Kamchatka was settled about 15 thousand years ago. The ancient hunters, the distant ancestors of North American Indians, who were the first to settle in Northern America,passed through Kamchatka and Chukotka.The first inhabitants of Kamchatka lived in full harmony with nature and knew how to use its resourses.
For the itelmens fishing was one of the main ways of living. In summer time they lived near some water resourses. They moved across the rivers in whole-carved boats made mainly of poplar and caught fish with threshed nettle nets.
The Koryaks and Chukchis were devided into those who lived in settled villages and provided their living by fishing and hunting for marine animals and those who were reindeer breeders.
At the beginning of 19 century the north of Kamchatka was settled by the evens-reindeer breeders, and Komandorskiye Islands were settled by the Aleuts-hunters for marine animals. The main traditional occupation of these natives were hunting for marine animals and fishing. Among the household articles there were baskets, bags plaited from grass.They also used dog-sleds and broad skiis covered with seal ski.
Nowdays the natives preserve reindeer breeding and cottage craft as their main occupation. They are famous for bone carving, for articles made of fur and leather,original embroideries and drawings which decorate national clothes and houshold articles.
Kamchatka is one of the least populated regions of Russia. The density of population is very low: one person gets 26 sq. km of the territory. The aggregate quantity of population of Kamchatka is 377 900 people, 220 000 of them are the inhabitants of Petropavlovsk -Kamchatsky.
Kamchatka was settled about 15 thousand years ago. The ancient hunters, the distant ancestors of North American Indians, who were the first to settle in Northern America,passed through Kamchatka and Chukotka.The first inhabitants of Kamchatka lived in full harmony with nature and knew how to use its resourses.
