Minusinsk Hollow

Minusinsk Basin or Khakass-Minusinsk Basin (Russian: Минусинская (Хакасско-Минусинская) котловина, Minusinskaya (Chakassko-Minusinskaya) kotlovina) is in Khakassia and Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia located among mountains of South Siberia.

Minusinsk Basin
Basin
Yenisey River
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Coordinates: 54°00′N 91°30′E

Geography

It is bounded on the west by Kuznetsk Alatau, and east by the Sayan Mountains. See Geography of South-Central Siberia. Elevation varies between 200–700 m, constituting a plain with sparse hillocks and cut by valleys.^[1][2]

The Yenisey River and its major tributaries Abakan, Oia (Russian: Оя) and Tuba flow through the valley. Its major towns are Minusinsk and Abakan. The hollow has a large number of lakes, including saltwater ones. The depression is an important agricultural area; it also has coal deposits (Minusinsk Coal Basin).^[1]

Minusinsk Basin early archaeological cultures.^[3]

• 
  Minusinsk steppe. Painting by Vasily Surikov.
• 
  Gora Afanasieva mountain, type site of the Afanasievo culture, Minusinsk Basin.^[4]