Karachay-Cherkessia
Encyclopedia
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic ' onMouseout='HidePop("54489")' href="/topics/Karachay-Balkar_language">Karachay-Balkar
: Къарачай-Черкес Республика; Kabardian
: Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ), or Karachay-Cherkessia is a federal subject
of Russia
(a republic
). Population:
The landscape of the republic is mostly mountainous (~80% of the territory). Mount Elbrus
, the highest mountain in Europe
, is situated on the border with the Kabardino-Balkar Republic
.
, coal
, clay
s, and more.
According to the 2002 Census
, Karachays
make up 38.5% of the republic's population, followed by Russians
(33.6%) and Cherkes (11.3%). Other groups include Abazins
(7.4%), Nogais
(3.4%), Ossetians
(3,333, or 0.8%), Ukrainians
(3,331, or 0.8%), Armenians
(3,197, or 0.7%), Tatars
(2,021, or 0.5%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast was created on January 12, 1922. It was split into Karachay Autonomous Oblast
and Cherkess National District on April 26, 1926. Cherkess National District was elevated to an autonomous oblast status on April 30, 1928. In 1943, Karachay Autonomous Oblast was abolished and the Karachay population was deported to Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan
accused of collaboration with the Nazis. Most of the Karchay territory was split between Stavropol Krai
and the Georgian SSR. The remaining territory populated by the Cherkessians was known as Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
until January 9, 1957 when it was re-established into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast in its former borders due to the re-habilitation of the Karachay. On July 3, 1991, the autonomous oblast was elevated to the status of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia (under the jurisdiction of the Russian SFSR). With the dissolution of the Soviet Union
in December 1991, the words "Autonomous Soviet Socialist" was dropped from the name.
is currently the acting president.
Ethnic tension is a considerable problem in the republic. In May 1999 Karachay-Cherkessia conducted its first ever free regional presidential election. When Vladimir Semyonov, a Karachay, won the election over Stanislav Derev, a Circassian, there were protests by supporters of Derev, with widespread allegations of fraud. A court ruling later upheld the election result, prompting thousands of Derev's supporters to march in protest, many advocating partition of the republic.
A car-bomb that killed two people in March 2001 was blamed on Chechen separatists. In September 2007, the FSB killed Abubakar, the chief Islamic extremist of the republic.
. Chemical, wood, and food industries are the most developed. The republic is keen to develop its tourist industry and winter sports are particularly popular. However, poverty is widespread.
), a very large radiotelescope (600 meters in diameter, RATAN-600), and the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Science dedicated to the study of astronomy. These facilities are located on the bank of the Zelenchuk river, between the villages of Zelenchukskaya
and Arkhyz
.
Karachay-Balkar language
The Karachay-Balkar language is a Turkic language spoken by the Karachays and Balkars. It is divided into two dialects: Karachay-Baksan-Chegem which pronounces two phonemes as and , and Balkar, which pronounces the corresponding phonemes as and .- Alphabet :Modern Karachay-Balkar Cyrillic...
: Къарачай-Черкес Республика; Kabardian
Kabardian language
The Kabardian language, also known as East Circassian , is a Northwest Caucasian language, closely related to the Adyghe language. It is spoken mainly in the Russian republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia and in Turkey and the Middle East...
: Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ), or Karachay-Cherkessia is a federal subject
Federal subjects of Russia
Russia is a federation which, since March 1, 2008, consists of 83 federal subjects . In 1993, when the Constitution was adopted, there were 89 federal subjects listed...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(a republic
Republics of Russia
The Russian Federation is divided into 83 federal subjects , 21 of which are republics. The republics represent areas of non-Russian ethnicity. The indigenous ethnic group of a republic that gives it its name is referred to as the "titular nationality"...
). Population:
Geography
- Area: 14100 square kilometres (5,444 sq mi)
- Borders:
- internal: Krasnodar KraiKrasnodar Krai-External links:* **...
(N/NE/E), Kabardino-Balkar RepublicKabardino-BalkariaThe Kabardino-Balkar Republic , or Kabardino-Balkaria , is a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus. Population: -Geography:The republic is situated in the North Caucasus mountains, with plains in the northern part....
(E/SE), Stavropol KraiStavropol KraiStavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
(W/NW). - international: GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
(S/SW) (including AbkhaziaAbkhaziaAbkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
).
- internal: Krasnodar Krai
- Highest point: Mount ElbrusMount ElbrusMount Elbrus is an inactive volcano located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. Mt. Elbrus's peak is the highest in the Caucasus, in Russia...
(5,642 m) - Maximum N->S distance: no data
- Maximum E->W distance: no data
Rivers
There are 172 rivers on the territory of the republic. Major rivers include:- Aksaut River
- Bolshaya Laba River
- Bolshoy Zelenchuk River
- Daut River
- Kuban RiverKuban RiverThe Kuban River is a river in Russia, in the North Caucasus region. It flows mostly through Krasnodar Krai but also in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Stavropol Krai and the Republic of Adygea....
- Kuma RiverKuma River (Russia)The Kuma is an long river in southern Russia. Its drainage basin is 33 500 square km. Its source is in the Greater Caucasus, in the republic Karachay-Cherkessia, west of Kislovodsk...
- Kyafar River
- Maly Zelenchuk River
- Marukha River
- Podkumok RiverPodkumok RiverPodkumok River is a river in Stavropol Krai, Russia, right tributary of the Kuma River. The length of the river is . The area of its basin is 2,220 km² . The Podkumok River originates in the Greater Caucasus....
- Teberda River
- Urup River
Mountains
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. Mt. Elbrus's peak is the highest in the Caucasus, in Russia...
, the highest mountain in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, is situated on the border with the Kabardino-Balkar Republic
Kabardino-Balkaria
The Kabardino-Balkar Republic , or Kabardino-Balkaria , is a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus. Population: -Geography:The republic is situated in the North Caucasus mountains, with plains in the northern part....
.
Natural resources
Karachay-Cherkessia's natural resources include goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
s, and more.
Climate
- Average January temperature: -3.2 °C
- Average July temperature: 20.6 °C (69.1 °F)
- Average annual precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
: 550 millimetres (21.7 in) (plains) to 2500 millimetres (98.4 in) (mountains)
Administrative divisions
Demographics
- Population:
- Population: 439,470 (2002)
- Urban: 193,531 (44.0%)
- Rural: 245,939 (56.0%)
- Male: 205,481 (46.8%)
- Female: 233,989 (53.2%)
- Females per 1000 males: 1,139
- Average age: 33.2 years
- Urban: 33.4 years
- Rural: 33.1 years
- Male: 31.0 years
- Female: 35.2 years
- Number of households: 127,488 (with 437,338 people)
- Urban: 62,858 (with 192,642people)
- Rural: 65,130 (with 244,696 people)
- Vital statistics
- Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service
| Births | Deaths | Birth rate | Death rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6,021 | 2,153 | 17.4 | 6.2 |
| 1975 | 6,619 | 2,288 | 18.5 | 6.4 |
| 1980 | 7,044 | 2,794 | 18.9 | 7.5 |
| 1985 | 8,119 | 3,350 | 20.6 | 8.5 |
| 1990 | 7,218 | 3,496 | 17.1 | 8.3 |
| 1991 | 7,145 | 3,713 | 16.7 | 8.7 |
| 1992 | 6,846 | 3,915 | 15.9 | 9.1 |
| 1993 | 5,569 | 4,336 | 12.9 | 10.0 |
| 1994 | 5,786 | 4,598 | 13.3 | 10.6 |
| 1995 | 5,633 | 4,501 | 12.9 | 10.3 |
| 1996 | 5,281 | 4,683 | 12.0 | 10.7 |
| 1997 | 4,987 | 4,615 | 11.3 | 10.5 |
| 1998 | 4,990 | 4,537 | 11.3 | 10.3 |
| 1999 | 4,523 | 4,707 | 10.3 | 10.7 |
| 2000 | 4,666 | 4,961 | 10.6 | 11.3 |
| 2001 | 4,778 | 4,911 | 10.9 | 11.2 |
| 2002 | 4,927 | 5,207 | 11.2 | 11.9 |
| 2003 | 5,088 | 5,427 | 11.6 | 12.4 |
| 2004 | 5,190 | 5,059 | 11.9 | 11.6 |
| 2005 | 5,194 | 5,131 | 12.0 | 11.9 |
| 2006 | 5,032 | 4,924 | 11.7 | 11.4 |
| 2007 | 6,066 | 4,626 | 14.2 | 10.8 |
| 2008 | 6,364 | 4,731 | 14.9 | 11.1 |
- Ethnic groups
According to the 2002 Census
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
, Karachays
Karachays
The Karachays are Turkic speaking people of the North Caucasus, mostly situated in the Russian Karachay-Cherkess Republic.-History:The Karachays are a Turkic speaking people descending from the Kipchaks and probably the Cumans, with some admixture of the medieval Alans and native Caucasians; their...
make up 38.5% of the republic's population, followed by Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
(33.6%) and Cherkes (11.3%). Other groups include Abazins
Abazins
The Abazins are a people who live mostly in Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygea of Russia.An Abazin diaspora exists in Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Egypt , and other Islamic countries, most of which are descendants of refugees from the Caucasian War...
(7.4%), Nogais
Nogais
The Nogai people are a Turkic ethnic group in Southern Russia: northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and the Astrakhan Oblast; undefined number live in Chechnya...
(3.4%), Ossetians
Ossetians
The Ossetians are an Iranic ethnic group of the Caucasus Mountains, eponymous of the region known as Ossetia.They speak Ossetic, an Iranian language of the Eastern branch, with most also fluent in Russian as a second language....
(3,333, or 0.8%), Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
(3,331, or 0.8%), Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
(3,197, or 0.7%), Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
(2,021, or 0.5%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
| census 1926 | census 1939 | census 1959 | census 1970 | census 1979 | census 1989 | census 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karachays Karachays The Karachays are Turkic speaking people of the North Caucasus, mostly situated in the Russian Karachay-Cherkess Republic.-History:The Karachays are a Turkic speaking people descending from the Kipchaks and probably the Cumans, with some admixture of the medieval Alans and native Caucasians; their... |
52,875 (52.0%) | 70,932 (29.2%) | 67,830 (24.4%) | 97,104 (28.2%) | 109,196 (29.7%) | 129,449 (31.2%) | 169,198 (38.5%) |
| Cherkess | 16,186 (15.9%) | 17,667 (7.3%) | 24,145 (8.7%) | 31,190 (9.0%) | 34,430 (9.4%) | 40,241 (9.7%) | 49,591 (11.3%) |
| Abazins Abazins The Abazins are a people who live mostly in Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygea of Russia.An Abazin diaspora exists in Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Egypt , and other Islamic countries, most of which are descendants of refugees from the Caucasian War... |
13,731 (13.5%) | 14,138 (5.8%) | 18,159 (6.5%) | 22,896 (6.6%) | 24,245 (6.6%) | 27,475 (6.6%) | 32,346 (7.4%) |
| Russians Russians The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries.... |
2,593 (2.6%) | 118,785 (48.8%) | 141,843 (51.0%) | 162,442 (47.1%) | 165,451 (45.1%) | 175,931 (42.4%) | 147,878 (33.6%) |
| Nogais Nogais The Nogai people are a Turkic ethnic group in Southern Russia: northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and the Astrakhan Oblast; undefined number live in Chechnya... |
6,263 (6.2%) | 6,869 (2.8%) | 8,903 (3.2%) | 11,062 (3.2%) | 11,872 (3.2%) | 12,993 (3.1%) | 14,873 (3.4%) |
| Others | 9,961 (9.8%) | 14,810 (6.1%) | 17,079 (6.1%) | 19,957 (5.8%) | 21,917 (6.0%) | 28,881 (7.0%) | 25,584 (5.8%) |
History
Karachay Autonomous Oblast
Karachay Autonomous Oblast was an Autonomous oblasts of the Soviet Union created 1926-04-26....
and Cherkess National District on April 26, 1926. Cherkess National District was elevated to an autonomous oblast status on April 30, 1928. In 1943, Karachay Autonomous Oblast was abolished and the Karachay population was deported to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
accused of collaboration with the Nazis. Most of the Karchay territory was split between Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
and the Georgian SSR. The remaining territory populated by the Cherkessians was known as Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
Cherkess Autonomous Oblast was created in 1943....
until January 9, 1957 when it was re-established into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast in its former borders due to the re-habilitation of the Karachay. On July 3, 1991, the autonomous oblast was elevated to the status of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia (under the jurisdiction of the Russian SFSR). With the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in December 1991, the words "Autonomous Soviet Socialist" was dropped from the name.
Politics
The head of the government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the President. Until February 2011, the president was Boris Safarovich Ebzeyev, a former judge of the Constitutional Court of Russian Federation. Rashid TemrezovRashid Temrezov
Rashid Borispiyevich Temrezov ; is a Russian politician who is the president of Karachay-Cherkessia since 2011.- References :*...
is currently the acting president.
Ethnic tension is a considerable problem in the republic. In May 1999 Karachay-Cherkessia conducted its first ever free regional presidential election. When Vladimir Semyonov, a Karachay, won the election over Stanislav Derev, a Circassian, there were protests by supporters of Derev, with widespread allegations of fraud. A court ruling later upheld the election result, prompting thousands of Derev's supporters to march in protest, many advocating partition of the republic.
A car-bomb that killed two people in March 2001 was blamed on Chechen separatists. In September 2007, the FSB killed Abubakar, the chief Islamic extremist of the republic.
Economy
Industry is mostly concentrated in the capital of the republic, CherkesskCherkessk
Cherkessk is the capital city of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Population: 121,439 ; 116,244 ; -History:...
. Chemical, wood, and food industries are the most developed. The republic is keen to develop its tourist industry and winter sports are particularly popular. However, poverty is widespread.
Science
The republic is the home of what was the largest telescope of the world when it was built (the BTA-6BTA-6
The BTA-6 is a 6 m aperture optical telescope at the Special Astrophysical Observatory located in the Zelenchuksky District on the north side of the Caucasus Mountains in southern Russia...
), a very large radiotelescope (600 meters in diameter, RATAN-600), and the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Science dedicated to the study of astronomy. These facilities are located on the bank of the Zelenchuk river, between the villages of Zelenchukskaya
Zelenchukskaya
The Special Astrophysical Observatory , or SAO RAS for short, is an astronomical observatory, set up in 1966 in the USSR, now operated by the Russian Academy of Sciences. Based in the Bolshoi Zelenchuk Valley of the Greater Caucasus near the village of Nizhny Arkhyz, the observatory houses the...
and Arkhyz
Arkhyz
Arkhyz is a mountainous region in the vicinity of the eponymous aul sitting at an altitude of 1,450 meters in the valley of the Bolshoi Zelenchuk river, in the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, Greater Caucasus, Russia, about 70 km inland from the Black Sea shore. The modern village was founded in...
.