Extreme cold, millions of people deported to its gulags. Forced labour. Death.

Are you from Siberia? Well, as Jura said, I associate a very sad part of Great Mother Russia´s history. Not only deportation, but uncountable cultures wiped out by the "Russification" policy. Still, when I think of Сибирь, I think of an endless horizon and marvellous rivers and lakes surrounded by taiga. I think of proud people facing the longest winter on Earth, whose ancestors made the roots of Europe tremble. And I think of the Tuva people singing while wandering through the frozen land. =D

I think of vast oil and mineral resources. Siberia is the key to Russia's future. If the government is able to use this vast wealth to benefit the rest of the economy the future of the country is bright. Alaska was once a part of Siberia. America purchased if for 17million dollars and no one at the time thought it was worth the price. It turned out to be one of the best land deals ever made. Now every major industrialized nation in the world would like to have a piece of Siberia.

Prison camps. Stalinism. Not a very good reputation.

First of all, it's my motherland. I've been living here my entire life. And it's not so bad here actually ^^. Yeah, I agree, it's rather backward place to live - living conditions leave much to be desired. And the climate... well, today here (Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha) it's -41'C degree and it's okay for us. Siberian people are used to such climate, but still I hate cold weather like most of people who live here. We don't see the Sun for the whole winter that lasts for like 5-6 months, so it's quite depressing. Summers here are short but really great. It can be very hot here in summers. But the most amazing thing in summer is so-called 'white nights' - when the Sun doesn't set at night and it's light as in daylight, sometimes even brighter. So it's really romantic. Also in the North (within the Polar circle) in winters (November, December) one can see so-called 'Northern lights' (aka 'Polar lights'), it's really amazing too. Besides Siberia is very rich for its natural resourses and mineral. The nature is really beautiful here.