Economy of the Amur Basin

The economy of the Amur Basin includes manufacturing, metallurgy, iron mining, non-ferrous metals, gold, coal, hydroelectricity, wheat, millet, soybeans, fishing, timber and Chinese-Russian trade.

The ecological register of the Amur River numbers 133 fish species. This fish permanently lives in its waters and is distinguished for its delicious taste and big size: grass carp and black carp, called Amur fish; bambusa, big head fish, sky gazer, snakehead, taimen, mirror carp, Amur sturgeon and kaluga fish (great Siberian sturgeon). Passing salmon make its way to the upper reaches of rivers in taiga to spawn by the Amur River and its tributaries. The valley of the Amur River in Khabarovsk Territory is characterized by a large variety of nature, presence of archeological and historical objects. They are lotus lakes and ancient volcanoes, picturesque and rear valley lakes, Tyr Cliff with the traces of the Manchurian temple of the XV^th century, ancient Sikachi-Alian petroglyphs and so on. The history of Khabarovsk Territory is closely connected with the Amur River.

The Amur River borders on Heilongjiang province of China in the south, Amur Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, and Khabarovsk Territory of Russia in the north.

Major Amur tributaries are:

•Shilka

•Argun

•Huma (Houmar)

•Zeya

•Bureya

•Sungari

•Ussuri

•Anyuy (Dondon)

•Amgun

7. Answer the following questions:

•How did ancient peoples name the Amur River?

•What peculiarities of this river were taken into consideration by those peoples?

•What peoples lived on the banks of the river?

•Can we consider this river as a river of friendship and cooperation? Why?

•How many fish species are counted in the river?

•Are all of the Amur fish species edible?

•What places connected with the river can attract tourists?

•What types of tourism can be developed there?

•What settlements of ancient people located on the banks of the Amur do you know?

8. Translate sentences with the key vocabulary into Russian.

9. Write all meanings of the word “Amur”:

Country	Name	Meaning

10. Write the main dates of the Amur history and explain the events:

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11. Speak about the history of the Amur River.

12. Fill in the table about the resources of the Amur River:

Industries	Fish species and plants	Historical places