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Altai: Autumn in Golden Mountains

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Fall arrives in Altai, a region known as the "golden mountains".

Fall arrives in Altai, a region known as the "golden mountains".

© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe Altai mountain chain stretches across 741,569 square km, spreading from Russia into Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. It is both vast and remote: the Altai Republic is one of only a handful of Russia's 83 regions that cannot be accessed by rail.

Above: Route М-52 in the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic.
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The Altai mountain chain stretches across 741,569 square km, spreading from Russia into Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. It is both vast and remote: the Altai Republic is one of only a handful of Russia's 83 regions that cannot be accessed by rail.

Above: Route М-52 in the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe name "Altai" means "golden mountain" in the Turkic and Mongolic languages; it also means "gold mountain" in old Chinese texts.

Above: Birds on a small lake in Chuya Stepp in the Kosh-Achagsky district of the Altai Republic.
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The name "Altai" means "golden mountain" in the Turkic and Mongolic languages; it also means "gold mountain" in old Chinese texts.

Above: Birds on a small lake in Chuya Stepp in the Kosh-Achagsky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe Altai mountains were formed during the Caledonian era. During the Mesozoic era, the former high-mountain ridge gave way to the region's characteristic Alpine meadows.

Above: Route М-52 in the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic.
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The Altai mountains were formed during the Caledonian era. During the Mesozoic era, the former high-mountain ridge gave way to the region's characteristic Alpine meadows.

Above: Route М-52 in the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe Altai mountains are home to many rare animals, such as the snow leopard, the Siberian Ibex and the Altai argali, a wild sheep with massive horns.

Above: The Chuya River meanders through the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
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The Altai mountains are home to many rare animals, such as the snow leopard, the Siberian Ibex and the Altai argali, a wild sheep with massive horns.

Above: The Chuya River meanders through the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankDuring the Middle Ages the Altai mountains were home to the wisent, now it can only be found in a nursery in the Altai Republic. Until the 20th century, tigers still roamed wild in the Altai mountains.

Above: Cows among the hills in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
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During the Middle Ages the Altai mountains were home to the wisent, now it can only be found in a nursery in the Altai Republic. Until the 20th century, tigers still roamed wild in the Altai mountains.

Above: Cows among the hills in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe Altai mountains are still home to intimidating predators, including brown bears, wolves, lynxes and snow leopards.

Above: The Northern Chuya Ridge in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
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The Altai mountains are still home to intimidating predators, including brown bears, wolves, lynxes and snow leopards.

Above: The Northern Chuya Ridge in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankAmong the first human-like inhabitants of the Altai region were the mysterious Denisovans: the Denisovan branch of the hominid family lived here over 40,000 years ago. They were contemporaries of Neanderthals and of Homo Sapiens, but they reached Asia earlier. Their bone fragments were discovered in Denisova Cave, and subsequent genetic testing revealed them to be distinctly different from our direct ancestors.

Above: Route М-52 in the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic.
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Among the first human-like inhabitants of the Altai region were the mysterious Denisovans: the Denisovan branch of the hominid family lived here over 40,000 years ago. They were contemporaries of Neanderthals and of Homo Sapiens, but they reached Asia earlier. Their bone fragments were discovered in Denisova Cave, and subsequent genetic testing revealed them to be distinctly different from our direct ancestors.

Above: Route М-52 in the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe Altai region's Katun Natural Reserves, Lake Teletskoye, Mount Belukha and the Ukok Plateau are part of a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site called "the Golden Mountains of Altai".

Above: The Chuya steppe in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai republic.
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The Altai region's Katun Natural Reserves, Lake Teletskoye, Mount Belukha and the Ukok Plateau are part of a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site called "the Golden Mountains of Altai".

Above: The Chuya steppe in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankThe description of the Altai region on UNESCO's official site reads, "the region represents the most complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation".

Above: The Chuya steppe in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai republic.
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The description of the Altai region on UNESCO's official site reads, "the region represents the most complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation".

Above: The Chuya steppe in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai republic.
© RIA Novosti . Alexander Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankToday Altai is wide known for its high-quality natural goods, such as honey and shilajit (mumijo).

Above: The Chuya River in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
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Today Altai is wide known for its high-quality natural goods, such as honey and shilajit (mumijo).

Above: The Chuya River in the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Altai Republic.
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