Nerchinsk katorga

That district embraced a large part of eastern Transbaikalia (today's Chita Oblast),[1] near the border to China, in the 18th to 20th centuries.

[2] The District consisted of a variable number of industrial centres (zavody), usually operated by military administrations, the first of which, Nerchinsk, situated not far from the confluence of Nercha and Shilka Rivers, was established in the 18th century after the discovery in the area of large mineral reserves.

The village of Nerchinsky Zavod, another of the District centres, was founded in 1700 by Greek mining engineers in the employ of the Russian Government.

From 1850 to 1890, katorga labor was used at Kara gold fields and for the construction of prison buildings.

The total number of convicts in the Nerchinsk silver-mining district was approximately 952.