Russian village named California to be removed from maps

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - A deserted village named California in a Russian Volga province is likely to be removed from maps, following a decision by a committee of local lawmakers, a legislature spokesman said.

The decision to end the existence of the village in the Nizhny Novgorod Region was taken "because there is now not a single person living in the village," the spokesman said, adding that the regional legislature will reach a final decision on the issue on July 31.

According to one version of events, the village was given its name in the 19th century by a landowner who had been impressed by a visit to North America. According to another account, the village had been called Kaliforovka, and the landowner renamed it after Russia sold Alaska to the U.S.

The village has been deserted since 1992.

According to the most recent census, Russia has around 13,000 completely deserted villages, and 35,000 with fewer than 10 inhabitants.