Zhigansky District (Russian: Жига́нский улу́с; Yakut: Эдьигээн улууһа, Ecigeen uluuha) is an administrative and municipal district (raion, or ulus), one of the thirty-four in the Sakha Republic, Russia. It is located in the northern central part of the republic and borders with Bulunsky District in the north, Eveno-Bytantaysky National District in the east, Kobyaysky District in the southeast, Vilyuysky District in the southwest, and with Olenyoksky District in the northwest. The area of the district is 140,200 square kilometers (54,100 sq mi). Its administrative center is the rural locality (a selo) of Zhigansk. Population: 4,296 (2010 Russian census); 4,312 (2002 Census); 5,678 (1989 Soviet census). The population of Zhigansk accounts for 79.6% of the district's total population.

Geography

The main river in the district is the Lena. Some of its important tributaries, such as the Menkere, Muna, Khoruongka, Nuora (Strekalovka), Kyuelenke and Motorchuna, have their mouth in the area of the district. The largest lake is Lake Ulakhan-Kyuyol.

Climate

Average January temperature ranges from −36 °C (−33 °F) in the east to −40 °C (−40 °F) in the west and average July temperature ranges from +14 °C (57 °F) to +16 °C (61 °F). Annual precipitation ranges from 250–300 millimeters (9.8–11.8 in) in the west to 300–400 millimeters (12–16 in) in the east.

History

The district was established on December 10, 1930.

Demographics

As of the 2021 Census, the ethnic composition was as follows:

• Evenks: 63.0%
• Yakuts: 25.1%
• Russians: 9.1%
• other ethnicities: 2.8%

Inhabited localities

Municipal composition

Rural settlements	Population	Male	Female	Rural localities in jurisdiction*
Bestyakhsky Nasleg (Бестяхский наслег)	218	111 (50.9%)	107 (49.1%)	selo of Bestyakh
Zhigansky Evenk National Nasleg (Жиганский эвенкийский национальный наслег)	3,421	1,631 (47.8%)	1,785 (52.2%)	selo of Zhigansk (administrative center of the district) selo of Dzhardzhan
Kystatyam (Кыстатыам)	397	202 (50.9%)	195 (49.1%)	selo of Kystatyam
Lindinsky Nasleg (Линдинский наслег)	260	131 (50.4%)	129 (49.6%)	selo of Bakhanay

Divisional source:
Population source:
*Administrative centers are shown in bold
Note: The figures given in the table above include 2010 census reports of one person (male) living in the intersettlement territory, clarified in the regional census data as inhabiting Dzardzhan.