Karachay-Cherkess Republic (Карача́ево-Черке́сская респу́блика; Karachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес Республика; Kabardian: Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ), or Karachay-Cherkessia (Карача́ево-Черке́ссия) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct romanization of the republic's Russian name is Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika or Karachayevo-Cherkessiya.

Geography

• Area: 14,100 km²
• Borders:
• internal: Krasnodar Krai (N/NE/E), Kabardino-Balkar Republic (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

Time zone

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

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
• Kuma River
• Kyafar River
• Bolshaya Laba River
• Maly Zelenchuk River
• Marukha River
• Podkumok River
• Teberda River
• Urup River

Lakes

There are approximately 130 lakes in the republic.

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.

Natural resources

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

Climate

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

Administrative divisions

See also: Abazinia.

Demographics

• 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 (2005)
• Births: 5,194 (birth rate 12.0)
• Deaths: 5,131 (death rate 11.9)

Ethnic groups

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.

	census 1926	census 1939	census 1959	census 1970	census 1979	census 1989	census 2002
Karachays	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	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	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	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-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 Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan accused in collaboration with the Nazis. Most of the Karchay territory was split between Stavropol Krai and Georgia. 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.

Politics

The head of government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the President. As of 2007, the president is Mustafa Azret-Aliyevich Batdyyev.

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.

Economy

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

Science

The republic is the home of what was the largest telescope of the world when it was built, a very large radiotelescope (600 meters in diameter), 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.

References

External links

• Official website of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic
• Collection of images of Karachay-Cherkessia
• Images of Karachay-Cherkessia
• An account of the disputed 1999 election
• Collection of images of Karachay-Cherkessia, with a focus on caves
• Ulu Cami: A Karachay Mosque serving Muslim Community in Northern Jersey
• Folk Song Mingitav
• TIKA

Maps