Iochkar-Ola

Iochkar-Ola ( Russian Йошкар-Ола́ in ) - one writes sometimes Yochkar-Ola , Ioshkar-Ola or Yoshkar-Ola , but Iochkar-Ola is the official French transcription - is a town of Russia, capital of the République of the Husbands ( Mari El ). The city, located at 850 km in the east of Moscow and at 60 km in the north of the river the Volga, account: 280000 inhabitants. This population increases slowly thanks to the arrival of new inhabitants originating in neighbouring areas.

Origin of the name

Its name means the red city in the language of the husbands. The city previously received the names of Tsaryovokokchaïsk (during the imperial period) and Krasnokokchaïsk (during a few years, under the Soviet mode, before the city is famous Iochkar-Ola ). These old names were derived from that of the river Malaïa Kokchaga, which sprinkles the city.

History

During the Soviet era, and particularly after the Second world war, Iochkar-Ola was a regional center in the fields of industry and transport, and increased with its current size. The fall of the Soviet Union led to the suppression of the artificial support for the government enterprises considered ineffective, and led to the immediate collapse of the majority of the activities of manufacture of the area. The essence of the economic activity of the city was then supported by the '' Shuttle traders '' which transported goods (often counterfeited) from the stocked markets of Moscow to the bazaars of Iochkar-Ola.

The sharp decline of the standard of living led to the emigration of the professionals specialized towards the big cities of Russia. The city knew since a modest economic growth (the tax evasion, very widespread, constituting a means of measurement of a at the very least difficult economic activity), and saw to open some new retail businesses.

Economy and culture

The cultural life and sporting is intense there. The capital has five theaters, a school of beautiful arts, a music school, rooms multiplexing, many museums, a skating rink and two sports complexes.

One finds there three universities, a polytechnic school and three institutes of state attended by more than 20.000 students.

Very great center of military industry until the end of the Soviet Union, the city was reconverted into mechanics, food industry, or the transformation of wood. The industrial park now comprises many companies which manufacture semiconductors, imitation leather, vitamins, clothing…

Twinning

(October 22nd). Since 1990, the cities were already bound by a Charte of the Friendship .

External bonds

Internet site of the town of Iochkar-Ola (in Russian)
Accounts and photographs relating to Iochkar-Ola (in English)
Chart of the town of Iochkar-Ola (including the detail of the streets)

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