North Caucasus composition. North Caucasian Federal District: composition, features and interesting facts

• Burial mounds - grave mounds made of earth or stone; in Maikop they belong to the III millennium BC. e.
• Dolmen (from Breton tol - "table" and men - "stone") is a burial structure of the III-II millennia BC. e. (stone box with a flat plate-lid).
• Balneology (from Lat. Balneum - "bath", "bathing *" and Greek "logos" - "word, doctrine") is a section of balneology that studies mineral waters and their medicinal use.
• A sanctuary is a place where religious rituals are performed and where, according to the beliefs of believers, the deity dwells.
• The modern Ingush profess Islam, but even in the 1920s. XX century in Ingushetia, mass sacrifices were made.
• Tsekaloi. Chechnya. Ш The name Ichkeria comes from the Kumyk words "ichk" - "internal" and "ep" - "place". Previously, this was the name of the mountainous regions of Chechnya.
• Chechens and Ingush make up a group of Vainakh peoples.
• Shamil (1799-1871) - the leader of the liberation struggle of the Caucasian highlanders against the Russian colonialists and local feudal lords. Under Shamil, part of the Tats (the indigenous people of southern Dagestan) were converted to Islam, but most of them retained their adherence to Judaism.
• The Basilica (literally translated from the Greek. "Royal house") is a rectangular building, divided inside by rows of columns; one of the types of a Christian temple.

The ancient Greek geographer Strabo told in his writings about the Scythians - tribes that lived in the Northern Black Sea region. This is one of the many peoples associated with the North Caucasus. Stormy historical events forced people to move from the plains to the interior 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 manners incomprehensible to a European, and adherence to traditions - with the desire to keep pace with the times.

Agriculture, industrial production, mining and tourist services 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 manufacture of many objects around us - this is a tungsten filament in an electric light bulb, and stainless steel dishes, and galvanized iron roofs, and much more. Jewelry and hard alloys, wool clothing and carpets made by the inhabitants of the North Caucasus can be found in all corners of Russia and abroad.

The population of the North Caucasus is more than 16 million people, or 11.3% of the population of all of Russia, while the region's area 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! Inhabitants 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. Today, there are seven national republics on this territory: Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia - Alania, Ingushetia, the Chechen Republic, Dagestan.

ADYGEYA

The Adyghe 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. About 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, allows for rich harvests of many agricultural crops - from wheat and rice to sugar beets and grapes. The mountains, reaching 2 thousand m, are covered with forests. At an altitude of up to 1.2 thousand m, broad-leaved trees predominate - beech, oak, hornbeam; above - Nordman's fir; then there is a small forest of birch, mountain ash and maple. Closer to the summit, there are subalpine and alpine meadows. The fauna of mountain forests is very rich: bison, roe deer, chamois, mountain goats, wild boars, wolves, lynxes, bears, and many birds live in them.

The Caucasian State Reserve is located in the high-mountainous regions of the republic. Once upon a time it was a place for royal hunting, as many names remind of: the Panther and Solontsovy ridges, the Knyazhesky Most tract, Zubrovaya Polyana, the Kholodnaya, Sadnaya, and Turovaya rivers. Fir trees can be found in the reserve, which are more than 500 years old. They reach a height of 60 m with a trunk thickness of two or three girths. The combination of snow-white peaks, blue skies and huge green trees creates that unique landscape that attracts tourists here.

In the early 60s. XX century an attempt was made to build the Stavropol-Sochi highway through the central city of Adygea - Maikop. On this wide asphalt road, signs with the inscriptions: "To Sochi ... km" are still adorned. But in Sochi it is impossible to drive along the highway: it reaches almost to the border of the reserve and suddenly breaks off. Common sense triumphed in time: a unique section of the territory was protected from a powerful stream of cars.

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

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

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

Karachay-Cherkessia

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). Mainly Russians (42.4%), Karachais (31.2%) and Circassians (9.7%) live here. The Karachais settled in the highlands, where they have been engaged in cattle breeding for a long time. This people speaks the Karachai language, akin to the languages ​​of the Turkic group. Some researchers consider the Karachais to be the descendants of the Polovtsians who once roamed the southern steppes and mixed with the indigenous Caucasian population. Modern Karachais prefer to live in the mountains, and high-mountain meadows serve them as pastures. The Circassians are mainly engaged in agriculture and settle in the valleys.

The bowels of the republic are rich in minerals. The Urupskoe 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 versatile development of the republic's economy. If the Circassians are skilled gardeners and farmers, the Karachais are famous as excellent livestock breeders. The Karachai breed of sheep with a wonderful black fleece is well known. The Karachaev horse breed is valued far beyond the Caucasus. Kefir, ayran - a drink made from sour milk, cheese and other dairy products are of high quality. Everywhere tourists go, there is a trade in handmade woolen products.

Although the area of ​​arable land in the republic is small, a lot of potatoes, sugar beets and corn are grown here. In the north of Karacha-evo-Cherkessia, in Erken-Shahar, in the 60s. XX century the largest sugar factory in Russia was built. The economy of the republic is focused on agriculture: its main industries include animal husbandry and farming, production and repair of agricultural machinery, equipment for storing food. This orientation of the economy is very favorable for the development of tourism and resort services.

Mountain lakes and waterfalls of Karachay-Cherkessia are accessible to ordinary pedestrians, glaciers and the most difficult routes are intended for climbers. There are many sources of mineral water on the territory of the republic. The mild, salubrious climate of mountain resorts also attracts. Teberda, located at an altitude of 1.3 thousand meters, is little inferior to Kislovodsk, famous for its springs and air. In the upper reaches of the Teberda River, in a mountain hollow, lies the world famous Dombai glade - a favorite place for climbers, tourists and skiers. From here, even not very experienced tourists easily climb to the Alibek glacier, pass along the route to the Klukhorsky pass (2782 m) and to the blue Klukhorsky lake - a small, but deep, with floating ice floes in the hottest season of summer. Stubborn battles with German troops took place on the pass during the Great Patriotic War.

KABARDINO-BALKARIA

The northern slope of the Greater Caucasus and part of the foothill plain is 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). About half of the inhabitants are Kabardians, about a third are Russians, and one tenth are Balkars. Kabardians belong to the Adygs group. In some periods of history, they were very numerous and influential and even subjugated other peoples of the Caucasus. Balkars are a kindred Turkic-speaking people of the Karachais; earlier they were called mountain Tatars. The relations of the Kabardians and Balkars with Russia have deep historical roots. In 1561, Ivan the Terrible married the daughter of the Kabardian prince Temryuk Aidarovich, who was counting on Moscow's support in the defense against the Crimea and Turkey. Then, during the weakening of Russia, Kabarda fell under the rule of Turkey. In the XIX century. Kabardians and Balkars resisted the Russian Empire, but the bloodshed soon ended, replaced by an alliance. The religious beliefs of the Kabardians also changed several 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. here Islam spread. Some 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 Central here. In the Main and Side ridges, the peaks rise by more than 5 thousand meters; many glaciers, including more than 12 km long. All large valleys are paved with roads, which sometimes go directly to the glaciers. However, none of them climbs the Main ridge, all the passes through which are very difficult to access. To the north of the Main are the Rocky Range (3646 m - Mount Karakaya), the Pasture Range and the Black Mountains, behind 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, you can climb (up to an altitude of 3.5 thousand m) on a cable car (funicular) to the slopes of the Elbrus volcanic cone, from where a magnificent panorama opens - peaks covered with snow and glaciers, green valleys. From here, the ascent 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 them to make household products, jewelry and weapons. Modern industry is also based on underground wealth. The most famous is the Tyrnyauz deposit of tungsten-ram-molybdenum ores; significant reserves of lead-zinc, lead-antimony ores, iron. Coal mining is in progress. Mineral springs, of which there are many in the republic, also serve various economic purposes, and hot mineral waters are used to heat greenhouses.

Forests cover more than 15% of the republic's area, mainly in mountainous regions. 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. The ruins of ancient villages have been preserved in the mountains, cascading up the steep slopes. Defensive towers rise above them. In Kabardino-Balkaria, there is one of the deepest lakes in Russia - Blue Lake (Tserikel). Its depth is 268 m, and this is at a small size (width is about 200 m).

The Narzan 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 Maly Larkhan River, you can admire a 20-meter waterfall. The resort conditions of the Narzan 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 km 2. 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 the Iranian-speaking tribes - the Scythians and Sarmatians (Alans). Once the Ossetians occupied vast territories in the region. Tatar invasion XIII 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 by the 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; from 1936 it became an autonomous republic.

North Ossetia is located on the Ossetian plain and occupies part of the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus. In the mountainous territory of the republic there are the Side and Main ridges, and in the north there is a low (926 m) Sun-female 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 the cultivation of corn, wheat, sunflower; sugar beets also grow here, but they need additional watering. The average monthly temperature in January is -4 ° С, and in July + 20-22 ° С; annual precipitation is 500-800 mm. As you climb the mountains, it becomes cooler, and the humidity increases. The slopes of the mountains up to a height of 2 thousand m 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 the highways in the Transcaucasus pass. One of them - Voenno-Ossetian - along the valley of the Ardon River rises to the Mamison Pass (2819 m), the other - Voenno-Georgian - passes through the Cross Pass (2379 m).

North Ossetia is famous for its fertile arable land, lush gardens, alpine pastures, virgin forests, mineral waters, 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, pyrite, jet (a valuable black ornamental stone used for jewelry). In the vicinity of Vladikavkaz, sands soaked in oil were found.

In the largest Sadonskoye silver-lead-zinc deposit, located 60 km west of Vladikavkaz, ore has been mined since ancient times. In the XIX 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 joint-stock company "Alagir", which equipped the mines, built an enrichment plant 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.

Non-ferrous metallurgy is the leading industry in the modern economy of North Ossetia. The richest deposits (Sadonskoye, Fiag-donskoye, Zgidskoye, etc.) supply ore to the concentration 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 allocated for sowing corn, a traditional culture 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 of less importance here than in other republics of the North Caucasus. Tourists visit the Tsei glacier, not far from which is the ancient Ossetian sanctuary Rekom.

Several dozen burial grounds (family crypts) with burials of the XIV-XIX centuries, known under the general name "City of the Dead", have survived near the village of Darvas. In the mountainous regions of Ossetia, there are old houses and fortress towers - 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 within the Russian Federation. It 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. East of Vladikavkaz, the dry heat of the deserts is already slightly felt. The forests here slightly change their shade (hornbeam and oak prevail in the foothills and hollows) and retreat slightly 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 line of the Rostov-on-Don - Baku railway. There are not many industrial enterprises in Nazran: a power tool factory, a knitting factory, a flour mill.

The attraction of Ingushetia is its old architectural ensembles. First of all, these are the ruins of villages with battle towers of the XIV-XVIII centuries. from gray rough stone. Some of them can be approached from the side of the Georgian Military Highway. On the southern slope of the Rocky Range, slender silhouettes of surviving towers of five to six floors, with narrow loopholes, rise above buildings destroyed from time to time. Each tower tapers gradually and ends with a pyramid-shaped stone roof. At the level of the second floor there is a door from which a staircase was once lowered. Near the village of Khairakh, in the valley of the Assa river, the Thiba Yerdy temple of the XI-XIII centuries has been preserved. - evidence of the spread of Christian teachings among the Ingush.

CHECHEN REPUBLIC

In recent years, the Chechen Republic has become known all over the world. The hostilities 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 wild phenomena, even for the Middle Ages, attracted everyone's attention (see (See the article "The War in Chechnya" in the "History of Russia" volume, part three, "Encyclopedias for Children").

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

In terms of population and area, the Chechen Republic is about 2.5-3 times smaller than the one located to the east of Dagestan and much larger than Ingushetia. The total number of Chechens within Russia is almost 900 thousand people (according to 1989 data); of these, about 400 thousand 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 depths of Chechnya there are oil reserves, which largely determined its development in the XX century.

The Chechen Republic is located on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus and on the adjoining Tersko-Sunzhenskaya plain. The highest point in Chechnya is Mount Tebulosmta (4493 m). The plain is covered with fertile black soils; the mountains are covered with forests, 80% of which are tall beech trees. In the southern part of Chechnya, minerals have been discovered: near the village of Evdokimov - copper, near the village of Kei - silver-lead ores, near the village of Shatoi - 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, millet were sown on the plain, sheep and race horses were raised 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 business was well developed.

The modern economy includes traditional occupations, to which have been added irrigated agriculture in the plains and a powerful industry associated with the exploration, production and processing of oil. In the landscape of Chechnya, the interweaving of pipes, oil rigs and tanks occupy a prominent place. The republic's oil fields are not gigantic, like the Siberian or the Middle East, but they are convenient for development.

On the southern slope of the Sunzhensky ridge, 40 kilometers west of Grozny, there is a large resort of Sernovodsk with healing mineral springs. On the whole, in terms of the richness and diversity of natural resources, Chechnya is little behind other North Caucasian republics, and in terms of oil reserves it surpasses them all.

DAGESTAN

The largest of the North Caucasian republics both in area (50.3 thousand km 2) and in population (almost 2 million people) is Dagestan. In addition, it is the most energy-rich, driest, warmest and most treeless republic of the region. Dagestan has set several all-Russian records. Here the population continues to grow the fastest (against the background of its decrease in the country as a whole). 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 into Dagestan earlier than into other North Caucasian republics; Perhaps for this reason, the inhabitants of the republic are most committed to Islam. The villages are home to 57% of the population of Dagestan; At the same time, nowhere in the North Caucasus are there such ancient cities as in Dagestan: Derbent, for example, is more than 5 thousand years old - this is the most Old city in Russia. Even the nature of the republic is unique: the lowest mark in Russia and Europe is located here - 26 m below sea level.

Dagestan is located at the Caspian Gate - where the path from the Transcaucasus 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 Kaganate, 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 Tabasaran, Nogais, Tats, Aguls, Rutuls, Tsakhurs. There are very small ethnic groups. So, the aul Ginukh in several dozen houses has its own language, its own customs.

Diversity natural conditions and the wealth of national traditions determined the characteristics of numerous folk crafts. Almost everywhere there are masters. Goldsmiths and jewelers work in the famous village of Kubachi, ceramics are produced in Gotsatla, carpets in Untsukul, etc.

Despite the mixing of peoples and languages, Dagestan has been perceived as an integral country for hundreds of years. In 1921 the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created, and in 1991 the Republic of Dagestan was proclaimed within Russia.

Translated from the Turkic Dagestan - "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 region. To the north of the ridges, steppe and semi-desert lowlands stretch almost 200 km, and to the south, also for almost 200 km, the mountains continue. 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, therefore, there are severe frosts in winter - in the north of the republic up to -40 ° С.

The mountains of Dagestan are high, with steep slopes. The height of the Bazar-Duzu peak on the border with Azerbaijan is 4466 m. The climate in the mountains is rather 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 Khunzakhskoe and Gunibskoe.

The mountains of Dagestan are cut by the deepest canyons of rivers (Sulak, Samur) and their tributaries. The Sulak gorge between the Gimrinsky ridge 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 lands in the mountains and on the plains. Valuable fish are found in river mouths, including sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon, Caspian salmon, and white fish. Red deer, wild boar, and many birds live in the reed thickets that cover the coastal marshes (the banks flooded in spring).

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

The mountains of Dagestan are a kind of fortress that protects the population of the interior regions. From the side of the plains, you can get here, as a rule, passing through narrow, insurmountable gorges. At the same time, in the mountains themselves, there are many wide, comfortable valleys where one can engage in agriculture and build housing. The mountain slopes scorched by the sun are densely populated: tens of thousands of people live in some auls.

Mountain villages are connected by serpentine highways. Gray cubes of houses are molded one to one and above each other, hanging along the slopes of the mountains, like swallow's nest... There is no green lawn or trees here. In the mountains, they do not build houses on land 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 are strikingly well-groomed. However, with the advent of cheaper grain produced in the plains, the terraces were mainly used as meadows. Sheep and horse breeding 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 long-haul losses. 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 (north of the Terek) and Tersko-Sulak or Kumykskaya (to the south). Flat off the coast, the Tersko-Kumskaya lowland gradually rises with distance 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 mainly steppe and semi-desert, there are salt marshes. Sparse bushes grow wormwood, saltwort, cereals and herbs. The main wealth of the Nogai steppe is pastures where fine-wooled and coarse-wooled sheep are raised. Farming is subsidiary in nature. Most of the indigenous population is the Nogais, the descendants of the once large 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 Nogai is cattle breeding, but among them, like hundreds of years ago, today there are representatives of a wide variety of professions. Modern Nogais are mostly sedentary. Their settlements are located near irrigation canals and with many wind turbines (wind turbines) resemble Dutch villages. However, if in Holland windmills are used to drain land, in Dagestan they are used for watering gardens and vegetable gardens.

The Kumyk plain, like the Nogai steppe, was named after the Kumyk people inhabiting it. The lands located between the foot of the mountains and the Terek are convenient for cultivation: there are many vineyards and orchards, especially near Makhachkala. The settlements of the Kumyks are usually big garden, in which they whiten at home.

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

The Caspian Sea is rich in a variety of fish. The most valuable are sturgeon, whose caviar is valued almost worth its weight in gold. Dagestan's beaches are remarkable, vast and sandy, with sloping shores. This is the perfect place for a kid's holiday. However, there are still no traditions of tourist service and resort resources are very poorly developed.

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 were affected. Large avalanches and landslides came down in the mountains at this time. The storms of the Caspian Sea are also very cruel. Earlier fishermen said: "He who has not been to the sea has not seen grief." Since 1978, the level of the Caspian Sea began to rise rapidly. Farmland is flooded, dwellings 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 located in 1722. The mountaineers called the Anji-Kala fortification - Flour Fortress. In 1857 the fortress received the status of a city and the name Petrovsk-Port. Soon the port itself was built, and in 1896 a railway was brought to it. The city was renamed into Makhachkala - in honor of an active participant in the civil war Makhach Dakhadayev. The population of the city is 395 thousand people. A beautiful center of the late 19th - early 20th century construction. surrounded by modern neighborhoods and factories. The city is home to the Dagestan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, theaters and museums.

Machines, devices, building materials are produced in Makhachkala, the food industry is developed. The city itself is a balneological and seaside climatic resort: its mineral waters, curative mud, vast 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 18th century. Kizlyar was the administrative and commercial center of the North Caucasus; not only Persian, but also Indian merchants traded at 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 18th 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.

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FEDERAL RAILWAY AGENCY

MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY OF WAYS OF COMMUNICATION

POVOLGA BRANCH MIIT

FACULTY OF ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC THEORY AND MANAGEMENT

COURSE WORK

BY ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY OF TRANSPORT

Completed:

3rd year student 1130-c / EKb-3639

E.V. Kislova

Checked:

Art. Dagaeva I.A.

SARATOV 2014

3.1 Industry

3.2 Agriculture

3.3 Recreational complex

3.4 Transport characteristics of the region

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

The composition of the North Caucasus Economic Region: Rostov Region, Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory; Republics: Adygea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkarian, Karachay-Cherkess, North Ossetia (Alania) and Chechen (Ichkeria). Occupying only 2% of the country's area, where 12% of the population lives, the North Caucasian Economic Region (SKER) produces 4.6% of the industrial output of the Russian Federation. In the all-Russian territorial division of labor, he specializes in large-scale production of products in various sectors of the agro-industrial complex, as well as in the extraction of coal, oil, natural gas, smelting of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, and in the development of energy, transport and agricultural engineering. The North Caucasus is a region of a highly developed Agriculture... Its share in the production of gross agricultural products in Russia is 11.6%. It is the main granary of the country, a major producer of grain, industrial and fodder crops, southern fruits and vegetables, tobacco, tea, and various livestock products. The district accounts for more than 1/3 of the all-Russian production of granulated sugar, 1/7 of meat, more than 1/10 of animal and 1/2 of vegetable oil, 1/3 of canned fruits and vegetables. At the same time, the North Caucasus plays the role of the main recreational economy in Russia, where several million people annually rest in the resort area. The regional economic complex of the North Caucasus develops under the influence of natural, economic, national, social and political factors that determine the local features of the territorial structure and the location of its productive forces.

The relevance of the chosen topic is explained by the fact that the North Caucasian economic region is a very important region for the Russian Federation both in production and even strategically, because this region has access to three seas and is the most southern. It allows for trade exchange and is a kind of "breadbasket" of Russia. However, the region is not in the best condition: the crises of the 90s and the recent crisis of 2008-2009 made themselves felt.

The purpose of this work is to study the characteristics of the region, its state, problems and prospects for its development.

To solve the set goal, it is necessary to solve a number of tasks:

Give a general description of the economic and geographical position of the region;

Explore natural and climatic conditions;

Track the development trend of the population and labor resources;

Identify the main problems and prospects of the region;

The object of research is the North Caucasian region.

In this work, various theoretical material is presented and various statistical data are processed, as a result of which it is possible to give a modern economic and geographical description.

The work consists of an introduction, four chapters indicating the most important points in the description of the North Caucasian economic region, a conclusion and a list of references.

CHAPTER 1. FEATURES OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS REGION

1.1 Area, composition, features of the economic and geographical position of the economic region

The area of ​​the North Caucasian economic region is 355 thousand km² (about 2% of the country's area). This figure is much less than the area of ​​such large regions as the Far Eastern or East Siberian, but comparable with the areas of most economic regions of the European part of Russia.

The population of this economic region as of 01.01.2011 is 19,014 thousand people, i.e. exceeds the population of the same East Siberian ER by more than 2 times. Thus, we can talk about a fairly high indicator of population density (about 53.6 people per 1 km), which is closest to all economic regions in terms of its value to the most densely populated Central Economic Region and ranks third among all regions.

The North Caucasian economic region includes 10 constituent entities of the Federation. Among them

7 republics:

Adygea (443 thousand people)

Dagestan (2712 thousand people)

Ingushetia (508 thousand people)

Kabardino-Balkaria (892 thousand people)

Karachay-Cherkessia (427 thousand people)

North Ossetia - Alania (702 thousand people)

Chechnya (1239 thousand people)

Krasnodar (5142 thousand people)

Stavropol (2707 thousand people)

and Rostov region (4242 thousand people)

The number of cities in the economic region: 107, the number of urban-type settlements: 63, the number of rural areas: 201, the number of rural administrations: 2354, the number of rural settlements: 7385.

The region is located at the intersection of routes from the northern, central and eastern regions of Russia to the republics of the Transcaucasus, borders on the diversified Donetsk-Dnieper (Ukraine), Volga and Central Black Earth regions, has access to the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas. The seas are highly accessible for maritime navigation, which allows the region to carry out an active foreign economic activity with other regions and states.

Based on this, we can draw a conclusion about the favorable economic and geographical position of the North Caucasian economic region.

1.2 Natural and climatic conditions and natural resources

The climate of the North Caucasian economic region is quite diverse. The variety of natural conditions is explained by the geographical location and features of the relief, which, in turn, affects the settlement of people and their economic activities. The highest point in Russia, the city of Elbrus, is located in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. According to natural conditions, the region is divided into three zones: plain, foothill and mountain. Plain (steppe) occupies most of the territory and stretches from the Don River to the valleys of the Kuban and Terek rivers. The foothill zone is located to the south and stretches in a small strip from northwest to southeast. The foothills are gradually turning into the system of mountain spurs of the Caucasus (mountainous part).

The region is washed by the waters of three seas: Caspian, Azov and Black. Mountain rivers have great hydropower potential, and the waters of lowland rivers are used for irrigation. However, the main disadvantage of natural conditions is the uneven provision of water resources. The western part is better provided with moisture, especially the Black Sea coast (for example, the average annual rainfall in Sochi is 1410mm) and the mountain slopes. The northeast and east of the region are waterless and dry.

The flat and foothill parts, occupying 4–5 territories, are characterized by a temperate continental climate with hot summers and unstable mild winters. Average July temperatures range from + 20 ° С to + 24 ° С. The growing season with temperatures above 10 ° C lasts here for 170-190 days, and the annual amount of solar radiation in the steppe and foothill zones is 1.5 times more than in the Moscow region. Average January temperatures range from + 2 ° С in Sochi and Novorossiysk, to -9 ° С, -12 ° С in the steppes of the Rostov region.

Vegetation in most of the North Caucasus is characteristic of the steppe zone, and the Caspian region is occupied by semi-deserts. In the foothills of the Caucasus, the steppes with their grassy cover and low-growing shrubs are gradually replaced by a strip of broad-leaved forests, then by conifers, and even higher - by alpine meadows adjoining the zone of snow and glaciers covering the high mountain ranges.

In terms of the size of arable land, the district accounts for 15% of the total arable land of the Russian Federation (the district is inferior in the European part only to the Volga and Ural economic regions).

In general, the natural conditions are very favorable for the population and agriculture.

The North Caucasian economic region has significant soil resources. The region's soils are highly fertile: chernozems (47%) and alluvial soils (6%) occupy almost half of the region's territory. The east of the region is characterized by brown soils with the inclusion of large tracts of solonetzes and salt marshes, on the mountain slopes - mountain-forest and mountain-meadow soils. Carbonate chernozems occupy a significant part of the Rostov Region, Krasnodar Territory, the western part of the Stavropol Plateau and the foothills of the Central Caucasus. Dark chestnut soils - in the east of the Rostov region, in the far north Stavropol Territory, on the Terek-Kumskaya plain and on the right bank of the Terek. However, many steppe regions in the 80s and 90s underwent significant erosion processes: soil compaction, desertification, erosion.

Forests occupy about 2.5 million hectares in the region. Mostly deciduous species predominate: beech, hornbeam, birch, maple, aspen. The main forests are located in the upper reaches of the rivers of the Kuban and Terek basins, on the slopes of the mountains facing the Black Sea. Only about 30% of forests are located in relatively favorable conditions for their economic use. The highest forest cover (over 20%) is typical for the republics of Adygea, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia and Krasnodar Territory. But in general, in comparison with other regions of Russia, the North Caucasian economic region is poorly provided with forest resources.

Water resources occupy a special place in the economic life of the region. The territory is washed by three seas. The river network of the region also belongs to the basins of these seas. The most significant are the basins of the Azov (rivers Don, Kuban, Mius, Kagalnik, Eya, Chelbas, Belsug, etc.) and the Caspian (Terek, Kuma, Sulak, Samur, Kalaus, etc.) seas. There are especially many small rivers in the republics. Most of the rivers originate in the glaciers of the alpine zone. Stocks are great groundwater(total operational reserves of 906.5 thousand m3 per day), mineral and geothermal waters (Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Makhachkala, etc.), therapeutic mud (the coast of the Azov and Caspian seas). Significant reserves of fresh water are concentrated in glacial systems. In the economic region, water resources are very actively used, they are also unevenly located, there are large losses in irrigation systems, therefore, there is a shortage of water in some territories.

1.3 Main types of minerals

Due to the diverse and rather complex geological structure, the territory of the economic region is extremely rich in minerals. Here are located, first of all, significant reserves of oil and natural gas. Especially rich in oil are the deposits of Chechnya and Dagestan, Maikop, etc., natural gas- Severo-Stavropol, Anasta-sievsko-Troitskoe, Kanevskoe, Yeisk, Sengileevskoe and other fields. The Chechen Republic is one of the oldest regions of oil production (it has been under way since the end of the 18th century). Grozny oil is characterized by high quality (18.5% gasoline, 19.2% kerosene, 9% legroin, 53% fuel oil). The Dagestan fields are a continuation of the Baku oil-bearing region, and the oil in them is also of high quality. A strip of oil fields stretches along the northern slope of the Caucasus from Taman to the borders with the Stavropol Territory.

Coal reserves are estimated at 44 billion tons, concentrated mainly in the Rostov region, in the eastern part of Donbass. There are also coal in Karachay-Cherkessia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, in the Krasnodar Territory, but these reserves are not large and are of local importance. Coals belong to energy and coking brands. But the most valuable are anthracites, which lie at a depth of about 600 m in the area of ​​Shakhty.

The North Caucasian economic region has significant reserves of non-ferrous and rare metal ores. There are valuable deposits of tungsten-molybdenum ores - Tyrnyauzskoe (Kabardino-Balkaria) and Kiteberdinskoe (Karachay-Cherkessia). The Sadonskoye (North Ossetia-Alania) deposit of lead-zinc ores is of national importance. The Sadonsky ore-bearing region includes over 10 explored deposits with industrial grade reserves. Copper ore reserves are available in Karachay-Cherkessia (Urupskoye deposit) and in Dagestan (Khudesskoye and Kizil-Dere). The Krasnodar Territory and North Ossetia-Alania have large reserves of mercury. The mineral resources of Dagestan are promising for mercury. It is planned to develop gold and bismuth in Kabardino-Balkaria.

Of non-metallic minerals, one can note rock salts (Krasnodar Territory), barite, magnesia-phosphate ores (Adygea), phosphorites (Rostov Region), gypsum (Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Rostov Region, Chechnya, Dagestan). North Ossetia has the largest dolomite deposits in Russia (about 10% of Russian reserves), which are used in the metallurgical and chemical industries, in glass production as a refractory material.

The North Caucasian economic region is one of the richest in terms of building materials resources. Cement raw materials - in the Novorossiysk region, marble - in the Teberda region. Margels stretch in an almost continuous strip from Verkhne-Bakanskaya through Gaiduk, Novorossiysk and further almost to Sochi.

CHAPTER 2. POPULATION OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS REGION

2.1 Population dynamics and labor force

Caucasian region population economic

As already noted, in terms of population, the North Caucasian economic region ranks third in the Russian Federation. Within the region, the leader in terms of population is the Krasnodar Territory. Among the regions of Russia, the North Caucasian one is distinguished by the fact that its population is not just growing, but is growing due to natural growth. Positive natural population growth here is more characteristic of the republics - Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan (leaders in Russia).

In the Chechen Republic, there is a natural increase per 1000 people. amounted to 24.8 people, in Ingushetia - 15.2, in Dagestan - 12.4.

The lowest mortality rate is in Ingushetia (3.1 per thousand population),

The highest mortality rate is in the Rostov region (15 per thousand people, population decline has been observed here since 1990).

Also, the territory of the region has become one of the main centers of forced migrants, a significant part of which are fleeing from interethnic conflicts. There are also Meskhetian Turks, Armenians and Azerbaijanis - victims of the Karabakh conflict, refugees from South Ossetia after the Ossetian-Georgian conflict and others. Almost a quarter of the refugees came from the Transcaucasian republics - Georgia and Azerbaijan, neighbors of the Russian Federation. But as for the Russian population, there has been an irrevocable departure from the Caucasian republics since about 1989. For example, an active departure was observed after the armed resolution of the crisis in Chechnya.

As for the sex structure of the population, the number of women here exceeds the number of men, as in Russia as a whole.

Labor resources - part of the population of the country with physical development, mental abilities and the knowledge required for the job. The size of the labor force depends on the size of the population, the mode of its reproduction, composition by sex and age. The main part of the region's labor resources is its working-age population, as well as adolescents and persons of retirement age who are able to work.

The number of labor resources is directly related to the age structure of the population: pre-working age, working age and retirement age. The share of people of pre-working age in the district varies from 14% in the Rostov region to 33% in the Chechen Republic. The share of people of working age does not have such a big jump, it ranges from 60.7 to 64.4%. In general, the population of the North Caucasus region can be assessed as young. The highest population of retirement age is in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania - 289.3 per thousand of the population, in the Rostov region is about the same - 287.6. The lowest share of pensioners is in Ingushetia - 129.9.

Thus, the share of the economically active population of the region was formed (9341 thousand people at the end of 2011). In general, the region is growing. However, the unemployment rate in the regions fluctuates, which is caused by a number of factors (mostly economic and political instability), and it exceeds the national average. Also, the seasonality of agriculture leads to uneven use of labor resources throughout the year.

At the end of 2011, the official unemployment rate in the country was 6.3%. And in the regions of the North Caucasian region, it took the values ​​of 7.7% (Adygea - a decrease in the level compared to previous years), 6.6% (Rostov region, also a decrease), 7.8% (Stavropol Territory), 4.8 % (Krasnodar Territory - the lowest indicator for the district), 10.1% (North Ossetia-Alania), 16% (Karachay-Cherkessia), 13.4% (Dagestan, a rather large decrease even compared to 2009), 18 , 3% (Kabardino-Balkaria). But in the Chechen and Ingush republics there is a very high level of unemployment - 35.5 and 55%, respectively. During the crisis, these data have changed greatly in a negative direction, which probably further aggravated the already difficult situation in some constituent entities of the North Caucasian region.

2.2 Ethnic composition of the population

The ethnic composition of the population is extremely variegated. There are several dozen nationalities and ethnic groups of the indigenous population, belonging not only to different linguistic groups, but also to different linguistic families. The North Caucasian economic region is the most multinational region of Russia. In total, more than 40 nationalities live here: Russians, Ukrainians, Chechens, Ingush, Ossetians, Avars, Lezgins, Balkars, Adyghes, Karachais and others.

Firstly, the peoples of the Indo-European family live here, in which the most significant is the Slavic group, represented mainly by Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians. Since ancient times, the Slavs have participated in the settlement of the North Caucasian and Caspian plains. The bulk of Russians live in the Rostov region and the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, the same regions account for the bulk of the Ukrainians and Belarusians. Of the national republics, most of the Russian population is in Adygea (about 60%). The smallest weight is in Dagestan, Ingushetia and Chechnya. Of the others Slavic peoples Bulgarians and Poles live in small numbers and mainly in cities. The Indo-European family includes both the Armenians who appeared as emigrants from Turkey, and the Crimean Armenians who moved to the Don back in the era of Catherine II. The largest number of them is observed in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, the Rostov Region, Adygea and North Ossetia-Alania.

From other peoples of the Indo-European family, but already from the German group, Germans, Greeks, Jews, Gypsies can be noted, but there are relatively few of them. In the 90s, a significant part of the German population emigrated to Germany.

The second largest is the Caucasian language family, which is divided into three groups: Nakh-Dagestan, Adygo-Abkhazian and Kartvelian (Georgian). Nakh-Dagestan is divided into Chechen-Ingush and Dagestan. Chechens are the largest aboriginal people of the North Caucasus. It was formed in the mountains (like most other Caucasian peoples), and then began to move to the plain. Ingush mainly live in Ingushetia (after the Ingush-Ossetian conflict, their number in North Ossetia has noticeably decreased).

The Dagestan subgroup is the most diverse, it includes about 30 nationalities - Avars, Dargins, Lezgins, Rutuls, Aguls, Tsakhurs and others. Moreover, they live not only in Dagestan. Dargins, for example, are also in the Rostov region, Stavropol Territory.

The Adyghe-Abkhazian group includes the Adyghe subgroup, which includes three closely related peoples - Kabardians, Circassians and Adyghes, who live mainly in the respective republics. The Adyghe-Abkhazian group also includes the Abazins living in Karachay-Cherkessia.

Representatives of the Turkic-speaking group of peoples of the Altai family also live on the territory of the region - Karachais, Balkars, Kumyks, Nogais, Tatars, Azerbaijanis. The bulk of the Karachais live in Karachay-Cherkessia and the Stavropol Territory, the Balkars live in Kabardino-Balkaria, but, for example, the Nogais have a wider geography - they live in Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol Territory. After the collapse of the USSR, the number of Azerbaijanis in the region increased significantly.

In addition to the above, Koreans, Mordvins, Chuvashs, Moldovans, Uzbeks and representatives of other nationalities live on the territory of the region.

The most widespread religion in the North Caucasus economic region is Islam, followed by Christianity (Orthodoxy)

CHAPTER 3. GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC OF ECONOMIC SPECIALIZATION OF THE NORTH CAUCASIAN ECONOMIC AREA

3.1 Industry

An important role in the economy of the North Caucasus is played by the fuel and energy, metallurgical, chemical, resort, construction materials production, and agricultural sectors.

Its industry relies heavily on rich natural resource potential:

First, significant reserves of mineral raw materials, allowing the development of such industries as oil and gas, coal, building materials;

Secondly, the use of local agricultural raw materials - as a result of which there is a powerful food industry and a sufficient good level light industry;

Third, specialization in certain engineering industries (for example, agricultural engineering, shipbuilding), which is facilitated by an advantageous geographical location, natural resources, and a well-developed transport system;

Fourth, a prominent place in the fishing industry, the production of specific tourism products.

The largest number of industrial enterprises is located in the Rostov Region, Stavropol Territory and the Republic of Dagestan. Industrial enterprises were localized on the territory of the economic region based on both the availability of a raw material base and the factor of the recreational zone, since it hinders the development of industrial enterprises that negatively affect the environment. And the industries in terms of their specific weight in the region are presented in Table 1:

Table No. 1 "Branches of specialization of the subjects of the Federation that are part of the North Caucasian economic region"

Subject of the district	Branches of specialization
Republic of Adygea	food; mechanical engineering and metalworking; forestry, woodworking and pulp and paper industries
The Republic of Dagestan	food; fuel; electric power
Kabardino-Balkar Republic	food; mechanical engineering and metalworking; electric power
Karachay-Cherkess Republic	food; building materials; electric power industry.
Republic of North Ossetia-Alania	food; non-ferrous metallurgy; electric power
The Republic of Ingushetia	fuel; electric power industry; building materials.
Chechen Republic	fuel; building materials; food.
Krasnodar region	food; electric power industry; mechanical engineering and metalworking
Stavropol region	food; electric power industry; chemical
Rostov region	mechanical engineering and metalworking; food; electric power industry.

Thus, the food industry is clearly in the lead, followed by the fuel and energy complex, then mechanical engineering and metalworking.

Speaking separately about the industries of the region, the following should be noted.

The fuel and energy industry is one of the main ones, as it is old and at the same time quite promising. On the other hand, in many regions, with the further growth of industrial and agricultural production, the fuel and energy balance may be in short supply, but the severity of the problem can be mitigated, firstly, by the commissioning of all power units of the Rostov nuclear power plant. What are the prospects? This is the development of oil and gas on the continental shelf of the Caspian Sea, the intensification of geological exploration and the development of new fields in the Chechen Republic, Dagestan, the construction of factories in Ingushetia, North Ossetia-Alania. For example, in 2000. A special resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation "On priority measures to restore the oil and gas complex in the Chechen Republic" was adopted. A number of oil and gas fields have been discovered in the Rostov region, but most of them are not of industrial importance, but the coal industry is on the way to a significant decline. The electric power industry of the region is connected with the Volga region and is represented mainly by thermal and hydraulic power plants. The largest volume of electricity generation falls on the Rostov Region, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories. The largest thermal power plants have been built in Krasnodar, Grozny, Novocherkassk, Nevinnomyssk, and among the hydroelectric power plants stand out: Tsimlyanskaya, Gizeldonskaya, Baksanskaya, Belorechenskaya. Repeatedly attempts were made in the region to use unconventional sources of energy - wind, solar, biomass (for example, in 1995-1996 a Russian-German project of a wind power station was carried out in the Tsimlyansk district of the Rostov region).

Non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy is represented in the region. In the city of Vladikavkaz there is an electrozinc plant, the Sadonsky lead-zinc plant in the Alagirsky region, the Urupsky ore mining and processing plant in Karachay-Cherkessia, in Tyrnyauz - a tungsten-molybdenum plant, the Nalchik mining and metallurgical plant, Kubantsvetmet and specialized plants in the village of Holm. in the production of steel, pipes, as well as steel castings.

The machine-building complex is represented by more than 30 industries. In the 90s, the complex, as in the whole of Russia, found itself in a rather crisis state. Upon leaving it, a number of enterprises changed their specialization (for example, at a number of agricultural machine building enterprises, the assembly of cars began). Traditionally, the main branch of mechanical engineering has been agricultural engineering. The Rostov Region alone produces more than half of all combine harvesters (Rostselmash, Krasny Gidropress, etc.). Among the transport engineering enterprises, one can note the Novocherkassk electric locomotive building plant, several enterprises carry out the repair of railway transport (Rostov-on-Don, Tikhoretsk, Armavir, Novorossiysk, Vladikavkaz), the Rostov helicopter production association, the Taganrog enterprise named after I. Beriev (seaplanes). The automotive industry has not received much development, mainly enterprises with foreign capital function (for example, Renault in Taganrog), car repair of spare parts. Naturally, a significant role belongs to shipbuilding and ship repair - Novorossiysk, Yeisk, Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, Tuapse, Akhtubinsk, Krasnodar, Makhachkala and other cities. There are large enterprises of power engineering (Krasny Kotelshchik in Taganrog, Atommash in Volgodonsk). The district also has a significant network of instrument-making, electronics, optical-mechanical products, many of which are associated with the military-industrial complex.

The chemical complex develops mainly on local raw materials and produces various types of products - phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers, varnishes and paints, synthetic detergents, plastics and artificial fibers. Chemical industry enterprises are located mainly in the Rostov Region and Stavropol Territory. The largest centers of chemical production: Kamensk (chemical fiber, varnishes, plastics, acids), Rostov-on-Don (varnishes, paints, plastics), Volgodonsk (synthetic detergents), Nevinnomyssk ( mineral fertilizers) other.

The building materials industry is represented by the production of cement. The North Caucasus is considered among the leaders in the production of cement and its export to other regions. The rest of the building materials industry is of local importance. In total, about 300 enterprises of the building materials industry operate here.

One of the leading industries is the food industry. In its diversity, the economic region stands out from other regions. The first place is occupied by the Krasnodar Territory, it provides about 40% of the products of this industry, there are more than 400 enterprises and about a thousand small workshops. Winemaking enterprises ("Abrau-Dyurso", Tsimlyanskiy plant of sparkling wines), mineral water factories ("Aqua-Don"), tobacco products (OJSC "Donskoy Tabak"), butter mills (Millerovsky and Rostov oil extraction plants), sugar factories (OJSC "Erken-Shahar sugar plant", OJSC "Sugar plant" in the village of Shaginskaya) and many other enterprises of flour-grinding cereals, tea, bakery, confectionery, fruit and vegetable canning, fish-processing industries.

The light industry of the North Caucasian economic region is not an industry of all-Russian specialization, but several dozen textile, leather and footwear, fur, knitwear enterprises operate here, such as Donetsk Manufactura OJSC in Donetsk, Rostov Region, Don-Tex CJSC in Shakhty, knitwear association "Iris" in Nalchik and others.

The forestry, woodworking and pulp and paper industries do not play a large role in the economic region. A significant number of these enterprises are relatively small in their production, and in the 90s, many enterprises were completely redesigned. The main production products are furniture (Nalchik, Makhachkala, Vladikavkaz, Stavropol, Sochi, Elista), chipboards, containers for the food industry (primarily for the fish industry). Krasnodar Territory is the leader in the number of enterprises.

Artistic crafts are also developed in the North Caucasian economic region (Balkhar, Bolshoi Gotsatl, Botlik, Kubachi, etc.)

3.2 general characteristics Agriculture

The North Caucasian economic region is an important food base for Russia, a supplier of grain, sunflower, sugar beet (second only to the Central Black Earth Economic Region in its production), vegetables and fruits, grapes, and animal products. The North Caucasus is the only region of subtropical agriculture in Russia.

The largest areas of land used in agricultural production are located in the Rostov Region, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, and among the republics - Dagestan.

In the structure of the area under crops, the leading place belongs to grain crops: wheat, rye, corn, barley, rice. Cereals are grown everywhere, but the main areas of their cultivation are the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and the Rostov Region, where about 90% of the total amount of grain is produced. The crops are dominated by winter wheat, which occupies about half of the total area of ​​grain crops. The North Caucasus is the main corn producer in the Russian Federation. Rice sowing is also a branch of specialization. Rice systems have been created in the Rostov Region, Krasnodar Territory, Dagestan; its largest producer 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. Here is located about a third of all fruit and berry plantations and almost all vineyards of the Russian Federation. The North Caucasus is the only region in Russia where subtropical crops are grown - tea, citrus fruits, persimmons, and figs.

Harvested areas of grain and industrial crops in the North Caucasian economic region in 2009 amounted to 2,682.4 hectares and these figures are less than the data for the previous year, which is most likely due to the general economic crisis.

The share of the North Caucasus in the production of vegetables is also great. Fruit growing, especially viticulture, is of national importance. Vineyards are located in the Kuban-Black Sea region, mainly around Anapa, Gelendzhik and Temryuk. It is no coincidence that the North Caucasus holds a leading place in Russia in the production of table and dry wines, champagne and cognacs.

The share of the economic region in the total production of major agricultural crops (namely, grain crops, sunflowers, sugar beets, potatoes and vegetables) in the country in 2009 amounted to 24%.

The entire sown area in the North Caucasian economic region in 2011 amounted to 12474 thousand hectares, which as a percentage of 2010. is about the same volume (about 99%).

Animal husbandry is an important branch of agriculture in the North Caucasus. The most significant livestock of cattle is concentrated in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, the Rostov Region and the Republic of Dagestan. Dairy and meat animal husbandry is developed in the foothills and in the Kuban. Total number of cattle as of January 1, 2009 in the households of the population amounted to 2300.7 thousand heads.

Pig breeding is developed in the Lower Don and in the Kuban, where it is favorably combined with grain farming and beet growing. A large white breed of pigs prevails, which is distinguished by high productivity. Pig breeding is poorly developed in Dagestan, Ingushetia and Karachay-Cherkessia, which is associated with a religious factor.

Sheep breeding is widespread mainly in the Stavropol Territory, Rostov Region and Dagestan. Fine-wool sheep breeding is of great importance here. The North Caucasus takes the leading place in Russia in wool shearing. Goat breeding is well developed in mountainous regions.

Poultry farming is also developed in the North Caucasus. The Adler poultry farm, the Labinskoe poultry joint-stock company and other enterprises are well-known in the country.

The main meat producers are the main agricultural regions - Don, Kuban, Stavropol. Krasnodar Territory is the leader in the production of milk and eggs. The bulk of livestock products (meat and poultry in live weight) are produced by households, followed by agricultural organizations and only then by farms and individual entrepreneurs (60, 34 and 6%, respectively). The dynamics of livestock production in recent years can be judged from the data in Table 2.

Table No. 2 "Production of certain types of livestock products in the North Caucasian economic region"

Despite the fact that from 2002 to 20011 there were positive shifts in the production of livestock products, but the level of 1990. have not yet been achieved (only honey production is growing). The economic crisis of 2008-2009 inevitably slowed down these rates of development again, but judging by the words of the President of the Russian Federation D.A. development has slowed down somewhat, but this is not a catastrophe, in any case we were able to add something. Some sectors of the economy have developed, perhaps even better than before. We have just discussed the development of the agrarian sector: both on a national scale and in Kabardino-Balkaria, this is exactly the area that has shown its competitiveness during the crisis. And due to this, it is possible, without a doubt, to create jobs, and create new facilities that will bring profit, to solve a variety of problems. "

The agro-industrial complex provides more than half of the total product of the region. On a per capita basis, the North Caucasian region produces twice as much agricultural products as in Russia on average.

3.3 Recreational complex of the district

It is well known that the North Caucasian economic region has the most significant in comparison with other economic regions recreational resources, including cultural and historical heritage, therefore the recreational economy can rightfully be considered a branch of specialization of the entire region. The abundance of mineral springs, curative mud, wonderful climate, picturesque nature led to the creation of a wide network of sanatoriums, boarding houses, tourist and mountaineering bases, rest houses.

Especially prominent are such health-improving, tourist and mountaineering, natural landscape zones and centers such as the Caucasian Mineral Waters, Big Sochi, Anapa, Teberda, Tambay Valley, Talgi, Arkhyz, Elbrus region, Nalchik, Goryachy Klyuch, Yeysk, Taman Peninsula, Krasnaya Glade, Narzan Valley and many others.

The Black Sea coast is world famous. Small resorts and numerous medical areas stretch between Anapa and Adler. Most of this territory is included in the Big Sochi system, which stretches along the sea coast for 140 km and covers an area of ​​over 350 thousand hectares. The Krasnaya Polyana ski complex is undergoing a full-scale reconstruction in connection with the 2014 Olympics. in Sochi. The well-known children's resort complex Anapa, which has high quality therapeutic mud. The Kavkazskie Mineralnye Vody group of resorts is one of the oldest resort areas in Russia (it is more than two hundred years old). Kabardino-Balkaria (Nalchik, Dolinsk, Prielbrusye) and Karachay-Cherkessia (Cherkessk, Teberda valley, Dombayskaya Polyana) have great opportunities for the use of recreational resources. In North Ossetia-Alania there is a balneoclimatic resort Tamisku, Tsey. Dagestan (Talgi) is also rich in mineral springs.

It is very important to comprehensively and rationally use the recreational resources of the regions of the North Caucasian economic region, but there are a number of problems on the way to this. These include high environmental pollution, hotbeds of ethnopolitical conflicts, the remoteness of resorts from the main centers of effective demand, a low level of service, and a slow investment flow. These problems need to be addressed, but actions for this are sometimes not entirely rational.

Further development of the resort and recreational complex seems to be the most effective and expedient direction in the development of the entire economy of the North Caucasian economic region.

3.4 General characteristics of transport

The North Caucasian economic region is distinguished by a wide and diversified transport infrastructure that plays important role not only in the South of Russia, but also in the system of the all-Russian and international division of labor. There are large ice-free ports, transit motorways, railways, oil and gas pipelines of international importance, and a wide network of airlines.

The main place in the development of interregional exchange of the economic region is occupied by the Rostov region and the Krasnodar Territory.

The main mode of transport is rail. Today, one of the most important highways in the region is the Moscow - Rostov - Derbent - Baku highway, with lines departing from it to Ukraine, Novorossiysk, Tuapse - Adler, Mineralnye Vody - Kislovodsk, Krasnodar - Elista, etc. Sending goods by public railway to end of 2010 amounted to 81.6 million tons, and the departure of passengers by rail in general use at the end of 2008. amounted to 47880 thousand people. (leader - Krasnodar Territory).

In terms of the density of highways, all regions exceed the average for Russia, especially in the lowland regions (Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory), as well as Adygea and North Ossetia-Alania. A number of national highways pass through the territory of the region: Rostov-Baku, Military-Georgian and Military-Sukhum, Rostov-Volgograd, Rostov-Odessa. Transportation of goods by road of organizations of all types of activities at the end of 2010 amounted to 280.2 million tons. The number of vehicles in the personal use of the population is growing from year to year.

Traditionally, water transport plays an important role in the North Caucasian economic region, and this is quite natural. The Novorossiysk port has no equal in the Black and Azov Seas in terms of technical equipment and cargo turnover; the Tuapse port can also be noted. The most important ports of the Sea of ​​Azov are Taganrog, Azov, Yeisk, Temryuk. Makhachkala stands out from the ports of the Caspian Sea. After the construction of the Volga-Don shipping channel, the role of river transport increased significantly. The concept for the development of the ports of the Krasnodar Territory in the period up to 2020. the expansion of the existing ports, primarily Novorossiysk and Tuapse, as well as the construction of new port complexes in Sochi, Gelendzhik and on the Taman Peninsula are envisaged.

Air transport in the 90s has undergone a significant crisis, therefore, the transportation of passengers and goods has decreased several times. Now the situation is changing for the better, but it is not possible to reach the pre-crisis level. The most important airports of the economic region are located in Rostov-on-Don, Mineralnye Vody, Krasnodar, Adler, Makhachkala.

In recent years, the development of pipeline transport in the region has proceeded at a rapid pace. Among the existing pipelines, one can single out: Baku - Novorossiysk, Makhachkala - Grozny - Tuapse, North Caucasus - Center, Grozny - Baku, Tengiz - Novorossiysk. The construction of a powerful gas pipeline Izobilnoye (Stavropol Territory) - Dzhugba (Krasnodar Territory) - Samsun - Ankara (Turkey) has been completed.

One of the promising branches of transport is electronic, which includes power lines and other types of communication. A new fiber-optic trunk line, Rostelecom, is under construction.

CHAPTER 4. PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTH CAUCASIAN ECONOMIC REGION

Like any economic region, the North Caucasian region is characterized by various problems and prospects in its development. To begin with, I would like to dwell on the problems in more detail. Among the main ones at the moment, the following can be distinguished:

Political and ethnic instability;

High level of population migration;

Unemployment;

Instability in agricultural production;

Reduced demand for agro-industrial products (Rostselmash cannot sell its products);

A large gap in the level of development of territories (the difference between steppe and mountain);

Low level of GDP per capita;

other.

Ethnic conflicts in the area are quite frequent, so I decided to consider this aspect. It is important to note here that the most difficult in science are national and interethnic conflicts that arise at the emotional level and do not contain rational principles. Racial and ethnic groups experience feelings of deep alienation and hostility towards those peoples who, from their point of view, are the "culprits" for their lack of "necessary conditions for development" and satisfaction of vital needs. Other researchers in this complex controversial problem see the cause of interethnic conflicts in the purposeful actions of some politicians to incite them. A variant of inertial actions in interethnic conflicts can be independent operations of individual local groups, their decisions on unauthorized military actions. For example, in the Karabakh conflict, there was a lot of talk about the unauthorized action of field commanders, the same happened in South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Chechnya. There is also such a type of conflict as a "conflict of ideas": the "historical right" of an ethnos to its ethnic territory (Armenia, Azerbaijan, North Ossetia, Ingushetia) is substantiated in scientific literature and the media. This type of conflict can be attributed to movements for the creation of their own autonomous formations, for example, Nogays and Lezgins in Dagestan, Abaza in Karachay-Cherkessia. In the period 1989-2005. (D. Dudaev came to power, military actions in 1994-1996, Maskhadov's rule in 1996-1999, military actions or "counter-terrorist operation" in 1999-2010, post-conflict reconstruction), a radical transformation took place, more than once, in total lifestyle of the population of the Chechen Republic.

Also in the North Caucasian economic region, hotbeds of terrorist activity often break out, as a result of which many civilians and security personnel die.

In terms of economic development, the North Caucasus ranks last, but according to some socio-economic indicators, the region is among the leaders of Russia. Table 3 presents the main economic indicators of the region

Table No. 3 "Main social and economic indicators of the North Caucasian economic region for 2008-2011."

Despite many serious problems, the North Caucasian economic region is one of the most promising. According to the level of development of the market infrastructure, the region is classified as a prosperous one. Almost 1/8 of Russian commercial banks are located here. There are good conditions here for highly profitable state entrepreneurship.

Main directions and problems perspective development The North Caucasus, in my opinion, are:

Preferential development of the consumer market sectors - agro-industrial and resort and recreational complexes;

Restoration, reconstruction and growth of branches of mechanical engineering and chemical industry of Russian importance;

The rise of the oil and oil refining industry and infrastructure;

Intensive deployment of a highly efficient agro-industrial complex;

Formation of the region as a center of world tourism and sports in connection with the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi 2014;

Expansion and strengthening of the infrastructure of a unique resort and recreational complex;

Reconstruction and development of the transport complex as the "southern gate" of Russia to the West.

As you know, all regions of the North Caucasian economic region are part of the Southern Federal District, but at the beginning of the year a new, North Caucasian Federal District was created. Alexander Khloponin was appointed the president's representative. According to D. A. Medvedev, this step will help to more effectively manage the district.

Alexander Khloponin identified "four clusters of economic development in the North Caucasus" in which major projects are possible: energy, tourism, agro-industrial complex and innovation. In particular, he believes, the Caucasian region has a huge potential for the development of hydropower, the construction of small cascade hydropower plants and the development of alternative sources energy such as solar and wind. "The potential of the tourist and recreational cluster in the regions of the North Caucasus cannot be compared with any other on the territory of Russia," the plenipotentiary said. At the same time, according to him, we are talking not only about the creation of ski resorts, but also about the "development of health resorts and sanatoriums", which "in Soviet time were the most in demand in the country. "Speaking about the development of the agro-industrial complex of the North Caucasus Federal District, Mr. Khloponin lamented that Russian consumers are hearing" only Ossetian vodka and Dagestan brandy ", although there are large resources for the production of agricultural goods. But to bring these goods to the Russian buyer complex measures are needed, in particular, assistance to small farms in the collection, storage and sale of products. This, according to the plenipotentiary, will allow not only to meet the needs of the Caucasian regions, but also to supply agricultural products to other regions of Russia. infrastructure, from the airport to the roads. "

It should also be noted the Federal Target Program "South of Russia" 2008-2012. The total cost of financing the Program for 2008 - 2012 is 146379.4 million rubles (in prices of the respective years), including: 52,100 million rubles from the federal budget, of which: capital investments - 52,100 million rubles; funds from the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation - 11876 million rubles; extra-budgetary sources - 82403.4 million rubles The main goal of the Program is to improve the welfare and quality of life of the population of the republics that are part of the Southern Federal District, ensuring a reduction in their lag from the average Russian level. The expectations of the program and its results have been calculated, but time will tell how effective this program will be.

CONCLUSION

The North Caucasian economic region is not only the southernmost territory in the European part of Russia with a favorable economic and geographical position, favorable soil and climatic conditions, rich mineral and recreational resources, developed industrial, transport and agricultural potential, a wide network of scientific institutions, but also the most multinational region, which requires special attention from the state and its governing structures.

Despite significant natural and socio-economic resources, a rich history, the presence of industries of all-Russian and international specialization, in the last decade, the North Caucasian economic region has found itself in a fairly difficult situation, which clearly does not correspond to its potential capabilities. This is evidenced by the very low level of per capita gross regional product production, as well as low per capita incomes. Although the population of the economic region accounts for 16% of the population of the entire country, its share in industrial production is only about 6%. In addition, the unemployment rate is high.

At present, the North Caucasian economic region, like other regions of Russia, is experiencing a severe crisis, a decline in production in all spheres of the economy, which is aggravated by national conflicts and interethnic problems. Therefore, the main task of the long-term development of this most complex region is the stabilization of the political and economic situation, the implementation of economic market reforms, the development of a variety of all forms of ownership, entrepreneurship, and especially the priority solution of social problems.

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The geographic location of the Caucasus is still controversial among scientists. After all, the border between Europe and Asia runs along it. But where exactly does this cordon lie? If we assume that along the southern foothills, then the highest point in Europe is Elbrus. But if the border runs along the Main then Mont Blanc. This mountainous country is very long. Different parts of the Caucasus have developed their own climate. These zones also differ in relief and nature. In this article, we will tell you in detail about the many-sided mountain system of the Caucasus.

Location on a geographical map of the world

This region is located in Eurasia, between the Black and Azov Seas in the west and the Caspian in the east. To the north of the Caucasus stretches the vast East European Plain. This large mountainous country has its own clearly defined natural boundaries. The geographical position of the Caucasus between the two seas of the Atlantic Ocean and the world's largest closed-drainage lake, the Caspian, makes the western and eastern boundaries of the mountain system clearly visible. But as for the northern and, especially, southern, everything is not so simple. The Kumo-Manych depression extends from the Caspian Sea to the Azov and Kerch Strait. It is considered the northern border of the Caucasus. In the south, this system smoothly passes into the mountains of Turkey and Iran. The border can be conditionally drawn along the former state cordon of the USSR in this region. Now these are the borders of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The southern border runs along the Armenian Volcanic Highlands, the Araks River and approaches the Talysh Mountains.

On the geotectonics map

The geographical position of the Caucasus speaks volumes about the fact that this mountain system is part of the Alpine-Himalayan belt. Tectonic activity still continues here, although there are no active active volcanoes. Geomorphologically, the Caucasus is divided into four orographic regions. Let's take a look at them in order.

In the very north is the Ciscaucasian plain, which stretches in a wide strip from the Azov Sea to the Caspian Sea. Further south, low hills give way to mountains. The main peaks of the system - Elbrus and Kazbek - are located on the Greater Caucasus Range. This vast region also has its own characteristics. To the south of it is the Transcaucasian Depression. It includes the Kura-Araks and Colchis lowlands. They also alternate with the Transcaucasian Highlands. It, in turn, is divided into two parts. This is the mountain system of the Lesser Caucasus and

On the political map of the world

To the south of the Main Caucasian Range are the independent and sovereign states of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The north of the mountain system is occupied by the Russian Federation. There is also the Caucasus: South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Their future, as well as their current political status, are very vague. The Russian Federation has several territorial entities in the region. In the northwest, these are the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories. They are recognized as resort regions of Russia. In the northeast, there are such autonomous republics of the Caucasus as part of the Russian Federation, such as Adygea, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, North Ossetia and Karachay-Cherkessia. The ethnic composition of the population in these countries is quite variegated. This serves as a pretext for various interethnic conflicts. The hot spots of the Caucasus were Chechnya, South Ossetia, Dagestan, Ingushetia. Nagorno-Karabakh is still a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Regions of the Caucasian mountain system

The enormous length of the ridges also led to the fact that each part of them has its own geographical features. Thus, the mountainous country can be divided not only into the northern, central and southern, but also into the Eastern and Western Caucasus. If we consider the Main Ridge, then here we can isolate the part that begins at and rises to Kazbek. This is the Eastern Caucasus. The central zone of this massif is highly compressed, the Dividing Ridge (Glavnyi) and the Lateral ridge separate the northern and southern parts of the country. And the Western Caucasus begins on the Taman Peninsula and gradually rises to Elbrus (5642 m above sea level). In a small central part, between the two highest peaks of the mountain system, all the other five-thousanders are concentrated: Dykhtau, Mizhirgi, Dzhangi-tau, Pushkin, Koshtantau, Shkhara. Each of them is higher than Mont Blanc in the Alps (4807 m).

Lesser Caucasus

To the south of the Main (Vodorazdelny) ridge, a significant depression of the relief runs from sea to sea. Here, such regions of the Caucasus stand out as the humid Colchis lowland in the west and the arid Alazani and Kura-Araks plains in the east. But to the south of these troughs, mountains rise again. Only the submeridional Likhsky ridge connects the Greater Caucasus with the Small. The name of the latter should not mislead anyone. Of course, the peaks of the Lesser Caucasus are inferior to Kazbek and Elbrus. But here is Mount Ararat (5165 m). It is the highest point in Asia Minor. There are many peaks in this region above the alpine Mont Blanc. The Lesser Caucasus bent in a 600-kilometer arc. Many of its ridges are 2-3 kilometers high. They are separated by deep intermontane basins. To the south of these ridges, the vast Javakheti-Armenian Highland stretches. It consists of volcanic ridges and plateaus cut by deep canyons. The highest point of this region is Aragats (4090 m).

Where does the mountain range in the south end

The geographical position of the Caucasus is such that it is rather difficult to define its border. In the southeast, the ridges gradually turn into the Talysh mountains, ending in the Lankaran lowland near the Caspian itself (28 m below the level of the World Ocean). In the south and southwest, the Lesser Caucasus passes into the Elburz ridge. This chain in northern Iran is part of the Pontine Mountains in Asia Minor. Thus, we can say that the southernmost border of the mountain system is the Lankaran lowland, Talysh mountains and the Elburs ridge.

Peoples of the Caucasus

This region is inhabited by about fifty ethnic groups. And each of them has created its own distinctive culture. The North Caucasus (Russia) is especially heterogeneous in its ethnic composition. This region is inhabited by Kabardians, Adyghes, Circassians, Shapsugs, Chechens, Ingush, Batsbi, Tsakhurs, Tabasaran, Rutul, Lezgins, Laks, Dargins, Aguls, Avars. There are also ethnic groups here who speak the Altaic dialects language family... These are Nogai, Trukhmen, Kumyks, Karachais, Balkars, Meskhetian Turks. Transcaucasia is inhabited by Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis. But the ethnic composition of these republics is also heterogeneous. Among the representatives of the titular nations of the listed countries, there are Abkhazians, Ossetians, Tats, Talysh, Yezidis, Kurds, Assyrians. And finally, alien peoples who, over a long history, settled in this mountainous region. These are Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Jews, Tatars and others. The main religions are Islam (both Shiite and Sunni branches) and Orthodox Christianity.

Seismic environment

The territory of the Caucasus lies entirely in the Alpine-Himalayan belt. This area is very mobile. Therefore, earthquakes are frequent in the Caucasus. The increased seismicity of the region is also due to the fact that the mountains, due to the convergence of tectonic plates, grow by one and a half centimeters per year. At the same time, the lowlands descend even more. This process is not so fast - from two to six millimeters per year. The most frequent earthquakes are in Transcaucasia, more precisely in the northwest of the Armenian Highlands. The last such natural disaster, which claimed thousands of lives, occurred in 1988. The mountainous Caucasus, due to its increased seismicity, is prone to frequent avalanches, glaciers and mudflows. Small earthquakes cause rock falls and landslides. Soft sedimentary rocks are washed away by streams and other erosion processes. Thus, karst caves are formed. There are especially many of them in the northern part of the Greater Caucasus. Suffice it to recall at least the Vorontsov system of caves, the New Athos, Snow Abyss (its depth is 1370 m), the Lago-Naki plateau.

Caucasus climate

This mountainous country lies on the borders of the subtropical and temperate natural areas... It can be said this way: the high wall, which is the Caucasus, itself serves as a climate-forming factor. The five-thousanders reliably shelter the southern slopes from cold winds. At the same time, the northern foothills of the Caucasus take the whole blow low temperatures... A particularly striking difference in climatic characteristics is observed in winter. When heavy snow falls in the Russian part of the mountainous country, clear, dry and warm weather reigns in the republics of the Caucasus. Of course, in such huge mountains, there is also an altitudinal zonation. There is snow on the peaks all year round. Below, the zone of lichens and mosses is replaced by alpine meadows, coniferous and deciduous forests. And in the valleys, lush evergreen subtropical vegetation pleases the eye.

The waterways of the region have a mountainous character of the flow, and therefore play an important role in the energy sector. It should be said that to the north the slopes of the Caucasus are gentle, elongated, while the southern slopes are steep and steep. Such a relief affects the rivers. In the northern part of the mountainous country, they acquire a flat character. Don is an example. The Kuban is the largest river in the North Caucasus. But there are fast and turbulent water streams in this region of the mountainous country. These are, first of all, Kura and Terek. The rivers of the Caucasus belong to the basins of three seas that wash the mountainous country. Terek, Araks, Kura, Kuma and Sulak flow into the Caspian Sea. Such waterways as Bzyb, Kodori, Inguri, Rioni belong to the Black Sea basin. Azov feeds Don, Kuban. The largest lake in the region is Sevan.

The nature of the Caucasus

The mountainous country surprises with a variety of landscapes. There are low-lying subtropical swamps, dense fir forests, boxwood groves, alpine meadows. At a considerable height of more than three thousand meters, lichens and mosses predominate. Permafrost starts at 3500 meters above sea level. The northern foothills of the Caucasus are cooler. The vertical zonation on these slopes is characterized by a sharp change of zones. The border of snow in the North Caucasus lies lower than in the southern one - at an elevation of 2800 meters above sea level. The mountain fauna of the region needs protection. The lynx and Caucasian leopard are on the verge of extinction. And the local species of bison, elk and tigers have disappeared altogether. But bears, wild boars, chamois and argali are still found in mountain gorges. As for the flora, the Caucasus is known as the birthplace of the giant hogweed. In 1890 he was taken to Europe as ornamental plant... Since then, he has been considered an extremely dangerous and aggressive neophyte.

Recreational opportunities of the Caucasus

The region is located between the three southern seas. A mild climate was established here, transitioning from temperate to subtropical. High mountains create a wide variety of landscapes. The fast rivers invite you to go rafting. All this turns the Caucasus into a recreational region. But here you can not only have a pleasant rest, but also heal. This is facilitated by the large amount of mineral waters that are formed in rocks. The whole world knows the Borjomi brand, which is exported by Georgia. But the North Caucasus is not lacking either. Kislovodsk, Mineralnye Vody, Georgievsk, Zheleznovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Lermontov - all these resort cities are located in the Stavropol Territory. Zolsky district (Kabardino-Balkaria) is famous for the Narzan Valley and the healing mud of Lake Tambukan.

The state of the Mountain Republic was proclaimed by the Central Committee of the Union of the United Highlanders of the North Caucasus and Dagestan. 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 self-dissolution and was evacuated to Tiflis.

Anthropology. Races

The North Caucasian ethnic population belongs mainly to North Caucasian race Caucasian type. The racial composition of the population of the Caucasus was determined at 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
• Imereti
• Mingrelians
• Svaneti.

• West Mountain group

• Abkhazians
• Circassians (Adyge)

• Kabardians
• abadzekhi
• bzheduhi
• Shapsugs, etc.

• East Mountain group

• Chechens
• Ingush
• Lezgins

• Avars
• Andyans
• Dargins
• tabasaran, etc.

• Turkic group

• Balkars
• Azerbaijanis
• Meskhetian Turks
• Trukhmen (Turkmens of the Stavropol Territory)
• carapapahs
• Nogais
• Kumyks
• Karachais

• Mongolian peoples

• Kalmyks.

• Fino-Ugric peoples

• Estonians.

It should be noted that in antiquity, towards 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 oldest burials of the Samtavr and Mingechaur burial grounds, sharply expressed long-headed narrow-faced Caucasoid skulls are found, which are most similar in type to representatives of modern long-headed variants of the Caspian type.

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

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

A rough assessment of music, clothing, weapons also gives a quite clear division: the North Caucasus - traditional Caucasian musical foundations, the spread of the so-called Circassian with gazyry, the prevalence of weapons of weak curvature and open arms. Transcaucasia - the influence of Iranian and Semitic musical traditions, the less regular use of clothing with gasses, the craving for a greater curvature of the blade and the protection of the weapon guard, an obvious crosspiece for sabers. Moreover, the Transcaucasian features are increasing from West to East, already taking place in the Central Caucasian region, and, reaching the greatest manifestation in Lezgistan, which is the merger of the entire Caucasus, all its traditions. The gradualness of the transition confirms the fact that there are no exclusively North Caucasian or Transcaucasian features, and much depends more on the characteristics of a given area than on formal belonging to the North or South Caucasus, which largely coincides with political conditions rather 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 (apart from Siberia and Altai), where agricultural land occupies more than 70% of the territory.

The region is the location of the best sea and mountain resorts in Russia, including the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory, Caucasian Mineral Waters, Dolinsk, Elbrus region, Dombay, the promising Caspian coast.

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

Transport

The coasts of the North Caucasus are of special commercial importance for the country, important ports are located here: the largest Russian seaport of Novorossiysk, the ports of Tuapse, Sochi, Krasnodar (a pier on the Kuban River), the ports of Yeysk, Makhachkala, Derbent; Large routes for the transportation of continental oil and gas pass through: CPC, the Baku-Novorossiysk oil pipeline, the Blue Stream gas pipeline, the Saratov Refinery - Volgograd Refinery - Novorossiysk product pipeline under construction.
Large railways and highways (the largest "Don") also lead to the port of Novorossiysk, and to Anapa - M25 , from the village. Dzhubga in Tuapse, Sochi, Adler - M27 ... From Rostov, from st. Pavlovskaya is a motorway 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 for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan, citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to enter, leave and move through the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan without visas, provided they have a foreign passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.

Visa regime with Georgia

According to the agency "Caucasian Knot", 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. However, people express fears that Russian authorities can now tighten the rules for crossing the state border for their citizens.

Human rights violations

Irene Kahn, Secretary General of Amnesty International, a major international independent human rights organization, said that in the year since Dmitry Medvedev's inauguration, little has been done 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 suppressing violence in the region by armed groups is achieved in ways that are contrary to the provisions of international human rights law. People continue to be forcibly disappeared or abducted, arbitrarily detained, tortured and even killed in places of detention. ”

Terrorism in the North Caucasus

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

Ivan Sydoruk also said that most of the weapons at the disposal of the militants in the North Caucasus come from military units. “We are losing informational and especially ideological work, and here it is extremely important to interact with the clergy in the North Caucasus,” the Deputy Prosecutor General said. Analyzing the situation, he noted that the main factor of extremism in the district is a high degree of unemployment and unresolved social and 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 increased frequency of terrorist attacks in the region jeopardize plans for socio-economic development. "The attack on the Chechen parliament (October 19, 2010) is a rude slap in the face to President Kadyrov," the newspaper said. Correspondent Alexander Biyeta emphasizes: "The special sarcasm is that the attack was carried out during a visit to Chechnya by Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev, who came to see with his own eyes the efforts to stabilize the republic." “Another 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 Kadyrovtsy 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 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 youth in the regions of the North Caucasus was criticized by the President of Chechnya, Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov. According to the press service of Kadyrov, the leadership Chechen Republic“With great bewilderment he perceives the initiatives of individuals endowed with 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 Chechens, like any other people, have their own code of conduct. It has been developed over the centuries. He is holy and indestructible. Our people have their own culture and traditions. They are based on respect for the elders, care for the younger, respect for the culture, traditions and customs of other nations. "

see also

• Caucasus Mountains, Ciscaucasia, Caucasus, Transcaucasia
• Caucasian phobia

Notes (edit)

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

The North Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) was separated from the Southern Federal District in 2010 into an independent administrative unit. The region's territory occupies the eastern and central part of the North Caucasus and the southern European part of the country.

The formation of the North Caucasus Federal District is the first stage of the program to change the federal districts, which began in 2000. That year, the North Caucasus Federal District was called

General characteristics of the region

The occupied area of ​​the district is about 1% of the entire territory of the Russian Federation. The central city of the North Caucasus Federal District is Pyatigorsk. This is the only settlement in the Russian Federation that has not been assigned the status of an administrative center. Its area is not even the largest in comparison with other cities in the district.

The administrative unit borders the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan and Georgia are visible in the south of the district. Also, the borders run along the Rostov region, Kalmykia and Krasnodar Territory.

The composition of the North Caucasian Federal District consists of 7 republics.

Dagestan

This is the southernmost part of Russia and is located in the east of the North Caucasus, and on the east side it is washed by the Caspian Sea. In the west, the territory borders on the Stavropol Territory and Chechnya. In the north with Kalmykia, and in the south-west with Georgia. The southern part is in contact with Azerbaijan. Makhachkala is recognized as the capital of the administrative unit. The republic occupies about 50.27 thousand m 2. The date of formation is 1921. The population of the region is about 3 million inhabitants.

The composition of the citizens of the North Caucasus Federal District is multinational. The same can be said about Dagestan. There are few Russians in the republic - 3.6%, this is about 104 thousand Avars most of all - 850 thousand, which is 29.4 percent. Next come the Dargins, of whom 17%, the Kumyks - 14.9%, the Lezgins - 13.3%, the Laks - 5.6%, and so on. The least of all in the republic are Archins and Armenians, there are only 5 thousand people each.

Ingushetia

The youngest republic in the North Caucasian Federal District is Ingushetia. The year of creation is 1992.

The republic borders on North Ossetia, Georgia, the climate is continental, and in winter the temperature does not drop below -5 degrees.

The population is 480 thousand people. Ingush predominate in the republic, their number is about 94%. About 4.6% are Chechens, and only 0.8% of the population are Russians. The remaining percentages are accounted for by other ethnic groups.

Chechens live quite compactly, mainly in the Nazran region. The rest of the nationalities do not have a specific territory of residence.

Only 42.5% of all residents of the republic live in cities. The population predominantly lives in the Suzhenskaya and Alkhanchurskaya valleys, Achaluka, and this is only 25% of the entire territory. Only 5% of all residents live on the remaining 85% of the republic's lands.

Kabardino-Balkaria

The North Caucasian Federal District includes the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, founded in 1921, with the capital - the city of Nalchik.

The territory is located mainly in the mountains of the North Caucasus. It is in Kabardino-Balkaria that the stratovolcano of Mount Elbrus is located, with the highest mountain peak in Europe and the Russian Federation. This figure is 5642 meters above sea level.

Despite the predominantly mountain range, 864 thousand people live on the territory of the administrative unit per 12.5 km 2.

The climate of the republic is quite diverse: in the plains there is a humid and continental climate, and higher in the mountains the climate is similar to the Alpine one.

National composition of the republic:

There are even Finno-Ugric and Kurds in the republic, although in a very small proportion in relation to the total population - no more than 0.03%.

Karachay-Cherkess Republic

Since 1957, the territory has received the status of an autonomous region, and since 1992 - a republic with the capital Cherkessk. It borders on the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories, Abkhazia and Georgia.

The republic is home to 466 thousand people. The Karachais (40.67%) and Russians (31.40%) are considered the titular nationalities. Circassians are only 11.82%, and Abazins are even less - 7.73%, Nogais are about 3.28%. The rest of the nationalities are represented by less than 1%.

The ethnic composition of the North Caucasian Federal District in the context of the cities of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic:

Nationality	City, district,% of the population
	Cherkessk	Karachaevsk	Abazinsky district	Adyge-Khabl district
Karachais

North Ossetia Alania

The territory of the republic is spread out on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus Range. The mountainous strip accounts for 48% of the entire territory. The capital is Vladikavkaz. The total area of ​​the administrative unit is 8 thousand m 2. The area was recognized as a republic in 1936. North Ossetia occupies 4121 km 2. The climate is continental almost everywhere, and on the plains it is predominantly arid.

The republic has 1 urban district and 8 municipal districts. To get to Moscow, you will need to overcome 2 thousand km, and only 200 km to Pyatigorsk.

The climate of the republic is classified as subtropical. There are 130-140 summer days a year. These factors have a beneficial effect on the development of resorts and tourist routes.

According to rough estimates, 706 thousand people live on the territory of the republic. Most of the citizens are in the city. This is about 451 thousand, the rest - in the countryside.

Composition The North Caucasian Federal District in the part of North Ossetia is one of the most multinational territories. In terms of population density, the republic comes after Moscow, St. Petersburg and Ingushetia.

About 100 national minorities live here, but Ossetians account for more than 65%. Russians are in second place. There are 21% of them. The third place in the list was taken by the Ingush - 4%.

List of national composition, the number of persons, which exceeds 1 thousand:

Stavropol region

When it comes to this region, one immediately remembers the balneological resorts with which the territory is saturated. There are many health resorts located in different cities: Yessentuki, Kislovodsk and Zheleznovodsk.

Conditionally divided into two climatic zones:

• the northeast resembles semi-desert and desert;
• the northwest is a plain with fertile lands.

In general, the climate of the region can be characterized as temperate continental.

The administrative center of the region is Stavropol, and there are 19 cities in total.

The total area of ​​the administrative unit is 40.9 thousand km 2. The total number of residents is 2.7 million people. The share of townspeople is 8.9%.

The territory is predominantly inhabited by Russians - there are about 2.2 million people. The second on the list are Armenians. There are 161.3 thousand of them on the territory of the Stavropol Territory, which is 5.9%. The third place is taken by the Dargins (as of 2015), previously this position was occupied by the Ukrainians. There are 49.3 thousand Dargins in the region. The fourth largest number of national minorities are Greeks. There are about 1.5% of them here.

Chechnya

The composition of the North Caucasian Federal District of Russia is hard to imagine without It several times seceded from the Russian Federation and last signed an agreement on joining Russia in 2003.

Mostly Chechens live in the republic. There are 1.2 million of them, which is 95.3 percent of the total population. According to Rosstat, the total population of the republic in 2017 is 1,414,865 people.

The rest of the nationalities are represented in rather small numbers:

South and North Caucasian Federal District

Until 2010, these districts were a single territorial unit. According to the government, the allocation of the North Caucasus will allow the new federal district to accelerate the development of the southern regions. This makes it possible to solve economic and ethnopolitical problematic issues.

If we consider the ethnic composition of the Southern and North Caucasian Federal Districts, then it is quite variegated. In Dagestan alone, there are about 130 nationalities. In the region, you can find the most unique nationalities and quite small numbers, even within Russia. These are Avars, Dargins, Kabardians and Lezgins, Circassians and Adygs, that is, representatives of the North Caucasian language group. In the republics of these federal districts there are representatives of the Altai people. These are Nogays, Karachais and Balkars. But if we take the general data, then in the two regions Russians still prevail. There are about 62% of them here. This number also includes Ukrainians.