The Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast (Russian: Горно-Алтайская автономная область, romanized: Gorno-Altayskaya avtonomnaya oblast') was an autonomous oblast of the Soviet Union, inhabited by the Altai people. Formed as the Oyrot Autonomous Oblast (Russian: Ойротская Автономная область, romanized: Oyrotskaya Avtonomnaya oblast') on 1 June 1922, it was later renamed on 7 January 1948. It self-declared sovereignty as the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Gorno-Altai ASSR; Russian: Горно-Алтайская Автономная Советская Социалистическая Республика, romanized: Gorno-Altayskaya Avtonomnaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) on 25 October 1990, although not recognized at the time. It was promoted to a Soviet Socialist Republic on by an amendment to the Russian Constitution on 3 July 1991 and renamed to the Altai Republic on 31 March 1992, becoming a federal subject of the Russian Federation.
Its capital was Gorno-Altaysk. Agriculture was the main occupation for most of the inhabitants. Like the modern Altai Republic, the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast shared its international border with the People's Republic of China.
A minor planet 2232 Altaj discovered in 1969 by Soviet astronomer B. A. Burnasheva is named after Altai.
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History
When the region became the Oyrot Autonomous Region in 1922, the region's capital was originally called Ulala. In 1928 Ulala was renamed to Oyrot-Tura in 1932. However, in 1948 the state changed the name of the region to the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast. With it, Ulala was again renamed, this time to Gorno-Altaysk.
Education
The Gorno-Altaisk State University was founded in 1949, with only 10 teachers. In 1993 it became a classical university.
Demographics
Ethnic groups
The 1989 census states that ethnic Russians make up 60.4% of Gorno-Altai's population, with the ethnic Altai people at 31.0%. Other groups include Kazakhs (5.6%) and several smaller groups, accounting for less than 5% of the population when put together. Comparing it to the 2002 census, the ethnic Altais have significantly increased in numbers.
Religion
Some Altai people converted to Christianity, but in 1904 a new religion, Burkhanism (the "white faith"), had pervaded the community of native Altaians. Burkhanism helped to encourage anti-Russian feelings and was consequently banned by the Communist Party in the 1930s.
Government
This table includes the heads in the time period of Gorno-Altai being an ASSR.