Zima (town)
town in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia
Zima (Russian: Зима, IPA: [zʲɪˈma], lit. 'Winter'; Buryat: Зэмэ, Zeme) is a town in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, located at the point where the Trans-Siberian Railway crosses the Oka River. Population: 32,508 (2010 census); 34,899 (2002 census); 41,814 (1989 Soviet census).
Geography
The town is situated on a low-lying plain, heavily water-logged. The Zima River joins the Oka in the town's vicinity.
Climate
The local climate is extremely continental; air temperature varies between −45 °C (−49 °F) in winter to 40 °C (104 °F) in summer.
History
The village of Staraya Zima (Ста́рая Зима́) on the present site of the town was established in 1743. In 1772, its population began to grow more quickly due to the construction of a horse-tract from Moscow which crossed the Oka River. Until the 1900s, Zima remained a roadside, mainly agricultural village.
In 1898, the Trans-Siberian railway was built through the village and a railroad station was opened. Town status was granted to Zima in 1925.
The public source identifies “Zima (town)” as town in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Zima, town and Irkutsk.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Zima (town)”, the useful work is to connect “town in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q140012. VIAF identifies the subject as 149488972. Authority coordinates are 53.917, 102.050. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2010, 2002, 1989 and 1743.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Zima (town)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Zima (town) primary sources, Zima (town) archive and Zima research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Zima (town)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.