Geographical map of the Caucasus by country. North Caucasus: map and stages of research

Geographical and civilizational conditions of the North Caucasus

The North Caucasus region is located in the south Russian Federation and its natural geographical boundaries are:

• in the north: Kuma-Manych depression
• to the east: Caspian Sea
• in the west: the Azov and Black Seas
• in the south: the Greater Caucasus Range, separating North Caucasus from Transcaucasia

In landscape terms, scientists divide the North Caucasus into two zones:

1. the steppe part, Ciscaucasia, and the steppes are both hilly and flat, in the east they turn into semi-deserts
2. Caucasus ridge and foothills

In the region there will be two lowlands: in the west – the Kuban-Azov lowland, in the east – the Terek-Kuma lowland. The main rivers are the Kuban in the west and the Terek, which forms its own basins.

The North Caucasus region has resource characteristics: in the steppe part the main wealth is black soil more than 1.5 meters thick. Even at the beginning of the development of the Caucasus by Russian settlers, the average grain yield was SAM-5, SAM-6. Natural steppe spaces created favorable conditions not only for agriculture, but also for cattle breeding. Access to three seas stimulated exchange and trade. The Caucasus Mountains conceal a fairly wide range of mineral resources. Deposits of iron, zinc, lead, polymetals.

In the flat part of the North Caucasus (Adygea, Chechnya, Nagai steppe) in the 19th century, oil fields. In the mid-20th century, gas reserves were discovered on the Stavropol Upland. Compared to European Russia climate North Caucasus more than soft with short winters with little snow and hot summers.

At the moment, the entire North Caucasus is represented 8 subjects Russian Federation: Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory, Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Republic North Ossetia– Alania, Republic of Ingushetia, Chechen Republic, The Republic of Dagestan. Because of its ethnic diversity, Dagestan in ancient times received the name “Country of Mountains” or “Country of Languages.”

Stages of research into the history of the region

Thanks to its proximity to the seas, natural resources, and mild climate, the North Caucasus has long attracted the attention of neighbors and conquerors. Already in the 6th century BC. in the west of the Caucasus began to form, and therefore the region repeatedly began to appear in the news of various ancient Greek authors (Herodotus, Plutarch, Strabo). It is very characteristic that the ancient Greeks not only reflected the contacts of Greek colonists with the aborigines, but also recorded the emergence and activities of large tribal communities in the Caucasus that left their mark on world history (Cimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians).

By the 1st century BC. the region reveals the influence of another powerful ancient civilization -. The Romans not only subjugate the Greek colonies of the Caucasus, the Caucasus becomes an arena of struggle between Rome and Parthian State (Iran).

Evidence about the Caucasus and its peoples is found in such authors as Seneca (younger), Pompey, Tacitus, Ammianus Marcelli. After new ones take shape in Transcaucasia state entities, The North Caucasus is becoming an object of interest from outside , Georgian and Armenian authors (Ananiy Shirokatsi, Movses Khorenatsi).

The heir to ancient civilization was the Byzantines, with the goal of spreading political influence and Christianity, they also appeared in the North Caucasus lands. Evidence about nature, various tribes of the Caucasus and their customs is found in famous Byzantine writers - Strokopius of Caesarea, Constantine Porphyrogenitus.

They left a certain mark on the study of the Caucasus Italians, representatives of the oldest trading city-state. In the 13th-15th centuries, Genoese fortresses and trading posts existed in the Azov region and on Black Sea coast, and their inhabitants were in contact with local population. Famous Italian authors (Plano Carpini, Rubruk, Giorgi Interiano) contain various descriptions of the nature and tribes of the Caucasus.

By the 16th century, the North Caucasus became the object of increased military, political and religious expansion from outside and its vassal Crimean Khanate . The Turks are actively trying to subjugate the local rulers and impose their citizenship on them. Naturally, this is reflected in Turkish chronicles. Various characteristics of the North Caucasus are found in the famous 16th century traveler Evliya Celebi.

The most culturally developed already in the 1st century BC. becomes Dagestan. Therefore, this part of the Caucasus appears in reports by Iranian, Albanian, Azerbaijani authors.

Domestic Caucasian Studies

The North Caucasus comes into view Russian authors back in the 10th century, in connection with an organization that existed for almost 2 centuries. In Russian chronicles of the 10th-12th centuries there are references to Tmutarakan, its princes, trade, wars, treaties concluded with the Kosogov and Yas (Alans) tribes.

Scattered episodic information about the North Caucasus is found in the papers of the embassy order of the 16th-17th centuries. It was during this period that some Caucasian tribes sought the patronage of Moscow, the arrival of various delegations to Ivan the Terrible, and the Moscow Rus' tried to gain a foothold in the lower reaches of the Terek.

Systematic and more scientific study of the region It was started in the 18th century. Academicians of St. Petersburg Imperial Academy Science P.S. Pallas, I.A. Gyldenstedt, P.G. Butkov, I.F. Blaramberg. With the beginning of the annexation of the North Caucasus to Russia, the number of authors writing about the North Caucasus has increased, represented by Russian officers F.F. Tornau, V.A. Potto, N.F. Dubrovin, R.A. Fadeev. Scientist academician A.P. Berger “Caspian region”, 1857, “Chechnya and Chechens”, 1859.

Representatives mountain nobility The North Caucasus of the 18th century also became, and the most talented of them created a number of works in Russian dedicated to the peoples of the North Caucasus (Shora Nogmov “The Tradition of the Circassian People”, “Elementary Rules of Kabardian Grammar”, Umalat Laudaev “The Chechen Tribe”).

In the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries All Caucasian peoples had their own educators. In Ossetia - K. Khetagurov (Ossetian), Sultan Kazy-Girey (Nogai). The Russian pre-revolutionary academic school had whole line Authors of Caucasus scholars: E.N. Kusheva, L.I. Lavrov, A.V. Fadeev, V.P. Nevskaya, V.N. Ratuniak and others. Over the years Soviet power own cadres of the mountain intelligentsia were published, researchers of the North Caucasus emerged from its midst: V.G. Gadzhiev, R.M. Magomedov, M.M. Bliev, V.V. Degoev.

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North Caucasus District of Russia

North Caucasian federal district is an administrative formation located on an area of ​​172.4 thousand km² in the southern part European Russia, as well as the eastern and central parts of the North Caucasus. Interactive map The North Caucasus Federal District contains information about the administrative-territorial division: the North Caucasus Federal District includes 7 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including the Stavropol Territory and 6 republics (Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkarian, Ingushetia, North Ossetia-Alania, Karachay-Cherkess, Chechen). The region's population reaches 9.54 million people.

The map of the North Caucasus Federal District displays it geographical boundaries: with the Southern Federal District, the republics of Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and South Ossetia, the district has common land borders. The region shares its water borders with the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Center functions administrative formation is carried out by Pyatigorsk, which is not the administrative center of a constituent entity of the North Caucasus Federal District (Stavropol Territory). A detailed map of the North Caucasus Federal District shows the location of Pyatigorsk, which occupies part of the Stavropol Upland, the banks of the river. Podkumok. The most big city region is considered Makhachkala.

The Stavropol Territory is considered the most developed in economic terms. Various industries operate successfully here National economy. On detailed map The North Caucasian Federal District Stavropol Territory is represented by the largest resort in the Russian Federation - Caucasian Mineral Waters. According to the quantitative and qualitative indicators of medicinal mud and mineral waters it cannot be compared with any balneological resort in Eurasia.

The North Caucasus Federal District is the smallest Russian federal district in terms of territory. In addition, it is represented exclusively by republics and one region.

History of the North Caucasus Federal District

For one decade, the North Caucasus Federal District was part of the Southern Federal District. However, in 2010, the North Caucasus was separately formed from the region. During these times, the real sector of the district's economy noticeably lagged behind all-Russian indicators in development. That is why the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation approved the corresponding comprehensive program, which was related to the socio-economic development of these areas. In order to create in practice an effective model for a timely, operational solution to a number of problems in the region, the head of the district performed the functions of deputy head of the Cabinet of Ministers and Plenipotentiary Representative of the head of state. Note that this happened for the first time in Russian history.

Geography and population of the North Caucasus Federal District

The North Caucasian Federal District includes one region, namely Stavropol, and six republics. These are Karachay-Cherkessia, Ingushetia, Dagestan, North Ossetia-Alania, Chechnya and Kabardino-Balkaria.

The territory of the North Caucasian Federal District is 170,439 km, which is about 1% of the area of ​​the entire territory of the Russian Federation. The region's population is 9,591,381 people. The district is considered the most multinational region of the Russian Federation. About 30 nationalities live in Dagestan alone.

The North Caucasus Federal District has land borders with the Southern Federal District, Kalmykia, Rostov province and Krasnodar region, as well as with Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Azerbaijan. Regarding water boundaries, the region borders only Kazakhstan. The southern regions of the North Caucasian Federal District are limited by the Main Caucasus Range, and the eastern ones by the Caspian Sea.

Natural resources of the North Caucasus Federal District

Located in the North Caucasus Federal District a large number of natural resources. Oil reserves are concentrated in Ingushetia and Chechnya. The Malgobekskoye and Grozny deposits are considered to be among the most significant. Several deposits are also located in Dagestan.

In addition, large resources of rare and non-ferrous metal ores are concentrated in the territory of the North Caucasus Federal District. In this regard, the Tyrnyauz tungsten-molybdenum deposit, which is in Kabardino-Balkaria, and the Sadonskoye polymetallic ore deposit, which is located in North Ossetia, stand out.

As for the non-metallic minerals of the district, the region has reserves of sulfur, barite and rock salt, which is developed in the area of ​​lakes Baskunchak and Elton.

Geopolitical situation in the North Caucasus Federal District

The district occupies a very advantageous position geopolitical situation. Since ancient times, it has been a kind of “gateway” from Asia to Europe. Subject infiltration Russian Empire began in the sixteenth century.

The collapse of the USSR and the emergence of new independent countries are considered by some states as a kind of historical chance associated with the spread of their influence over these areas and, accordingly, with the impact on foreign policy Russia. For example, there have been attempts to create new transport communications bypassing the Russian Federation.

Prospects for the North Caucasus Federal District

The Russian Cabinet of Ministers approved state program, related to the development of the district until 2025. One of her main priorities is improving the well-being of the district's residents. The government also pays close attention to reducing unemployment in the region. Thus, it is planned to create more than 100 thousand new jobs in the tourism industry alone. The authorities are trying to actively develop the health resort industry. Indeed, of the 150 balneological, climatic and balneological mud resorts in the state, the vast majority are located in the North Caucasian Federal District.