Maykop, city (1989 pop. 149,000), capital of Adygey Republic, Krasnodar Territory, S European Russia, at the foot of the Greater Caucasus and on the Belaya River. It has machinery, lumber, and food-processing industries. Nearby are the important Maykop oil fields, discovered in 1900-1901 and linked by pipeline with the refineries at Krasnodar and the Black Sea port of Tuapse. Maykop was founded in 1857 as a Russian fortress. It was captured by German troops in 1942 and retaken by Soviet forces in 1943. The name of the city also appears as Maikop. It has an institute for the study of Adygey culture, language, and history.

Maykop (Майко́п; /Myequape) is a city in Russia, capital of the Republic of Adygea, located on the right bank of the Belaya River (a tributary of the Kuban), some 1,600 km south of Moscow. Population:

History

It was founded in 1857 as a Russian Kuban Cossack fortress. It served as an important strategic outpost during the finale of the Caucasian War in 1858–1863. It was granted town status in 1870.

The early Bronze Age Maykop culture has been named after the city after the discovery of a royal burial site there in 1897.

In 1911, oil deposits were discovered in the vicinity of Maykop.

In 1936, Maykop and the surrounding region was merged with the Adyghe Autonomous Oblast, and became the administrative center of the autonomy. Maykop was occupied by the Nazis from August 1942 to January 1943, when it was liberated by the Transcaucasian Front of the Red Army.

Since 1991, Maykop has been the capital of the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation.

On the south side of the town, alongside the Belaya River is the military complex housing the 131st Motor Rifle Brigade of the North Caucasus Military District, which took part in the First Chechen War.

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in the city (2002 data):

• Russians (72.59%)
• Adyghe (16.65%)
• Armenians (2.99%)
• Ukrainians (2.52%)

Education

Maykop is home to Adyghe State University and Maykop State Technological University. There are also several facilities of professional education in Maykop.

Municipal formation

Municipally, Maykop is incorporated as a municipal urban okrug, with the following rural localities under its jurisdiction:

• khutor of Gaverdovsky
• stanitsa of Khanskaya
• khutor of Kosinov
• settlement of Podgorny
• settlement of Rodnikovy
• settlement of Severny
• khutor of Vesyoly
• settlement of Zapadny

References