Our Republic

3.1 Read and translate the text:

The republic of Bashkortostan was formed in 1919. It lies both in Europe and Asia. The climate is continental. The population is over 4 million people.

Bashkortostan is a well developed republic. Its main industries are oil refining and chemical. As for agriculture, vegetable growing and livestock breeding are on a high level here. Our farmers grow wheat, rye, buckwheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage etc. Horse-breeding, cattle-breeding and bee-keeping are traditional occupations of Bashkirs.

The capital of Bashkortostan is Ufa. It is the largest industrial and cultural centre of the republic. Our city has six theatres, a lot of cinemas, several museums and entertainment centres.

The nature of our republic is very beautiful and people from different parts of Russia come to Bashkir sanatoriums and rest homes.

Words to the text:

to lie	лежать
both...and...	и… и…, как… так…
oil refining	нефтеперерабатывающий
wheat	пшеница
barley	ячмень
oats	овес
buckwheat	гречиха
cabbage	капуста
horse-breeding	коневодство
cattle-breeding	скотоводство
bee-keeping	пчеловодство
theatre	театр
several	несколько
entertainment	развлечение
different	различный
rest	отдых
etc. = etcetera	и т.д.

3.2 Questions:

1. Where is Bashkortostan situated?

2. What branches of industry are developed in the republic?

3. What vegetables are grown in Bashkortostan?

4. What are traditional occupations of Bashkirs?

5. What historic places in Ufa do you know?

3.3 Say whether the facts about the Republic of Bashkortostan (RB) are true or false:

The Republic is rich in iron, oil, copper, manganese.

Yamantau is the highest peak of the Southern Urals.

The main water route of the Republic is the Belaya River.

The most important of the RB’s industries are oil extracting, refining, and processing.

Ufa is linked with Moscow by 2 federal highways.

Ufa is the only city-millionaire in the Russian Federation where there is a natural increase in population since 2008.