Karachay-Cherkessia is one of Russia'sethnic republics, primarily representing the indigenous Caucasian-TurkicKarachay people and theCherkess or Circassian people. Karachays form the largest ethnic group at around 44% of the population, followed by ethnicRussians (27%) and Cherkess (13%). The Cherkess are mostly of theBesleney andKabardin tribes. The republic has five official languages:Russian,Abaza,Cherkess (Kabardian),Karachay-Balkar, andNogai.[8]
The republic is located at the slopes of northwesternCaucasus and borders withKrasnodar Krai in the west and northwest, theKabardino-Balkar Republic in the southeast,Georgia (includingAbkhazia) in the south and west, and withStavropol Krai in the northeast. It stretches for 140 kilometers (87 mi) from north to south and for 170 kilometers (110 mi) from east to west. Mountains cover 80% of the republic's territory;Mount Elbrus, which at 5,642 meters (18,510 ft) is the highest peak in the Caucasus, is located on the republic's border with Kabardino-Balkaria. The republic is rich inwater resources. A total of 172 rivers flow through its territory, with the largest one being theKuban,Bolshoy Zelenchuk,Maly Zelenchuk,Urup, andLaba. There are about 130 mountain lakes of glacial origin and an abundance of mineral springs. Climate is moderate, with short winters and long, warm, humid summers. The average January temperature is −3.2 °C (26.2 °F), and the average July temperature is +20.6 °C (69.1 °F). Average annualprecipitation varies from 550 millimeters (22 in) in the plains to 2,500 millimeters (98 in) in the mountains. Natural resources include gold, coal, clays, and more.
Karachay-Cherkessia is the only region in the North Caucasian Federal District that does not have an airport.[10]
In November 1943, Karachay Autonomous Oblast was abolished, the Karachay people were accused of collaboration with theNazis and70,000 were subsequently deported to theKazakh andUzbek republics. Most of the Karachay territory was split between Stavropol Krai and theGeorgian SSR. The remaining territory populated by the Cherkessians was known asCherkess Autonomous Oblast until 9 January 1957 when it was incorporated into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast[11] in its former borders due to the rehabilitation of the Karachay.
On 3 July 1991, the autonomous oblast was elevated to the status of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia (under the jurisdiction of theRussian SFSR).
In January 1992, Russian PresidentBoris Yeltsin was prepared to accept the division of Karachay-Cherkessia and introduced draft laws to theSupreme Soviet of Russia for the reconstitution of the Karachai Autonomous Oblast and Cherkess Autonomous Oblast within the Russian Federation. A commission on formation of three autonomous regions – Karachai, Cherkess, and Batalpashinsk – was established in the Supreme Soviet.[citation needed]
On 28 March 1992, a referendum was held in which, according to official results, the majority of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia voted against splitting the republic and, on 9 December 1992, the republic was recognized as the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.[12]
The head of the government in Karachay-Cherkessia is the Head (until 28 June 2012, the official title was "President"). Until February 2011, the President wasBoris Ebzeyev, a former judge of the Constitutional Court of Russian Federation.Rashid Temrezov is currently the Head of the republic.[5]
Ethnic tension is a considerable problem in the republic. In May 1999, Karachay-Cherkessia conducted its first-ever free regional presidential election. WhenVladimir Semyonov, a Karachay, won the election overStanislav Derev, a Circassian, there were protests by supporters of Derev, with widespread allegations of fraud. A court ruling later upheld the election result, prompting thousands of Derev's supporters to march in protest, many advocating the partitioning of the republic.[citation needed]
Although activity by separatists in the region pales compared to Chechnya and Dagestan, militant groups exist in Karachay-Cherkessia.[13] A car bomb that killed two people in March 2001 was blamed on Chechen separatists. Muslim separatist groups have formed, and dozens of their members have been killed by the Russian authorities.[13]
In September 2007, theFSB killedethnic Abazin Rustam Ionov ("Abu-Bakar"), head of the KarachaevoJamaat (assembly), along with his wife.[14]
1 The results of the 1926 census refer to the present territory, which is a combination of the Cherkess ND, the Karachay AO and adjacent areas. The latter areas were mainly inhabited byRussians andUkrainians.[26]
36,597 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group.[27]
According to a 2012 survey which interviewed 56,900 people,[28][failed verification] 64% of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia adheres toIslam, 13% to theRussian Orthodox Church, 2% to the Karachay and Circassian native faith, 2% areunaffiliated Christians, unchurched Orthodox Christian believers or members of non-Russian Orthodox churches. In addition, 10% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 3% areatheist, and 6% are other/undeclared.[28]
^Президиум Верховного Совета СССР. Указ от 9 февраля 1957 г. «О преобразовании Черкесской автономной области в Карачаево-Черкесскую автономную область». (Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Decree of 9 February 1957On Transformation of Cherkess Autonomous Oblast into Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast. ).
Народное Собрание Карачаево-Черкесской Республики. Закон №410-XXII от 9 апреля 1998 г. «О государственном гимне Карачаево-Черкесской Республики», в ред. Закона №85-РЗ от 6 декабря 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Карачаево-Черкесской Республики в связи с установлением административной ответственности за неправомерное использование государственных символов Карачаево-Черкесской Республики». Вступил в силу с момента опубликования, за исключением статей 2 и 3, вступающих в силу с 15 мая 1998 г.. Опубликован: "День Республики", №48(15471), 25 апреля 1998 г. (People's Assembly of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Law #410-XXII of 9 April 1998On the State Anthem of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, as amended by the Law #85-RZ of 6 December 2013On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Due to the Introduction of Administrative Sanctions for Misuse of the Symbols of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Effective as of the moment of publication, with the exception of Articles 2 and 3, which take effect on 15 May 1998.).
5 марта 1996 г. «Конституция Карачаево-Черкесской Республики», в ред. Конституционного Закона №49-РКЗ от 27 июня 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Конституцию Карачаево-Черкесской Республики». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Сборник Законов и Постановлений КЧР 1995–1999 гг", Часть I. (March 5, 1996Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, as amended by the Constitutional Law #49-RKZ of June 27, 2012On Amending the Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
Верховный Совет РСФСР. Закон №1539-I от 3 июля 1991 г. «О порядке преобразования Адыгейской, Горно-Алтайской, Карачаево-Черкесской и Хакасской автономных областей в Советские Социалистические Республики в составе РСФСР». (Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. Law #1539-I of 3 July 1991On the Process of Transformation of Adyghe, Mountain Altai, Karachay-Cherkess, and Khakass Autonomous Oblasts into Soviet Socialist Republics Within the RSFSR. ).
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