Karachay-Cherkessia

Geography

The republic is located at the slopes of northwestern Caucasus and borders with Krasnodar Krai in the west and northwest, the Kabardino-Balkar Republic in the southeast, Georgia (including Abkhazia) in the south and west, and with Stavropol Krai in the northeast. It stretches for 140 km from north to south and for 170 km from east to west. Mountains cover 80% of the republic's territory; Mount Elbrus, which at 5642 m is the highest peak in the Caucasus, is located on the republic's border with Kabardino-Balkaria. The republic is rich in water resources. A total of 172 rivers flow through its territory, with the largest one being the Kuban, Bolshoy Zelenchuk, Maly Zelenchuk, Urup, and Laba. There are about 130 mountain lakes of glacial origin and an abundance of mineral springs. Climate is moderate, with short winters and long, warm, humid summers. The average January temperature is -3.2 C, and the average July temperature is +20.6 C. Average annual precipitation varies from 550 mm in the plains to 2500 mm in the mountains. Natural resources include gold, coal, clays, and more.

Karachay-Cherkessia is the only region in the North Caucasian Federal District that does not have an airport.

History

The Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast was founded on 12 January 1922, in the early years of the Soviet Union. It was split into Karachay Autonomous Oblast and Cherkess National Okrug on 26 April 1926. The Cherkess National District was elevated to an autonomous oblast status on 30 April 1928.

In November 1943, Karachay Autonomous Oblast was abolished, the Karachay people were accused of collaboration with the Nazis and 70,000 were subsequently deported to the Kazakh and Uzbek republics. Most of the Karachay territory was split between Stavropol Krai and the Georgian SSR. The remaining territory populated by the Cherkessians was known as Cherkess Autonomous Oblast until 9 January 1957 when it was incorporated into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast{{Cite Soviet law |ru_entity=Президиум Верховного Совета СССР |ru_type=Указ |ru_date=9 февраля 1957 г. |ru_title=О преобразовании Черкесской автономной области в Карачаево-Черкесскую автономную область |en_entity=Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR |en_type=Decree |en_date=9 February 1957 |en_title=On Transformation of Cherkess Autonomous Oblast into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast

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 Russian SFSR).

In January 1992, Russian president Boris Yeltsin was prepared to accept the division of Karachay-Cherkessia and introduced draft laws to the Supreme Soviet of Russia for the reconstitution of the Karachai Autonomous Oblast and Cherkess Autonomous Oblast within the Russian Federation. A commission on formation of three autonomous regions – Karachai, Cherkess, and Batalpashinsk – was established in the Supreme Soviet.

On 28 March 1992, a referendum was held in which, according to official results, the majority of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia voted against splitting the republic and, on 9 December 1992, the republic was recognized as the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

Politics

The head of the government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the fead (until 28 June 2012, the official title was "President"). Until February 2011, the president was Boris Ebzeyev, a former judge of the Constitutional Court of Russian Federation. Rashid Temrezov is currently the head of the republic.

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, Derev supporters protested, alleging widespread electoral fraud, with many advocating for the partitioning of the republic. These hostilities deescalated following mediation, led by Moscow, and an independent court review of the election, which upheld the result.

Although activity by separatists in the region pales compared to Chechnya and Dagestan, militant groups exist in Karachay-Cherkessia. A car bomb that killed two people in March 2001 was blamed on Chechen separatists. Muslim separatist groups have formed, and dozens of their members have been killed by the Russian authorities.

In September 2007, the FSB killed ethnic Abazin Rustam Ionov ("Abu-Bakar"), head of the Karachaevo Jamaat (assembly), along with his wife.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Karachay-Cherkessia

• Cities and towns under republic's jurisdiction
  • Cherkessk (Черкесск) (capital)
  • Karachayevsk (Карачаевск)
    • Towns under the town's jurisdiction:
      • Teberda (Теберда)
    • Urban-type settlements under the town's jurisdiction:
      • Dombay resort settlement (Домбай)
      • Elbrussky (Эльбрусский)
      • Ordzhonikidzevsky (Орджоникидзевский)
• Districts:
  • Abazinsky (Абазинский)
  • Adyge-Khablsky (Адыге-Хабльский)
  • Karachayevsky (Карачаевский)
    • Urban-type settlements under the district's jurisdiction:
      • Novy Karachay (Новый Карачай)
      • Pravokubansky (Правокубанский)
  • Khabezsky (Хабезский)
  • Malokarachayevsky (Малокарачаевский)
  • Nogaysky (Ногайский)
  • Prikubansky (Прикубанский)
    • Urban-type settlements under the district's jurisdiction:
      • Udarny (Ударный)
  • Urupsky (Урупский)
    • Urban-type settlements under the district's jurisdiction:
      • Mednogorsky (Медногорский)
  • Ust-Dzhegutinsky (Усть-Джегутинский)
    • Towns under the district's jurisdiction:
      • Ust-Dzheguta (Усть-Джегута)
  • Zelenchuksky (Зеленчукский)

Demographics

Population: Life expectancy:

Vital statistics

Sources: 1970 to 2008; 2009–2013; 2014–...

• Male: no data
• Female: no data--

Ethnic groups

According to the 2021 Census, Karachays make up 44.4% of the republic's population, followed by Russians (27.5%), and Cherkess and Abazins together make up 20.8%.

Religion

According to a 2012 survey which interviewed 56,900 people, 64% of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia adheres to Islam, 13% to the Russian Orthodox Church, 2% to the Karachay and Circassian native faith, 2% are unaffiliated Christians, unchurched Orthodox Christian believers or members of non-Russian Orthodox churches. In addition, 10% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 3% are atheist, and 6% are other/undeclared.

Notable people

• Zuhra Bayramkulova – Dairy farmer and Hero of Socialist Labour.
• Islam Itlyashev – Circassian singer
• Mussa Ekzekov – Businessman
• Arslanbek Sultanbekov – Nogai folk singer

Science

The republic is the home of what was the largest telescope in the world from 1975 until 1993 (the BTA-6), a very large radio telescope (576 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.

Gallery

File:Поселок Архыз.jpg|Mountainous landscape of Arkhyz File:Пляски (1356881968).jpg|Wedding in Karachay-Cherkessia File:Karachayevsk.jpg|Karachayevsk File:Могучая даль.jpg|Small settlement in Karachay-Cherkessia File:Эльбрус с перевала Гумбаши.JPG|View of Mount Elbrus from Gumbashi Pass (with zoom)

Notes

References

Sources

• {{Cite Russian law
• {{Cite Russian law

References

1. Law #410-XXII
2. Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Article 114
3. Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Article 11.1
4. "Оценка численности постоянного населения по субъектам Российской Федерации". [[Federal State Statistics Service (Russia).
5. Law #1539-I
6. Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Article 4
7. Official website of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. [http://www.kchr.ru/mainmenu/head/ Rashid Borispiyevich Temrezov, Head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic] {{Webarchive. link. (13 May 2022 {{in lang). ru
8. (2024-04-23). "Первый аэропорт в Карачаево-Черкесии построят «Аэропорты регионов»".
9. "Закон РФ от 9 декабря 1992 г. N 4061-I "Об изменениях и дополнениях Конституции (Основного Закона) Российской Федерации - России" (принят седьмым Съездом народных депутатов РФ)".
10. Minorities At Risk Project. (31 December 2006). "Assessment for Karachay in Russia".
11. Mairbek Vatchagaev. (21 June 2012). "The Karachay Jamaat: Alive and Operational". [[The Jamestown Foundation]].
12. Fatima Tlis. (31 January 2008). "Karachaevo-Cherkessia: A Small War with Big Repercussions". [[The Jamestown Foundation]].
13. {{OKATO reference. 91
14. Results of the 2002 [[Russian Census (2002). Russian Population Census]]—[http://perepis2002.ru/ct/html/TOM_01_03.htm Territory, number of districts, inhabited localities, and rural administrations of the Russian Federation by federal subject] {{webarchive. link. (28 September 2011)
15. "Демографический ежегодник России". [[Federal State Statistics Service (Russia).
16. "Ожидаемая продолжительность жизни при рождении".
17. [http://www.gks.ru/dbscripts/Cbsd/DBInet.cgi#1 Russian Federal State Statistics Service] {{webarchive. link. (3 January 2012)
18. link. Russian Federal State Statistics Service
19. [https://showdata.rosstat.gov.ru/finder/ Russian Federal State Statistics Service]
20. "Национальный состав населения". [[Federal State Statistics Service (Russia).
21. "население карачаево-черкесии".
22. "ВПН-2010".
23. [http://sreda.org/en/arena "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia"]. Sreda, 2012.
24. [http://c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps]. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2017. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170320090751/http://c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg Archived].
25. "Байрамкулова Зухра Абдурахмановна".