Abakan

For the river Abakan see Abakan River

Abakan (Абака́н, until 1925 Abakansk or Ust-Abakanskoye, in 1925–1931 Khakassk) is the capital of Khakassia in Siberia, Russia. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Yenisei and Abakan, 144 miles SSW of Krasnoyarsk, at 54°20′ N 91°40′ E. Pop. 158,000 (1992 est.).

Peter the Great had a fort built here in 1707. Later, Abakansk was a fortified town of Siberia, in the Russian government of Yeniseisk. It was considered the mildest and most salubrious place in Siberia.

The place is remarkable for certain tumuli (of the Li Kitai) and statues of men from seven to nine feet high, covered with petroglyphs.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.