Karachay-Cherkessia
Karachay-Cherkessia (Russian: Карачаево-Черкесия, romanized: Karachayevo-Cherkesiya), officially the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus. It is administratively part of the North Caucasian Federal District. Karachay-Cherkessia has a population of 469,865 (2021 Census). Cherkessk is the largest city and the capital of the republic.
Karachay-Cherkess Republic | |
|---|---|
Republic | |
| Карачаево-Черкесская Республика | |
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Karachay-Balkar | Къарачай-Черкес Республика |
| • Kabardian | Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ |
| • Nogai | Карашай-Шеркеш Республикасы |
| • Abaza | Къарча-Черкес Республика |
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Coat of arms | |
| Anthem: State Anthem of Karachay-Cherkessia | |
| Coordinates: 43°55′N 41°47′E | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal district | North Caucasian |
| Economic region | North Caucasus |
| Capital | Cherkessk |
| Government | |
| • Body | People's Assembly |
| • Head | Rashid Temrezov |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14,277 km2 (5,512 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 77th |
| Population | |
| • Total | 469,865 |
| • Estimate (2018) | 466,305 |
| • Rank | 74th |
| • Urban | 41.3% |
| • Rural | 58.7% |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (MSK ) |
| ISO 3166 code | RU-KC |
| License plates | 09 |
| OKTMO ID | 91000000 |
| Official languages | Russian; Abaza, Cherkess (Kabardian), Karachay, Nogai |
| Website | http://www.kchr.ru/ |
| Part of a series on the |
| Circassians Адыгэхэр |
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List of notable Circassians Circassian genocide |
| Circassian diaspora |
| Circassian tribes |
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Surviving Destroyed or barely existing |
| Religion |
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Religion in Circassia |
| Languages and dialects |
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| History |
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Show |
| Culture |
Karachay-Cherkessia is one of Russia's ethnic republics, primarily representing the indigenous Caucasian-Turkic Karachay people and the Cherkess or Circassian people. Karachays form the largest ethnic group at around 44% of the population, followed by ethnic Russians (27%) and Cherkess (13%). The Cherkess are mostly of the Besleney and Kabardin tribes. The republic has five official languages: Russian, Abaza, Cherkess (Kabardian), Karachay-Balkar, and Nogai.
The majority of the republic's territory is within the Caucasus Mountains, except for a small strip at the northern edge of the Don Steppe. Karachay-Cherkessia is bordered by Krasnodar Krai to the west, Stavropol Krai to the north-east, Kabardino-Balkaria to the south-east, and an international border with Georgia to the south-west. Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, is located on the border with Kabardino-Balkaria.