Anthony Weller :
The Jewish Autonomous Oblast (JAO) is a region in eastern Russia, bordering China. It was established in 1934 as a homeland for Jewish people, with Birobidzhan as its administrative center. While Yiddish is an official language alongside Russian, the region is not predominantly Jewish in population. [1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
Here's more information about the JAO:
Location: The JAO is situated in the far eastern part of Russia, bordering Khabarovsk Krai and Amur Oblast in Russia, and Heilongjiang province in China. [1, 1]
Establishment: It was established in 1934 as the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, with Birobidzhan designated as its center. [1, 1, 10, 11, 12]
Birobidzhan: Birobidzhan, the capital, became a city in 1937. [10, 13, 14]
Language: Yiddish is an official language alongside Russian. [3, 15]
Economy: Key industries include energy generation, food production, light industry (especially garments), and traditionally, agricultural machinery. [16]
Current Status: Despite its designation as a Jewish homeland, the Jewish population of the JAO is a minority.
2025-07-19 03:56:38