Karachay-Cherkessia

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Karachay-Cherkess Republic (Russian: Карача́ево-Черке́сская респу́блика, or, less formal, Karachay-Cherkessia Карача́ево-Черке́ссия) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct transliteration of the republic's Russian name is Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika or Karachayevo-Cherkessiya.

Karachay-Cherkess Republic
Карачаево-Черкесская Республика
Къарачай-Черкес Республика Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ  

Image:Flag of Karachay-Cherkessia.svg Flag of Karachay-Cherkessia Coat of arms of Karachay-Cherkessia
Image:RussiaKarachay-Cherkessia2005.png
Capital	Cherkessk
Area - total - % water	Ranked 82nd - 14,100 km² - negligible
Population - Total - Density	Ranked 75th - est. 439,470 (2002) - est. 31.2/km²
Political status	Republic
Federal district	Southern
Economic Region	North Caucasus
Cadaster #	09
Official languages	Russian, Karachay, Circassian, Abaza, Nogai
President	Mustafa Azret-Aliyevich Batdyyev
Vice-President	Vera Mikhaylovna Moldovanova
Legislature	{{{LegiNm}}}
Anthem	—

[edit] Geography

• Area: 14,100 km².
• Borders:
  • internal: Krasnodar Krai (N/NE/E), Kabardino-Balkaria (E/SE), Stavropol Krai (W/NW).
  • international: Georgia (S/SW) (including Abkhazia).
• Highest point: Mount Elbrus (5,642 m).
• Maximum N->S distance: no data.
• Maximum E->W distance: no data.

[edit] Time zone

Karachay-Cherkessia is located in the Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD). UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).

[edit] 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 River
• Kuna River
• Kyafar River
• Laba River
• Maly Zelenchuk River
• Marukha River
• Podkumok River
• Teberda River
• Urup River

[edit] Lakes

There are approximately 130 lakes in the republic.

[edit] Mountains

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.

[edit] Natural resources

Karachay-Cherkessia's natural resources include gold, coal, clays and more.

[edit] Climate

• Average January temperature: -3.2°C
• Average July temperature: +20.6°C
• Average annual precipitation: 550 mm (plains) to 2,500 (mountains)

[edit] Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Karachay-Cherkessia

[edit] Demographics

According to the 2002 Census, Karachays at 169,198 make up 38.5% of the republic's population, followed by Russians (147,878, or 33.7%) and Cherkes (49,591, or 11.3%). Other groups include Abazins (32,346, or 7.4%), Nogais (14,873, or 3.4%), Ossetians (3,333, or 0.8%), Ukrainians (3,331, or 0.8%), Armenians (3,197, or 0.73%), Tatars (2,021, or 0.5%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population. In 2004 birth rate was 11.89.

• 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)

[edit] History

Image:Karachay Cherkess03.png Image:Caucasus01.png The Karachay-Cherkessia 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 Siberia because of their alleged collaboration with the Nazis. Most of the Karchay territory was annexed by Russia. The remaining territory populated by the Cherkessians was know as the Cherkess Autonomous Oblast until January of 1957 when it was re-established into Autonomous Oblast of Karachay-Cherkessia in its former borders due to the re-habilitation of the Karachay. On 3 July 1991 the Autonomous oblast was elevated to the status of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia (under the jurisdiction of the RSFSR). With the dissolution of the USSR in December 1992 "Autonomous Soviet Socialist" was dropped from the name.

[edit] Politics

The head of government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the President. As of 2004, the president is Mustafa Azret-Aliyevich Batdyyev.

Ethnic tension is a considerable problem in the republic. In May of 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.

[edit] Economy

Industry is mostly concentrated in the capital of the republic, Cherkessk. Chemical and food industries are the most developed.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• (Russian) Official website of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic
• (English) (Russian) Collection of images of Karachay-Cherkessia
• (English) Images of Karachay-Cherkessia
• (English) An account of the disputed 1999 election
• (English) Collection of images of Karachay-Cherkessia, with a focus on caves
• Folk Song Mingitav
• TIKA

[edit] Maps

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 43.77306° 41.91694°

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