The City of Chita is a the administrative center of the Chita Oblast, which is similar to a state. It is located smack dab in the middle of Siberia and is about 500 miles east of Lake Baikal. From the 1930s through the end of communism, Chita was a closed city. During this period, foreigners were prohibited from traveling to Chita as were many Russians. The basis for the closing of the city was apparently its proximity to China and military installations. Continue Reading…