Siberia???

Question

Why don't more people move to Siberia if there is so much room?

Answer 1

Russians were forced to live there during the Soviet Union's  communist era.  However, Siberia is a frigid wasteland and not many people are volunteering to live in that region of the world.

Answer 2

Siberia is whole of 'North Asia' of 5.2 million sq. miles. Three great rivers 'Ob', 'Yenisey' & 'Lena' flow flow into the Arctic Sea. This sea is frozen all the time blocking river mouths and sluggish flows form huge swamps with mouth of 'Ob' widened as gulf. Ground is covered with permafrost (hardened unmelted ice). Temparatures go down to less than -50deg Celsius. These are 'Tundras' not fit for human settlements. Urals mark the continental border (with Europe)at west. River Ural flows south to inland Caspian Sea. In Southeast, 'Amur' river flows east to join Sea of Okhotsk.

South of 55deg latitude is the belt of coniferous forests known as 'Taigas', less unhospitable yet not fit for human settlements. At Taigas' southern edge where Siberian Railroad passes, are a string of towns. Mining is preferred activity as Siberia is rich in all minerals including petroleum. In 'Steppes' (Temparate grasslands like prairies) in mid latitudes of Western siberian plains, agriculture is possible amidst harsh continental climate. Central Siberia's plateau is not preferred like the Eastern Siberian mountains and cold coastal regions. Trans-Baikal lands around Lake baikal (world's deepest lake) at the southern margin of Central Siberian plateau is habitable but very cold. The southrn part of maritime Siberia on the Sea of Japan is habitable, as well as the off-shore island of Sakhalin, the northern most of japanese chain of islands.

Answer 3

Do they have good skiing there?

Answer 4

Because there is not much there.  It is home to the coldest winters in the northern hemisphere, there is little in the way of vegetation or anything else to build an economy.