About Chita

City is the capital of Chita region, South Eastern Siberian Russia, at the confluence of the Chita and Ingoda rivers and on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The population of the city is about 366,000. The city was founded in 1653. Chita's place in Russian history was made in 1825, when 82 of the Decembrists who had tried unsuccessfully to overthrow the Tsar in St. Petersburg were exiled to the area. In Soviet times Chita was closed to foreigners for a while because of its proximity to the Chinese border and its military industry.