region in N Asia, between the Urals & the Pacific: Asian section of Russia: c. 5,208,000 sq mi (13,488,667 sq km): notorious for its harsh climatic conditions & isolated location
A region of central and eastern Russia stretching from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Inhabited by a variety of peoples including the Ostyak, Chukchi, Evenki, and Yakut, the extensive area was annexed by Russia in stages during the 16th and 17th centuries. Used as a place of exile for political prisoners since the early 17th century, it was settled by Russians after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad (completed in 1905) and developed for its mineral resources after World War II.
Related Forms:
Si·beˈri·an adjective & n.
noun
A remote undesirable locale: “exiled to the Registry of Motor Vehicles—the Siberia of state government”(Howie Carr).