Khakassia

Per the Wikipedia, the Republic of Khakassia (Russian: Респу́блика Хака́сия, Respublika Khakasiya; Khakass: Хакас Республиказы, Hakas Respublikazı) or Khakasiya, aka “Warm Siberia,” is a federal subject of Russia located in the south of Eastern Siberia, part of the Siberian Federal District. Abakan is the capital of Khakassia.

Home to 546,072 people, it is the 71st largest division in Russia in terms of population. One of those half-a-million plus is Olga Amelchenko, saxophonist and composer, who now lives in, and studies and plays jazz in Berlin. I had the pleasure of seeing Olga and her quartet play a lovely couple of sets at the b-flat in Berlin. One of the tunes she composed and played in the set was called Khakassia.