North Caucasus
The North Caucasus sits between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea to the west. To the east, the Caspian Sea marks its boundary. Mount Elbrus rises in the southern part as the tallest peak in Europe. This mountain range separates Europe from Asia. The region includes the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountains. It also covers parts of the Pontic, Caspian steppe area. The Manych River defines the northern limit of this steppe zone. Krasnodar stands as the most populous urban center here. Ancient cultures like the Koban culture flourished on fertile chernozyom soils during the 3rd millennium BCE.
Russian forces completed their conquest of the North Caucasus by 1864. A century earlier, the Caucasian War had pitted the Russian Empire against regional powers. Between the 1850s and World War I, about a million North Caucasian Muslims became refugees. These displaced people included Circassians, Chechens, Ingush, and Ossetians. They fled to the Ottoman Empire seeking safety. The Ottoman government settled these refugees across modern Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, Greece, Cyprus, and North Macedonia. This mass displacement created a large diaspora that spread far beyond the original homeland.
Much of the Northern Caucasus seceded from Russia in March 1917. It formed the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus during the February Revolution instability. Mountainous Republic troops fought White General Anton Denikin's Volunteer Army. The Red Army eventually defeated Denikin's forces. The Soviet Union informally occupied the region shortly after. The republic accepted nonviolent annexation in January 1921. Officials reformed it into the Mountainous ASSR. That entity dissolved in October 1924. Administrators replaced it with autonomous Okrugs and Oblasts. Rostov-on-Don served as the administrative center until the 10th of January 1934. Pyatigsk took over until January 1936. Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz) followed. Voroshilovsk (today Stavropol) became the seat from the 15th of December 1936 onward.
Widespread unrest erupted across the North Caucasus after the Soviet Union fell. Militants associated with the Caucasus Emirate engaged in low-level armed conflict. From June 2015, groups linked to the Islamic State also operated there. Violence peaked within Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. Occasional incidents occurred in surrounding regions like North Ossetia, Alania and Volgograd Oblast. FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov announced the final elimination of the insurgent underground on the 19th of December 2017. Official counter-terrorism operations ended that day. Yet violence continued despite the declaration. The US State Department advised citizens not to travel to the region in June 2022 due to terrorism risks. Paramilitary groups like the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus remained active.
The United States' National Intelligence Council described the region as dominated by corruption in 2004. Weapons smuggling and lagging economies plagued local development. The black market serves as the main source of employment for most residents. Organized crime holds significant power over local business and politics. The Russian government focused heavily on increasing tourism revenues to encourage growth. Only two percent of the region's economy comes from tourism income today. Poor infrastructure hinders visitor access. Frequent instability and violence deter potential travelers. The poor image of the Caucasus in Russian public consciousness further limits success. These factors combine to keep economic development at very low levels across the entire area.
Luxembourgish politician Anne Brasseur noted in 2004 that no other region in Russia or Eurasia contains so many peoples living together in such a small area. The local population predominantly follows Sunni Islam. Ossetians and Abkhazians remain exceptions to this rule. Western republics like Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, and North Ossetia maintain extant traditions of paganism connected to Islam. Eastern portions including Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia are dominated by Sufism. Conflicts between Islamic ethnic groups occur frequently. Battles for control over religious institutions often overlap with political struggles. The takeover of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Dagestan by Sufi tariqa sheikhs led to conflict involving Avars. This struggle encompassed religious, ethnic, and political differences simultaneously. Life expectancy remains highest in Russia within these mountainous territories. The region is known for producing a large number of centenarians.
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Common questions
What is the North Caucasus and where is it located?
The North Caucasus sits between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea to the west. To the east, the Caspian Sea marks its boundary. This region includes the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountains.
When did Russian forces complete their conquest of the North Caucasus?
Russian forces completed their conquest of the North Caucasus by 1864. A century earlier, the Caucasian War had pitted the Russian Empire against regional powers. Between the 1850s and World War I, about a million North Caucasian Muslims became refugees.
Which cities served as administrative centers for the North Caucasus during Soviet rule?
Rostov-on-Don served as the administrative center until the 10th of January 1934. Pyatigsk took over until January 1936. Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz) followed, and Voroshilovsk (today Stavropol) became the seat from the 15th of December 1936 onward.
Who announced the final elimination of the insurgent underground in the North Caucasus?
FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov announced the final elimination of the insurgent underground on the 19th of December 2017. Official counter-terrorism operations ended that day. Yet violence continued despite the declaration.
What is the main source of employment for most residents in the North Caucasus today?
The black market serves as the main source of employment for most residents. Organized crime holds significant power over local business and politics. Only two percent of the region's economy comes from tourism income today.