The Caucasus is a beautiful geographical area,located mainly on the territory of the majestic mountains of Eurasia. This region is located closer to the southern edge of the East European Plain, at the turn of Europe and Asia, and it is washed by the Black Sea from the west and the Caspian by the east.
The northern boundary of the mighty Caucasus lies along theKumo-Manych ancient basin, the shelf water of the Azov Sea and the long Kerch Strait. The southern edge of this geographic region goes along the old border of the former Soviet Union. The territories of the five countries of the Transcaucasus together with the North Caucasus district make up more than 350 thousand square meters. km.
The geography of the Caucasus clearly shows the division into the Southern and Northern regions. The composition of the North Caucasus includes:
Based on the current geography, the land of the ancientThe Caucasus belongs to Russia (the North Caucasus and part of the Transcaucasian lands along the right bank of the Samur River) and Azerbaijan, to hospitable Armenia and hospitable Georgia. Turkey also owns part of the eastern lands of this mountainous region.
The Caucasus stretches in the region of the Alpine-Himalayan wide seismic belt, which is famous for its active tectonic movements and is characterized by a great variety of mountainous terrain.
The first mention of the word "Caucasus" was found in the writers of ancient Greece. For example, in Aeschylus in Prometheus Chained (approximately V century BC).
The Caucasus is a land that for manycenturies were the arena of military skirmishes of large empire states. They tried to seize control of this strategic territory. This large region, dividing the two parts of the world - Europe and Asia - was once a bloody arena on which the feud of Persia and the great Ottoman Empire was spreading. Russia's active struggle in the Caucasus began right after the collapse of the mighty Golden Horde.
1944 was marked by the fact that all Chechens andThe Ingush forcefully move to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (republics of the USSR). The declared official reason is the constant and massive cases of complicity of the local population of Checheno-Ingushetia to German invaders and occupiers. The map of the Caucasus was already formed by that time.
In the 1940s, mass repressions and expulsionsother Caucasian peoples are exposed. In 1991, an armed coup takes place on the territory of Chechnya, because of which Checheno-Ingushetia is divided without marking the frontiers to the Chechen and Ingush Republics. After that, a counterterrorism operation was officially abolished in Chechnya, although the situation in Ingushetia remains tense: murder of people, theft, inter-clan clashes and political differences remain a usual part of life.
In 2008, Russia officially recognizesindependence of the republics of South Ossetia and neighboring Abkhazia, establishing friendly relations between them. Several other regions remain in its autonomy. This is Dagestan, Chechnya and others.
The Caucasus is a union, according to geomorphology, of four main zones:
The peoples of the Caucasus are divided into 3 typicallanguage groups: Caucasian, Altaic and Indo-European families. On the lands of this geographical region lives and lives up to 50 different nationalities, speaking their own languages and having a distinct culture. On the territory of the present-day Caucasus, you can also meet other peoples: Russians, Ukrainians, Jews and many others. There are also people of the Caucasian race (Caucasian, Pontic, Caspian, Armenoid).
The Caucasus is the region where the dominant religionis Christianity (Russian, Armenian and Georgian Orthodox churches) and Islam. There are representatives of Judaism. Islam in the number of believers is in the first place among the Caucasian nationalities.
Travel agencies often arrange tripsto the Caucasus. This area has a beneficial effect on health, there are many attractions. Companies always organize interesting trips to the mountains. Such events are inexpensive, although the price level sometimes differs. However, exciting excursions fully justify these costs. Knowingly the Caucasus is considered the mountain capital of Europe. Next to it are the seas, which also invariably attract tourists. Part of Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan belongs to the Caucasus. Often here you can see visitors: Americans, Canadians or Australians. They are happy to visit this region, buying souvenirs and enjoying the natural beauties. The peoples of the Caucasus are happy to receive guests.
