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Karachay-Cherkess Republic
Republic
Карачаево-Черкесская Республика
Other transcription(s)
• Karachay-Balkar	Къарачай-Черкес Республика
• Kabardian	Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ
• Nogai	Карашай-Шеркеш Республикасы
• Abaza	Къарча-Черкес Республика
FlagCoat of arms
Anthem: State Anthem of Karachay-Cherkessia
Karachay-Cherkess Republic
Coordinates: 43°55′N 41°47′E / 43.917°N 41.783°E / 43.917; 41.783
Country	Russia
Federal district	North Caucasian
Economic region	North Caucasus
Capital	Cherkessk
Government
• Body	People's Assembly
• Head	Rashid Temrezov
Area
• Total	14,277 km (5,512 sq mi)
• Rank	77th
Population
• Total	469,865 44.4% Karachays 27.5% Russians 12.7% Cherkess 8.1% Abazins 3.7% Nogais 3.5% other
• Estimate	466,305
• Rank	74th
• Urban	41.3%
• Rural	58.7%
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK )
ISO 3166 code	RU-KC
License plates	09
OKTMO ID	91000000
Official languages	Russian; Abaza, Cherkess (Kabardian), Karachay, Nogai
Website	http://www.kchr.ru/

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v t e

Karachay-Cherkessia (Russian: Карачаево-Черкесия, romanized: Karachayevo-Cherkesiya), officially the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus. It is administratively part of the North Caucasian Federal District. As of the 2021 census, Karachay-Cherkessia has a population of 469,865. Cherkessk is the largest city and the capital of the republic.

Karachay-Cherkessia is one of Russia's ethnic republics, primarily representing the indigenous Caucasian-Turkic Karachay people and the Cherkess or Circassian people. Karachays form the largest ethnic group at around 44% of the population, followed by ethnic Russians (27%) and Cherkess (13%). The Cherkess are mostly of the Besleney and Kabardin tribes. The republic has five official languages: Russian, Abaza, Cherkess (Kabardian), Karachay-Balkar, and Nogai.

The majority of the republic's territory is within the Caucasus Mountains, except for a small strip at the northern edge of the Don Steppe. Karachay-Cherkessia is bordered by Krasnodar Krai to the west, Stavropol Krai to the north-east, Kabardino-Balkaria to the south-east, and an international border with Georgia to the south-west. Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, is located on the border with Kabardino-Balkaria.

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 kilometers (87 mi) from north to south and for 170 kilometers (110 mi) from east to west. Mountains cover 80% of the republic's territory; Mount Elbrus, which at 5,642 meters (18,510 ft) 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 (26.2 °F), and the average July temperature is +20.6 °C (69.1 °F). Average annual precipitation varies from 550 millimeters (22 in) in the plains to 2,500 millimeters (98 in) 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 January 12, 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 in its former borders due to the rehabilitation 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).

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 March 28, 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 December 9, 1992, the republic was recognized as the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

Politics

The head of the government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the Head (until June 28, 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, 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 the partitioning of the republic.

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

Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia
Capital: Cherkessk
As of 2014:
Number of districts (районы)	10
Number of cities/towns (города)	4
Number of urban-type settlements (посёлки городского типа)	7
As of 2002:
Number of rural localities (сельские населённые пункты)	139
Number of uninhabited rural localities (сельские населённые пункты без населения)	—

• 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: 469,865 (2021 Census); 477,859 (2010 Census); 439,470 (2002 Census); 417,560 (1989 Soviet census).

Life expectancy:

Vital statistics

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

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-Russian 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

• Mountainous landscape of Arkhyz
• Wedding in Karachay-Cherkessia
• Karachayevsk
• Small settlement in Karachay-Cherkessia
• View of Mount Elbrus from Gumbashi Pass (with zoom)

See also

• Abazinia

Notes

1. Russian: Карачаево-Черкесская Республика, romanized: Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika; Karachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес Республика, romanized: Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika; Kabardian: Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республика, romanized: Ķêrêšei-Šêrdžês Respublikê; Nogai: Карашай-Шеркеш Республика, romanized: Karaşay-Şerkeş Respublika; Abaza: Къарча-Черкес Республика, romanized: Qarça-Çerkes Respublika

References

1. Президент Российской Федерации. Указ №849 от 13 мая 2000 г. «О полномочном представителе Президента Российской Федерации в федеральном округе». Вступил в силу 13 мая 2000 г. Опубликован: "Собрание законодательства РФ", No. 20, ст. 2112, 15 мая 2000 г. (President of the Russian Federation. Decree #849 of May 13, 2000 On the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in a Federal District. Effective as of May 13, 2000.).
2. Госстандарт Российской Федерации. №ОК 024-95 27 декабря 1995 г. «Общероссийский классификатор экономических регионов. 2. Экономические районы», в ред. Изменения №5/2001 ОКЭР. (Gosstandart of the Russian Federation. #OK 024-95 December 27, 1995 Russian Classification of Economic Regions. 2. Economic Regions, as amended by the Amendment #5/2001 OKER. ).
3. Law #410-XXII
4. Law #1539-I
5. Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Article 114
6. ^ Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Article 4
7. ^ Official website of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Rashid Borispiyevich Temrezov, Head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Archived May 13, 2022, at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
8. "Сведения о наличии и распределении земель в Российской Федерации на 01.01.2019 (в разрезе субъектов Российской Федерации)". Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
9. "Оценка численности постоянного населения по субъектам Российской Федерации". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
10. "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
11. "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
12. Official throughout the Russian Federation according to Article 68.1 of the Constitution of Russia.
13. ^ Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Article 11.1
14. ^ Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Всероссийская перепись населения 2020 года. Том 1 [2020 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1] (XLS) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
15. "Первый аэропорт в Карачаево-Черкесии построят «Аэропорты регионов»". РБК (in Russian). April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
16. Президиум Верховного Совета СССР. Указ от 9 февраля 1957 г. «О преобразовании Черкесской автономной области в Карачаево-Черкесскую автономную область». (Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Decree of 9 February 1957 On Transformation of Cherkess Autonomous Oblast into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast. ).
17. "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)". constitution.garant.ru.
18. ^ Mairbek Vatchagaev (June 21, 2012). "The Karachay Jamaat: Alive and Operational". Eurasia Daily Monitor. 9 (118). The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
19. Fatima Tlis (January 31, 2008). "Karachaevo-Cherkessia: A Small War with Big Repercussions". North Caucasus Analysis. 9 (4). The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
20. Государственный комитет Российской Федерации по статистике. Комитет Российской Федерации по стандартизации, метрологии и сертификации. №ОК 019-95 1 января 1997 г. «Общероссийский классификатор объектов административно-территориального деления. Код 91», в ред. изменения №278/2015 от 1 января 2016 г.. (State Statistics Committee of the Russian Federation. Committee of the Russian Federation on Standardization, Metrology, and Certification. #OK 019-95 January 1, 1997 Russian Classification of Objects of Administrative Division (OKATO). Code 91, as amended by the Amendment #278/2015 of January 1, 2016. ).
21. Results of the 2002 Russian Population Census—Territory, number of districts, inhabited localities, and rural administrations of the Russian Federation by federal subject Archived September 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
22. Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1 [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
23. Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек [Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (in Russian).
24. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров [All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики . 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly.
25. "Демографический ежегодник России" [The Demographic Yearbook of Russia] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat). Retrieved June 28, 2022.
26. "Ожидаемая продолжительность жизни при рождении" [Life expectancy at birth]. Unified Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System of Russia (in Russian). Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
27. Russian Federal State Statistics Service Archived January 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
28. Демографический ежегодник России [Demographic Yearbook of Russia] (in Russian). Russian Federal State Statistics Service.
29. "Национальный состав населения". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
30. "население карачаево-черкесии". www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
31. "ВПН-2010". www.perepis-2010.ru. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
32. ^ "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia". Sreda, 2012.
33. 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived.
34. "Байрамкулова Зухра Абдурахмановна". www.warheroes.ru. Retrieved April 22, 2020.

Sources

• Народное Собрание Карачаево-Черкесской Республики. Закон №410-XXII от 9 апреля 1998 г. «О государственном гимне Карачаево-Черкесской Республики», в ред. Закона №85-РЗ от 6 декабря 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Карачаево-Черкесской Республики в связи с установлением административной ответственности за неправомерное использование государственных символов Карачаево-Черкесской Республики». Вступил в силу с момента опубликования, за исключением статей 2 и 3, вступающих в силу с 15 мая 1998 г.. Опубликован: "День Республики", №48(15471), 25 апреля 1998 г. (People's Assembly of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Law #410-XXII of April 9, 1998 On the State Anthem of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, as amended by the Law #85-RZ of December 6, 2013 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Due to the Introduction of Administrative Sanctions for Misuse of the Symbols of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Effective as of the moment of publication, with the exception of Articles 2 and 3, which take effect on May 15, 1998.).
• 5 марта 1996 г. «Конституция Карачаево-Черкесской Республики», в ред. Конституционного Закона №49-РКЗ от 27 июня 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Конституцию Карачаево-Черкесской Республики». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Сборник Законов и Постановлений КЧР 1995–1999 гг", Часть I. (March 5, 1996 Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, as amended by the Constitutional Law #49-RKZ of June 27, 2012 On Amending the Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Верховный Совет РСФСР. Закон №1539-I от 3 июля 1991 г. «О порядке преобразования Адыгейской, Горно-Алтайской, Карачаево-Черкесской и Хакасской автономных областей в Советские Социалистические Республики в составе РСФСР». (Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. Law #1539-I of July 3, 1991 On the Process of Transformation of Adyghe, Mountain Altai, Karachay-Cherkess, and Khakass Autonomous Oblasts into Soviet Socialist Republics Within the RSFSR. ).

External links

• (in English and Russian) Collection of images of Karachay-Cherkessia, trombicula.narod.ru
• Images of Karachay-Cherkessia, travel-images.com
• An account of the disputed 1999 election, nupi.no
• Collection of images of Karachay-Cherkessia, with a focus on caves, tls-msu.narod.ru
• Circassianworld.com
• Karachay-Cherkess Republic News Portal
• Medical Institute of North Caucasian State Humanitarian Technological Academy Archived July 6, 2019, at the Wayback Machine

v t e Administrative divisions of Karachay-Cherkessia
Capital: Cherkessk • Rural localities
	Districts	Abazinsky Adyge-Khablsky Karachayevsky Khabezsky Malokarachayevsky Nogaysky Prikubansky Urupsky Ust-Dzhegutinsky Zelenchuksky
	Cities and towns	Cherkessk Karachayevsk Teberda Ust-Dzheguta
	Urban-type settlements	Dombay Elbrussky Mednogorsky Novy Karachay Ordzhonikidzevsky Pravokubansky Udarny

v t e Countries and regions of the Caucasus
Abkhazia  Adjara  Adygea  Armenia  Azerbaijan  Chechnya  Dagestan  Georgia  Ingushetia  Kabardino-Balkaria  Kalmykia  Karachay-Cherkessia  Krasnodar Krai Nakhchivan  North Ossetia – Alania  South Ossetia  Stavropol Krai
Partially-recognized states

• Karachay-Cherkessia
• North Caucasus
• North Caucasian Federal District
• States and territories established in 1991
• Regions of Europe with multiple official languages
• Republics of Russia