Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug () was a federal subject of the Russian Federation. On 1 March 2008, the region merged with Chita Oblast (which it was surrounded by) to form the new

Zabaykalsky Krai Zabaykalsky Krai is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the Russian Far East. Its administrative center is Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai, Chita. As of the Russian Census (2010), 2010 Census, the population was ...

. The territory of the former ABAO is now the Agin-Buryat Okrug of Zabaykalsky Krai, in which it has a special status.

History

Soviet Union

The district was first created in its modern form on 26 September 1937 as the Agin Buryat-Mongol National Okrug within Chita Oblast. Following the change of the ethnonym "Buryat-Mongol" to " Buryat" on 16 September 1958, the region was renamed to Agin-Buryat National Okrug, and became the Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug" on 7 October 1977.

Russian Federation

From 31 March 1992, the district was both an independent federal subject of Russia and a part of Chita Oblast until it was abolished on 1 March 2008.

Merging with Chita Oblast

Work on merging the region with Chita Oblast began in April 2006. The authorities of both regions sent a letter to president

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

who supported this initiative to merge the two regions. The merger referendum was held on 11 March 2007. In Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug, 94% (38,814 people) supported the merger, 5.16% (2,129 people) were against. 82.95% of the population of the autonomous okrug took part in the referendum. In Chita Oblast, 90.29% (535,045 people) supported the merger, 8.89% (52,698 people) were against. 72.82% of the population of the oblast took part in the referendum. As a result of the majority of voters in both regions supporting the unification of the two regions,

was formed on 1 March 2008.

Administrative divisions

The autonomous okrug had three districts: * Aginsky District * Duldurginsky District * Mogoytuysky District

References

External links

Official site
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208012428/http://www.aginskoe.ru/ , date=2021-12-08 Autonomous okrugs of Russia 1977 establishments in the Soviet Union Countries and territories where Russian is an official language Former federal subjects of Russia