges located in the country, the most remarkable, the most unexplored, the most beautiful are the Sayan.These mountains are in the south of Eastern Siberia and belong to the Altai-Sayan folded area.The mountain system consists of two ridges, called the Western and Eastern Sayan.East Sayan is located on the western almost at right angles.
Western Sayan stretched to a length of about six hundred kilometers, and the East - a thousand.Consisting of peaked and leveled ranges, which are separated by intermountain hollows, West Sayan sometimes considered a separate mountain system - the mountains of Tuva.Sayan mountains - mountains, which are pronounced Mid-ranges;They are located on glaciers, melting water that forms a river basin relevant to the Yenisei.Between the ridges Sayan has more than a dozen basins of different sizes and depths.Among them - the Abakan-Minusinsk, very well known in archaeological circles.Sayan - mountains relatively low.The highest point is Mount Western Sayan Mongun-Taiga (3971 m), and the East - Munch-Sardyk (3491 m).
According to written documents and maps dating back to XVII century, Sayan first considered as a single entity - a relatively small mountain range Sayan Stone, now called the Sayan range.Later this name spread over a larger area.Rests its south-western part of the Altay mountains extend to the Sayan Baikal region.
slopes are mostly covered Sayan taiga, which goes to subalpine and alpine meadows, and in higher places - in the mountain tundra.The main obstacle for agriculture is the presence of permafrost.In general, the Sayan Mountains - mountains covered with bright-leafed pine and dark coniferous spruce, pine and fir forests.
Sayan is located on the territory of the two largest wildlife reserve.In East - famous Poles, famous for its cliffs of volcanic origin, so popular among fans of rock climbing.West Sayan Mountains - the territory of the Sayano-Shushenskoye Reserve, home to brown bears, wolverine, sable, lynx, deer, musk deer and many other animals, including those listed in the Red Book (eg snow leopard or snow leopard).
man began to settle in the Sayan Intermountain about forty thousand years ago, as evidenced by found on the sites of prehistoric remains of stone tools.In the West Sayan found traces Uyukskaya culture.For example, in one of the graves in the Valley of the Kings on the River Uyuk - in the tomb of a Scythian leader - it was discovered 20 kilograms of gold products.Russian began to settle here in the XVII century, founded on the banks of local rivers, which are at that time the only transport route, fortified settlements - forts.And today Sayan - sparsely populated area.The population prefers to live in the vicinity of roads and major rivers, although there are small people who live far away from civilization.For example, in one of the remote areas - Tofalaria - live nation Tofalars (Tofs), the number is less than 700 people.
