Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia

Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia

Having a land area of 14.300 km2, the republic of Karachay-Cherkessia is located in Northwest Caucasus. It has a population of 467.000 (2018). Its capital Cherkessk has a resident population of approx. 130.000, while Karachayevsk is the second largest town. It is bordered by the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria in the east, Abkhazia in the south, Krasnodar Krai in the west and Stavropol Krai in the north.

Originally set up as an autonomous oblast in January 1922, Karachay-Cherkessia was split along ethnic lines into Karachay Autonomous Oblast and Cherkess National Ogrug in April 1926, the latter of which was raised in administrative status to that of autonomous oblast in 1928. When the whole of the Karachay population was deported to Central Asia during the World War II, the Karachay Autonomous Oblast was dissolved. After the deported peoples were allowed to return to their homelands in 1956, the Karachay and Cherkess autonomies were merged once again in 1957 to give way to Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast within the borders of Stavropol Krai. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Karachay-Cherkessia split from Stavropol Krai and became one of the 21 constituent national republics of the newly independent Russian Federation.

Despite going through turbulent times throughout the 1990s, which witnessed a referendum on splitting the republic, ethnic strife, low level armed clashes and large-scale political unrest, Karachay-Cherkessia has remained a united republic. Somewhat uniquely in the Caucasus, it is also home to two small ethnic entities (national districts), namely Abaza and Noghai raions.

With its own local parliament and other symbols of an autonomous statehood that include having five official languages, which are Karachay, Circassian, Russian, Abaza and Noghai, Karachay-Cherkessia’s population is consisted of Karachays (40%), Cherkess (12%) and Russians (31%), Abazins (7%) and Noghai (3.5%).