• Burial mounds - grave mounds made of earth or stone; in Maykop they date back to the 3rd millennium BC. e.
• Dolmen (from the Breton tol - "table" and men - "stone") - a funerary structure of the III-II millennium BC. e. (stone box with a flat lid-slab).
• Balneology (from Latin balneum - "bath", "bathing * and Greek. "logos" - "word, teaching") is a section of balneology that studies mineral waters and their therapeutic use.
• A sanctuary is a place where religious rites are performed and where, according to the beliefs of believers, a deity resides.
• Modern Ingush profess Islam, but even in the 20s. 20th century mass sacrifices were made in Ingushetia.
• Tsekaloi. Chechnya. Ш The name Ichkeria comes from the Kumyk words "ichk" - "internal" and "er" - "place". Previously, the mountainous regions of Chechnya were called so.
• Chechens and Ingush make up a group of Vainakh peoples.
• Shamil (1799-1871) - leader of the liberation struggle of the Caucasian highlanders against the Russian colonizers and local feudal lords. Under Shamil, part of the Tats (the indigenous people of Southern Dagestan) was converted to Islam, but most of them remained committed to Judaism.
• Basilica (literally translated from Greek. "royal house") - a rectangular building, divided inside by rows of columns; one of the types of Christian church.

The ancient Greek geographer Strabo spoke in his writings about the Scythians - the tribes that lived in the Northern Black Sea region. This is one of the many peoples associated with the North Caucasus. Turbulent historical events forced people to move from the plains to the depths of the mountainous country, whether they were the indigenous inhabitants of the region or people from other places. As a result, a unique mosaic of nationalities and dialects has developed here.

The hospitality of the hosts is sometimes combined with customs and customs that are incomprehensible to a European, and adherence to traditions is combined with the desire to keep up with the times.

Agriculture, industrial production, mining and servicing vacationers are the main areas of activity for the population of the North Caucasus. It is difficult to find a person in our country who has never rested in the Caucasus. The metals mined there are used in the production of many objects around us - this is a tungsten filament in an electric light bulb, and stainless steel utensils, and galvanized iron roofs, and much more. Jewelry and hard alloys, woolen clothes and carpets made by the inhabitants of the North Caucasus can be found in all corners of Russia and beyond.

The population of the North Caucasus is more than 16 million people, or 11.3% of the population of the whole of Russia, while the area of ​​the region is less than 1% of the country's territory. According to demographers, this is the only region of Russia today where the population is increasing. There are about a hundred nationalities and nationalities in Russia, and more than half of them are in the densely populated North Caucasus! Residents of one valley, and sometimes even one aul (mountain village) often do not understand the language of neighbors from nearby villages.

Some Caucasian peoples number only a few hundred people, some - hundreds of thousands.

The borders of the North Caucasian region were formed at the end of the 19th century, when the region was also called the Ciscaucasian belt. Now seven national republics are located on this territory: Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia-Alania, Ingushetia, the Chechen Republic, Dagestan.

ADYGEA

The Adygei Autonomous Region (area - 7.6 thousand km 2) was formed in 1922 and was part of the Krasnodar Territory. Since 1992, Adygea has become an independent subject of the Russian Federation. More than 450 thousand people live in the republic. Approximately half of the territory of Adygea falls on the plain, and half - on the mountains in the basins of the Belaya and Fars rivers.

The climate of the plain is mild and, in combination with black soil, makes it possible to obtain rich harvests of many agricultural crops - from wheat and rice to sugar beets and grapes. Mountains reaching 2 thousand meters are covered with forests. At an altitude of up to 1.2 thousand m, broad-leaved trees predominate - beech, oak, hornbeam; above - Nordmann fir; then comes the undergrowth of birch, mountain ash and maple. Closer to the top, subalpine and alpine meadows spread. The fauna of the mountain forests is very rich: bison, roe deer, chamois, mountain goats, wild boars, wolves, lynxes, bears, many birds live in them.

The Caucasus State Reserve is located in the highland regions of the republic. Once it was a place of royal hunting, which is reminiscent of many names: Panter-ny and Solontsovy ridges, the Prince's Bridge tract, Zubrovaya Polyana, the Kholodnaya, Sad, Turovaya rivers. In the reserve, you can find fir trees that are over 500 years old. In height, they reach 60 m with a trunk thickness of two or three girths. The combination of snow-white peaks, blue sky and huge green trees creates that unique landscape that attracts tourists here.

In the early 60s. 20th century an attempt was made to build a highway Stavropol - Sochi through the central city of Adygea - Maikop. On this wide paved road, there are still signs with the inscriptions: "To Sochi ... km." But in Sochi, you can’t drive along the highway: it reaches almost to the border of the reserve and suddenly ends. Common sense prevailed in time: a unique piece of territory was protected from a powerful flow of cars.

In addition to the beauties of nature, tourists are attracted to Adygea by ancient historical monuments - dolmens and burial mounds. An obelisk was erected in memory of the excavations of mounds in Maykop. Many works of art found by archaeologists are exhibited in the Hermitage.

Adyghes are one of the peoples united by a common name - Ady-gi. They also include Circassians and Kabardians. The ancestors of modern Adyghes at different times were called Meots, Sinds, Kerkets. Over a long history, they mixed with the Sarmatians and Scythians, were under the rule of Byzantium, the Golden Horde, the Crimean Tatars, etc. In the XVIII century. the Turks spread Islam in the North Caucasus, which is now practiced by the majority of believing Adyghes.

Adygea has a diverse ethnic composition, but the majority are Russians (67%) and Adyghes (22%). The influence of Russian and European culture on the Circassians is great: almost everyone knows Russian. At the same time, the Circassians preserved the language of their ancestors, religion, the nature of relations within the family and community, national crafts, including jewelry. They observe the rites associated with birth, death, coming of age, marriage; revere monuments of nature and history, whether it be ancient dolmens or Christian churches and chapels. The settlements of the Adyghes, both in the mountains and on the plains - immersed in gardens, picturesque and neat - are usually large in size. The inhabitants of Adygea are not only excellent farmers and shepherds, but also instructors in tourism and mountaineering, scientists, engineers.

KARACHAYEV-CHERKESIAN

Karachay-Cherkessia received the status of a republic within Russia in 1991. In terms of area, it is almost twice as large as Adygea (14.1 thousand km 2), but in terms of population it is inferior to it (434 thousand people). Mostly Russians (42.4%), Karachays (31.2%) and Circassians (9.7%) live here. The Karachays settled in the highlands, where they have long been engaged in cattle breeding. This people speaks the Karachai language, which is related to the languages ​​of the Turkic group. Some researchers consider the Karachays to be the descendants of the Polovtsy, who once roamed the southern steppes and mixed with the indigenous Caucasian population. Modern Karachays prefer to live in the mountains, and high-mountain meadows serve as pastures. Circassians are mainly engaged in agriculture and settle in the valleys.

The bowels of the republic are rich in minerals. The Urup deposit of copper pyrite has long been known. Since pre-revolutionary times, lead-zinc ore has been mined in the upper reaches of the Kuban at the Elbrus mine. But the mining industry is not the basis of the economy for Karacha-evo-Cherkessia.

The multinational composition of the population is manifested in the diversified development of the economy of the republic. If the Circassians are skilled gardeners and farmers, then the Karachais are famous as excellent livestock breeders. The Karachay breed of sheep with a wonderful black fleece is well known. The Karachay breed of horses is valued far beyond the Caucasus. Kefir, ayran - a drink made from sour milk, cheese and other dairy products are of high quality. Wherever there are tourists, there is a trade in handmade woolen products.

Although the area of ​​arable land in the republic is small, they grow a lot of potatoes, sugar beets and corn. In the north of Karacha-evo-Cherkessia, in Erken-Shakhar, in the 60s. 20th century The largest sugar factory in Russia was built. The economy of the republic is focused on agriculture: its main sectors include animal husbandry and agriculture, production and repair of agricultural machinery, equipment for food storage. This direction of the economy is very favorable for the development of tourism and resort services.

Mountain lakes and waterfalls of Karachay-Cherkessia are accessible to an ordinary pedestrian, glaciers and the most difficult routes are designed for climbers. There are many sources of mineral water on the territory of the republic. The mild, healing climate of mountain resorts also attracts. Teberda, located at an altitude of 1.3 thousand meters, is not much inferior to Kislovodsk, famous for its springs and air. In the upper reaches of the Teberda River, in a mountain basin, lies the world-famous Dombay glade - a favorite place for climbers, tourists and skiers. From here, even inexperienced tourists easily climb to the Alibek glacier, follow the route to the Klukhor pass (2782 m) and to the blue Klukhor lake - small but deep, with floating ice floes in the hottest time of summer. On the pass during the Great Patriotic War there were stubborn battles with the German troops.

KABARDINO-BALKARIA

The northern slope of the Greater Caucasus and part of the foothill plain are occupied by Kabardino-Balkaria. In terms of area (12.5 thousand km 2), it is slightly inferior to its western neighbor - Karachay-Cherkessia, and in terms of population it is almost twice as large (790 thousand people). Approximately half of the inhabitants are Kabardians, about a third are Russians, and a tenth are Balkars. Kabardians belong to the group of Circassians. In certain periods of history, they were very numerous and influential and even subjugated other peoples of the Caucasus. The Balkars are a Turkic-speaking people related to the Karachays; earlier they were called mountain Tatars. Relations between Kabardians and Bal-Kars with Russia have deep historical roots. In 1561, Ivan the Terrible married the daughter of the Kabardian prince Temryuk Aidarovich, who counted on Moscow's support in defense against the Crimea and Turkey. Then, during the period of weakening of Russia, Kabarda fell under the rule of Turkey. In the 19th century Kabardians and Balkars resisted the Russian Empire, but the bloodshed soon ended, replaced by an alliance. The religious beliefs of the Kabardians have also changed many times over the centuries. From ancient beliefs, the population first switched to Christianity under the influence of Byzantium and Georgia, but starting from the 15th century. Islam spread here. Part of the Kabardians (Mozdok) later converted to Orthodoxy again.

It is in Kabardino-Balkaria that the Greater Caucasus reaches its maximum height and is called here the Central. In the Main and Side Ranges, the peaks rise to more than 5,000 m; many glaciers, including more than 12 km long. All major valleys are paved with motor roads, which sometimes go straight to the glaciers. However, none of them rises to the Main Range, all the passes through which are very difficult to access. To the north of the Glavny are the Rocky Range (3646 m - Mount Karakaya), the Pasture Range and the Black Mountains, beyond which the Kabardian Plain begins with heights of about 150 m.

In the upper reaches of the Baksan River, from the Azau glade at an altitude of 2.8 thousand m, on a cable car (funicular) you can climb (up to a height of 3.5 thousand m) to the slopes of the Elbrus volcanic cone, from where a magnificent panorama opens - peaks covered with snow and glaciers, green valleys. From here, climbing to the top of the highest mountain in Russia (5642 m) begins.

The bowels of Kabardino-Balkaria contain a variety of minerals. They have long been mined by local residents, using for the manufacture of household products, jewelry and weapons. Modern industry is also based on underground riches. The most famous is the Tyrnyauz deposit of wolf-ram-molybdenum ores; significant reserves of lead-zinc, lead-antimony ores, iron. Coal is being mined. Mineral springs, which are numerous in the republic, also serve various economic purposes, and hot mineral waters are used to heat greenhouses.

Forests occupy more than 15% of the republic's area, mainly in mountainous areas. The foothill plain within Kabardino-Balkaria is almost completely plowed up. An irrigation (irrigation) system has been created here for centuries.

There are many interesting objects in the republic, and tourists willingly visit it all year round. In the mountains, the ruins of ancient villages have been preserved, climbing steep slopes in cascades. Defensive towers rise above them. One of the deepest lakes in Russia, the Blue Lake (Tserikel), is located in Kabardino-Balkaria. Its depth is 268 m, and this is with small dimensions (width is about 200 m).

The Narzanov Valley is the traditional name for a section of the Khasaut River valley, where there are more than 20 large and many small springs on one kilometer of the way. On the Small Larkhan River you can admire a 20-meter waterfall. The resort conditions of the Narzanov Valley are not inferior to the famous Kislovodsk. This mineral water is probably the most popular in the European part of Russia.

NORTH OSSETIA ALANIA

The Republic of North Ossetia-Alania covers an area of ​​8 thousand km2. Its population is about 650 thousand people, of which 53% are Ossetians, 30% are Russians. In terms of population density (more than 80 people per 1 km 2) and the degree of urbanization (70% live in cities), North Ossetia ranks first in the North Caucasus.

Ossetians are an ancient people. Among their ancestors there are indigenous Caucasians and representatives of Iranian-speaking tribes - Scythians and Sarmatians (Alans). Once the Ossetians occupied vast areas in the region. Tatar invasion of the 13th century. pushed them deep into the mountains beyond the Main Range, to the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus. Most Ossetians profess Orthodoxy, which they adopted back in the 6th-7th centuries. under the influence of Byzantium and Georgia. There are also Muslims among the population; penetration of Islam in the XVII-XVIII centuries. contributed Kabardians. In 1774, Ossetia became part of Russia, after which its inhabitants began to move to the foothill plain.

The North Ossetian Autonomous Region was formed as part of the RSFSR in 1924; since 1936 it has become an autonomous republic.

North Ossetia is located on the Ossetian Plain and occupies part of the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus. On the mountainous territory of the republic there are the Lateral and Main ridges, and in the north there is a low (926 m) Sunzhensky ridge. The highest mountain - Kazbek (on the border with Georgia) - reaches a height of 5033 m. Other peaks are also high, from the slopes of which many glaciers descend, including the longest in the North Caucasus - Karaugom: its length reaches 14 km.

The climate of the Ossetian Plain is favorable for growing corn, wheat, sunflower; Sugar beet also grows here, but it needs additional watering. The average monthly temperature in January is -4°C, and in July +20-22°C; precipitation per year falls 500-800 mm. As you go up into the mountains, it becomes cooler and the humidity increases. Mountain slopes up to a height of 2 thousand meters are covered with forests, which occupy a quarter of the republic's area. Bear, lynx, marten, fox can be found in these thickets. Above the forests is a belt of tall-grass subalpine meadows. At an altitude of more than 4 thousand meters, the temperature does not rise above zero all year round. In winter, snow with a layer of 50-75 cm covers all mountain slopes, except for rocky cliffs.

North Ossetia is the only republic in the North Caucasus through which highways pass in Transcaucasia. One of them - the Military Ossetian - rises along the Ardon River valley to the Mamison Pass (2819 m), the other - the Georgian Military - passes through the Cross Pass (2379 m).

North Ossetia is famous for its fertile arable land, lush gardens, high mountain pastures, virgin forests, mineral waters, and minerals. Already at the beginning of the XX century. several dozen deposits of copper, silver-zinc and iron ores were known. The land of North Ossetia is also rich in manganese, molybdenum, arsenic, sulfur pyrite, jet (a valuable black ornamental stone used for jewelry). In the vicinity of Vladikavkaz, interlayers of sand impregnated with oil were found.

In the largest Sadonsky silver-lead-zinc deposit, located 60 km west of Vladikavkaz, ore has been mined since ancient times. In the 19th century the military department of Russia attracted the Ural peasants for its development. In 1896, the deposit was bought by the Belgians, who organized the Alagir joint-stock company, which equipped the mines, built an enrichment factory next to them, a small hydroelectric power station on the Sadon River, and an ore-smelting plant in Vladikavkaz. Before the First World War, thousands of tons of zinc and lead, hundreds of kilograms of silver were smelted here every year.

In the modern economy of North Ossetia, non-ferrous metallurgy is the leading industry. The richest deposits (Sadonskoye, Fiagdonskoye, Zgidskoye, etc.) supply ore to the enrichment plants located nearby. Concentrates are processed in Vladikavkaz.

In agriculture, grain production and horticulture are developed, small areas are occupied by vineyards. About half of the farmland is set aside for sowing corn, a traditional crop in Ossetia. The republic has a large number of cattle and developed pig breeding.

The industry and agriculture of North Ossetia are so developed that tourism is less important here than in other republics of the North Caucasus. Tourists visit the Tsey glacier, not far from which is the ancient Ossetian sanctuary Rekom.

Near the village of Darvas, several dozen burial grounds (family crypts) with burials of the 14th-19th centuries, known under the common name "City of the Dead", have been preserved. In the mountainous regions of Ossetia, there are ancient houses and tower-fortresses - witnesses of ancient customs and events.

INGUSHETIA

In 1924, the Ingush Autonomous Region was formed. In 1934, it merged with the Chechen Autonomous Region into the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Region, which in 1936 was transformed into the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the RSFSR. In 1992, after the separation of Chechnya, the Ingush Republic was proclaimed as part of the Russian Federation. This is the smallest Russian republic in terms of area (19.3 thousand km 2) and population (about 300 thousand people). Its people are one of the most ancient in the North Caucasus.

Ingushetia is located east of Ossetia and occupies mainly the basin of the Assa River, a tributary of the Terek. Natural conditions in the republic are the same as in Ossetia. To the east of Vladikavkaz, the dry heat of the deserts is already slightly felt. The forests here slightly change their shade (hornbeam and oak predominate in the foothills and hollows) and recede a little into the mountains.

The capital of Ingushetia - Nazran, with a population of 23 thousand people (1994), became a city in 1967. It is located on the railway line Rostov-on-Don - Baku. There are few industrial enterprises in Nazran: a power tool factory, a knitwear factory, and a flour mill.

The sight of Ingushetia is its old architectural ensembles. First of all, these are the ruins of villages with battle towers of the 14th-18th centuries. from gray raw stone. Some of them can be approached from the side of the Georgian Military Highway. On the southern slope of the Rocky Ridge, above the buildings destroyed by time, slender silhouettes of the surviving five-six-story towers with narrow loopholes rise. Each tower gradually narrows and ends with a pyramid-shaped stone roof. At the level of the second floor there is a door from which a ladder was once lowered. Near the village of Khairakh in the valley of the Assa River, the temple of Tkhiba Yerdy of the 11th-13th centuries has been preserved. - evidence of the spread of Christian teaching among the Ingush.

CHECHEN REPUBLIC

In recent years, the Chechen Republic has become known throughout the world. The fighting on its territory, including in the capital - Grozny, the bombing of this largest and richest city in the North Caucasus and its significant destruction, the death of thousands of people, refugees, hostages, abductions of residents - all these phenomena, wild even for the Middle Ages, attracted everyone's attention (see article "The War in Chechnya" in the volume "History of Russia", part three, "Encyclopedia for Children").

The Chechen Autonomous Region was formed in 1922 and then merged with the Ingush Autonomous Region to form the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1991, Chechen leaders announced the creation of a sovereign and independent Chechen Republic - Ichkeria, separated from Ingushetia and Russia in general.

Nevertheless, according to the Constitution in force in Russia, Chechnya is a subject of the Russian Federation. By agreement of the parties, the final decision on the status of the republic was postponed until the beginning of the 21st century.

In terms of population and area, the Chechen Republic is approximately 2.5-3 times smaller than Dagestan located to the east and much larger than Ingushetia. The total number of Chechens within Russia is almost 900 thousand people (according to 1989 data); Of these, approximately 400,000 live in Chechnya itself.

Chechens and Ingush are close in language, origin, customs and way of life. Chechens quite late (although much earlier than the Ingush) converted to Islam: in the XVIII-XIX centuries. The nature of the two republics is very similar. However, only in the bowels of Chechnya there are oil reserves, which largely determined its development in the 20th century.

The Chechen Republic is located on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus and on the adjacent Tersko-Sunzhenskaya Plain. The highest point in Chechnya is Mount Tebulosmta (4493 m). The plain is covered with fertile chernozems; the mountains are covered with forests, 80% of which are tall beeches. Minerals have been discovered in the southern part of Chechnya: near the village of Evdokimova - copper, near the village of Kei - silver-lead ores, near the village of Shatoy - sulfur. There are also antimony, gypsum and other minerals. At the beginning of the XX century. The population was mainly engaged in agriculture. Wheat, corn, and millet were sown on the plains; sheep and racehorses were bred in the mountains. Beekeeping was quite widespread. Cloth was made in the northern regions, and cloaks were made in the southern regions. Blacksmithing and jewelry were developed.

The modern economy includes traditional occupations, to which were added irrigated agriculture on the plain and a powerful industry associated with the exploration, extraction and processing of oil. In the landscape of Chechnya, weaves of pipes, oil rigs and tanks occupy a prominent place. The republic's oil fields are not gigantic, like those in Siberia or the Middle East, but they are convenient for development.

On the southern slope of the Sunzha Ridge, about 40 kilometers west of Grozny, there is a large resort called Sernovodsk with healing mineral springs. On the whole, in terms of the richness and diversity of natural resources, Chechnya is not much inferior to other North Caucasian republics, and in terms of oil reserves it surpasses them all.

DAGESTAN

The largest of the North Caucasian republics, both in terms of area (50.3 thousand km 2) and population (almost 2 million people) is Dagestan. In addition, it is the most energy-saturated, the driest, the warmest and the most treeless republic of the region. Dagestan also set several all-Russian records. Here, the population continues to grow most rapidly (against the background of its decrease in the whole country). More than 30 nationalities inhabiting Dagestan speak 29 languages ​​and 70 dialects; according to these indicators, the republic can even claim the world championship.

Islam penetrated Dagestan earlier than other North Caucasian republics; For this reason, the inhabitants of the republic are most committed to Islam. 57% of the population of Dagestan lives in villages; At the same time, nowhere in the North Caucasus are cities as ancient as in Dagestan: Derbent, for example, is more than 5 thousand years old - this is the oldest city in Russia. Even the nature of the republic is unique: here is the lowest mark in Russia and Europe - 26 m below sea level.

Dagestan is located at the Caspian Gates - where the path from Transcaucasia to the northern plains begins. The peoples of the republic often suffered from the raids of the conquerors. The inhabitants took refuge in the mountains, behind narrow gorges, on impregnable plateaus. Plains from the VIII to the end of the X century. occupied the Khazar Khaganate, the Caspian Sea in those days was called the Khazar. The capital of the kaganate was then located on the site of the modern village of Tarki not far from Makhachkala.

The largest indigenous peoples of Dagestan are Avars (27%), Dargins (15%), Kumyks (13%), Lezgins (11%), Laks, as well as Tabasarans, Nogais, Tats, Aguls, Rutuls, Tsakhurs. There are very small ethnic groups. So, the village of Ginuh, with several dozen houses, has its own language, its own customs.

The variety of natural conditions and the richness of national traditions determined the features of numerous folk crafts. Almost everywhere there are masters. Goldsmiths and jewelers work in the famous village of Kubachi, ceramics are produced in Gotsatl, carpets are produced in Untsukul, etc.

Despite the mixture of peoples and languages, Dagestan has been perceived as an integral country for hundreds of years. In 1921, the Dagestan ASSR was created, and in 1991, the Republic of Dagestan was proclaimed as part of Russia.

Translated from Turkic, Dagestan means "country of mountains". However, it occupies not only the mountains of the eastern part of the North Caucasus, but also the adjacent plains of the Caspian Sea. Steppe and semi-desert lowlands extend to the north from the ridges for almost 200 km, and mountains continue to the south, also for almost 200 km. The Caspian coast is the warmest corner of the North Caucasus. The average monthly temperature in January is above zero here, as on the Black Sea coast, and in July it is even hotter - up to +24 °C. However, in these places the mountains no longer protect from the northern winds, so in winter there are severe frosts - in the north of the republic up to -40 ° C.

The mountains of Dagestan are high, with steep slopes. The height of the peak of Bazar-duzu on the border with Azerbaijan is 4466 m. The climate in the mountains is quite dry, so there are few glaciers. Vast areas are occupied by high (2.3-2.7 thousand m) plateaus, the most famous of which are Khunzakh and Gunib.

The mountains of Dagestan are cut by the deepest canyons of the rivers (Sulak, Samur) and their tributaries. The Sulak Gorge between the Gimrinsky Range and Sulak-tau was once the site of fierce battles between Shamil's rebels and the troops of the Russian Tsar (1832).

Now the highest (231 m) mud dam has been built here on other rivers of Dagestan. They not only provide the republic with electricity, but also irrigate the lands in the mountains and on the plains. Valuable fish are found in the mouths of the rivers, including sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon, Caspian salmon, white salmon. Red deer, wild boar, and many birds live in the reed beds covering the coastal floodplains (shores flooded in spring).

In the forests - they occupy only 7% of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mountains - wolves, bears and lynxes are found. In the foothills you can see a large (25-30 cm) turtle, a snake - a huge brown viper sleeping on stones, a bright green snake. On the plains, in the steppes and semi-deserts, the animal world is different in nature: birds, various rodents, in the very north - saigas, the steppe fox - corsac.

The mountains of Dagestan are a kind of fortress that protects the population of the interior. From the side of the plains, one can penetrate here, as a rule, passing through narrow, difficult to overcome gorges. At the same time, in the mountains themselves there are many wide, convenient valleys where you can farm and build housing. The mountain slopes scorched by the sun are densely populated: tens of thousands of people live in some villages.

Mountain villages are interconnected by highways, winding serpentine. Gray cubes of houses are molded one to one and one above the other, hanging over the slopes of the mountains, like swallows' nests. There is neither a green lawn nor a tree here. In the mountains, they do not build houses on lands suitable for cultivation, saving them for arable land. To expand the fields, artificial terraces were created on steep slopes and soil was brought here. Now these plots amaze with grooming. However, with the advent of cheaper grain produced on the plains, the terraces began to be used mainly as meadows. Breeding sheep and horses is an important branch of the economy of Dagestan. In summer, animals are grazed in alpine meadows, and in winter - in the steppe, on the plain. Sheep are sometimes transported by car, reducing losses from long hauls. In the mountain valleys and foothills there are many orchards and vineyards, the fruits of which are used in large quantities for the production of canned food and wine.

The flat part of Dagestan is located on the territory of the Caspian lowland. Within the republic, it bears the names Tersko-Kumskaya (to the north of the Terek) and Tersko-Sulakskaya or Kumykskaya (to the south). Flat near the coast, the Tersko-Kuma lowland gradually rises as it moves away from the Caspian Sea, and irregularities appear on it - sand dunes and ridges fixed by vegetation. This part is called the Nogai steppe. The landscapes here are mostly steppe and semi-desert, there are solonchaks. Sparse bushes grow wormwood, saltwort, cereals and herbs. The main wealth of the Nogai steppe is pastures where fine-fleeced and coarse-wooled sheep are bred. Agriculture is subsidiary. Most of the indigenous population are Nogais, descendants of the once numerous and formidable horde that roamed the plains of the North Caucasus. This is a Turkic-speaking people with a long history. The traditional occupation of the Nogais is cattle breeding, but among them, like hundreds of years ago, today there are representatives of various professions. Modern Nogais lead a largely sedentary lifestyle. Their settlements are located near irrigation canals and many windmills (wind power plants) resemble Dutch villages. However, if in Holland the land is drained with the help of windmills, then in Dagestan they serve for watering gardens and orchards.

The Kumyk plain, like the Nogai steppe, was named after the people inhabiting it - the Kumyks. The land located between the foot of the mountains and the Terek is convenient for cultivation: there are many vineyards and orchards, especially near Makhachkala. Kumyk settlements usually represent a large garden in which houses turn white.

In the bowels of Dagestan, large deposits of mineral raw materials have not yet been discovered, but there are many small ones. Literally "from under Makhachkala" for two decades, starting from 1942, oil was produced. In 1972, the development of the Shamkhal-Bulak gas field began, from which gas pipelines stretched to all parts of the republic. Deposits of iron ore, gypsum, alabaster, building stone, glass sands, mineral and thermal (warm) waters provide a variety of needs for the modern economy of Dagestan.

The Caspian Sea is rich in various fish. The most valuable are sturgeons, whose caviar is worth almost its weight in gold. The beaches of Dagestan are wonderful, vast and sandy, with sloping shores. This is an ideal place for children's recreation. However, there are still no traditions of tourist services here, and resort resources have been developed very poorly.

The nature of Dagestan is not only generous, but also harsh in the manifestation of its elements. In 1970, the strongest earthquake in the North Caucasus occurred here, from which several cities and villages suffered. Large landslides and landslides descended in the mountains at that time. The storms of the Caspian Sea are also very cruel. Previously, fishermen used to say: "He who has not been to the sea has never seen grief." Since 1978, the level of the Caspian began to rise rapidly. Farmlands are flooded, homes and roads are destroyed, so it is necessary to build dams or move buildings further from the sea.

The capital of Dagestan - Makhachkala is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, at the foot of Mount Tarkitau. It was founded as a military fortification in 1844 near the place where the camp of Peter I was in 1722. The Highlanders called the fortification Anji-Kala - the Flour Fortress. In 1857 the fortress received the status of a city and the name of Petrovsk-Port. Soon the port itself was built, and in 1896 a railway was brought to it. The city was renamed Makhachkala - in honor of the active participant in the civil war, Makhach Dakhadayev. The population of the city is 395 thousand people. A beautiful center built in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. surrounded by modern quarters and factories. The city is home to the Dagestan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, theaters and museums.

Machines, instruments, building materials are produced in Makhachkala, the food industry is developed. The city itself is a balneological and seaside climatic resort: its mineral waters, therapeutic mud, extensive sandy beaches and warm sea are widely used.

The small (44 thousand people) city of Kizlyar is located on a plain in the Terek delta. It was first mentioned in 1652. In 1735, the first Russian fortress in the Caucasus was founded in this place. In the second half of the XVIII century. Kizlyar was the administrative and commercial center of the North Caucasus; not only Persian, but also Indian merchants traded in its bazaars. The city has traditionally been famous for its vineyards and winemaking. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the XVIII century. many Armenians and Georgians moved here. Despite its small size, Kizlyar is the cultural center of Dagestan. The city has several museums and many historical monuments.

Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory, Rostov Region and the Republics: Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia (Alania), Ingushetia, Dagestan and the Chechen Republic.

Economic and geographical position

The North Caucasus region or the North Caucasus is located in the European part of Russia on the isthmus between the Black Sea-Azov and Caspian sea basins. It occupies the south of the East European Plain, Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. The border with Azerbaijan and Georgia runs almost everywhere along the Main Caucasian Range. Area - 378 thousand km 2. EGP - profitable. Through this region, Russia maintains ties with the states of Transcaucasia. There is access to three seas. The natural conditions of the region are favorable for the population and the development of agriculture. The Kuma-Manych depression is the physical-geographical boundary between Europe and Asia. (Some geographers make a division between these parts of the world along the Main Caucasian Range - along the state border of the Russian Federation).

Natural conditions and resources

The natural landscapes of the North Caucasus are diverse. Here are mountain ranges and steppe plains, turbulent mountain rivers and drying rivers and lakes, humid subtropics (the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus) and cold snowy peaks. The variety of natural conditions is explained by the geographical position and features of the relief. This, in turn, affects the resettlement of people and their economic activities. The region has fertile lands (on the plains) and natural pastures (in the foothills).

The role of the region as a recreational zone of Russia is great - there are well-known resorts on the Black Sea coast (Tuapse, Sochi) and Caucasian Mineralnye Vody (Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Mineralnye Vody). The Caucasus Mountains are also an object of tourism. The highest point in Russia is Mount Elbrus (5642 m).

The foothills of the Greater Caucasus are a pantry of chemical, metallurgical, building raw materials, energy resources (including fuel). Natural gas - in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, oil - in the Chechen Republic and Adygea. Non-ferrous metal ores - in the mountainous republics (North Ossetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria), coal - in the Rostov region (eastern wing of Donbass - the Russian part).

Mountain rivers have great hydropower potential, and the waters of lowland rivers are used for irrigation. The main disadvantage of natural conditions is the uneven supply of water resources. The western part is better provided with moisture, especially the Black Sea coast and mountain slopes. The north-east and east of the region are waterless and arid.

Population

The population of the region is 17.2 million people. Population density - 47 people per 1 km 2 (maximum - in North Ossetia - 79 people).

A feature of the population of the North Caucasus is multinationality. The national composition of the mountain population is especially motley. It belongs to different language families "Indo-European (Russians, Ossetians, Ukrainians), Caucasian (Adyghes, Kabardians, Circassians, Chechens, Ingush and more than 20 peoples of Dagestan). In the North Caucasian economic region, the Russian population prevails, even in the mountainous republics of the Caucasus, the share Russians among the population varies from 9% in Dagestan to 65% in Adygea.

The population of the republics (1992) included in the North Caucasus region (in thousand people): Adygea - 432; Dagestan - 1890; Chechen Republic and Ingushetia - 1308; Kabardino-Balkaria - 784; North Ossetia - 695; Karachay-Cherkessia - 418.

The population density is relatively high, but within the region it is uneven. Many cities and villages are located on the strip of sea coasts. A rare population in the steppes and semi-deserts in the east of the region and in the highlands. Rural residents are slightly less than half of the population of the district (urban residents 53%). In Dagestan and the Chechen Republic, the rural population prevails (about 60%).

The area has a surplus of labor resources

The Central Committee of the Union of United Highlanders of the North Caucasus and Dagestan proclaimed the state Mountain Republic. By the same decision, the Central Committee of the Union of United Highlanders was transformed into the Mountain Government. In the spring of 1919, Dagestan was occupied by the troops of General Denikin, after which the Mountain government announced its dissolution and was evacuated to Tiflis.

Anthropology. Races

The North Caucasian ethnic population belongs mainly to North Caucasian race European type. The racial composition of the population of the Caucasus was determined as early as the beginning of the 20th century, for example, the following is indicated in the Brockhaus-Efron Encyclopedia:

• Indo-Iranian group

• Slavs

• Russians
• Poles
• Bulgarians.

• Iranians

• Ossetians
• Persians
• Talysh
• Kurds.

• Armenians.

• Semites

• Jews
• Assyrians and Chaldeans.

• Caucasian peoples

• Kartvelian group

• Georgians
• adjarians
• Khevsurs
• carcasses
• Imeretians
• Mingrelians
• Svaneti.

• West mountain group

• Abkhazians
• Circassians (Adygei)

• Kabardians
• abadzekhs
• bzheduhi
• shapsugs, etc.

• East Mountain group

• Chechens
• Ingush
• Lezgins

• Avars
• andeans
• Dargins
• tabasarans, etc.

• Turkic group

• Balkars
• Azerbaijanis
• Meskhetian Turks
• Trukhmen (Turkmens of the Stavropol Territory)
• carapapakhs
• Nogais
• Kumyks
• Karachays

• Mongolian peoples

• Kalmyks.

• Finno-Ugric peoples

• Estonians.

It should be noted that in antiquity, by the end of the Bronze Age and at the beginning of the early Iron Age, there was a rather significant difference in the type of population of Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus. In the most ancient burials of the Samtavr and Mingachevir burial grounds, pronounced long-headed narrow-faced Caucasoid skulls are found, most similar in type to representatives of modern long-headed variants of the Caspian type.

Historical and cultural aspect of determining the territory of the North Caucasus

It should be noted that the term North Caucasus has equally both geographical and historical-cultural-political meanings, in which the confessional composition of the population plays a significant role. The North Caucasus is the territory of Sunni Islam and Russian Orthodoxy, characterized by a large number of titular peoples in a relatively small area. Transcaucasia - the territory of Georgian Orthodoxy, the Armenian-Gregorian Church and the significant influence of Shiism, the territory of officially mono-ethnic states, an increase in the number of nationalities of the Middle East - Kurds, Aisors and others.

A rough assessment of music, clothing, weapons also gives a very clear division: the North Caucasus - traditional Caucasian musical foundations, the spread of the so-called Circassian with gazyrs, the predominance of weapons of weak curvature and open weapon handles. Transcaucasia - the influence of Iranian and Semitic musical traditions, the less regular use of clothes with gazyrs, the craving for a greater curvature of the blade and the security of the guard of the weapon, the sabers have a clear cross. Moreover, the Transcaucasian features are intensifying from West to East, taking place already in the Central Caucasian region, and reaching the greatest expression in Lezgistan, which is a fusion of the entire Caucasus, all its traditions. The gradualness of the transition is confirmed by the fact that there are no exclusively North Caucasian or Transcaucasian features, and much depends more on the characteristics of the area than on formal belonging to the North or South Caucasus, which largely coincides with political conditions than with physical geography. . (Compare: the formal assignment of the entire Dagestan to the North Caucasus and the equally formal assignment of the entire Sudan to North Africa, based on the historical and cultural characteristics of the region).

Natural resources

The North Caucasus is the largest agricultural base in Russia (besides Siberia and Altai), in which agricultural land occupies more than 70% of the territory.

The region is the location of the best sea and mountain resorts in Russia, among them the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory, Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, Dolinsk, Elbrus, Dombai, and the promising Caspian coast.

The natural resources of the region are significant: there are oil and gas reserves, high hydropower and geothermal potential, reserves of ores of industrial metals, uranium ores, building materials, valuable wood species, and reserves of aquatic biological resources (fish and seafood).

Transport

The coasts of the North Caucasus are of particular commercial importance for the country, important ports are located here: the largest Russian seaport Novorossiysk, the ports of Tuapse, Sochi, Krasnodar (a pier on the Kuban River), the ports of Yeysk, Makhachkala, Derbent; Major routes for the transportation of continental oil and gas pass: CPC, the Baku-Novorossiysk oil pipeline, the Blue Stream gas pipeline, the Saratov Oil Refinery - Volgograd Oil Refinery - Novorossiysk product pipeline under construction.
Major railways and highways (the largest "Don") also lead to the port of Novorossiysk, to Anapa - M25 , from the settlement Dzhubga on Tuapse, Sochi, Adler - M27 . From Rostov, from Art. Pavlovskaya motorway goes Caucasus to Mineralnye Vody, Makhachkala, Baku.

Visa regime with Azerbaijan

According to the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Russian Federation on visa-free travel of citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan, citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to enter, leave and move around the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan without visas, if they have a foreign passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.

Visa regime with Georgia

According to the information of the "Caucasian Knot" agency, residents of the republics of the North Caucasus - Chechnya and Adygea, welcomed the abolition of the visa regime with Georgia, as removing many problems when crossing the border with this country. At the same time, people express fears that the Russian authorities may now tighten the rules for their citizens to cross the state border.

Human rights violations

Irene Kahn, Secretary General of Amnesty International, the largest international independent human rights organization, said that in the year since the inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev, there have been practically no measures to improve the human rights situation in the Russian Federation, and in some areas the situation has even worsened. The organization emphasizes that “the situation in the North Caucasus is still characterized by instability and armed clashes. The legitimate aim of stopping violence in the region by armed groups is being pursued by methods that run counter to international human rights law. People continue to be forcibly disappeared or kidnapped, arbitrarily detained, tortured, and even killed in detention.”

Terrorism in the North Caucasus

According to a member of the Public Chamber, the head of the working group for the development of public dialogue and civil society institutions in the Caucasus, Maxim Shevchenko, “despite the almost daily special operations to destroy militants, the social base of terror in the North Caucasus is steadily growing, and primarily because there is no any political and religious force that denies terror,” the “Caucasian Knot” reports. On September 27, 2010, Shevchenko noted: “In Russia, there is a topic that for almost 20 years no one can give a clear answer to - this is the North Caucasus. In the North Caucasus, there is nothing to oppose to the ideas that the ideologists of terror offer the youth.

Ivan Sydoruk also stated that most of the weapons at the disposal of the militants in the North Caucasus come to them from military units. “We are losing information and especially ideological work, and here it is extremely important to interact with the clergy in the North Caucasus,” said the Deputy Prosecutor General. Analyzing the situation, he noted that the main factor of extremism in the district is a high degree of unemployment and unresolved socio-economic problems.

"The entire North Caucasus is in a state of latent civil war," says analyst Alexei Malashenko in the Swiss edition of Le Temps. The newspaper writes that the frequent terrorist attacks in the region jeopardize the plans for socio-economic development. "The attack on the Chechen parliament (October 19, 2010) is a rough slap in the face of President Kadyrov," the publication believes. Correspondent Alexander Biyata emphasizes: "The attack was carried out during a visit to Chechnya by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia Rashid Nurgaliyev, who came to see with his own eyes the stabilization efforts in the republic." “The next attack, which took place in broad daylight in the very center of the city, confirms that Chechnya is no longer an island of stability - albeit a very relative one - compared to neighboring Caucasian republics, where terrorist attacks occur regularly. The presence of several thousand employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kadyrov's people is not able to put an end to the operations of certain detachments of "rebels" hiding in the forests and consisting of veterans of two Chechen wars, ”concludes the Swiss edition of Le Temps.

Codes of Conduct for Youth in the North Caucasus

The proposal of the Deputy Plenipotentiary of the President of Russia in the North Caucasus Federal District Vladimir Shvetsov on the need to develop a code of conduct for young people in the regions of the North Caucasus was criticized by Chechen President Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov. According to Kadyrov's press service, the leadership of the Chechen Republic "receives with great bewilderment the initiatives of individuals in power, who sometimes offer not very well-thought-out options for solving national problems." In particular, the statement of the President of Chechnya said: “I consider it necessary to remind Vladimir Shvetsov that the Chechens, like any nation, have their own code of conduct. It has been developed over the centuries. He is holy and indestructible. Our people have their own culture, their own traditions. They are based on respect for the elders, care for the younger ones, respect for the culture, traditions and customs of other peoples.

see also

• Caucasus Mountains, Ciscaucasia, Caucasus, Transcaucasia
• caucasophobia

Notes

1. Literally "on the other side (of the mountains)". See the explanation in the dictionary.
2. Literally - "Fatherland"
3. A small schematic map of the regions can be seen at
4. North Caucasus // Great Soviet Encyclopedia
5. Georgia and most states of the world do not recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, considering the Russian border with these countries as part of the Russian-Georgian border.
6. TSB Southern part.
7. Encyclopedia Brockhaus-Efron. Art. Caucasian region
8. Starting from the 3rd to the 1st millennium BC. e. the racial type of the population is stable, approaching the Indo-Mediterranean (skeletons from mounds on the Manych River), however, brachycephalization of the population and a gradual decrease in body length are observed. The skulls of the late time, the Scythian-Sarmatian culture from the plains are more brachycranial and very narrow-faced.
9. Institute of Ethnography named after N. N. Miklukho-Maclay.

The Caucasus is one of the 200 ecoregions of the planet identified by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in order to draw attention to the most unique ecosystems, develop and implement projects for their conservation (Biodiversity of the Caucasus Ecoregion, 2001). In addition, the Caucasus ecoregion is included in the list of regions that are centers of biological diversity, compiled by the international environmental organization Conservation International. This list includes regions where at least 1,500 endemic plant species are under protection, 70% of the original range of which has been destroyed. This quite eloquently testifies in favor of the need for an immediate inventory of the Caucasus ecosystems (including water ones) in order to develop plans for their conservation and sustainable use.

Approximately 65% ​​of the area of ​​the Caucasus ecoregion is occupied by mountains. Active mountain building and a changing climate have formed a diverse relief, on the basis of which the Caucasus is divided into Ciscaucasia, the Greater Caucasus, the Transcaucasian Highlands, the Colchis Lowland, the Kura Depression and the Talysh Mountains.

The Greater Caucasus, stretching for 1,500 km from northwest to southeast, is the most important watershed and climatic barrier between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, that is, between the two continents. The Greater Caucasus consists of several parallel ranges, its highest peak Elbrus is located at an altitude of 5642 m above sea level. m.

The part of the Caucasian ecoregion located on the territory of the Russian Federation is commonly called the North Caucasus (Geographical Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1989). The landscapes of the North Caucasus are diverse. Most of the flat spaces are occupied by steppes, which in the eastern part of the region give way to semi-deserts, and then deserts. Plain and mountain meadows are developed in places. Reed swamps (floodlands) are developed in many reservoirs of the flat part of the North Caucasus. In the mountainous part of the region, all variants of the vertical dissection of the relief are presented.

The climate of the North Caucasus is temperate continental, average temperatures: January -3.5°C, July 21.8°C, annual precipitation 400-800 mm. According to natural conditions, the North Caucasus is divided into several zones: acutely arid, arid, zone of unstable moisture and humid zone. The annual precipitation in the acutely arid zone is below 300 mm, of which 60% falls in the form of rains in summer, quickly evaporating at high temperatures. Poor chestnut soils prevail here.

The humid zone with precipitation over 550 mm occupies the forest-steppe, forest and mountain regions of the southern regions of the North Caucasus. Most of the flat North Caucasus lies in the steppe zone. Only in the east they are replaced by semi-deserts. The foothills of the Greater Caucasus are covered with broad-leaved and coniferous forests, dominated by oak, beech and hornbeam.

The North Caucasus is included in the Holarctic zoogeographic region and, according to the faunal zoning of the Caucasus, it belongs to two large zoogeographic subregions: the Circumboreal and Central Asian. In the Circumboreal subregion, the North Caucasus is represented by the forest district of the European Forest Province, its fauna includes widespread forest species, which are often found here at the border of their distribution or far from their main range. Often they form separate subspecies. The Central Asian subregion is represented by the Caucasian mountain meadow district, which occupies the subalpine, alpine and subnival belts and is part of the Nagorno-Asian province.

The North Caucasus is located on the border between Europe and Asia, the mutual influence of which affected both the development of nature and the settlement of the region by humans. The development of the North Caucasus began from Transcaucasia, about 500 thousand years ago. Archaeologists in this region recorded several hundred sites of ancient man. In particular, vivid manifestations of his economic and cultural activities were found on the territory of the Republic of Adygea.

The North Caucasus is distinguished by an extremely complex interweaving of natural and anthropogenic conditions. A significant part of its territory has undergone profound transformations. The greatest economic development and, as a result, the transformation of the primary appearance of landscapes, have undergone the flat territories of the region, where the largest settlements, industrial and oil-producing facilities are concentrated, connected by a dense network of transport highways. About 80% of the area of ​​the flat part of the North Caucasus, once covered with feather grass steppe, is currently occupied by agricultural land. The transformation of the steppes into fields led to the creation of a system of field-protective afforestation, and intensive agriculture (especially rice growing) led to the regulation of river flow and the creation of reservoirs. With the depletion of natural fish stocks, pond fish farming began to develop.

The North Caucasian economic region is one of the largest and densely populated regions of the Russian Federation. It occupies an area of ​​355.1 thousand km2, where over 18.4 million people live. The average population density is about 64 people/km2. The population of the North Caucasus differs from other regions of the country in its multinationality. More than 30 nationalities live in Dagestan alone. On the plains of Ciscaucasia and the Lower Don, Russians and Ukrainians predominate. The most numerous indigenous nationalities of the North Caucasus form independent republics: Adygea, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkess, North Ossetia, Ingush and Chechnya. The urban population prevails in the North Caucasus (54%). Cities are mostly medium and small. There are 8 thousand rural settlements in the region. The villages are located in the steppe zone of the North Caucasus and are large in territory and population. Mountainous areas are characterized by small and medium-sized settlements.

The North Caucasus region is distinguished by the richness and diversity of raw materials and fuel and energy resources. Significant reserves of natural gas. The total geological reserves of coal are about 44 billion tons. They are concentrated mainly in the Rostov region, in the eastern part of the Donbass. Anthracites predominate, occurring mainly at a depth of about 600 m. The hydropower resources of the North Caucasus exceed 50 billion kWh. The water problem in some regions of the North Caucasus is aggravated due to the pollution of rivers. The area is also rich in various mineral waters - hydrochloric-alkaline, ferruginous, carbonic, nitrogen, methane.

The North Caucasus is poorly provided with forest resources (it accounts for only 0.5% of Russia's forest territories). Their peculiarity is that 65% of the forests are high-mountainous, having no operational value. In this regard, the forests of the North Caucasus should be considered primarily from the point of view of their recreational, health-improving and environmental significance.

The North Caucasus occupies an important place in the Russian economy. Its share in industry is 8%, in agriculture - 16%. The leading branches of market specialization are gas, oil, coal, non-ferrous metallurgy, various mechanical engineering, cement and food industries.

The region occupies a significant share in Russia in the production of grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables, fruits, grapes and livestock products. In the structure of sown areas in the region, the leading place belongs to grain - they occupy 58%; 30% is occupied by forage crops, 9% by industrial crops, and 3% by potatoes and vegetables and gourds. The Caucasus is the main producer of corn in the Russian Federation. Rice sowing is also an industry of specialization. Rice systems have been created in the Krasnodar Territory, the Rostov Region and Dagestan. The largest producer of rice is Kuban. The region is of great importance in the production of important industrial crops: sunflower, sugar beet, tobacco. The North Caucasus is a large region of horticulture and viticulture. About a third of all fruit and berry plantations and almost all vineyards of the Russian Federation are located here. The North Caucasus is the only region in Russia where subtropical crops are grown: tea, citrus fruits, persimmon, figs (Characteristics of the North Caucasian Economic Region, 2006).

Animal husbandry is an important branch of agriculture in the North Caucasus. Dairy and meat animal husbandry is developed in the foothills and in the Kuban. On the Lower Don and in the Kuban, pig breeding is developed, where it is favorably combined with grain farming and beet sowing. Sheep breeding is distributed mainly in the Stavropol Territory, the Rostov Region and in Dagestan. Fine-wool sheep breeding is of great importance here. The North Caucasus occupies a leading place in Russia in terms of wool shearing. Poultry farming is also developed in the North Caucasus. Known in the country are the Adler poultry farm, the Labinsk poultry AO and other enterprises (Characteristics of the North Caucasus Economic Region, 2006). It should be noted that over the past 20 years, the number of livestock, as well as in the whole country, has significantly decreased.

The resort recreational complex is of national importance. The North Caucasus also has all the prerequisites for the development of tourism and mountaineering, the organization of ski resorts of international importance.

The North Caucasus is characterized by a high level of transport development of the territory. Main transport hubs: Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Novorossiysk, Mineralnye Vody, Tuapse, Sochi (Adler), Vladikavkaz and Taganrog. The length of water transport routes is 1.5 thousand km. More than 12 large rivers flow in the region, of which the Don, Northern Donets, Western Manych, Kuban are navigable. The navigation period is from 230 to 245 days a year. The share of paved roads in the total length of public roads is 96%. According to this indicator, the district ranks second in the Russian Federation. The most developed road network is in the Kuban region, on the Black Sea coast and in the foothills of the Caucasus. Railway transport plays the main role in interregional transport links. It accounts for up to 80% of cargo turnover. The length of the railway network is 6.3 thousand km, more than 50% of them are electrified. However, at present, the reserves of throughput and carrying capacity of the Central-Caucasus railway line are completely exhausted, which makes it difficult to develop inter-regional communications (North Caucasian economic region, 2006).

The North Caucasus region belongs to areas with high labor supply. Unlike other regions of the European part of Russia, natural population growth is high in the North Caucasus. At present, due to the difficult financial and economic situation in the country, there is a release of labor force and the transformation of the region into a labor surplus. Under these conditions, the problem of employment is of particular relevance. At the same time, due to national conflicts, there is a migration outflow of refugees, especially the Russian-speaking population, to other regions of Russia (Characteristics of the North Caucasus Economic Region, 2006).

The North Caucasus is currently in a difficult economic situation. According to many experts, the region is a real social disaster zone. In conditions of poverty and poverty, a significant part of the local population is forced to live by subsistence farming. Agricultural production is almost entirely focused on fodder needs. More than half of the public land is leased, the size of private farms sometimes reaches impressive sizes, but the sale of farm products is problematic. Employment in the public sector is sporadic. The economic situation is somewhat better in North Ossetia, where there has been a complete conversion of the military-industrial complex, and in Ingushetia, where registered enterprises are 80% exempt from federal taxes (Characteristics of the North Caucasus Economic Region, 2006).

The difficult economic and social situation creates a number of problems for the region's wetlands. To the previously existing adverse factors (drainage of waterlogged lands, excessive water intake for irrigation, industrial and agricultural pollution of water bodies), new ones have been added: spontaneous capture and development of water protection zones, cutting down tree plantations along the banks, pollution with household waste, mass poaching. Significant areas of irrigation systems, rice fields and fish farms have ceased to be used. This has led to deterioration of nesting and wintering conditions for a number of near-water and waterfowl species. At the same time, due to the economic downturn, pollution of water bodies with fertilizers, pesticides and industrial effluents has decreased.

There are various interpretations of the geographical and administrative boundaries of the North Caucasus (Geographical Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1989; Gvozdetsky, 1954; Isakov, 1982; Wetlands of Russia, 2000). Based on considerations of the integrity and logical sequence of the inventory of wetlands in the Russian Federation, we take as a basis the zoning proposed by N.A. Gvozdetsky and subdivide the North Caucasus into the following subregions: 1) Western and Middle Ciscaucasia; 2) Mountainous Caucasus; 3) Tersko-Kuma lowland.

On the territory of the North Caucasus there are 10 subjects of the Russian Federation, which differ significantly from each other in natural and economic features.

The collection of information about the wetlands of the North Caucasus began in the 1980s. (Skokova, Vinogradov, 1986), due to their key importance in the functioning of the ecosystems of this region. Three lands of the North Caucasus region (“Veselovskoye Reservoir”, “Lake Manych-Gudilo” and “Delta of Kuban”) were declared wetlands of international importance by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1050 dated September 13, 1994, their descriptions were included in the first volume of the series "Wetlands of Russia" (1998). In the process of further inventory in the region, 10 sites were identified and described, which were included in the Perspective (“shadow”) list of the Ramsar Convention. It is clear that 13 sites are completely insufficient for a region with such a diverse range of aquatic ecosystems, the spectrum of which extends from sea bays to high mountain lakes and glaciers.

In the course of the work done as part of the preparation of this (sixth) volume of the “Wetlands of Russia” series, a team of authors identified and included in the inventory list 53 wetlands that meet the criteria of the Ramsar Convention. The list is quite representative, as it reflects the entire range of wetland ecosystems that are most important for maintaining the biodiversity of the region, and includes sea bays, lagoons, estuaries and river deltas, flooded complexes and swamps, various flat and mountain lakes (fresh and salt) and reservoirs, as well as unique alpine swamps. The total area of ​​allocated land is about 11,245 km2.

In the current situation, according to the current legislation, most decisions in the field of nature management and nature protection are made at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It is the administrations (governments) of the territories, regions and republics that establish the conservation status of a natural territory and water area. We hope that the descriptions given below, in some cases, can serve as a justification for giving wetlands one or another status that contributes to their real protection. Therefore, we considered it appropriate to give economic and geographical descriptions of the eight regions of the North Caucasus that are most important in terms of the conservation of valuable wetlands that meet the criteria of the Ramsar Convention.

The Caucasus is the name with which, first of all, mountains are associated. The Caucasus is a large area located in the south of Russia, bordering on Abkhazia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and South Ossetia. Russian poets and prose writers wrote about this beautiful land, for them it is something sublime, floating in the clouds, bringing joy or deep sadness. In reality, the Caucasus is a geographical area that includes various republics with different nations with their own cultures and religious characteristics. The capital of the Caucasus is different for each republic. But they do not have a single city. In the article we will consider the republics of the North Caucasus and their capitals. And also their features are indicated.

Republics of the Caucasus and their capitals

The North Caucasus consists of 2 territories and 7 republics. In one of them is the so-called "capital of the Caucasus":

• is Krasnodar. This region of Russia is a popular holiday destination. In the Krasnodar Territory, 3 well-known Russian resorts are concentrated at once - and Anapa, as well as many others.
• Stavropol region. with its capital in Stavropol, is located on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus and is especially famous for its resort where thousands of tourists go every year to improve their health and just relax.
• Maykop city. This forested area is not particularly popular with tourists, but hunters and people who prefer outdoor activities, rock paths and campgrounds love to come here.
• The capital of Chechnya is the city of Grozny. Most Russians associate the republic with wars and violent Caucasians. The tourist flow to Chechnya is very small, if they go, then most of them are with excursion groups and guides. Tour operators offer tours to mountainous areas, historical sites and Grozny itself, as it has architectural monuments.

• Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. The capital is Nalchik. The main part of the territory of the republic is occupied by mountains. On the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria there is the highest mountain in Russia - Elbrus (5642 m). It is here that people annually come to test themselves for endurance, conquering the peak.
• Republic of Ingushetia. The city of Magas has the status of the capital in this republic. Half flat, half mountainous territory with a huge number of cultural features and architectural monuments. The republic has its own nature reserves and a sanctuary where bison, roe deer, chamois and other animals that are under the protection of the Red Book are bred.
• - a city with the historical name Cherkessk. The main part of the territory occupied by Karachay-Cherkessia is a mountainous area. Inexperienced tourists also come here to crawl through the mountains, get some fresh air and go skiing in the winter. Nature, untouched by man, will always attract ecotourists.
• The Republic of Dagestan. The capital is in Makhachkala. A very small number of Russians live here, mainly southern nationalities can be found. There are a large number of reserves and reserves on the territory, since the fauna of these places is inhabited by a large number of rare animals.

• Republic of North Ossetia (Alania). The capital is Vladikavkaz. Perhaps the most famous city, which is directly associated with the Caucasus. The main territory is plains, less than half is occupied by mountains and hills. The tourist flow here is slightly larger than in some other republics, but it is also visited by people who like nature, mountains and immersion in the national culture. Vladikavkaz is often given the name "capital of the Caucasus".

Nationalities and religion

The main population of the North Caucasus is local nationalities (Ossetians, Kumyks, Armenians, etc.). They are often feared, but if you respect their culture, then they are quite hospitable and sympathetic people. The "capital of the Caucasus" and the krais (Krasnodar and Stavropol) have a mostly Christian population, in the republics Islam is more often preached as the main religion.

Culture of the Caucasus

Each nationality has its own cultural characteristics, expressed in dances, architecture, communication with people, nature, etc. The names of the republics of the North Caucasus and their capitals reflect the national culture.

Transcaucasia

Transcaucasia or the South Caucasus, which includes Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, is often attached to the North Caucasus. For Russian citizens, entry into these countries is carried out in a visa-free regime if the trip does not exceed 90 days (except for Georgia, where the visa-free regime is valid only for citizens living in the North Caucasus).