Russia Gives Free Land in Country’s Far East

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a law giving Russians free land in the Far East regions of the country.

According to law, Russian citizens will able to apply for up to hectare of land in the regions of Kamchatka, Sakha-Yakutia, Khabarovsk, Amur, Primorye, Magadan, Sakhalin, the Jewish Autonomous Region,and Chukotka.

The Moscow Times reports that the land can be used for any lawful purpose but can only be rented, sold, or given away after an initial five-year waiting period, according to the bill. The program is one of a number of initiatives aimed at boosting the economy in Russia’s Far East, including the construction of the new Vostochny cosmodrome. A recent deal also saw a number of Chinese companies set on relocating to the area.

The project could increase the region’s population nearly six-fold — to 36 million people, from the current 6.4 million, according to estimates by Russia’s Minister for the Development of the Far East, Aleksandr Galushka, RFERL reported.