North Asia

North Asia or Northern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of Siberia, and Russian Far East in the Asian portion of Russia – the area east of the Ural Mountains.

Demographics

Most estimates are that there are around 38 million Russians living east of the Ural Mountains, a widely recognized but informal divide between Europe and Asia. The Indigenous Siberians now are a minority in Siberia/North Asia due to the European-oriented Russification process during the last three centuries. Russian census records indicate they make up only an estimated 10% of the region's population with the Buryats numbering at 445,175, which makes them the largest ethnic minority group in Siberia. There are 443,852 Yakuts (Russian Census of 2002) living in Siberia. According to the 2002 census there are 500,000 Tatars in Siberia, but 300,000 of them are Volga Tatars who settled in Siberia during periods of colonization. Other ethnic groups that live in the region and make a significant portion are ethnic Germans and they number about 400,000.

MV China Star

MV China Star (中华之星) is the world's largest ship with a SWATH design, and the only twin-hull cruise ship ever built. It has operated in Hong Kong as the gambling ship Asia Star for Asia Cruises. This 350-person all balcony luxury cruise ship was the largest SWATH ship in the world when it was built, displacing more than 11,500 tons when originally known as the Radisson Diamond and built in Finland.

In June 2011, the ship was purchased for $45M by China Cruises Company Limited, the deal being led by Chinese millionaire entrepreneur Huang Weijian, CEO of CCCL. Another $20M was spent refurbishing her. Operation started on March 9, 2012, as the first ship of the new CCCL luxury cruise line.

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